How to get started with the Sony A6000 Remote

Question

I'm trying to get started with the remote camera API, and have hit a wall.

It's not clear to me what the initial setup for the camera (A6000 in my case) should be. The docs seem to imply that I configure "Remote Control" (which I've done) and that as a result, the camera becomes an "access point". Now, to my understanding, an access point is like a WiFi router, and I expect to see a new SSID advertized when I browse local networks from my computer. I would also expect to need credentials (a password) to complete the connection. However, when I set remote control on in the menu, I do not see any new SSID advertized, and I see nothing that would tell me what SSID I might expect, nor what password I should use if I did see such a network.

So, I wondered if my understanding of "access point" was wrong. I then connected my camera to my regular home Wi-Fi (it did this successfully, and I can see the IP address handed to it via my DHCP server). Having done this, I can still set remote control on in the menus. So, with that configuration, I attempted to create a crude connection. I took the core of the code from the example (I don't work with Android, though I'm totally happy with Java) and hacked together something that I hoped would send the initial multicast UDP packet, and look for the UDP response. Well, "nothing happens" -- it sends (ten times actually) while concurrently waiting for a response. However, it never recognizes any response, and times out. I'm not attempting to parse the response, just get a packet.

Of course, I don't know if there's a bug in my code (though it's very simple, and largely stolen from the example) because I don't know if this is even how it's supposed to work.

I am interested in any pointers, particularly regarding the initial camera configuration.

I should note that I have updated the firmware on my A6000 to version 3.20, which appears to be the latest. It worked, I know because a) the version is reported as 3.20, and also the new movie file container format (XAVCS) is offered.

Answer 1

let's see if we can work this out.

1. For starters, you are correct that the device acts as an access point like a wifi router. You should be able to see it when you search for available networks to connect to. You won't be able to access the camera specific API functions without connecting to the camera's access point.
2. You will need to enable the remote control function which it seems that you have done
3. You can get the login credentials for your camera's access point by plugging your camera in to the usb port of your computer. On the camera there should be a file located here "INFO/WIFI_INF.TXT". This file will contain the SSID and the camera password. If you don't see the SSID in the list of available access points then enter it manually with the password and it should work.

Also if you connect and your code is not working please paste it here so that I can take a look and try to figure out what is wrong.

Answer 2

It turns out that I had not in fact enabled Remote Control. There's a menu item on the A6000 (tools menu, sub-page 3) that says "Remote Control". Turn it on and... well, that's not how you to it.

Instead, on the A6000, you go to the applications menu (four squares, laid out in a square, with the top left and bottom right being filled black, and the other diagonal ones being filled white).

From "Application List" select "Smart Remote Embedded". That starts the A/P and also sets the camera's screen showing you the SSID and password of that configuration.