Casio Wrist Camera (WQV-1) absolutely unwilling to share its secrets with a PC
Posted by mortau@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 19 comments
Posted by mortau@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 19 comments
studioNNNN@reddit
For anyone else having trouble, I made a tool to help with importing photos from the watches via palm OS.
You can use a cheap palm pda to transfer the photos, and then run this to rip the photos from the backup data. https://github.com/nnnn2cat/WQV_PDB_Tools
(I tried posting this before and it got removed? If this is a violation of some sort, please let me know)
oscaralexander@reddit
I'm very late to this party, but I'm looking to get a WQV-2, an old Windows XP laptop with a serial port, and a generic serial port IR receiver. I would then install WQV Link 1.0 since I can't find any other versions. What are my chances?
mortau@reddit (OP)
I noticed in one of the Casio docs that it suggested embedded IRDA wasn't compatible with the watch - that was my experience when using an old Dell. Others online have talked of success with embedded receivers so maybe I just had some bad luck.
What I can guarantee works is a Palm Pilot of the correct vintage - worked a treat!
studioNNNN@reddit
I have gotten the wqv-3 and wqv-10 to communicate properly with an old laptop with built-in IR with not much fuss. WQV-1 and WQV-2 did not work.
I bought a palmos device (the sony clie nx70v), but I've had no luck transferring with any of the casio watches. The IR remote is firing off, and choosing settings other than PC causes it to fail immediately, so some communication is taking place at least.
If anyone has a Sony Clie they can try out with and report back, it would be greatly appreciated. As for OP, what palmOS device did you end up getting? I wonder if there's an OS version cutoff somewhere down the line.
mortau@reddit (OP)
It was a really inexpensive Palm M100 series job. I think the ROM is 3.3 on those. It worked perfectly.
studioNNNN@reddit
Sorry, one more question! I was able to get the images transferred using an SJ33. But!!! How did you get the files off of your palm and onto your computer? The only option I see is to export to fireviewer, and even that only does one image at a time. (And I don't even know how to get those to a computer afterwards anyway).
Please tell me there's something I'm missing!
mortau@reddit (OP)
Nice! Use the Palm Hotsync thing to just sync all the contents of the device to your computer. My method here is a bit clunky but basically I emulate Palm 3.5, install WQVLink, and drag the synced database file for WQVLink onto the emulator. All the images become viewable.
I essentially screenshot each image via the emulator and use Photoshop to batch crop etc.
If you find a better way than this I'd like to hear it!
studioNNNN@reddit
Thanks for the reply! It's hilarious that you may be right here.
If I find anything better I'll report back!
studioNNNN@reddit
Great, I'll aim for something around that version then! Much appreciated.
cans_one@reddit
That's good news , is there a convenient way to move the pics from the palm pilot to the pc afterwards?
cans_one@reddit
Hey y'all, I got a WQV1 as well and I'm trying to convince it to share the pics. So far I've installed the wqv link on a virtual machine and bought a ir dongle off Amazon, the software starts but I can't make it see the watch in any way, I tried all the possible port/it device combo and no luck. Any suggestions?
cans_one@reddit
Found this, not sure it's relevant but states that random ir dongles are not working? https://www.javys.com/casio/wc/wc_new.htm
mortau@reddit (OP)
Good catch. There is some other commentary around the place where people claim success with other dongles, but they may have been referring to the newer WQV-2/3 watches. The quickest path to success with the WQV-1, as it turns out, is by using a compatible Palm Pilot instead.
cans_one@reddit
Damn I guess I need to buy one then, I rushed to but a Casio watch camera as soon as I saw it but I completely forgot to do my research first....
DAFER31@reddit
oh really :(( im now buying one but i was assuming wqv link 2.0 or 3.0 will work. I only have IRDA USB it was working with WQV-3 and WQV-10. Can't we make a basic software for this watch to work with USB IRDA?
mortau@reddit (OP)
I've actually been working to see if any of the Linux/java solutions can be updated and recompiled but I'm hitting a NullPointerException error dead end.
That said, I also ran a seperate test yesterday with an RPi with Stretch installed and a KS-959 IRDA USB adaptor, trying to connect it with the Dell Latitude and it's built in IRDA. Strangely, the RPi was was appearing on the Dell for a second and disappearing over and over again. I don't trust any of the equipment at this point.
If that disappearing thing is happening with the watch talking to Windows then it's a no brainer in terms of why it won't connect. On the other hand, the RPi and the USB adaptor just might have a bad config - who's to say.
If your setup works already, you can just use the 1.0 software on Windows to talk to it successfully.
DAFER31@reddit
I will try it with 1.0 in a windows xp but the watch is in a bad condition. I recieve it yesterday and it hasn't the plastic rubber for the battery etc. Also i have another plan i didnt tried it but im planning to exchange photos with wqv-1 and 3 if i can. Bcs 3 is working
DAFER31@reddit
Nah its not working for me but i will try it more. Also changing photos with WQV-3 also dont working
mortau@reddit (OP)
For the technical minded folks out there, here's some more info about how this specific watch communicates over IRDA.
The same guy developed a way to use the data sending functions with the Nokia 9000/9110 Communicator.