Update: 5th August 2019 Updating the camera

Guest Author:

Peter Lottenbach

First of all a bit of background: My first experience with VR came with the purchase of the Oculus Rift at July  2016.

My first 360 photo and video experience came with the purchase of the Insta360 One at the beginning of 2018.

I could have a 360 camera before but as you say too, I’m still waiting since two years for this Kickstarter: VUO TwoEyes VR 360 camera.

Since my quality requirements rose with every look in to my VR glasses, I got another Kickstarter camera (QooCam) and of course the Oculus Go. But I still was not satisfied with the resolution. So I backed the Detu Max.

Since my quality requirements rose with every look in to my VR glasses, I got another Kickstarter camera (QooCam) and of course the Oculus Go.

But I still was not satisfied with the resolution. So I backed the Detu Max.

Detu Max + If you do not look at the promised information, the quality of the images are exceptionally good as you can see here: https://veer.tv/vr/Piotr40/

The footage is better as the web reduces the resolution.

Insta360 Moment footage: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AkrzZw2GQEYdzjr3t9- view it in the Go with Insta360 Moment.

The metallic outside of the camera looks stable and robust. The package that came with the camera looks professional.

Detu Max –

Status now 31.01.2019. I know from experience with the QooCam, it can get better.  

Promise    

Reality

360 Photo

11520×5760 (12K) (real-time stitching) . NO POST Stitching possibilities. If there are stitch problems, no correction possible.
7680×3840 (8K) (real-time stitching or post-processing stitching)

360 Video

7680×3840@25fps (8K) (post-processing stitching)
3840×1920@25fps (4K) (real-time stitching/live-streaming)
H.265/H.264 video coding

360 3D Photo

7680×7680 (2x8K) (post-processing stitching)
3840×3840 (2x4K) (real-time stitching)

360 3D Video

7680×7680@25fps (2x8K) (post-processing stitching)
3840×3840@25fps (2x4K) (real-time stitching/live-streaming)

Live-streaming

3D up to 4K@25fps
2D up to 4K@25fps
2D on any 360-supporting platform, including Facebook and YouTube

Sound

Built-in mic x 4, AUX Because of the fan noise useless.

The Software (DetuStitch, MaxClient windows only) is for the older firmware release 1.0.22 and there are no plans for a new one.

There is no promised Mac version!

DetuStitch: If you are in small room or an object is closer than 3m from the stitching line, you have to live with stitching errors.(broken lines)

As the fan noise is too noisy for the internal mics, they disabled the audio in the firmware version 1.0.22 and in the DetuStitch software.( But in the firmware 1.0.22: I found audio (fan noise) in the R_A.mp4 file and in Firmware 1.1.7: I found audio (fan noise) in the L_A.mp4 file)  Test with audio (Firmware 1.0.22)

Now we have 1.1.7 and you can connect an external mic but the audio track (L_A.mp4 video file(1 of 8)) is twice as fast as the video.

Synchronizing of the video with an external audio track is not easy. (I use adobe premiere pro for this)

My wish would be to make a concert video (Ensembles/classic) but because of the fan noise I do not dare to use the camera. I have to find a rock band.

Detu have to do some more work but since one month there are no new information from them and you get no answer, even via direct email to the support address. 

The camera is heavy = top-heavy. So never use it at a monopod even if you buy it from Detu for the Detu Max! You have to use a stable tripod for top-heavy cameras! There are stories at the Facebook group from people with damaged cameras. Once overturned and you can throw away the camera. the inner is not as stable as the outer one. You should treat the camera like a raw egg! Fortunately, nothing has happened to me yet.

You should look into the Facebook group “DETU MAX 3D 360 VR Camera group” and the “Detu Max Camera – Backers Vent group”

There are a lot of interesting stories. I wish Detu would hire an administrator on Facebook like Daisy Chen from the Kandao QooCam group. She looks after the customers in an exemplary way!

If you like to have more details, please tell me.

Regards Peter

PS: Sorry for the writing as I’m a Swiss German.

Update: 5th August 2019 By Ash

To upgrade the camera it needs to be done step by step, you can’t skip firmware upgrades as it’ll fail. Here’s a list of the Detu Max software history http://help.detu.com/en/detail/page/477. You need to install firmware version 19 and app version 19 before installing version 22.

Thanks to Olaf Kalytta for bringing this to my attention.