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Will SmartController accept DJI 4.0 app to run with DJI controller

Waldo Pepper

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Have a Mavic 2 Pro, use an iPad. A question and please forgive me if it’s been asked before, hopefully someone will chime in.

Will the SmartController V1/V2 operate as an Android device with a Mavic 2 Pro? I believe for a Mavic 2, must be 4.1.2 or later to successfully work with Mavic 2. If it can, would be great using the Autel SmartController with my Mavic 2 Pro to view. I know it heavy, but I would mount both Evo SmartController and DJI controller to a tripod.

Appreciate the help,
Paul
 
Give it a try. Can't hurt.
I may do that this week, I’ll do a little more investigation and most likely will go for it.

Was seriously thinking of getting a Tripltek 8” Pro pass couple of weeks for my Mavic 2 and other drones. Then, occurred to me the Autel SmartController may work. If it does, that’s one less major expensive going with the Autel SmartController.

Will give an update if it does work, and type of setup I’ll go with tripod or fastened to DJI controller itself with shoulder strap.

Paul
 
Autel SmartController uploaded up the DJI GO 4 app with no problem, only problem after installing app wouldn’t connect to DJI hand controller on its final stage. Tried all ports, with various cables still wouldn’t connect to DJI controller. Maybe someday in future, Autel can update the SmartController to operate as a screen for DJI and other various brands. Screen was crystal clear, would have been nice.2278F274-E776-42BC-B84C-CEBD1751FF5D.jpeg
 
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Wasted effort. Autel and DJI do not have the same communication protocol. DJI uses its own system which is OccuSyncrome v2 and V3 which is its own protocol and not shared with other drones.
 
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Wasted effort. Autel and DJI do not have the same communication protocol. DJI uses its own system which is OccuSyncrome v2 and V3 which is its own protocol and not shared with other drones.
I was hoping to use the Autel SmartController as one would use a Tripltek with the DJI Controller, i think it would be possible just need Autel to look into it. Maybe with an update, arrange so one of the Autel SmartController ports will allow the connection between DJI controller and Autel SmartController to operate as a screen.
 
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Autel SmartController uploaded up the DJI GO 4 app with no problem, only problem after installing app wouldn’t connect to DJI hand controller on its final stage. Tried all ports, with various cables still wouldn’t connect to DJI controller. Maybe someday in future, Autel can update the SmartController to operate as a screen for DJI and other various brands. Screen was crystal clear, would have been nice.
Hmm. Maybe Autel has crippled the USB assesory functionality on the SC. I'm assuming you tried both the USB A and USB C ports? Did you open the settings and force-stop Explorer?
 
Hmm. Maybe Autel has crippled the USB assesory functionality on the SC. I'm assuming you tried both the USB A and USB C ports? Did you open the settings and force-stop Explorer?
Yes, tried both usb A and usb C ports. Which leads me to believe, it may be possible “if possible “ for Autel to open up these ports on a future update.

Autel SmartController downloaded the DJI app no problem, just one final step remains linking DJI controller to Autel SmartController with cable.

I’m not familiar with and don’t understand “Did you open the settings and force-stop Explorer?”. I’ll look into this another day, maybe it’s still possible but let me try to understand what force-stop Explorer means.

Appreciate you adding this information, I’ll look into it.

Thanks!
 
If you open the android settings app, and scroll down to apps, then to Autel Explorer, you have the option to "force-stop". This ensures the app is not running in the background which would essentially stop another controller from working because the SC's "controller" is also running. Make sense?

It's also possible that the controller is always running in the background and acting as a the USB accessory, as far as the operating system is concerned, and that would also interfere with the DJI controller connecting. You know when you connect a DJI controller to an Android smart device and it asks if you want to use that USB device or set as default. That is the functionality that may be locked up in the SC.
 
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Yes, makes sense I’ll try that this weekend. Appreciate the help, hopefully this triggers the port to work.

Thanks Dave!
 
Dave,

Made time this evening, following your instructions force stopped Autel explorer app. Connected DJI controller to Autel SmartController, turned on DJI app and turned on Mavic 2 Pro. Still, Autel SmartController wouldn’t allow a port to link DJI controller and SmartController Screen. Tried all ports on SmartController, and both side and bottom ports on DJI controller.

But that’s okay, Very seriously feel Autel can fix this with an update in the future. If would be to Autels benefit, allowing its Autel SmartController users to use the SmartController for other drones linking the two with a cable.

Appreciate the help, Thanks to you I learned something about force stop.

Thanks again!
Paul
 
What your trying; using the Autel SC as a display could certainly be possible, if the hardware supports video in. That's probably not something Autel would have considered or given priority to with hardware likely sourced from the Automotive division or one of the parent companies suppliers.

A couple of observations:

I think you might get this to work using a utility on the SC to utilize USB as a display input. Look at the wired (preferable) and wireless (expect some lag from wireless latency) in the following article:


If these don't work, you could make some discoveries along the way that provide a path to victory.

I still think 2.5 lbs weight for an 8" display is fairly ridiculous as far as efficient use of resources, namely your own, lugging and putting it on a tripod (as you and I have experienced works beautifully, but not quite the Mini 2 "stick it in your pocket on the way out the door" experience, lol.

Its not unworkable, just a bit beefy for the same protein you could get from jerky slim 8" tablet - 😆

If you want to connect a phone or PC to the file system of the SC, it's easy to make it an FTP server for convenience:

1. Open CX File Explorer.
2. Scroll the location icons to the left or tap "Network" from the center menu of "Local / Library / Network"
3. Click "Access from PC"
4. Confirm you are on the same WiFi SSID as your target.
5. Deselect Random Port if you want a specific port number to be retained, otherwise just note the port #
6. Select "Start Service"
7. On your PC, Phone, Tablet or whatever client you want to use, open a browser and use the ftp address url that CX File Explorer provides.

Happy browsing. This can be convenient to download, upload or just manage files on the SC. There are better and more graphical connection utilities, but to paraphrase a Photography truism: The best utility is the one you have installed 😉
 
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Thank you so much BlairAir for providing the informative information, a wealth of information to go over that may provide a path to use SmartController as a screen for our other drones.

I’ll start going over what you‘ve provided, try each method and get back with you if it works. I’ve got a ton of moving to do this weekend, hopefully get a chance within these two days to squeeze in a few moments to make this work or at least give me a better understanding what direction to take.

Appreciate the valuable information, and as you’re aware I’m okay going with a tripod to mount the SmartController and adding on a DJI controller to the tripod is no big deal. Using the Autel SmartController with the DJI Controller with Mavic 2Pro would be terrific, Can’t wait!

Thanks again!
 
If you want to connect a phone or PC to the file system of the SC, it's easy to make it an FTP server for convenience:
I would just add that when I connect the SC to my win10 pc via the usb-c port, the SC is found in my computer and it's file system is accessible. Plug-n-play, no other gymnastics required.
 
I would just add that when I connect the SC to my win10 pc via the usb-c port, the SC is found in my computer and it's file system is accessible. Plug-n-play, no other gymnastics required.
Thank you Dave,

That may be good news, So it’s probably possible to connect DJI controller to the Autel SmartController one way or another. i don’t have a computer, only an iPad and iPhone.

With the information from both you and BlairAir, this will guide me in the right direction to hopefully make this work. Hopefully, others with Autel SmartControllers more knowledgeable than I will figure this out and share with us step by step information connecting the two.

Thank you very much, appreciate the information.
 
Personally, I would be thrilled to try some of the beta versions of Autel Explorer, since it takes an age to get stable version upgrades, maybe 2x a year? The issue is, if they don't stage the software on the update server (the one the SC checks when you hit: "Check for Updates" for System, App, and Firmware - then you will never get an installable package. Probably just as well, since if my experiments extracting ZIP files into the update folder on the Smart Controller had actually worked, I would almost certainly screw it up and need *gasp!* support to get me functional again, IF they could do so. A factory wipe/reset might get it working, but "might" isn't comforting.

Also: of the 11 Cases I attempted to engage support with since I got the E2P, Autel only worked 2 of them, and neither were resolved. Not exactly a stellar record.
 
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Also: of the 11 Cases I attempted to engage support with since I got the E2P, Autel only worked 2 of them, and neither were resolved. Not exactly a stellar record.
That matches my experience as well. Reported problems are rarely, if ever, resolved. Requested features, like 360° panos, when finally implemented, are so kludgy that they are unusable. 360° panos on the E2P take four full minutes to shoot 26 photographs that DJI manages to shoot in 30 seconds on the Mavic 2 Pro, and stitch in another 30 seconds, while not blacking out the FPV during the stitching!
 
I would just add that when I connect the SC to my win10 pc via the usb-c port, the SC is found in my computer and it's file system is accessible. Plug-n-play, no other gymnastics required.
True. The simplest solution is often the best. Did I mention that if you uncheck random port, you set this up once, and it works forever. So now, I dont even need a cable, just Turn on the SC, open the file manager and go to my PC - access! LOL, I'm just saying - I wouldn't call it gymnastics, but it's not as simple as plugging in. Now, where is that damn cable? 😆
 

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