Per the relatively new player AXIBO, the PT4 System is “the pinnacle of motion control technology.” That’s quite a claim. It’s a good sign then that some well-known reviewers are calling it an impressive piece of kit.
Leveraging deep learning and advanced mechanics, this motion control system might just be the one to beat.
If you were curious to learn more about all the capabilities – including some fancy autonomous options – you can turn to the always reliable Gerald Undone.
He takes a closer look at the PT4 and goes through all the pieces, features, and performance characteristics to see if this slider is all it claims to be.
AXIBO was not a company I had heard of so I was surprised to hear that this was their fourth generation pan/tilt motion control device. The PT4 is a complete system with a pan/tilt head, motor, and controls.
There are actually some customizable options as well. The motor has two choices, a high-speed or a high-torque. The high-speed motor can drive the system end to end in just two seconds.
If you want to work with decent inclines of 10 degrees or more then you should opt for the high-torque instead.
Weight limits are really good with the high-torque motor being able to hold 45 lb even in vertical orientation.
Image Credit: AXIBO
A nice touch is that they used standard RJ45 Ethernet connectors on the device. That means you can use basic off-the-shelf cables if you want. The last connector is an actual Ethernet port that allows you to network it for remote control.
It’s a fairly advanced system with essentially a full computer running the tech. It is very configurable as well, meaning you can easily reposition it as you need.
This modularity makes it easy to replace specific parts in the event you need to service it. The adjustable position even allows for different sized cameras.
Getting the incline and pan/tilt set up right is possible with the adjustable camera mount. It doesn’t require balancing like a gimbal, but you may want to get your camera just right for your shot.
Power is either through a pair of standard NP-F L series battery packs or via the included AC adapter. You’ll get a couple of hours even with small batteries. Obviously, you can get a fair bit more with larger batteries.
Image Credit: AXIBO
A USB port is available for connecting to the camera for triggering the camera along with the moves.
Control over the slider is actually interesting. They have it set up with a PlayStation controller to position the camera and move it. Seems fun and could be very intuitive.
You can set an infinite number of keyframes to really dial in the move you want.
The slider has the usual mounting points if you wanted to attach it to a couple of stands or tripods.
For longer moves, the PT4 can be configured to be very long with extra modules. The ability to extend helps out a bit for getting elaborate moves.
Now to talk about some of the autonomous features. The slider can be set to track people and objects. The HDMI input on the camera can take the feed from a camera to be tracked against or you can use the camera already on the brain module.
Image Credit: AXIBO
The app has tons of controls, including setting up timelapses, keyframes, and tracking. You can control it remotely and even have multiple devices connected at once. That means you can easily hand off control or just have someone logged in to use it as a director’s monitor.
This app is how you set up the tracking. Looks easy to set up and does a good job of following the test subjects. If you want to get a little more intense you can use your computer for full remote access. If you connect to a network you can actually get very far away from it. You will have more fine-tune control over everything, too.
Those controls can get incredibly precise. You’ll even have access to setting curves for certain moves to get it absolutely dialed in to as perfect as you want.
Gerald’s general impression is that it is incredibly powerful and still very intuitive to operate. That’s a good recommendation.
What do you think about the AXIBO PT4?
[source: Gerald Undone]
Order Links:
- AXIBO PT4 Motion Control System (AXIBO)
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