XPhase update adds 7 improvements for colors and ease of use

An XPhase firmware and app update has added 7 improvements to colors and usability.

XPhase (reviewed here) is the highest resolution 360 camera on the market, with far more detail than any other 360 camera and even higher resolution than most DSLR panoramas shot with fisheye lenses.  With the XPhase now a little over a year out in the market, their team is continuing to update the software.  The latest update (200829), which is the 15th update for the XPhase, has 7 improvements in image quality, desktop usability and mobile app usability.

Image quality improvements:

1. Improved colors on walls:  In the current version, faint color blotches may appear on wall.  With this update, there is now an option to improve the uniformity of colors on the wall.  However, this may reduce saturation.  Users can specify the strength of this setting.

Desktop app improvements:

2. Change the output save directory and drive:  In the current version, stitched photos are always saved in the “Out” subdirectory of the Xphase folder.  Fortunately, you can now change the output directory in the Windows version of the app.  To do so, edit the “PanoCreator.ini” file in the software directory, and add a line “path=D:\your_out_path” where you specify your preferred output drive and directory.  When you launch the software, the new output path will be changed to the drive and path you specified.

3. For Windows and Mac versions, there is now an option to create a backup copies of ORI files in the output folder while stitching.  This means that you won’t have to manually copy the files from the thumb drive to your PC or Mac before stitching them.

Mobile App improvements:

4. You can now view the app version, firmware version, and amount of free space in the app.

5. In time lapse mode, the GPS information for each shot can now be recorded.

6. You can now use the app to stop time lapse recording remotely or to turn off the camera remotely.

7. Shooting with multiple XPhase cameras.   Currently, all XPhase units have the same Wi-Fi name.   This makes it impossible to control more than one unit at a time with your app.  Now, there is an option to change a unit’s Wi-Fi name.   By giving each unit a distinct name, you’ll be able to choose which one to connect with your app.  To use this feature, insert your thumb drive in your PC or Mac then create a text file called “wifi.txt” in the root directory of the thumb drive.  In the wifi.txt file, enter the new wifi name in the file (only numbers, letters and characters “.”, “-” and “_”, no carriage return).  Insert the thumb drive in the camera and turn on the camera.  You’ll know if the change was implemented by inspecting the name of the wifi.txt file.  If the setting is successful, “wifi.txt” will be renamed “wifi_updated.txt”, otherwise it will be renamed “wifi_ssid_error.txt.”

In addition, the update fixed some bugs.  The update is available to download here.