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Customer ServiceErrorError Code 80Pro3Pro3 ProblemsProblems

Does your Matterport Pro3 Camera sound like this?17657

RichardStanton private msg quote post Address this user
I saw the WGAN Forum post from @808Virtually regarding the error code blocker, possibly related to the horizontal drive. @DanSmigrod please feel free to move this and/or merge if you like - I created a separate post namely because this could be the precursor to the issue @808Virtually is seeing, or it could be something else entirely. The attached sound is of me equidistant from the Pro3 while doing a test scan to illustrate sound levels. Suffice it to say, I have a loud voice.. this is far louder.

The Pro3 did not initially sound like this, it made a similar sound on day two of testing but went away quickly. After a production scan yesterday followed by a field test this morning, it is now making this sound consistently for every scan. Suffice it to say that the camera has not been abused, has not undergone any shock, and environmentally has had to deal with the extremely harsh weather conditions here in northern California as the only challenge (yes, the harsh weather thing is a joke!). I have a note into Matterport about this for guidance, and had to embed the audio file into a PDF since their ticketing system ONLY accepts pictures for some reason... While I wait to hear back I am curious if others have been hearing any similar scary sounds from the motors. (I know Halloween is coming, but this is another kind of scary entirely)

I will post back when I hear a response from MP that is coherent, hopefully this is isolated as well, but so far it appears we are getting luckier by the day... :/

link to mp3 of recording
Post 1 IP   flag post
Matterport
Camera
Repair Service
Gainesville, Florida
MatterFix private msg quote post Address this user
I havent had a chance to take a Pro3 apart yet, but my guess is that the noise is being caused by a problem with the motor or gears the spin the Lidar mirror. Is the camera functioning ok other than the noise?
Post 2 IP   flag post
RichardStanton private msg quote post Address this user
@Matterfix, for the moment yes, I was thinking the LiDAR motor as well, but the spinup of the mirror does not seem to coincide with the noise, so now I am thinking it might be the lateral stepper motor? It is still possibly the LiDAR motor since it does seem to be the most likely to be prone to exposure. At first I thought it was a bearing in the mirror apparatus, but when not engaged it's spinning freely without a hint of friction. It sounds very much like when a HDD is starting to lose a bearing due to contaminants or extreme heat damage breaking down the lubricant, but less consistent. I am thus far resisting the extremely powerful urge to crack the case. I didn't think of the gears though, I wonder if they have a flywheel like configuration in there? - that certainly would fit the profile of the sound, and it might also explain why the sound seems to bring quite a bit of vibration with it.

So far the interaction with MP has been an email in response to my ticket asking me for all of the information that I already supplied in the ticket (everything they asked for, and more in fact). All before they could assist me in properly diagnosing the issue of course...

Maybe I'll strap on some accelerometer sensors and log a few cycles (maybe nerd out and go full xyz on it ), just to see if it's moving as much as it seems. I'll let you know if I see anything interesting or if it moves beyond the realm of simply noise and into functionality impairment. Might as well experiment as it's far too jarring of a noise to bring on any client site. This Pro3 is officially grounded.

Thank you for the insightful thoughts!
Post 3 IP   flag post
RichardStanton private msg quote post Address this user
@MatterFix, it looks like you are right, and it's definitely not the main drive as I can hear it independently. Here's the interesting thing - vibration definitely coincides, and the odd thing it is significantly stronger in the front of the camera, rather than the rear with the mirror where I would expect (and I don't think it's a resonance thing). The frequencies you see in the image below, the first is the front side of the camera, and the second is the rear over the LiDAR mirror. Now I REALLY want to tear it open to see what is going on in there. :p


Post 4 IP   flag post
RichardStanton private msg quote post Address this user
Greetings all - I wanted to tie off this thread with the end results, just in case others may have similar issues.

1. As with the bad power cable issue - it's clear now this also was a relatively wide spread problem. In my case I was told that they would not be RMA/repairing the unit, but rather would be sending me a new one.
2. LESSON LEARNED: Their RMA instructions clearly state that you should NOT send your unit back in your own custom 3rd party case. This makes sense, especially given that they are choosing to replace and not repair for some of these problems. What they do NOT tell you, however, is that while they will be sending you a new unit, someone will be opening that unit before you get it, and removing EVERYTHING but the camera. This means if you sent your battery back like I did (I did not want to be accused of using an RMA to get a free battery) you will be furious when you find that you were not given a replacement. And in my case you will then see that batteries are near impossible to get at the moment; Cue entry for that feeling of being dead in the water and helpless. Again. Moral of the story: Do NOT send anything that you expect back other than the camera itself (unless it's one of the peripherals that was the problem).
3. After getting their fulfillment team to go find my unit, extract my battery, and send it back to me, I was able test the replacement. I immediately did a few production scans and a barrage of other non-prod tests.
4. My findings: Replacement unit, no issues after testing *fingers crossed*. As a side note, however, I will say that after the first long session on the new camera I noticed that it was being rather loud, to the point that I had been worried that I had another bad unit. This dissipated after a time, though it still makes a bit more noise than my old unit, at least before it went into screeching hell. I will be taking a db reading of the camera mid-scan and note it here for the records. I would be curious to know if other Pro3 users are within a similar noise level - but for now, it seems that bit of noise from the steppers is to be expected.
Post 5 IP   flag post
WGAN Standard
Member
Boxborough, Massachusetts
toddwaddington private msg quote post Address this user
I was excited to know I’d be getting my unit today, until I had a conversation with someone who said he had three units and all three had to “go into the shop”. Evidently there is a motor/gear issue.

Upon starting my Pro3 for the first time I was a little startled at the level of the “whirring” sound. I have a BLK and it runs just about silent. However, after listening to your recording (thank you) I think it might be the normal sound of the unit? It sounds similar but not as loud. But this is all helpful.

And to be honest, it isn’t entirely surprising. There needs to be a very strong motor to counter the weight offset.

Thank you
Post 6 IP   flag post
WGAN Fan
Club Member
Queensland, Australia
Wingman private msg quote post Address this user
My Pro3 is very quiet but only at a start of a job. After 80 scans or so it is usually not so quiet anymore. I believe something is heating up inside during long using of the camera, expands and makes gears to work harder. However I am in Australia in subtropical climate and it is quite hot during summer. Somebody in more colder climate may not hear it after 80-100 scans and it should take longer to make noise louder.
Post 7 IP   flag post
BeyondFrontDoor private msg quote post Address this user
my camera makes a similiar noise. It only has a few hundred spins on it since I've only done about 7 3d scans with it. This sounds like this might be a larger defect at play.
Post 8 IP   flag post
WGAN Forum
Founder &
WGAN-TV Podcast
Host
Atlanta, Georgia
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user
Quote:
Originally Posted by BeyondFrontDoor
my camera makes a similiar noise. It only has a few hundred spins on it since I've only done about 7 3d scans with it. This sounds like this might be a larger defect at play.


@BeyondFrontDoor

Ugg!

If you reach out to Matterport, please let us know what they say about this sound.

Thanks,

Dan
Post 9 IP   flag post
WGAN
Standard
Member
Los Angeles
Home3D private msg quote post Address this user
Our Pro 3 makes a generally similar noise coinciding with the mirror spin. I was surprised at first since the BLK360 mirror appear to spin even faster and makes virtually no sound at all. But the Pro 3 works well, so I've presumed this is normal.
Post 10 IP   flag post
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