Camera on cosmo

[drbytes]

I'm still undecided on using the cosmo as a daily driver. One thing that irks me is the camera. I have no idea how this passed quality control. I'm not talking about the hardware but about the implementation on Android. Try scanning a QR code or try taking a picture in telegram to send to a contact, it's all horribly deformed and lacks focus.

I installed OpenCamera and sure enough, the hardware seems fine, not great but definitely an improvement over the stock camera software.
I thought this kind of agro was a thing of the past, early 2010 problem but it's back in the Cosmo and it's disappointing.
Not being able to scan QR codes because the image is stretched and unfocussed is a deal breaker, I use it all the time to log into sites, make payments online, etc. It's 2020, it's ridiculous that this does not work correctly.

Is there a way to change the stock implementation ?

[Varti]

Regarding the QR codes, it has been discussed here, although without a definitive solution: https://www.oesf.org/forum/index.php?topic=36154
A ticket has been opened towards Planet, I believe that they are at least aware of the problem. It might be worth checking some of the dedicated QR scanning apps which might automatically fix distorted images.

Varti

[drbytes]

I understand but a dedicated QR scanner won't work when my banking app insist on using it's own built-in implementation. And this is a large bank that has to support many devices, it does that by relying on manufacturers to actually know what they're doing.

I keep coming back to it; PC would be better off chucking those damn data/agenda/whatever custom apps and focusing on core functionality. They're not a Samsung that can afford to create a custom calendar app. Samsung solved it's basic functionality. Those PC apps also tackle problems that have been solved already, far better even, by others.
There is no value there.

Are the android sources available for this device?

[Varti]

Are the android sources available for this device?

Yes: https://github.com/dguidipc/cosmo-android-kernel

Varti

[Varti]

I have checked on Telegram on my Gemini and I can reproduce the issue, and another user on the Cosmo Telegram channel has confirmed this behaviour with the latest Android firmware too. Only the preview is affected though, the final photo is shown with the correct proportions. I have tried the same with Whatsapp and the preview there is correct, I also never have any problem scanning QR codes with my bank's app. A possible explanation is that some apps (in this case, both Telegram and the bank app you're using) make wrong assumptions about the size of the screen on the Gemini/Cosmo.

As a reference, here's an article describing such code when using an Android API for C#, and how to solve it: https://dzone.com/articles/how-to-avoid-a-distorted-android-camera-preview-wi

I have reported the issue on the Telegram's support page, to see if they can at least confirm that the fault is within their app, I'll let you know about their answer. Maybe it would be worth a shot to get in touch with the bank app's developer, too; most likely they won't be able to reproduce the issue, but at least they could check if their code work as expected when such a resolution is used on any device.

In the meanwhile, it would be interesting to try to force the Cosmo's resolution to a more common one, to see if this could confirm the cause of the issue. I have found an app which does this, though it requires root provileges, and I only have a non-rooted Android installation so I couldn't test this myself: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sagar.screenshift2&hl=en_US

Varti

[cam1965]

I understand but a dedicated QR scanner won't work when my banking app insist on using it's own built-in implementation. And this is a large bank that has to support many devices, it does that by relying on manufacturers to actually know what they're doing.

I keep coming back to it; PC would be better off chucking those damn data/agenda/whatever custom apps and focusing on core functionality. They're not a Samsung that can afford to create a custom calendar app. Samsung solved it's basic functionality. Those PC apps also tackle problems that have been solved already, far better even, by others.
There is no value there.

Are the android sources available for this device?

My bank here in Brazil has the same problem ( bar code scan ). So, I have installed an app from playstore ( I dont know if it is available now ). It is a barklome leitor de boletos. ( search on google inside android "barklome leitor de boletos " , in pc it doesnt show this app ). It costs 4.99 reais. less than 1 dollar. You must copy the code after scan and paste in your bank app . ( Mine here Banco do Brasil has a field to manually paste ). About qr code, I have scanned only ony time ( esim card ) and it worked. 

[Varti]

My bank here in Brazil has the same problem ( bar code scan ). So, I have installed an app from playstore ( I dont know if it is available now ). It is a barklome leitor de boletos. ( search on google inside android "barklome leitor de boletos " , in pc it doesnt show this app ). It costs 4.99 reais. less than 1 dollar. You must copy the code after scan and paste in your bank app . ( Mine here Banco do Brasil has a field to manually paste ). About qr code, I have scanned only ony time ( esim card ) and it worked. 

I guess this would work only if the bank's app you are using lets you insert the code manually, as an alternative to QR scanning. My bank's app only allows to scan the code.

Another possible cause of this issue is that the (deprecated) android.hardware.Camera implementation on the Gemini/Cosmo is broken, hence if an app still uses it (like Telegram: https://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/gojt8l/android_10_telegram_the_deprecated_hardwarecamera/) it won't work correctly. All the apps which use the current android.hardware.Camera2 API might work as expected since it is implemented correctly.

Varti

[cam1965]

Thank you for the information. With my gemini ( with external camera ) The bar code is Ok to scan in my bank. Not tried yet qr code with gemini.