Widget: BLE remote control for Insta360 One R 360° Action Cam

[updated 2023-04-05]

A widget to remote control (via Bluetooth) Insta360's One R & X cameras.

https://apps.garmin.com/en-EN/apps/bb53f4bb-6c8c-4369-bca9-84cc09b25526

Also available as a data-field for touch based Edge device

https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/f0cdaa9c-5733-4748-ba66-1c7a3b008922

Insta360 Remote Control

Features:

  • Start / Stop Recording
  • Select  video or photo shooting mode (Standard, HDR, Time-lapse, 24-25-30 fps, etc).
  • Send GPS telemetry to the camera to be stored in the video file.
  • Add a "Highlight" marker in the video file (not available in the DF).
  • Add a "Track That" marker  in the video file(not available in the DF).
  • Last state is saved, so will resume where it was if the widget exits or was disconnected.

Known limitation & issues:

  • Users have reported that this widget also works with the One X, X2 & X3, but the menus for the various shooting modes are only the ones available one the One R
  • Same goes with the 4K & 1inch module of the One R: only the shooting modes for the 360° module are availbale
  • The widget will auto exit after some time (depending on your device). This is a limitation from Garmin.If you have a newr watch (starting with Fenix 7) you can use the widget as an app, and it won't exit,
  • The widget can be launched from within one of Garmin's official activity (but not if you are in Glance mode) by pressing & holding the back button.
  • There is no countdown / delay option
  • While the widget is active, if the recording is started or stopped from the camera, the widget will react accordingly but will not know in which mode the camera is in.
  • When starting the widget, if it indicates that the camera is still recording and it's not the case, got to the menu and re-select a shooting mode. This will reset the widget.

This thread is to discuss problems with the widget and also possible future functionality.

Have fun!

Greg

  • Typically a Garmin Watch refresh rate is 1hz. I'm sending this to the camera as fast as it is provided by the watch. This cannot be changed programmatically (well, you can always slow it down ;). I believe that a couple of watches, such as the Marq Driver, has a better rate. 

  • I'm using a F6xPro with one R. 

    After pressing start on my f6x. I am only seeing the red ring. I am unable to get the 3 green bars to light up. Is that normal.

    I am also unable to get GPS information/ overlay on my videos.

    Thanks

  • I have the exact same issue with my Fenix 6x Sapphire (aka F6xPro). Everything else works great, but I am unable to get a GPS-lock in the widget. I tried even getting a GPS fix by starting an activity beforehand, but the widget still records no GPS data.

  • Strange... works on my old 5xplus, whether using the widget or starting first an activity and returning to the widget. Normally, once the GPS signal is "good enough" the bars should turn orange or green. The telemetry is then sent every second to the camera which stores it in the video file. There are some instances where the GPS signal is good enough only after 20 or so seconds, but the video file should contain the GPS data after that point

    Guess I'll have to try and reproduce the problem in Garmin's simulator, Or make a special version with more debuging code. I'll keep you posted.

  • Thanks for the prompt reply and for looking into it. As I said, everything besides the GPS logging function works great. The three bars just remain completely grey indefinitely, they don't ever turn orange or green, as if no attempt to get a GPS fix were being made or as if the widget could not access GPS.

  • Hi Greg,

    I just installed the app on my Forerunner 245 to add gps data to my videos. The problem I have is that the recorded speed is not correct. I am driving at 70 kph but when I add the statistics it tells me that I am going at 15 kph. Maybe it's because I have the activity configured to use GPS / GLONASS. I'm going to try configuring only the GPS for my activity. I will also update the firmware. Any idea what may be happening? 

  • What camera & modules (if you have the ONE R) are you using ? With which firmware?

  • ONE X2 Camera

    Android v1.5.3  App

    v1.0.18 Firmware
  • I had v1.0.9 Firmware when I recorded the video.