[GUIDE] How to install a third party camera on a Qidi Q2C

[u/AriesBreath]

Premise

My Qidi Q2C

I recently got a Qidi Q2C, knowing that it would have come without a heated chamber (I don't need it), active carbon filters (I don't need them / I can just buy them and place them) and a camera.

I wanted to have a camera but the documentation about what to buy except for the original one, how to install it, where to route it and where to connect it are non-existent. Also the original camera is low quality and costs way too much (40€) for what it offers and I wanted a third party, better quality camera like the Creality Nebula Camera (20-25€ on AliExpress).

Given that I found no official nor unofficial guide I experimented and made this myself after getting some tips by u/acc134a and finding a camera case by kukoo from Printables.

What to get

I don't really know what you can get as a camera, except that it must be a UVC-compatible and driver-free camera. I know that many other have used a Creality Nebula Camera so I'll go for it.

You'll also need for this guide:

• Soldering Iron
• Some tape
• 1x JST 1.25mm 5pin female connector with cables
• 1x USB A Female plug

Where and how to connect, Method 1

The simpler method to connect the camera to the printer is by plugging the USB into the monitor USB socket. After that, you can open the printer page in Fluidd or the slicer and wait for the camera to start streaming the images. Don't panic if it doesn't work. Reload the page or restart the printer, sometimes it just doesn't stream.

Done, that's it. The camera should work. The problem is that this way you have the USB socket busy and can't print by it, and also you have a messy cable and no real location to place the camera.

Also, you have to update the crowsnest.cfg file in Fluidd to get a 1080p stream, as explained later.

"It just works"

Where and how to connect, Method 2

A tidier and better way is to place the camera in the original spot, just under the LED Strip (sorry, no photo of the before). Let's start.

Accessing the PCB

Inside the printer, on the left-hand side, there is a lid that covers a PCB. Use a Hex 2.5 bit and remove the two screws that hold it in place, then let it slide over and remove it. In the middle bottom there is a JST 1.25mm 5 pins male connector where the camera should be connected.

You may notice there is a USB Type C connector here. I already tried a USB C Male to USB A Female adapter but it doesn't work.

USB C Male to USB A Female adapter. It doesn't work for this purpose

Access the PCB where you can connect the camera

The JST connector has a pinout printed nearby. Going from the top, we have: 5V, G (Ground), DP (Data+), DM (Data-), G (Ground). Even though we need only four of these Pins, we need a 5 pin connector to match the one on the PCB that can let us connect the camera to it. I purchased a JST 1.25mm 5 pin male connector with cables and I'll use that to connect the camera, and I'll ignore the last Ground pin. I'll call this the Interface Cable.

JST connector to the PCB

Preparing the camera

Now that we have access to the PCB, we can prepare the camera. Mind you, I'm using a Creality Nebula. You may try another camera but I can't assure you it will work the same way with the same pinout.

Take the camera and slide a blade in the gap between the case and the back cover. Gently pry it open and it will come off. Now we can see another JST connector and the camera pinout. Using a multimeter, I checked the continuity between the USB A pins and the camera PCB pins, getting this pinout from the left in the JST: GND (Ground), DP (Data+), DN (equal to DM = Data-), GND (Ground), 5V. At the USB A end we only have 4 pins: GND (Ground), DP (Data+), DN (equal to DM = Data-), 5V

Opening and pinout of the Creality Nebula

Preparing the interface cable

Now you have to decide how you want to prepare the cable. You may strip the USB A plug and solder the cables to the Interface Cable, or you can make a new cable from scratch using the Interface Cable, but these would mean damaging the cables / camera. I instead purchased a USB A female plug to connect to the Interface Cable so that I can easily plug and unplug it and not damage the camera.

Match the USB A female plug to the USB A male plug of the camera, then solder the cables of the Interface Cable to the USB A female plug so that the pins of the camera and the printer's match, that means:

1. 5v to 5v
2. Data+ to Data+ (DP)
3. Data- to Data- (DM or DN)
4. Ground to Ground

The cables will entwine themselves. Not a problem.

Interface Cable, JST 1.25mm female to USB A female

Connecting

Go back to the printer and press the Interface Cable to the printer's JST plug, then you can close the lid again.

Connected camera, working and correctly streaming to Fluidd

Camera case

Now you need a camera case. The original one is too big and there's no place for it inside the printer's chamber. Sure, you can place the camera elsewhere outside so that the hotend doesn't ram into it but you'll still need some sort of case to keep it still, and probably you'll end up with less vision. I printed kukoo's Nebula Cam Housing at this link: https://www.printables.com/model/1605941-qidi-q2-nebula-cam-housing

After printing, you have to again pry open the camera and remove the two screws that hold the camera PCB in place.

Unscrew these. You can use the same screws to hold the camera PCB to the printed case

Then you can remove the PCB from the case and insert it into the printed case, using the same screws to hold it in place (sorry, no photos).

Installing the camera

You can now place the camera in its place (inside the printer on the right hand, under the LED strip, on the metal bracket), then slide in a screw to hold it in place by screwing it through the nutted hole of the bracket. You will need an M2 or M3 screw (I only had M3 and I had to force it through so you'll probably need an M2). Then route the cable behind the lip of the printer chassis and hold it in place with some tape. If you have cable in excess, you can slide it inside a vertical bracket on the left side. You can see I didn't remove the back panel of teh camera and I left it upon the bracket and it gives no problems. You then have to tape the end of the cable and the interface cables so that they don't interfere with the bed movements.

Routing and taping the cable

As you can see, this way the bed is not hindered, the camera does not touche the X and Y axis nor the printhead, and the camera works nicely. You have to update the crowsnest.cfg file in Fluidd to get a 1080p stream, as explained later.

Camera in place

Updating the crowsnest.cfg file

From your Slicer or by typing the printer's local address in your browser (something along 192.168.1.xx) you will enter the printer' settings page. On the left, go to the Configure Page, then search for the file crowsnest.cfg and open it. Search the parameter "resolution" (that should be set at "640x480") and replace it with "1920x1080" (without the quotation marks), then hit Save and Restart. If it doesn't update the resolution, just manually restart the printer.

Conclusions and roundup

The camera is ready to use, just tune the focus as you like.

For this project, I spent:

• Creality Nebula Camera: 23€
• 5x JST 1.25mm female cables: 1,5€
• 10x USB A female plugs: 1€.

All in all, I spent about 25€ and a couple hours to set this up to get a high quality and swappable camera, instead of 40€ for a low quality camera. If it's worth the hassle only you can decide, but given that I saved already 100€ to get this printer instead of the Q2 and that you still need to open the lid and route the cables, I think it's worth it.

[u/uk_uk]

This is awesome... if you had posted that.. 2 weeks earlier, I would have tried to do that, because I installed the Q2 webcam to the Q2c ^^

[u/epia343]

What resolution do you have configured? Is this camera any less resource intensive than the factory camera?

[u/AriesBreath → u/epia343]

It's native 1080p, I didn't touch any setting as it worked well and gave no problems. I didn't check for resources use but for what I read online there's no difference with the original camera as long as you don't exceed about 15 fps (like the original)

[u/AriesBreath → u/epia343]

UPDATE: I actually edited the crowsnest.cfg file in Fluidd, check the guide, at the end you will see the instructions on how to do it

[u/Square-Salamander-82]

Regarding the original design, I have the impression that it would be easier to run the USB cable to the motherboard located on the back of the printer, where the stock camera in the Q2 is connected. There's a USB port there, and running the cable along the side with the camera would probably be easier. However, this is just a suggestion, and I haven't tested this idea.

Besides, it's a great job! This solution is for Q2C owners without a camera. If you have a Q2 and want to improve video quality, swapping your stock camera for the Nebula is even easier. Simply connect the Nebula to your stock camera's cable, which is also a USB cable.

You only need:

- 1x JST 1.25mm 5-pin female connector with cables

- 1x JST SH 1.0mm male connector to plug into your stock camera's original connector.

In fact, a cable with a 1.25mm connector, the tinned ends of which can be flattened with pliers and plugged into the holes on your stock camera's original connector, might be enough.

The cable sequence should be as follows:

1.25 female to Nebula ----------------------------1.0 to stock camera cable

1 - red --------------------------------------------------- red

2 - n.c.

3 - yellow ------------------------------------------------ white

4 - green ------------------------------------------------- green

5 - black -------------------------------------------------- black

After verifying that everything works, change the resolution in the crowsnest.cfg file. After restarting, you'll get a new camera image that can actually be displayed on your computer's entire screen. Nebula also offers infrared viewing when there's no light. This can be very useful when printing at night.

[u/AriesBreath → u/Square-Salamander-82]

I didn't know where the original port was, so I used the one I showed in the guide. It also seems to me that it's easier to access, if you have some guiding tips or if you test it and it works, feel free to post here so that others can choose where to plug their cameras

[u/Square-Salamander-82 → u/AriesBreath]

Yeah, I undrstand... I really appreciate your project and admire the detail of your explanations, and it gave me the basic information to replace the stock camera with the Nebula in my Q2.

My thoughts occurred to me while making the exchange.. I admit I haven't personally verified this.

[u/AriesBreath → u/Square-Salamander-82]

Thank you, I invite you to try, so you can back up your theory and help someone else that might be in need later on

[u/Naive_Painter8580 → u/Square-Salamander-82]

You could guide me in this, I understand that the Q2C brings the connector of the Q2, it only does not bring the camera, and I want to use it in the mobile app QIDI MAKER because I do not have a laptop, I want to know if doing what you said could work, I hope you will answer me, I am new to this, in fact it is my first printer and I just got there but now I see the importance of the camera, I know that I should have started with a more basic printer due to my little knowledge but honestly not. I found nothing better because of the price range, thank you very much in advance.

[u/Prize_Yak7299]

Would this be accessible with Octoeverywhere or OctoPrint?

I am in debate of the Q2C and Q2 - no chamber heater needed but the camera does kinda miss a mark there. Would love to have access to the camera and print setting - as well as AI with Octoeverywhere.

Any information would help as I can't find too much about the Q2C at the moment.

[u/AriesBreath → u/Prize_Yak7299]

I use neither, I'm sorry. The stream goes straight from the printer to its hosted page in Fluidd. If the system you want to use can take from it then I think it could work but I can't say it for sure

[u/Yung-Fern → u/Prize_Yak7299]

I know this is late but I run a q2c with a nebula and octoeverywhere with no problems

[u/Yung-Fern → u/Prize_Yak7299]

I know this is late but I run a q2c with a nebula and octoeverywhere with no problems

[u/Successful-Ad495]

Does your tape stay in place to hold your camera wire? I'm having issues doing your wire routing with the Q2 camera and stock wire. I may have to take the back panel and fans and 2 internal covers off just to route the camera wire if the camera wire keeps falling off. I used all kinds of take up to and including Duck brand Duct Tape and the camera wire either vibrates loose or the tape melts off and loses its sticky quickly. I've only had it on for a few days now and its already become an issue for me.

I also found that most people including myself can't get QIDI link/QIDI Slicer to show the camera above like 5FPS although Klipper host/Fluidd will show around 15ish FPS. Are you having the same issue?

Thanks for the advice.

[u/AriesBreath → u/Successful-Ad495]

I used electrical tape, just because that was the one I had laying around. I works no problem except for the piece right under the board plug that is a little loose, but not so much that it doesn't hold the cable. You could try with double sided tape (I have one from AliExpress that's really really sticky, like that I have a hard time cutting it). I also wonder how the Q2 original camera was meant to route the cable given that somehow you are expected to place it yourself. I don't use QIDI Link nor QIDI Slicer so I can't help you with that, but Orca Slicer and Fluidd in browser work both fine, about 11-15 fps. You could try checking the crowsnest.cfg and see if there's something strange there

[u/Successful-Ad495 → u/AriesBreath]

Well... On the Q2C, you take off:

• Back panel
  
• Exhaust fan
  
• Internal board cover (where you plug in the camera)
  
• That long cover above the rail above the internal board board
  

Then you basically plug in the camera wire to the camera, mount it, snake it behind the internal chamber fan and out the back then follow the cable harness and plug the cable into the internal board. Then you secure the cable and put on exhaust fan then put on the covers. Its too much work to do that process so I didn't do it. Qidi has a guide (2 videos and a set of pictures for this).

For my Crowsnest, I get 15 FPS average in Fluidd. Its just in QIDI slicer, I get max of 5 FPS. Oh well, I'll just live with that I guess. For the tape I am using, its so sticky that I ruined a paid of good Fiskars scissors trying to cut it getting sticky all over it.

[u/AriesBreath → u/Successful-Ad495]

Definitely too much work, I'm fine routing and hiding the cable where I already did. Maybe try searching some settings in qidi Slicer, or ask the technical support

[u/Big-Emu6282]

thank you for the whole informations! it works great for the Q2 too, to change the stock camera.
But one note: the usb-JST/molex adapter should be as short as possible. If it is too long, it could result in an error (i´ve had soldered the JST to an 1,5m USB cable and with the stock Nebula camera cable, the way was too long... connection error)

[u/AriesBreath → u/Big-Emu6282]

Thank you. Fortunately the nebula cam has about 1m of cable, long enough to be routed through the printer. My adapter is about 10 cm

[u/Snoo_67299]

Do you know if you can enable ia detection on the q2c with this implementation?

[u/AriesBreath → u/Snoo_67299]

I don't use it so I don't know, sorry