small Video capture??

DaveF

Hello!
I am wondering where to look for this:

I would like to have a VERY small video camera that will capture video to some media (SDflash card would be GREAT!) similar to these new Cell phones that are out.· I realize that I can probably find the camera itself somewhere, BUT it is getting some sort of programmable interface that I can use to turn the capture on and off depending on if certain sensors are triggered.· I assume most of the stamps can handle the logic of when to turn the capturing on and off, but what is out there that it could "talk" to in order to capture video to an SD card (like the digital cameras use) or even a small hard drive?

So, I need a small camera and video capture device that can take commands from a stamp as to when to start and stop recording...· Is it out there????

Thanks for ANY info you can supply!

Dave

kelvin james

Well, i'll attempt to answer your question the best i can. I too have been interested in the concept of interfacing a flash system to the stamp, but at the present time, i don't know if the possibility exsists. As far as what you want to do, to store video data to a flash/sd card, i would look for another alternative. Even if there was something available to do this, the amount of data storage for uncompressed video is immense. Even with compressed video on most minidv cameras is around 2 gig per minute, so you can see what i'm getting at. I guess you could always try to remotely control a video camera with the stamp, to turn it off and on via a sensor, like a motion detector, etc. I remember looking at a X10 product, it is a wireless video camera that will transmit via the receiver and an interface to automatically record to a vcr , when the camera is activated. And the stamp has the ability to control the X10 (XOUT command), check the manual. Anyway, hope i could help. kelvin

DaveF

Hey Kelvin!
Thanks for the reply!

Actually, after thinking about it, I would be just as happy to be able to store images in sequence... like 1fps video kind of...· Maybe just jpegs taken every second.· That would be great too!

I guess what I am getting at is almost like a stamp powered digital camera.· 320x240 resolution would be fine with me.· Do you think it could be done?· Creating a low res digital camera with a stamp??· A 320x240 jpeg can be around 15Kb or so...· That is not a lot of data is it?

I have actually not even purchased a stamp kit yet.· I have been looking at them for a while, and will get one soon, just want to be sure it will do what I need.· I am going to attempt to make something and then patent/manufacture/sell it.· I have everything (money, idea, time, website, advertising experience) just need a working prototype!!

So, back to it, what options are out there for me to take and store low res (320x240) digital pictures with a stamp as the controller?

Thanks to you and anyone else who can help me find the answer!!

Dave

DaveF

one other thing:

I get the nuts and volts magazine now. I just saw a small classified ad in the latest issue where a guy was selling the tiny cameras that go into the cell phones... I think that would be ideal if it can take a nice clear 320x240 picture.

Dave

Gadgetman

Why not buy one of those cheap 'credit-card sized' digital cameras?
Some of these have up to 64MB of memory.(should give about 15 seconds at 320x200 at 15fps, or 30seconds at 160x100)
And usually they don't have more than two or three buttons.

Shouldn't be that difficult to connect either transistors or relays instead of the buttons and control it that way...
You'll have to connect it to a PC with an USB cable to get the film or pictures out, though...