Old Camera, New Tricks

CalMariner

New project time.

This Fall, I am building a camera controller for use with an old Tandberg "Camera Unit III" (aka "WAVE") videoconferencing camera. The reasons we selected this camera were:

• PTZ capabilities
• 20x zoom
• Remote mounting options
• Conventional video outputs (Composite & SVideo)
• Oh yeah, it was the one we could get for free.

The camera claims to use a "modified VISCA protocol", but has no documentation. It was originally used with a larger system, which provided the control. At this point, the camera is sitting on my desk, surrounded by my collection of Parallax BS2 bits. It has been successfully powered up, and outputs a video signal (only composite tested). It also does a self-calibration when first powered - the unit returns to center on the pan axis. I am sure that zoom and tilt will behave accordingly.

The basic needs for a controller/terminal are:

• Pan, tilt, and zoom
• Focus (man & auto)

There are many other features, but the above are critical. First step: establish communication protocol.

Check back for updates.

Franklin

This might help...http://www.melexis.com/Infrared-Thermometer-Sensors/Infrared-Thermometer-Sensors/MLX90614-615.aspx

xztraz

Here is a almost complete protocol breakdown for the Tandberg camera unit III







Tandberg camera unit 3 api




tested on camera version:0c0d fw:63












Send
Receive (ack/response)
Example


IF_Clear
88 01 00 01 FF
88 01 00 01 FF



Address set
88 30 01 FF
88 30 02 FF










Send
Receive (ack/response)



Start UP
81 01 06 01 0V 0W 03 01 FF
90 50 FF



Start DOWN
81 01 06 01 0V 0W 03 02 FF
90 50 FF



Start LEFT
81 01 06 01 0V 0W 01 03 FF
90 50 FF



Start RIGHT
81 01 06 01 0V 0W 02 03 FF
90 50 FF



Stop PAN/TILT
81 01 06 01 0F 0F 03 03 FF
90 50 FF



Direct position
81 01 06 02 0V 0W 0Y 0Y 0Y 0Y 0X 0X 0X 0X FF
90 50 FF direct



Get Position
81 09 06 12 FF
90 50 0Y 0Y 0Y 0Y 0X 0X 0X 0X FF



Home
81 01 06 04 FF
90 50 FF










YYYY: pan position: approx. F980 to 0680 (center 0000)




XXXX: tilt position: approx. FE00 to 00D5 (center 0000)




81 = 8q - q ADRESS 1 TO 8





V pan speed 1 to 7 Does not work





W tilt speed 1 to 7 Does not work










Start ZOOM IN
81 01 04 07 2T FF
90 51 FF



Start ZOOM OUT
81 01 04 07 3T FF
90 51 FF



Stop ZOOM
81 01 04 07 00 FF
90 51 FF



Direct ZOOM
81 01 04 47 00 0Z 0Z 0Z FF
90 51 FF when zoom done



Get ZOOM
81 09 04 47 FF











ZZZ: zoom position 000 to 3FF (000 wide)





T: ZOOM SPEED (WORKS)
















FOCUS auto
81 01 04 38 02 FF
90 51 FF



FOCUS manual
81 01 04 38 03 FF
90 51 FF



Start FOCUS FAR (in manual)
81 01 04 08 02 FF
90 51 FF



Start FOCUS NEAR (in manual)
81 01 04 08 03 FF
90 51 FF



Stop FOCUS (in manual)
81 01 04 08 00 FF
90 51 FF



Direct FOCUS (in manual)
81 01 04 48 0S 0S 0S 0S FF
90 51 FF when focus done
81 01 04 48 07 0E 00 00 FF


Get FOCUS
81 09 04 48 FF
90 50 0S 0S 0S 0S FF



Get FOCUS mode
81 09 04 38 FF
90 50 02 FF Auto





90 50 03 FF Manual




SSSS Focus Poisition 6000 to 2AC2 (6000 near)





Focus range depends on zoom-level










WB Auto
81 01 04 35 00 FF
90 51 FF



WB Indoor
81 01 04 35 01 FF
90 51 FF



WB Outdoor
81 01 04 35 02 FF
90 51 FF



WB Manual
81 01 04 35 03 FF
90 51 FF



Set WB (in manual)
81 01 04 10 05 FF
90 51 FF when done



Get WB mode
81 09 04 35 FF
90 50 00 FF Auto





90 50 01 FF Indoor mode





90 50 02 FF Outdoor mode





90 50 03 FF OnePush mode





















Auto - exposure auto
81 01 04 39 00 FF
90 51 FF



M - exposure manual
81 01 04 39 03 FF
90 51 FF



S - shutter proirity
81 01 04 39 0A FF
90 51 FF



A - Iris proirity
81 01 04 39 0B FF
90 51 FF



P - Bright mode
81 01 04 39 0D FF





(exposure auto - set iris/shutter ratio with bright control)



Get EXPOSURE mode
81 09 04 39 FF
90 50 00 FF Full Auto





90 50 03 FF Manual





90 50 0A FF Shutter priority





90 50 0B FF Iris priority





90 50 0D FF Bright mode















EC on (works in auto)
81 01 04 3E 02 FF
90 51 FF



EC off (works in auto)
81 01 04 3E 03 FF
90 51 FF



EC up (Exp Auto and EC on)
81 01 04 0E 02 FF
90 51 FF



EC down (Exp Auto and EC on)
81 01 04 0E 03 FF
90 51 FF



exposure reset (Exp Auto and EC on)
81 01 04 0E 00 FF
90 51 FF















BRIGHT up (works in P)
81 01 04 0D 02 FF
90 51 FF



BRIGHT down (works in P)
81 01 04 0D 03 FF
90 51 FF



BRIGHT reset (works in P)
81 01 04 0D 00 FF
90 51 FF





















IRIS open (only works in M or A)
81 01 04 0B 02 FF
90 51 FF



IRIS close (only works in M or A)
81 01 04 0B 03 FF
90 51 FF



IRIS reset (only works in M or A)
81 01 04 0B 00 FF
90 51 FF



Direct IRIS (only works in M or A)
81 01 04 4B 0I 0I 0I 0I FF
90 51 FF



Get IRIS
81 09 04 4B FF
90 50 0I 0I 0I 0I FF
same string from gain iris and shutter









IIII: iris 0000 TO 0011
















GAIN up (only works in M)
81 01 04 0C 02 FF
90 51 FF



GAIN down (only works in M)
81 01 04 0C 03 FF
90 51 FF



GAIN reset (only works in M)
81 01 04 0C 00 FF
90 51 FF



Direct GAIN (only works in M)
81 01 04 4C 0G 0G 0G 0G FF
90 51 FF



Get GAIN
81 09 04 4C FF
90 50 0G 0G 0G 0G FF
same string from gain iris and shutter



GGGG: Gain 0000 to 001B (0000 -3db)
















SHUTTER Faster (works in M or S)
81 01 04 0A 02 FF
90 51 FF



SHUTTER Slower (works in M or S)
81 01 04 0A 03 FF
90 51 FF



SHUTTER Reset (works in M or S)
81 01 04 0A 00 FF
90 51 FF



Direct SHUTTER (works in M or S)
81 01 04 4A 0§ 0§ 0§ 0§ FF
90 51 FF direct



Get SHUTTER
81 09 04 4A FF
90 50 0§ 0§ 0§ 0§ FF
same string from gain iris and shutter



§§§§ - Shutter speed 0001 to 001B (0001 slow)
















POWER on
81 01 04 00 02 FF




POWER off
81 01 04 00 03 FF




Get POWER
81 09 04 00 FF
90 50 02 FF (on)





90 50 03 FF (off)









Camera and software version
81 09 04 22 FF
90 50 KK KK 00 MM FF




KKKK Camera version
MM Firmware version



Video system (PAL/NTSC)
81 09 06 23 FF
90 50 01 FF (PAL)





90 50 00 FF (NTSC)















IR on
81 01 06 08 02 FF
90 50 FF



IR off
81 01 06 08 03 FF
90 50 FF