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Computer Monitor and Camera — Parallax Forums

Computer Monitor and Camera

plau45plau45 Posts: 109
edited 2014-09-10 11:03 in Learn with BlocklyProp
Hello,
Is there a way that I could use to hook up a 22" computer screen to a project and display things from a webcam. I don't know if I can use a computer screen in the same way that I can use a small 3.3" monitor from the website. I would also like to see if I could wirelessly transmit data through a XBee like all other types of data. I would be using this all for a drone project of mine and would like to view the live camera feed through the monitor and also view real time feed back of GPS position, speed, and altitude as well as other things. The whole monitor and control center would be run through 2 8 volt batteries. I will need to find the watts and amperes its puts out, but the batteries them selves are from and old drill of my dads I left out in the rain. I use the batteries to power rockets and projects dealing with high voltage output and such. I would love for this to work since I have several flat screen monitors and hd webcams sitting around not being used. I'd love feed back and get help pointing me in the right direction. Thanks. I'd be using the activity board fro the controller and the quick start board for the drone itself. I'd also be using the XBee 900HP Module. Here's the link. http://www.parallax.com/product/32411 Thanks.

Comments

  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2014-09-09 20:09
    Since it is a "web" cam it sends the images over a network to a computer of some kind that processes the packets and displays the resulting image on a monitor. If the webcam has a video output as well it might be possible to display it on a 22" monitor, but it is not likely.
  • plau45plau45 Posts: 109
    edited 2014-09-09 20:44
    What kind of camera would I need in order to do something like I want. And the webcam connects to my computer through a audio jack and usb port.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2014-09-10 06:21
    While it may be possible to transmit very low quality video with an XBee, you'd need a program to compress the video to bit rate low enough for the XBee to transmit. This really isn't practical.

    It's very unlikely you'll be able to use any sort of "webcam" directly with the Propeller. The Propeller can capture images but it takes a lot of effort on the Prop and programmer's part to do so. I have a list of links to Propeller machine vision applications in post #4 of my index (see my signature) and none of the examples include a webcam.

    To transmit video you either need a high speed WiFi connection, some sort of smart phone connection with a very high data rate or (IMO the easiest) an analog video transmitter receiver pair.
  • plau45plau45 Posts: 109
    edited 2014-09-10 07:59
    Could you give me any links to possible cameras and receivers to use?
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2014-09-10 11:03
    Nick Ernst lists some of the gear he uses in the ELEV-8 Camera thread. The transmitter I use is no long sold by the vendor I used.

    In general lower frequency transmitters have better range than higher frequency transmitters with the same power rating. I use a 900MHz transmitter but I've seen lots of great videos from people using 5.8GHz gear.

    I have some other quadcopter related links listed in post #10 of my index (see signature for link).

    Make sure and learn what NTSC (an analog video standard) means. You'll need different transmitting gear if your video is digital vs analog.
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