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video transmitting using a xbee pro module — Parallax Forums

video transmitting using a xbee pro module

chathurachathura Posts: 1
edited 2007-05-01 00:45 in Robotics
hi guys,
·······These days I'm designing a UGV as my final year project. my basic design consists of a pic microcontroller(widely used pic16f877a)·for the controlling of the vehicle & a xbee pro module for communication with the operator. the communication & the controlling part is kind of ok but·the problem arises when·I got in to the video transmitting part.
···· ·since most of the UGV s use a separate transmitter for its video transmission ,I thought of using the same XBEE pro module (that·I use·for controlling of the vehicle)·for transmitting the video that I hope to obtain using either a webcam or genaral video camera that is used in security system.Since·only the·RX part·of the xbee·is used & the·TX part is free, i thought it·would be a cost effective solution.·So I searched the net for about a week for some sort of a schematic or concept, but ended with nothing.
··· So guys I will be very greatfull to u··if any one of u can help me with this situation.
·························· regards!


···················································· chathura yapa
······················································· SLIIT
······················································ Sri Lanka

Comments

  • crgwbrcrgwbr Posts: 614
    edited 2007-04-18 11:29
    There are two reasons why the xbee pro will not work for this application. Reason 1: Video, such as the composite video coming out of a camera is analog. The Xbee module works with TTL logic, not analog. You could theoretically get around this problem by trying to transmit digested video signal (either converted to digital somehow or trying to broadcast the USB signals from a webcam). However, this is where problem two comes in. The xbee pro has a data rate data transfer rate or 115.2 Kbs. This is simply not fast enough to transmit video or USB.

    Sorry to be the bringer of bad news,
    Craig

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    Post Edited (crgwbr) : 4/19/2007 11:13:40 AM GMT
  • Lord VaderLord Vader Posts: 24
    edited 2007-04-23 15:43
    Chathura,

    I am in the process of doing a very similar project (long term though, since I don't have much time to work on it), and I also wanted to have live video feed form the robot.
    I was going to use a Aerocomm or Maxstream wireless module for communications and video, but after talking with tech support, they said it wouldn't work because of the reasons crgwbr stated above. After looking into it though, I found that there are some wireless cameras used with R/C hobbies that would work well. I bought one that can pull about a mile for $80. The only other way you could do this, is to get a radio license. Then you could build your own transceiver.

    Joshua T.
  • WarrlokWarrlok Posts: 77
    edited 2007-04-30 20:55
    Lord Vader said...
    Chathura,

    I am in the process of doing a very similar project (long term though, since I don't have much time to work on it), and I also wanted to have live video feed form the robot.
    I was going to use a Aerocomm or Maxstream wireless module for communications and video, but after talking with tech support, they said it wouldn't work because of the reasons crgwbr stated above. After looking into it though, I found that there are some wireless cameras used with R/C hobbies that would work well. I bought one that can pull about a mile for $80. The only other way you could do this, is to get a radio license. Then you could build your own transceiver.

    Joshua T.
    Darnshakehead.gif· iwas looking at doing the same sort of thing ,,,with a virmiculum chip
    to use a web cam ,,i was thinking the video would be small,,, how much band width does a webcam use? i meen u can use them with 56k dialup modems at like 1 or 2 frames a min. ·well cant say i didnt expect this....

    well back to the 2 way sattilite !!! and a bot the size of a golfcart to haul itturn.gif

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    solutions are only "onramps" to the next problem



    ············································· "Brad Smith"
    ·
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2007-05-01 00:21
    If you include a PC on the UGV, you too could do the very memory and computationally intensive compression algorithms necessary to compress video to where it could be sent over a low speed link like the xBee. You might be able to use something like a Gumstix computer that runs Linux and can act as a USB host. It could probably handle a webcam and do some of the public domain video compression that could give you an appropriate data stream.
  • DufferDuffer Posts: 374
    edited 2007-05-01 00:45
    I've used several small 2.4 GHz wireless cameras with some success. If you look for the 4-channel models, it turns out that the same four channels are used by a number of manufacturers. As an example, DynaSpy makes several 4-channel 2.4 GHZ cameras (in various sizes) that will transmit very nicely to the receiver of the X-10 A/V transciever pair (the receiver uses the same four channel frequencies as the camera). Then you just plug the composit video and one of the audio channels from the X-10 receiver into the A/V inputs of a TV. DynaSpy also makes a handheld (about the size of a PDA) wireless (same four channels as described above) Digital Video Recorder (DVR) that has a 2.5 screen and will record received video on an SD memory card (AVI format), connects to a PC via USB and has A/V in and out capabilities with the supplied cables (it also stores and plays MP3 audio files and displays JPG images).

    Good luck, Steve
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