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Embedded Linux And Video Capturing? 11

Posted by Cliff from the just-like-8mm-at-1/10th-the-size dept.
RapaNui asks: "I'm working on a project that uses a remotely controlled camera for video and still work. It currently uses a small board camera and a microwave (analog) downlink for video (the video feed is only used for targeting the onboard DVcam and still camera). Anyway, the telemetry downlink has just been upgraded and we now have 50-60 Kbps available that (if possible) we would like to use for a video downlink. All we need is 1/4 frame (PAL, 384x288) at around 2-5 fps What I was thinking of is a PC/104 or similar PC, running Linux and a vid-capture card (or an old parallel port video capture box - Snappy?). Whatever it is needs to be relatively small and light. Are there any usable (under linux) PC/104 or similar video capture (or still capture) cards? Or is there a unit (like some of the cams made by Axis) that could take video (composite or S-video) in one end and dump out a serial data stream at the other end? (This would be preferable, 'cause it would mean less hardware, and complexity on that end)."
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Embedded Linux And Video Capturing? More

Embedded Linux And Video Capturing?

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  • Well, google searches for "Linux video capture" turn up a fair amount of clues; which cards can be used with Video4Linux and so on... but I'm wondering if there is a specific reason you need to use Linux? Can you get away with something under Windows? Sure, all things being equal I'd rather do it under Linux too, but, unfortunately Linux is a little behind the curve when it comes to serious video capture.. you'll likely find more readily available options if you can go with some version of Win32.

    On the other hand, since you don't need to crank through realtime capture and editing, the available Linux solutions might work for you. But I'm curious whether or not you actually need to limit yourself in terms of OS.

  • The Hauppage WinTV card is a TV turner which can do capture in a number of NTSC and PAL formats under Linux. It's a PCI card, but it has a big honkin' metal-encased component with one (or two on some models) coax input. It's at least a couple of ounces, though I don't happen to have access to chem lab scale at this time.

    I'm not sure if this breaks the bank on size and weight requirements (or whether you even have a PCI slot on your SBC). I would suspect that some of the small USB capture devices might be of interest to you if your SBC has a USB connector. Those tend to be ultra-light and can fit in your hand.

  • The requirement for Linux is completely self-imposed - I am fairly clueless about development under windows. (I couldn't code my way out of a paper bag with Win32, and, quite frankly, I'd like to keep it that way).

  • I have a US Robotics Big Picture video camera, which is really, just a simple composite video camera (although the one I have is NTSC not PAL, though the card will support PAL), and a composite only capture based on the BT848 chipset, ( ie, same as the Hauppage WinTV PCI, without the tuner, or audio capture, in fact I use the Haupagge drivers under WinMe ) which works great under linux.
    As a bonus compared to the WinTV card you mentioned, the card is rather light with only a single RCA composite video in connector, and a small power outlet for the camera, and the board itself is only a half height board.
    Last I know of 3Com took over the manufacture if these, and currently don't even list them on thier page, so they might not even make em anymore, but, it maybe possible to find some on Ebay, or elsewhere on the net.
  • [www.qbik.ch]
  • There are several USB video devices listed in this Linux USB video [www.qbik.ch] list.
  • (Why Linux? Because a BSOD is a terrible thing to embed.)

    For reference while shopping, the Video4Linux [linux.org.uk] home page lists major hardware types. V4Linux is included in recent distributions, particularly with the 2.4 kernel. As I noted elsewhere, some manufacturers not listed here also mention Linux.

  • While they aren't the best video capture cards out there, there is some Brooktree (bttv) driver support out there for Imagenation's [imagenation.com] PXC200. I was involved with a project where I helped build six to eight systems based on this card --- but we were unable to make it as solid as we wanted to. This could be however, due to our choice of the other PC/104 devices however (which were EEPD [eepd.org] systems, specifially).
  • Go with a USB web cam. You can always rip the lense off and use a video camera lense if needed. Making a C-mount isn't all the hard. The reason I say go with the web cam is fully due to the high power draw of all the frame grabbers I've seen. Another advantage is you get direct to digital which removes the sync problems associated with digitising a video feed. The other reason is cost. They are cheap, real chaep.

    If you need to use a frame grabber, look at the Matrox Meteor. Supported under Linux and they have a PC-104+ version. I don't know the status of support for the Meteor II, last I knew it was in progress.

  • Try Ajeco boards. They are easy to find and I think they have Linux drivers already.

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