yb2normal

Hi guys,

We are wrapping up the design of a small RC controlled switch that will allow you fly two video cameras onboard your airplane, and switch between those views via a spare channel on your transmitter. This will allow you to fly a single video transmitter and toggle the downlinked video between one of the two cameras.

Included in the beta is a small, fully assembled circuit board with two camera inputs, a plug that will mate to your RC receiver, and an output jack that you would pipe into your video transmitter. Setup is fairly straight forward however we'd like to limit our beta testers to folks with some electronics experience. Here's why:

1) The camera inputs are servo jacks, so you'll need to figure out a way to convert your camera's connector to a standard servo lead. You will have the ability to power your camera off this servo jack, since the pinout will be video-in, power-out, ground.

2) The video transmitter connection is a servo jack, so you'll need to modify your video transmitter to accept video input using a standard servo lead. This same lead will allow you to pass power to your cameras, so you'll need to consider how you'll put a voltage-out on this same lead. Pin out of this lead is video-in, power-out, ground.

3) While the servo connectors offer a small amount of reverse polarity protection, a determined individual could certainly jam the connector in backwards. This will destroy your camera or your transmitter, so testers need to understand exactly what they are doing.

Since we are in a beta, instructions will be sparse, and ingenuity is a must! I will of course be available for full technical support to help you get the unit going.

Please PM me if interested. Feel free to post questions or comments on this thread.

Thanks!
Bill

Fubar-One

My Feedback: (1)

PM sent!

Pontiac_40

My Feedback: (3)

Count me in.

Thanks
Zawar

Da-Winged-1

ditto

azfrench

How many beta testers are you looking for? I may be interested.

Rick

yb2normal

I have 9 prototypes available.

Please PM if interested, I get a notice in my email box and that's what gooses me into action.

Thanks,
Bill

mklarich

Bill, I would very much like to test of these switches. I am sure that they are really small and work really well. I wonder who could have come up with such a great design. Hmmmm...

Matt Klarich

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

I would also like to try one.

Will this video mux be designed to keep both cameras powered and only switch the video signal?

A10FLYR

My Feedback: (1)

OK. Mr. Bill, I'll try one out for Ya as long as you are NOT using "Radio Shack S**t" (tm) for connections! I have been having one heck of a time getting good connections on my dozen or so security cameras at my business.

mklarich

Cameras are powered all the time, they are powered through the servo connector so you can use any voltage you want for the cameras and it is seperate from the switch's power.

The connectors are not ratshack material, they are very high quality and one of the best ways to connect cameras since you get camera signal, power, and ground all in one connector.

Matt Klarich

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

Given a choice, I would go for Deans.

yb2normal

I think everyone will have their own preference for connectors. The servo style connectors on the switch are easily replaced. There will also be a version of the board (coming soon) with standard RCA connectors, but you'll still need to add your preferred connector to get power to your camera. Most of the small cameras available use standard 2.1mm x 5.5mm power jack.

Oh, and as Matt eluded to earlier, this switch is a Matt Klarich design being offered by Black Widow A/V.

Regards,
Bill

W4UAV

youre killin me matt!!

mklarich

What did I do now mike??

You guys got power back down there in hurricane land?? Last I heard you were on battery power. I got outta florida just in time. I leave and 6 days later the first hurricane was supposed to hit exactly where I had been living. It came on early and spared daves place but still, I would have been running around freakin out if I had been there.

Matt

W4UAV

Matt,
Having trouble emailing you..can you send me another email
with your new number?
Mike

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

For the do-it-yourselfer:

http://www.rc-tech.ch/divers/MultiCam4.zip

http://www.jdm.homepage.dk/newpic.htm

http://www.ic-prog.com/

You will need to get the HEX file and install it in the pic.

mklarich

Bill, do you want to post some pictures on here of the 2 units to give people an idea of current size and weight??

Matt

closetflyer

Yeah lets see pictures!

yb2normal

I want to hold off on posting pictures until the design is finalized... the prototypes are all discrete components, wires flying everywhere....

The board size will probably stay the same on the final design, 1.5" by 1", but the height of the components will be significantly reduced, making it easy to slip into the nooks and crannies of the smaller planes.

The version with RCA connectors will be taller, just by virtue of the RCA connectors.

Bill

Skycam41

Thank you Bill for letting me be tester. I have soldered on the RCA style connections that I need for my particular operation. I am using a KPC650 480 line CCD camera and will feed in video from my Canon A70 digital camera also. Just getting all the wiring done and then will try it all out. Looking forward to giving this a go

Mike

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

Skycam,

That KT&C camera is a beauty. I'm looking to get KPC 650 but I would want to install it in at least a .90 size plane do to the weight, too heavy for park flyers. They make great stuff. I have two of their smaller cameras and have had good results.

mklarich

Anyone have any comments on their switches?? I would love to know for future designs.

Thanks much,

Matt Klarich

kd7ost

Hey Matt,

Nice little unit. I got one from Bill at Blackwidow AV a few weeks ago. I installed it and did some initial testing. My use has it being switched from another servo command that isn't a spare. I have no spares left in my set up. I'm using a proportional channel with a knob to slew the position of my video camera. I also have a Kodak digital Camera looking straight down. What I'm working at is having the video camera looking straight ahead as I look at my photo point and line up on it. As I move overhead, I continue to rotate the video camera to stay centered and lined up. When I'm nearly in position, I want the video switch to operate from the camera slew pulse and put the signal from my Kodak into the video downlink transmitter. That way, I see exactly when the photo is framed correctly and snap the shot. Then I just have to roll the video camera switch back to forward to put the hi res color board camera back on line for flight. (I'm using an altitude lock, roll control, GPS guidance in the event of signal loss, GPS on screen display etc)

So after hooking it all up I discovered it was a wonderful device and worked just like advertised. (I haven't had it in the air yet) However I experienced two things that I had to work around. One modification resolved them both. 1.The PIC software is not adjustable. I couldn't get a trip point set where I needed it most. It was a fixed point. Also, 2. given the design, there is that spot in the middle of the two Camera's on the ends where the video blacked out. (You know the place) I still needed the first camera working there. So, my modification is as follows. I used a dual D flip flop and a couple of parts to make a logic level switch that operated with the servo pulse. But I put in an adjustable trip point. I found what I needed to find on the PIC as far as signals to the mux. (I thank you for putting that chip on a socket BTW). I pulled it off and put it away in an static safe manner. I put the Q and Q not into the appropriate socket holes and connected a common ground. I plug that into a Y cable from the servo lead that controls my camera position. I adjusted it to where I need it and now it switches automatically as the Video link Board Camera gets into the position I set. The last channel 8 is used to activate the shutter.

So far just a static test has been done. The weather has been miserably wet for three weeks. There is a high pressure area moving in finally that should give me a nice test weekend coming up. Here's keeping the fingers crossed. I'll be sending a VHS copy of the downlinked video as well as some digital pix to Bill as soon as I get it looking good. It might take more than 1 weekend but I hope not. I'll have to tweak a little on the trip point once I get it in the air. Nice idea to use the board and wires as a voltage bus to the other components. I'm not using that feature but likely will in future photo platforms.

Dan

mklarich

Wow Dan, more then I thought anyone would ever do with one. The blank spot between the 2 cameras you speak of, that is actually a 3 camera switch so you were using 1 and 3 leaving 2 blank in the middle. If you had used 1-2 or 2-3 the blank channel would have been on either end.

I have come to the conclusion that I really need an oscillator onboard. This version is running on internal osc and varies too much chip to chip in the pulse width measurements. I had to sit down and program each chip according to its approximate location on my JR receiver. Internal osc can vary +/- 5% it says in this application. Hmmm, not good.

Thanks for the comments, my next version is going to be SMD so you aren't going to be removing the pic chip , well not without a heatgun and magnifying glass.

Keep up the good work, and keep those comments coming.
Matt Klarich

kd7ost

Matt, Yep I knew what that spot was but the paper that came with it eluded to it being a secret. I just didn't want to be the one to let the cat out of the bag.

Dan