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Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: vipulan12 on June 11, 2013, 04:22:24 PM

Title: how to use these cameras?
Post by: vipulan12 on June 11, 2013, 04:22:24 PM
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8667 (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8667)

hey, i want to learn how i can implement these cameras in future projects
can anyone point me in the right direction?
-how would i interface this to screen?
-where can i get a breakout board?
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: johnwarfin on June 11, 2013, 05:21:39 PM
what screen? if you just want to interface to a screen then much better to purchase cheap board camera for 1/10th the price and plug-and-go.

if you want to involve computer vision then what host platform? pic or arduino wont cut it. this is not a field to get your start.
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: jwatte on June 11, 2013, 06:28:36 PM
The data sheet is right there on the site! https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/Imaging/TCM8230MD.pdf (https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/Imaging/TCM8230MD.pdf)

If you need a board for it, I suggest designing something in Eagle or a similar package and having it made through a cheap board service like oshpark.com or iteadstudio.com
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: vipulan12 on June 11, 2013, 07:08:48 PM
i am a beginner so i don't have experience with EAGLE(what is eagle?)
i couldn't create a breakout board(dont know how?)
  -what components do i need?
  -how is the signal processed?
  -what pins do what?
oh and yes i do know about the datasheet i dont know how to interpret it(i am a complete newbie to cameras)
if you could point me to a good tutorial or book where i could learn about this i would appreciate it

also where are these cheap board cameras?
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: jwatte on June 11, 2013, 11:32:36 PM
I don't think that camera would be suited for a beginner. I suggest you get another camera that is already in working condition, like a small USB webcam. You can typically take the case off of those and get a pretty small camera/circuit board combo, and it plugs right into a USB port on your single-board computer (Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black, PandaBoard, FitPC, Zotac AD-11, or whatever.)
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: vipulan12 on June 12, 2013, 01:34:09 PM
i would, however  i want to learn how i can do that,i want to be able to create breakout boards with electrical components for this camera(or at least attempt) but i have no idea where to start or learn from
that why i need some kind of tutorial or book
this isnt for any projects but something to learn
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: waltr on June 12, 2013, 07:18:03 PM
1- That camera is not an easy one to use. I have many years of professional electronics experience and would be reluctant to try that camera.

2- Sounds like you are just starting in electronic so start with some simpler projects to build your knowledge and experience.

3- With the entire World on the Internet all you need to do is search and read to learn how to do almost anything. Books are quickly becoming an item of the past.

4- Well, reading alone won't get you experience so you will need to buy parts and tools then build things. There are a number of good on-line stores for these parts and they also have tutorials on how to do things. The two I like are SparkFun and Adafruit so go to there web sites and start reading.

good luck, have fun and ask questions.
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: jwatte on June 12, 2013, 10:40:27 PM
Here's how to learn how to use EAGLE:

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=EAGLE+tutorial (http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=EAGLE+tutorial)

Also, I agree with the others: That camera is *not* a good place to start. You will likely fry a few before you get it right, and if you don't have good debugging tools like a logic analyzer and an oscilloscope, it's possible that you won't get it right, ever.
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: vipulan12 on June 13, 2013, 01:33:53 PM
alright but why use eagle, it isn't free, is it really that good of a program
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: jwatte on June 13, 2013, 04:46:36 PM
Eagle has a free edition. And, yes, it's likely the easiest-to-learn program that could actually let you get to the level needed to interface with that camera.
Other free programs include Fritzing, and KiCAD. However, Fritzing does not have the level of sophistication of Eagle, and KiCAD is harder to learn.
This assumes you already know how to read and make schematics for electronic circuits. If you don't know that, perhaps a good place to start is an electronics textbook or project kit.
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: vipulan12 on June 14, 2013, 02:20:38 PM
thanks, but where can i learn about the hardware IC chips an etc
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: jwatte on June 14, 2013, 04:57:39 PM
Quote
thanks, but where can i learn about the hardware IC chips an etc

Take an electrical engineering class? Read a few electrical engineering textbooks and run through a number of electrical engineering practices? People usually spend years learning these things for real.
Title: Re: how to use these cameras?
Post by: waltr on June 14, 2013, 06:20:07 PM
Also read through the many threads on this forum and then Google part numbers and terminology to learn more. Remember, Google and Wiki are your best friends.
And as Jwatt said, I can take years to really learn these things but then the studying continues since new stuff is constantly coming out.