spc900nc upgrading sensor to ICX618ALA

[erialc79]

Evening folks,

I have been looking at installing a new sensor into my webcam and have been doing a bit of research. I have got as far as sourcing a new sensor at the moment! Can anyone confirm whether I have got the pin layout below correct and whether its as simple as removing the old CCD and and soldering in the new one?

James

ICX098-ICX618
--------------
1-> 5
2 > 6
3 > 1 + 2
4 > 3 + 4
5 > 7
6 > 10
7 > 8
8 > 9
9 > -.
10 > 11
11 > -.
12 > 12
13 > 13
14 > 14

[Mr TamiyaCowboy]

you need to make sure the sensor package is the same ( way sensor is mounted )

ie ball grid array style or a mounted holder. 

its not just as simple as replace CCD and it works, you have to make sure the

onboard  controller chip is able to interface with the new CCD. 

so you dont just replace the CCD you also want to upgrade the onboard controller to

 the SPC900 is a fairly old camera these days and the controllers have moved on alot to.

the main problem with webcam makers, they think we the users want automatic everything

a computer controlling the image, what they dont get is we the users want manual and automatic

we want to be able to force slower shutter speeds, adjust the Fstop, shove camera into apeture priority mode.

ramp the amp up via gain, mess with not only gamma but hue, color saturation etc etc.

thats where webcams fail us as users

[leelee970]

I can't help with the pin out but I changed mine myself for the ICX414 which was pin for pin and works a treat.

but as Mr TamiyaCowboy says, its not simple unless there is direct pin for pin swap.

http://www.cosmicshed.blogspot.co.uk/2007/08/icx414-based-webcam.html

http://www.12dstring.me.uk/sc4webcam.htm

http://astro.neutral.org/eq/ampoff.html

Lee

[mattflastro]

there are issues obviously beyond just pin compatibility .

The camera will need a different firmware and driver because you're replacing the RGB color CCD with a B&W . The original camera is using debayering, which will need to be removed from the B&W software.

There are other issues beyond just debayering , due to the different vertical drive signals . ICX098 has 3 phase and icx618 uses 4 phase.

This causes a bleeding effect.

See here for example:

http://www.astrokraai.nl/wiki/index.php?title=Installing_the_ICX618ALA-E_CCD_on_the_DMK21

I'd be interested how it works out if you decide to do it .

Matt