Webcam Mod wiring

[Glider]

I made it myself. PM me with an email and I'll send you a link.

[leenewtoastro]

yes malc agreed. infact i would be happy with 2 usb fly leads exiting the cam / box.

i just didn't like the thought of that bulky and stiff shielded cable. but if we go serial route with those components we can have normal usb cable but 2 of. i'd use the neat usb plug with internal serial converter in this link.

http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Documents/DataSheets/Cables/DS_USB_RS232_CABLES.pdf USB-RS232-WE-1800-BT_5.0

.

[Glider]

Don't get me wrong lee, pros and cons, the advantage to your approach is that if you have a Netbook like I do it only has 3 USB ports so tying 2 up just for the camera is a luxury.

As you say, it all need careful consideration.

[malc-c]

Lee,

With RS232 you can get away with just three wires - TX, RX and GND. The other wires are used for handshaking etc and not always required. There is no connection to the 5 volt line as per your diagram.

[beamish]

I made it myself. PM me with an email and I'll send you a link.

C:cool::cool:L

[leenewtoastro]

Lee,

With RS232 you can get away with just three wires - TX, RX and GND. The other wires are used for handshaking etc and not always required. There is no connection to the 5 volt line as per your diagram.

Cool. Just wondered what the guy who did that guide did as in the pics he has connected 5 wires or it looks like he has ! ?

[RogerTheDodger]

I'll have a go at that transistor only version a bit later.

[leenewtoastro]

I'll have a go at that transistor only version a bit later.

cool, post up some solder work pics;)

on a board or free floating?

[leenewtoastro]

Lee,

With RS232 you can get away with just three wires - TX, RX and GND. The other wires are used for handshaking etc and not always required. There is no connection to the 5 volt line as per your diagram.

definately sure about that malc? aren't we sending "signals" TO the device to make it do something? so rts and tx would be outputs of the 232 and therefore inputs to the device?

[leenewtoastro]

just ordered this as i already have a usb-232 adapter.

so i'll cut it in half and get 2 out of it.

not sure i'll make a second so if anyone wants the other half pm

CablesToGo 3m DB9 F/F Modem Cable 81419 on eBay (end time 05-Apr-11 03:21:16 BST)

. the cable is nice and light weight

[malc-c]

definately sure about that malc? aren't we sending "signals" TO the device to make it do something? so rts and tx would be outputs of the 232 and therefore inputs to the device?

lee,

Serial works by sending bytes down one wire in a serial (ie one bit after another) plus a stop bit to signify the end of the byte. So where with parallel you might send the following to turn on and off something

00000000

00000001

Serial would be

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

-

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

Bit hard to explain, but where parallel dumps the 8 bits to the port in one go, serial has to send them one after the other, hence just two wires.

[Glider]

I think you are getting something confused.

The LX modifications that I have seen do not use TX as a control pin, they use the RTS handshake line to just toggle a voltage level hi/lo for control purposes.

On a parallel port you have these handshake lines plus 8 more data pins to choose from.

[Glider]

Serial can be;

..Start bit

..8 bit data byte

..Stop bit(s)

..Parity

In total 11 bits.

[Glider]

If the camera also has say the amp off modification then this is controlled using one of the other handshake lines as per RTS and the LX modification.

[leenewtoastro]

some confusion probably all my part apologies

so if i want to have this component level LX and Amp off what is needed from my serial ?

in the guide he describes dtr but all i have is rts,cts,rx,tx so whats what lads

[Glider]

Some of the lower cost USB-232 converters don't bring out all of the handshake lines.

In your capture program is there a menu that allows you to specify one of the handshake lines that you do have to be the control pin?

[leenewtoastro]

i'm using sharpcap glider.

[leenewtoastro]

Some of the lower cost USB-232 converters don't bring out all of the handshake lines.

In your capture program is there a menu that allows you to specify one of the handshake lines that you do have to be the control pin?

aha . rts and dtr are the only options so i must get a serial with the dtr as you say. just looked at a complete pin out and yes i get it now

[Glider]

Or, where the hardware modification says connect DTR just connect RTS instead and select RTS for control in Sharpcap.

[leenewtoastro]

so i was barking up the right tree with input output direction just in a very long winded way lol

[leenewtoastro]

i give in. now there is a new boy in town. LX,Amp on/off and now Shutter

[malc-c]

LOL - it's not that complicated - honest !!

[leenewtoastro]

hehe. the penny will drop soon i guess lol

i'm just not seeing the woods for the trees.

[malc-c]

Lee, wait 'til you try PIC micro coding ...

[leenewtoastro]

errr no thx zx spectrum for me i think lol