88 replies to this topic

[galaxiex]

I think the current FOV is about 60 degrees.

I don't know if it would be possible, but 120 degrees would be nice.
That may be asking far too much though, from such a small sensor and lens.

Actually, anything wider than it is now. Maybe 90 degrees? I guess even 75 degrees would help....

[Mr.RC-Cam]

I already received an answer. No other lens is available.

So hopefully someone finds a easy DiY fix. For example, if the glued pinhole lens can be re-focused, then there's a chance an external lens could be added. Just to get the ball rolling, I looked through Edmond Scientific's optics and their endless choices are all too expensive. Hopefully someone with more spare time will come up with a brainless wide view hack.

[galaxiex]

I have an add-on wide lens like this one....

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item5d2b8b68bc

In fact mine looks exactly the same. I don't remember the vendor, but I did get mine from ebay.

I can confirm that it works to increase the FOV somewhat, and no re-focusing of the camera required.

Trouble is.... it is still too big and heavy for a micro FPV application.

I'll keep looking.....

Edit; there is a 0.45X and 0.67X version of this lens. Which would be wider? I'm guessing the 0.45X

Edited by galaxiex, 16 October 2010 - 10:10 AM.

[Mr.RC-Cam]

Awesome! -- There's a zillion stick-on camera phone lenses for sale on eBay, thanks for the tip. Hopefully there's a good candidate for micro FPV.

[galaxiex]

Well... I ordered some of these....

http://cgi.ebay.com/...=item1c14c98d41

Cheap enough, so if no good it's not a big loss...

[Kilrah]

Unfortunately, access to this particular item has been blocked due to legal restrictions in some countries. We are blocking your viewing in an effort to prevent restricted items from being displayed.

Huh? That's a new one from ebay. Never seen that, and can't see what restriction there could be for a lens

[Terry]

I can see it ! Wide Angle/Fish Eye Jelly Lens for Mobile Phone Camera

Terry

[Mr.RC-Cam]

and can't see what restriction there could be for a lens

Probably to protect ant hills from mischievous seven year old boys.

I ordered a similar wide angle, plus a polarizing lens and 2X telephoto.

[Vrflyer]

I received my cam with 5.8ghz Tx. The plug with the regulators is not there. I tried it on 3.7V at first using my quality power supply and the picture is weird, full of horizontal lines and the picture appear distord. I tried with 1S lipo and get the same result. Tried again with the power supply and raise at 4.7V with same result. I will continue tomorrow to investigate. I send them an e-mail today to get some explanation.

[galaxiex]

I received my cam with 5.8ghz Tx. The plug with the regulators is not there. I tried it on 3.7V at first using my quality power supply and the picture is weird, full of horizontal lines and the picture appear distord. I tried with 1S lipo and get the same result. Tried again with the power supply and raise at 4.7V with same result. I will continue tomorrow to investigate. I send them an e-mail today to get some explanation.

I think this cam/Tx really needs the split power supply like Mr.RC-Cam mentions, and also discussed in this thread...

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1316265

[Mr.RC-Cam]

I'm not surprised, but was hopeful that they had some magic trick to make it work without the special VReg board. Assuming they actually tested it before shipping it to you, perhaps they can explain how to make it work.

Did you order the matching Rx (same one shown in my photos)? If not, what are you using?

By the way, given all the interest, dpcav.com will stock this 5.8GHz/10mW micro camera in about three weeks.


.

Edited by Mr.RC-Cam, 22 October 2010 - 08:18 PM.

[Vrflyer]

Did you order the matching Rx (same one shown in my photos)? If not, what are you using?



.

the same receiver as you, the nice one

[Mr.RC-Cam]

the same receiver as you, the nice one

The manufacturer claims it has -90dBm sensitivity; If accurate, it is an outstanding spec. Is yours the 5V or 12V model?

If you have success, please report back on how you solved the distorted picture problem.

[Vrflyer]

The manufacturer claims it has -90dBm sensitivity; If accurate, it is an outstanding spec. Is yours the 5V or 12V model?

If you have success, please report back on how you solved the distorted picture problem.

Mine is the 12V model.

I sent an email to FPVhobby, I will wait for his answer. Perhaps he can send me the connector only (if he still have it)

another solution Kilrah sugested me on Skype is to power the 5.8ghz transmitter directly from the one lipo battery of my nano helico and power the camera from the 5V connector on the helico (leds was connected to this connector). Perhaps with capacitor it can work.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220619725258&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

[Mr.RC-Cam]

The original Vreg board has two 3.2V Voltage Reg IC's on it. If you want to experiment, here is something to try:

Using a 1S lipo as the power source, add a series 1N4001 diode to the Tx power lead and another series diode to the camera power lead. On each power lead (at the diode's cathode end) add a 10uF and .1uF cap, in parallel, to ground. The diodes will drop the voltage about 0.5V and will provide some isolation (in case that is important in this device). Of course this assumes you can ID the two power leads. On mine, the red wire and the green wire are the two 3.2V leads, so hopefully the old wires are still there in your hacked camera.

Be sure to build the circuit on perfboard or scrap PCB that has a full copper ground layer, or something similar. Keep the cap leads short, and take advantage of the ground layer on the perfboard. The diode board should be within 3 inches of the camera. FWIW, I have a hunch that other construction methods may not work.

I don't know if this will get you anywhere, especially since I ran into problems just by changing the ground wire locations. But, it is a better model of the original power supply than what you have now.

[bob00]

Actually I used a more or less similar setup a while ago, I think there's quite some interest into it.
While 330TVL don't cut it for me, the 480TVL are pretty good.

After experimenting last year I had put up some article in early 2010 that you can find here: http://www.insecure....-heli-blade-msr

There's some demo videos although the quality vastly improved when I switched from a 420TVL camera to a 480TVL one. Not that 420 was bad in itself but the board had some issues which made a white halo (design bug IMO, the video circuit was 75omh, must have been something else - I got a free replacement anyway)

I find that the range of the Airwave I use depends a whole lot on how precise you've cut the antenna and at this size it's very hard however.

What's your range on the newly cut antenna?

[Mr.RC-Cam]

I had put up some article in early 2010 ...

Thanks for the link!

What's your range on the newly cut antenna?

I never bothered to check to see what max range was. The antenna's length was determined with the aid of a spectrum analyzer. The element was trimmed until the optimized field strength was achieved.

[bob00]

Thanks for the link!


I never bothered to check to see what max range was. The antenna's length was determined with the aid of a spectrum analyzer. The element was trimmed until the optimized field strength was achieved.

I see, I cut mine with a meter and a razor, and it takes several tries and luck to get one that works actually well enough to get a good range out of it.
It seems at this frequency its very delicate to do without additional instruments. (i basically walk away and see how far it goes, with a bad antenna it just goes to a few meters)
Might also be that my transmitter/receiver aren't as good, I wouldn't know. The receiver antenna is factory made.

Edited by bob00, 28 October 2010 - 08:09 AM.

[Vrflyer]

I can not figure how the two regulators was connected to the camera. The red wire is weld to the camera board, it is weld to two pads on printed circuit, the two pad are side by side. FPVhobbies add a wire between the two boards that it is connect to the black wire that goes out.

Can you tell me where the wires of two regulator are connect normally ?

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Edited by Vrflyer, 28 October 2010 - 09:24 AM.

[Mr.RC-Cam]

I didn't expect the need to open my camera again so the covers are back on (nicely heatshrunk too). Can you determine the two V+ pad locations by observing the wires the FPV shop added?