Homebuilt ROVs Forum

Hi I am from the uk and just built my first rov done all the necessary checks and works fine once I got past the buoyancy issues. I have used a cheap cctv camera but can't even get it to show a picture on tv my tv. Don't the usual by using a 12v supply and used a 25m av cable with av and audio. Picture is very poor so I assuming quality will be lost due to the length of the av cable. Any ideas on what to do. Thanks paul

I would guess using baluns may help, what is your picture like on a short Av cable?

Having tried that yet. Assuming that works how would you then be able to overcome the cable length for longer depths? I know I could use an ip camera but short of time now as it's for a college project. The picture has lines across the screen outline of silhouettes. Cheers Paul

Using a standard twisted pair I am able to get a good picture with a 100m cable and no baluns. The camera I'm using is a card camera which I imagine would be much the same as you would find inside a cheap cctv camera. I have cut the av connectors off and soldered my connections directly to the board/ connector/tether/connector/monitor at the top.

All that being said I have had a nightmare run with electrical interference and my video feed. First off it was a poorly soldered capacitor, and now I have a unknown ground loop problem using a secondary monitor that I am yet to solve.

First up I would say check a short run, then all your connections, if your 25m av cable isn't a shielded/ coax cable and isn't twisted, then there is a good chance that is your problem.

I hope that helps?

Thanks for your time. In all fairness the power side of the av lead was faulty so I suppose you get what you pay for including Chinese cctv cameras oh and monitor. Both are faulty, 2nd camera at least shows some sort of distorted picture.