Page 1 of 1
Camera over cat5
Posted: Jul 9th, 2020, 5:00 pm
by iconicvyper
Hello!
I am curently trying to build a rov while quarantined.
Right now I want to use an old laptop lcd and laptop camera for my video. I figured I could just wire the data onto a cat5 cable and power for the camera to the onboard battery. How would I go getting it onto the lcd display? I already figured I would need the lcd driver board but what else?
Re: Camera over cat5
Posted: Jul 10th, 2020, 2:59 am
by fryslan76
Not really my cup of tea, but a lot depends on the connections available on your camera. So lets start with which type is the camera?
Re: Camera over cat5
Posted: Jul 10th, 2020, 10:07 am
by iconicvyper
fryslan76 wrote:Not really my cup of tea, but a lot depends on the connections available on your camera. So lets start with which type is the camera?
It is a camera I ripped out of an old laptop.
Re: Camera over cat5
Posted: Jul 10th, 2020, 6:29 pm
by Oddmar
Um... there's alot more to this scenario than just 'wiring the data onto a cat5 cable'.
The laptop camera workload was probably borne by the motherboard, and so it will be a pain trying to repurpose it for separate use. I'd suggest just using the low-light 5mp Raspberry Pi camera plugged into a Raspberry Pi 3B's (not B+) camera interface port.
You will need to look at the code # on the LCD panel and order a 'LCD driver board' from eBay to use the LCD as a monitor, as the LCD was also driven by the laptop motherboard. About $30. Makes a cheap high resolution monitor.
Off google: (For Ethernet copper cabling when used for 10/100/1000BASE-T, the maximum allowed length of a Cat 5e / Cat 6 cable is 100 meters (328 ft).)
If you ever want more distance (think horizontal as well as vertical), you can convert the ethernet to run over coax with this $49.00 pair of units
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L6X94XS
That will allow you to send high-speed data over 2000 ft of coax. I just bought 2 pair. They come with a BNC male connector on them, so you will need 2 BNC male to RG59 coax adapters (get the compression, not the crimp-on style).
Doing it this way will allow for more expansion later, plus a better bandwidth now.
Any advice we give you is dependent on your budget and DIY skills, plus your goals. How complicated or simple of an ROV do you want?