Post by thread:[EE] Disposable camcorder

www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=8710267&src=rss/technologyNews http://tinyurl.com/czwv7 Basically the same idea as the disposable digital cameras. Although $43 seems damn steep for 20 minutes of video. I'm wondering if these would be any more useful/fun to hack than the disposable still digital cameras, or if it's the same thing, with tweaks in its firmware. Mike H.

They'll have a hard time keeping them in stock since the geeks will be hacking them faster than real customers will use them. Remember the $10 bar code reader for advert URL scanning? Didn't last long. And of course USA only. ;{ What does a CMOS VGA web camera cost nowadays? And doesn't having to take the camera back to the store to be 'processed' for a $13 fee kinda defeat the point of 'instant digital imaging'? I await a hands on review by someone on the PICList. R Mike Hord wrote: {Quote hidden}> www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=8710267&src=rss/technologyNews > > http://tinyurl.com/czwv7 > > Basically the same idea as the disposable > digital cameras. Although $43 seems damn > steep for 20 minutes of video. > > I'm wondering if these would be any more > useful/fun to hack than the disposable still > digital cameras, or if it's the same thing, > with tweaks in its firmware. > > Mike H. >

In message <spam_OUT88eca92205060712267e334928TakeThisOuTmail.gmail.com>> Mike Hord <.....mike.hordKILLspam@spam@gmail.com> wrote: > Basically the same idea as the disposable > digital cameras. I wouldn't mind getting one of those to play with. Shame I'm a few thousand miles away from the nearest place that sells them :-/ Later. -- Phil. | Acorn Risc PC600 Mk3, SA202, 64MB, 6GB, philpemKILLspamphilpem.me.uk | ViewFinder, 10BaseT Ethernet, 2-slice, http://www.philpem.me.uk/ | 48xCD, ARCINv6c IDE, SCSI ... 90% of being smart is knowing what you're dumb at.

Philip Pemberton wrote: >In message <.....88eca92205060712267e334928KILLspam.....mail.gmail.com>> > Mike Hord <EraseMEmike.hordspam_OUTTakeThisOuTgmail.com> wrote: > > > >>Basically the same idea as the disposable >>digital cameras. >> >> > >I wouldn't mind getting one of those to play with. Shame I'm a few thousand >miles away from the nearest place that sells them :-/ > >Later. > > Ok, who's going to scoop up a couple of hundred and distribute them to happy hackers throughout the world? 1 -> Canada ;-) David

>> Basically the same idea as the disposable >> digital cameras. > >I wouldn't mind getting one of those to play with. Shame >I'm a few thousand >miles away from the nearest place that sells them :-/ That was my reaction when I saw the item in The Times as well. Maybe we could get someone in the USA to send us one each ;)

{Quote hidden}>-----Original Message----- >From: piclist-bouncesspam_OUTmit.edu [@spam@piclist-bouncesKILLspammit.edu] >Sent: 07 June 2005 20:26 >To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. >Subject: [EE] Disposable camcorder > > >www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&st >oryID=8710267&src=rss/technologyNews > >http://tinyurl.com/czwv7 > >Basically the same idea as the disposable >digital cameras. Although $43 seems damn >steep for 20 minutes of video. > >I'm wondering if these would be any more >useful/fun to hack than the disposable still >digital cameras, or if it's the same thing, >with tweaks in its firmware. Looks good, but wonder what resolution is like? I'm thinking probably a pixelated 320*200 or simmilar. Regards Mike ======================================================================= This e-mail is intended for the person it is addressed to only. The information contained in it may be confidential and/or protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you must not make any use of this information, or copy or show it to any person. Please contact us immediately to tell us that you have received this e-mail, and return the original to us. Any use, forwarding, printing or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. No part of this message can be considered a request for goods or services. =======================================================================

>>> Basically the same idea as the disposable >>> digital cameras. >> >>I wouldn't mind getting one of those to play with. Shame >>I'm a few thousand >>miles away from the nearest place that sells them :-/ > > That was my reaction when I saw the item in The Times as well. Maybe we > could get someone in the USA to send us one each ;) If you don't mind buying something that doesn't require hacking, Aiptek sells consumer versions of digital camcorders starting at $29.99 Their top-of-the line unit, 5 megapixels with image stabilizer, is $97 at Target this week. Of course the internal memory is small, you will need to use SD cards. Still, it sounds like a better deal than going out of your way to get a disposable one and needing to hack it. And you know they still make money at $29.99, so you aren't saving money. All of them, Aiptek included, do not use CCD sensors, they use CMOS sensors, so the S/N ratio is poor. -Bob

On 8 Jun 2005 at 18:45, Robert Rolf wrote: > And yet CMOS sensors are now found on the megapixel (5-10Mp) > digital SLR's. So why the huge difference in performance? It's a Marketing Breakthrough (TM). Sell CMOS as the new thing. But it's the new cheap thing. In fact, the better cameras have CCD sensors, even at 8 megapixels: http://tinyurl.com/6qyqv -Bob

>-----Original Message----- >From: KILLspampiclist-bouncesKILLspammit.edu [RemoveMEpiclist-bouncesTakeThisOuTmit.edu] >Sent: 09 June 2005 03:25 >To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. >Subject: Re: [EE] Disposable camcorder > > >On 8 Jun 2005 at 18:45, Robert Rolf wrote: >> And yet CMOS sensors are now found on the megapixel (5-10Mp) digital >> SLR's. So why the huge difference in performance? > >It's a Marketing Breakthrough (TM). Sell CMOS as the new >thing. But it's the new cheap >thing. > >In fact, the better cameras have CCD sensors, even at 8 >megapixels: http://tinyurl.com/6qyqv > A fairly balanced view of the benefits and disadvantages of each: http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/researchDevelopment/technologyFeatures/cmos.shtml Regards Mike ======================================================================= This e-mail is intended for the person it is addressed to only. The information contained in it may be confidential and/or protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you must not make any use of this information, or copy or show it to any person. Please contact us immediately to tell us that you have received this e-mail, and return the original to us. Any use, forwarding, printing or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. No part of this message can be considered a request for goods or services. =======================================================================

I've had some suprising results from these "cheap" cameras. I got one free when I purchased over 30gbp worth of products from a stationery store. I wasn’t overly happy with the focus so stripped it down to see if I could improve it a bit. It turned out the lens was stuck on with silicone adhesive and had moved a bit. When removed and refocussed it was a lot better. Then I had a little play and found you could adjust the focal length down to a few mm which made it ideal for cheap macro photography. I also had a play with fitting it with my Canon 35mm lens which with the help of a toilet roll core brought up some good results as well. If you're really bored I've uploaded some sample pictures to my site - worth a quick look for a <$10 camera :-) http://partsfortrade.com/macro/1.jpg http://partsfortrade.com/macro/2.jpg http://partsfortrade.com/macro/3.jpg http://partsfortrade.com/macro/4.jpg http://partsfortrade.com/macro/5.jpg http://partsfortrade.com/macro/6.jpg http://partsfortrade.com/macro/7.jpg http://partsfortrade.com/macro/8.jpg -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.6 - Release Date: 08/06/2005

On Jun 9, 2005, at 1:33 AM, Dominic Stratten wrote: > I've had some suprising results from these "cheap" cameras. Frankly, given the "disposability" of cell phones, your chances of finding an interfacable camera may be better there. Does anyone have any pointers to sites on hacking old cellphones into general purpose compute platforms? BillW

Dominic, On Thu, 9 Jun 2005 09:33:02 +0100, Dominic Stratten wrote: > I've had some suprising results from these "cheap" cameras. > > I got one free when I purchased over 30gbp worth of products from a > stationery store. I wasn't overly happy with the focus so stripped it down > to see if I could improve it a bit. Can I ask where this was (was it one of the chains like Rymans or Staples), and is the offer still going? >...< > I also had a play with fitting it with my Canon 35mm lens which with the > help of a toilet roll core brought up some good results as well. > > If you're really bored I've uploaded some sample pictures to my site - worth > a quick look for a <$10 camera :-) Very impressive (and useful!). The watch photo, in particular, is amazingly good quality. Just one thing, howcome the pound coin in picture 6 is reversed? Cheers, Howard Winter St.Albans, Herts

>-----Original Message----- >From: Howard Winter [spamBeGonepiclist-bouncesspamBeGonemit.edu] >Sent: 09 June 2005 11:37 >To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. >Subject: RE: [EE] Disposable camcorder > >Just one thing, howcome the pound coin in picture 6 is reversed? > Howard, In what way reversed? It looks ok to me, though obviously upside down. Regards Mike ======================================================================= This e-mail is intended for the person it is addressed to only. The information contained in it may be confidential and/or protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you must not make any use of this information, or copy or show it to any person. Please contact us immediately to tell us that you have received this e-mail, and return the original to us. Any use, forwarding, printing or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. No part of this message can be considered a request for goods or services. =======================================================================

It was done ages ago with an offer from Staples Mail order. The offer got closed down pretty quickly - you could buy a ruler for 20p and get a free camera (plus shipping). The camera that turned up was an ATiPix LS300 (300k pixels) Very cheap and cheerful - no flash but operates (briefly) on a single AAA battery. And as someone else has said - the pound coin is upsidedown not mirrored ;) {Original Message removed}

Mike, On Thu, 9 Jun 2005 11:45:13 +0100, Michael Rigby-Jones wrote: > >From: Howard Winter [TakeThisOuTpiclist-bouncesEraseMEspam_OUTmit.edu] > > > >Just one thing, howcome the pound coin in picture 6 is reversed? > In what way reversed? It looks ok to me, though obviously upside down. Oops! (Face) <---- (Egg) Well I never was much good before noon... the fact that the "N" was almost upside down made it look backwards, and I only glanced at it very briefly before thinking it was reversed... Please ignore my previous message! :-# Cheers, Howard Winter St.Albans, England

It came with a USB interface and lead. Hardest part was getting the focus/position right as it didn’t have a viewfinder. I used MSN Messenger and set up a webcam session between two computers, got the position and focus right then used the camera function to take the picture. Fiddly but not bad for a freebie. Dom -----Original Message----- From: RemoveMEpiclist-bouncesTakeThisOuTMIT.EDU [piclist-bouncesEraseME.....MIT.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill & Pookie Sent: 09 June 2005 19:36 To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public. Subject: Re: [EE] Disposable camcorder Very impressive pictures. How do you interface to the camera? Bill