digital camera part 2

[mstechca]

Ok, now that no one can find me a compatible windows 95 driver, I'll have to go deep into the hardware myself.

To start, I will find a circuit that can convert RS-232 to USB. After all, the I/O is about the same in both devices.

Next, I'll use my favorite programming language, QuickBasic to actually program the port.

I do have a rough idea on how to wire a USB port to an RS-232 port, but if someone can tell me the proper pin connections, that would be great.

I am able to write programs in QuickBasic that can send bits and bytes in and out of the serial port.

The question is exactly what command(s) do I send to the camera in order to receive the pictures stored on it?

 

[JimB]

Why worry about a cable, just use one of the little "bug" transmitters and a super regen receiver to make the connection.
It should work a treat.

JimB

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Ok, now that no one can find me a compatible windows 95 driver, I'll have to go deep into the hardware myself.

It's not a question of a compatible driver, it's simply that Win95 does not support USB.

To start, I will find a circuit that can convert RS-232 to USB. After all, the I/O is about the same in both devices.

Serial/USB converters are common place, you can buy them at low cost in any computer store - BUT, the I/O is VERY, VERY different, USB is VASTLY more complicated.

Next, I'll use my favorite programming language, QuickBasic to actually program the port.

I do have a rough idea on how to wire a USB port to an RS-232 port, but if someone can tell me the proper pin connections, that would be great.

You can simply wire them, you require a converter chip - they are freely available (but all are surface mount) - it's easier (and probably cheaper?) to buy a complete converter.

I am able to write programs in QuickBasic that can send bits and bytes in and out of the serial port.

The question is exactly what command(s) do I send to the camera in order to receive the pictures stored on it?

You need to send all the USB data (which isn't trivial!), and know EXACTLY what the camera requires - I don't even know if it would be possible to do?, as serial ports are so much slower than USB ones.

For examples of USB programming try looking at the MicroChip application notes - it's NOT a simple affair!.

Why don't you simply upgrade your OS, Win95 is LONG! past it, Win98SE is still OK, and the OS I still use - and you can probably come across very cheap copies of it!.

 

[mstechca]

why upgrade? to make things worse?

I only have a pentium 200Mhz and Windows 95 is about the best I can go, and besides, I'm not laying extra $$$ for a buggy OS.

 

[mstechca]

Lets put it this way. I don't care what active port on my computer the camera is connected to, as long as the port is recognized by any operating system.

So basically we are looking at any of:

Serial (DB-9)
Parallel (DB-25)
NIC / LAN Card (RJ-45)
Dial-up Modem (RJ-11)

If there is a simple way to convert USB to one of the above ports, I can then use it and then get my camera to work. I don't have alot of money on me, and plus, I only spent $11.50 CDN on the camera.

 

[DirtyLude]

You're going to spend more the $11.50 on just the components to build a USB converter. Although Nigel mentioned USB->RS232 converters are commonplace, not the way you want to go, which is backwards. Usually people want to use RS232 devices on there new systems that don't have DB9 connectors.

USB to anything is not as simple as just rerouting some wires to different connectors, it requires special converter chips, or components. It's very complicated. Even if you managed to do it, like Nigel said, the interface itself is also very complicated. Don't expect to just use a snooper program and figure out the protocols by reverse engineering.

Your only real option, already mentioned above, is to find a parallel port card reader that works with Windows95, like this:
**broken link removed**
I just did a quick search. I'm sure you could find one cheaper somewhere, maybe used on E-Bay.ca.

 

[mstechca]

The only way data can escape from my camera is through the USB connection. It comes with no cards.

I think I can get away with connecting the VCC and GND of the USB port from the camera to +5V and Gnd of my power adapter respectively, and connecting the transmit and receive pins to the serial port's transmit and receive pins on the PC.

Or do you think it would be better if I replaced the serial port with a NIC connection?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I think I can get away with connecting the VCC and GND of the USB port from the camera to +5V and Gnd of my power adapter respectively, and connecting the transmit and receive pins to the serial port's transmit and receive pins on the PC.

I'm afraid you can't, USB and serial are VASTLY different, but feel free to try it, it's your time to waste!.

By FAR the easiest and cheapest solution (and fastest!) would be to upgrade your OS - I can't see any other way of doing it?, except by reverse engineering the camera protocols, and by building sometype of interface (which would probably have to include enough memory to buffer at least one picture).

Your 200MHz processor would work fine with Win98SE, it's no slower than Win95.

 

[mstechca]

I'm going to have to make a hardware interface.

As for the camera format, This camera is based on a DSC2770 Chipset. The drivers were supplied by "Service and Quality Technologies" and the INF file used is sq9120.inf.

By the way, the number listed on the largest chip in my camera is:

Line 1: VT361716T -6
Line 2: 5C 0430

Just below the chip, I see the following numbers on the board:

SY 2108C

then to the right:

REV:1.1

and above that, in digital number format:

2204

so if anyone knows how to manually extract a picture from the camera, I like to know how so that I can use the thing. (good thing I didn't pay $1000 for it)

 

[samcheetah]

Your 200MHz processor would work fine with Win98SE, it's no slower than Win95.

i agree with Nigel. i have seen and used a number of PCs that are below 200MHz and Win98SE runs fine on them.

and if your camera has Linux drivers then you should try installing linux. that comes at no cost at all.