Can you use xbee to transmit video?

[rocket100]

I haven't used xbee modules before but they sound pretty cool! So I was wondering if you could stream video over xbee from a camera? Because this one on sparkfun says it can transmit up to 15 miles! SparkFun Electronics - XBee Pro 900 XSC RPSMA

So if anybody could give me an answer that would be great thanks!

One more thing, how do they communicate?

 

[3v0]

The short answer is no.

Data rate for the module is 9.6kbps Max

According to Wikipedia

Video

• 16 kbit/s – videophone quality (minimum necessary for a consumer-acceptable "talking head" picture using various video compression schemes)

You can send image data but not fast enough to make it look continuous.

They communicate via radio???

3v0

 

[DirtyLude]

Not with that one.

9.6kbps Max data rate

With a regular one at max datarate point to point of 250kbps possibly, but I hate math. You would need to work out exactly what bitrate you would need for the image quality/FPS that you want. You'll need to use some type of compression.

This may help:
SparkFun Electronics :: View topic - Xbee baud rate question

EDIT: Ninja Posted by 3V0. Guess I sat on this one too long.

 

[rocket100]

Could you use video if it was nine frames per second?
if you could how would it be wired?
Thanks

 

[blueroomelectronics]

9600 baud is far far to slow for video. It's 960 bytes per second. For example a 1 hr movie would be 3.5Meg in size.

 

[rocket100]

3v0 said that it could send image data? so couldn't you send like one picture per second?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

3v0 said that it could send image data? so couldn't you send like one picture per second?

As long as it's a very small picture.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

A 960 byte picture would be pretty awful.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

A 960 byte picture would be pretty awful.

Ever heard of SSTV? - even easier with computers, sending slow speed still images of whatever resolution you want (but bigger takes longer).

 

[3v0]

What range do you need ?

Regular Zigbee and Xbee units have a shorter range but they also use 2.4GHz and do a raw 250Mbits.

SSTV is Slow Scan TV

3v0

 

[rocket100]

what about this one it does 115.2kbps: SparkFun Electronics - XTend 900 1W RPSMA - 40 Mile Range

 

[rocket100]

What I am trying to do is have a rig attached to a balloon, the rig has a camera with servos for controlling its position, and I wanted to use a xbee module to control the servos from earth and also relay video info back to earth, so I could see the earth from way up there

 

[bill_best]

What I am trying to do is have a rig attached to a balloon, the rig has a camera with servos for controlling its position, and I wanted to use a xbee module to control the servos from earth and also relay video info back to earth, so I could see the earth from way up there

I would suggest you look at using an xbee setup for telemetry data, but have a separate wireless video link with a GPS tracking antenna. I'd recommend 5.ghz instead of 2.4 to get a better image with the video transmitter.

To control the servos I'd recommend a long range UHF system like this one..

(video shows it working out to 21km, but you should be able to increase that with a 7W booster)

YouTube - 21Km FPV flight with Scherrer VHF system. Better quality.

Hope that helps!