Interfacing a camera with a microcontroller

[Godwin-chuks]

Please has anyone tried to interface a microcontroller like 8051 to a camera (webcam or 0v7670)

 

[ronsimpson]

A 8052 does not have much RAM and a camera has many pixels.
What are you trying to make?
What type of camera? analog, USB, webcam?
Do you need to see every pixel or can you live with seeing 100x100?

 

[gophert]

Please has anyone tried to interface a microcontroller like 8051 to a camera (webcam or 0v7670)

Why not use a raspberry pi? Super easy with Raspberry Pi camera.

 

[Pommie]

Not a very good question. I've interfaced a micro with a camera to do time lapse but I think (but only a guess) that you want to do something different.

Mike.

 

[Godwin-chuks]

My project supervisor won't let me use arduino or raspberry pi. Please I really need guidance on how to go about it

 

[Godwin-chuks]

A 8052 does not have much RAM and a camera has many pixels.
What are you trying to make?
What type of camera? analog, USB, webcam?
Do you need to see every pixel or can you live with seeing 100x100?

I can live with seeing 100x100 I just need it to work great One

 

[Godwin-chuks]

Not a very good question. I've interfaced a micro with a camera to do time lapse but I think (but only a guess) that you want to do something different.

Mike.

I actually need it for that specific reason Sir

 

[Pommie]

I actually need it for that specific reason Sir

In that case, I used a servo (to push the button to take pictures) controlled by a pic micro to take a picture every N seconds and then combined them to make a video. There are many free jpg to video converters. On a DSLR, they normally have a socket for remote picture taking (or IR remote) which could be used instead of a servo.

Mike.

 

[ronsimpson]

Must you use the camera the supervisor picked or can you get a camera from the market?
The 0v7670 is an option. I have not used it in 10 years so my memory is not good.
300,000 pixels and the 8051 might have 100 ram locations unused. That a problem.
I think the 0v7670 can be programmed to very low resolution. Then through away most of the data.
Watch out the 0v7670 is 3 volt and the 8051 might be 5 volt.

 

[gophert]

How, exactly do you want to interface the camera? Do you want a microcontroller to make the camera take a photo every x-seconds? Or when a sensor detects a certain threshold (a self-contained camera and memory card)? Example, simply trigger the shutter release button.
Or do you need to interface a camera module to a microcontroller, collect the image bit by bit, and save the data bit by bit to a memory card and/or write it to a display?

 

[danadak]

An 8051 cannot handle the real time data rates generated by todays webcam
resolution and color depth. Period. If you drop the frame rate and resolution
you might be able to manage a data stream from camera.

The alternative is use a video controller chip with webcam, and use 8051 to
do housekeeping chores. But again an 8051 will not mange live 30 fps video
data rates. Beyond its capability. There are processors that can, Freescale,
those chips have the additional HW onchip to handle the data rates. Dedicated
DMA often a required feature.

Display Controllers top - Products - Semicon Top - Epson

Epson display controllers freaturing reduction of load of the main CPU, low power consumption, improvement of drawing performance, and supporting for various types of LCD panles.

global.epson.com

https://www.realtek.com/en/products/computer-peripheral-ics/item/rts5822

What are you trying to do with the video ?


Regards, Dana.

 

[gophert]

What are you trying to do with the video ?

Reading the responses, it sounds like he is trying to meet a challenge set up by his supervisor and 100 x 100 pixel resolution is enough - and "photo" is the goal, not streaming video.

 

[danadak]

It may be possible if he can control the camera transmission bit rate. But if he is stuck
with a VGA webcam and its bitrate is stuck at todays color depth no way.

If monochrome probably ok.......with a fast 8051.

Some guidelines (table is for compressed rates) -

https://www.diysecuritycameras.com.au/pdfs/IP_Cameras_Recommended_Bitrates_20150112.pdf

Could use external FPGA to capture frame....or a controller chip mentioned in prior
post....


Regards, Dana.

 

[ronsimpson]

Here is some information. Not 8051 but if a Arduino can do it you can.
Arduino Camera (OV7670) Tutorial
more data
Arduino Camera (OV7670) Tutorial
data sheet I think you can program the camera down to 40x30. That will be a big help.
programming

 

[Godwin-chuks]

How, exactly do you want to interface the camera? Do you want a microcontroller to make the camera take a photo every x-seconds? Or when a sensor detects a certain threshold (a self-contained camera and memory card)? Example, simply trigger the shutter release button.
Or do you need to interface a camera module to a microcontroller, collect the image bit by bit, and save the data bit by bit to a memory card and/or write it to a display?

yeah actually I'm trying to use any camera like arducam, raspberry pi cam and then interface about three of such cameras to a microcontroller (AVR or PIC) to collect the image bit by bit every x-seconds and, process the images to send over the internet via a Wi-Fi module

 

[Godwin-chuks]

Reading the responses, it sounds like he is trying to meet a challenge set up by his supervisor and 100 x 100 pixel resolution is enough - and "photo" is the goal, not streaming video.

The main aim of the project is to design a surveillance system that can take images every x-seconds and send the images to the user Gmail but my supervisor doesn't want me to use Arduino, raspberry pi, or even esp32 cam as he believes that will make my project process easy therefore he wants me to use microcontrollers to carry out most of the operations for the project to be more "technical".

 

[Godwin-chuks]

Thank you for all the responses and the comment I'm so grateful to hear from many great minds.

 

[Godwin-chuks]

Must you use the camera the supervisor picked or can you get a camera from the market?
The 0v7670 is an option. I have not used it in 10 years so my memory is not good.
300,000 pixels and the 8051 might have 100 ram locations unused. That a problem.
I think the 0v7670 can be programmed to very low resolution. Then through away most of the data.
Watch out the 0v7670 is 3 volt and the 8051 might be 5 volt.
View attachment 132200

It must not be 0v7670. Any camera without onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules will do.

 

[Godwin-chuks]

An 8051 cannot handle the real time data rates generated by todays webcam
resolution and color depth. Period. If you drop the frame rate and resolution
you might be able to manage a data stream from camera.

The alternative is use a video controller chip with webcam, and use 8051 to
do housekeeping chores. But again an 8051 will not mange live 30 fps video
data rates. Beyond its capability. There are processors that can, Freescale,
those chips have the additional HW onchip to handle the data rates. Dedicated
DMA often a required feature.

Display Controllers top - Products - Semicon Top - Epson

Epson display controllers freaturing reduction of load of the main CPU, low power consumption, improvement of drawing performance, and supporting for various types of LCD panles.

global.epson.com

https://www.realtek.com/en/products/computer-peripheral-ics/item/rts5822

What are you trying to do with the video ?


Regards, Dana.

Any DIP microcontroller will do because at the end of it all I will have to solder every single thing on a perf board rather than a PCB. In order to capture images at specific intervals, I designed a programmable timer using a microcontroller (Atmega8).

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

You need a new supervisor that has a better grip on reality.