USB to Wireless???

[nirmaldev]

I would like to connect an existing usb webcam to the pc using some wireless connection. Can it be done using some microcontroller and fm transmission? Could there be any problems associated with the protocols? Is there an existing technology for this, im asking because if there isnt we would like to make this our main project subject.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Sure just buy a pair of wireless USB extenders
**broken link removed**

 

[HarveyH42]

Sure just buy a pair of wireless USB extenders
**broken link removed**

$394.00 OUCH! Is it actually made in Canada, or just another one of their Chinese imports, re-branded? The some of the other products are from Taiwan... Actually interesting, until I saw the price tag, and wasn't in Canadian currency either, USD.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Just the first ones I found when Googled. I'm sure there are plenty of others.

 

[Birdman Adam]

I have looked into wireless USB before, and all of the stuff you'll find is >$300, and the range is only 50-100 ft. I don't think the technology has advances enough for wireless usb to be feasible...

 

[marcbarker]

If it's any help, Linksys make a "Wireless-G Web camera". It's has an IP address and a built in webserver. View the picture via a TCP/IP.

USB at the physical layer, if I'm not mistaken, is a just LVDS. One twisted pair input and another for output. Perhaps it's just a case of interfacing a radio link of appropriate bandwidth via LVDS IC's.

 

[nirmaldev]

OOps every wireless usb extender i found on the net costs more than 250$. Do you think that it is possible to make that thing ourselves, at a limited cost? Maybe the price is high because of the lack of demand?
i dunno much about lvds. are you sure usb is lvds?

 

[dknguyen]

Electronics is one of those things where it tends to cost more to DIY than to just buy it.

 

[Triode]

^ thats true. And a misunderstanding of that seems to be the source of a lot of confusion for new people. Though there are some highly specialized stuff that you can make for cheaper, where the economy of scale doesn't come into play. For example I could probably make one of those spinning led displays for cheaper than I could buy one. But if you included a labor cost per hour equal to what I earn at work, or possibly even minimum wage, that would be nowhere close either. Bottom line, you have to do this stuff because you love making stuff yourself

 

[nirmaldev]

ok. it seems like we will have to find some new idea for our project. we are thinking about a speech recognizing robot. ill post it as a new thread.