Video Switcher - RS-422 / RS-232

[roger9841]

I am looking for a CCA or an assembled unit that will allow video switching between two video inputs by an RS-422 command string? It could be RS-232 but prefer RS-422. I am wanting to switch between two cameras that are running at the same time but at a remote location.

I have searched (Google) and get all kinds of non-applicable items. I would appreciate your suggestions of a board or system.

Thank you,
Roger D.

 

[philba]

It's not totally clear what your application is but a camera switcher may be the closest thing. the simplest ones allows you to select a specific channel or rotate though the inputs in sequence. also called a camera sequencer. You could modify it by adding an rs422 module that closes the switch button if you want one at a time.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Probably overkill but many hi end av reveivers like the Denon 4803 have an rs232 port.

 

[roger9841]

Gentleman, sorry for the confusion. I am looking for a Circuit Card or finished product that takes two video sources, i.e. Camera 1 or Camera 2 and then with a given command string over RS232, RS485 or RS422 that would switch the video feed from Camera 1 to Camera 2 and vis versa.

I am building a remote monitoring system and do not want to run both video feeds then two separate monitors. The system has only one monitor and able to switch between video sources.

I have found IR switch boxes but nothing that is software command controlled.

Appreciate your time and consideration,
Roger

 

[blueroomelectronics]

A cheap & cheerful solution for two video cameras and a serial port might be a Relay that's controlled by a single transistor on the RTS or DTR line (some software will allow direct control of those lines)

 

[Torben]

Hi there!

The best software available cheaply (in fact, it's free) is probably Zoneminder (https://www.zoneminder.com). You'll need to install Linux to run it, but the upside of that is that you can run it on a fairly low-end box. An old Pentium 2 350 should support a couple of cameras.

Then you need a way to get the camera data into the computer. A pair of cheap webcams should do the trick. USB might be the best option here for the cameras, though I suppose if you want to, you can purchase a multiple-input video card. Seems expensive, though.

I know one guy who claims to be a technical idiot who has wired up an entire band rental space with several cameras and can monitor from his Ubuntu machine just by switching to the workspace where he has zoneminder running.

Not an electronics solution per se, I know--but easier and cheaper.


Torben

[Edit: Of course this won't help if you can't run Linux or have to tie into an existing installation, but if it's your own project and you have the freedom to do it, it's at least an idea. ]