Remote Video System - An inexpensive wireless, color TV camera

[john v]

My Typhoon will be equipped with a remote TV camera in the forward sail area. I plan to use it for looking foward while cruising on the surface and monitoring torpedo and missile launches. I may also experiment with underwater operations in the swimming pool for those rare occasions when women go skinning dipping! Just kidding!

After researching various camera configurations, and realizing this may be an expensive undertaking, I went on eBay. I located a vendor (MaxiVisual) selling inexpensive color, remote, CMOS cameras as a complete package (color camera, transmitter, receiver and cables).

To my amazement, the starting bid was $17.99 so I took the plunge and placed my bid for one. A couple days later I was notified that mine was the winning bid. After paying for the camera ($17.99), shipping ($25.00) and insurance ($6.00), I received the product in 13 days. I figure a total cost of $48.99 is not bad for a remote, color TV system, especially one with a 1000 foot range and a 200 mW transmitter! John's RC Boats

[eric_mtl]

John, have you tried it

John, have you tried it out under water yet?
eric

[Guest]

Eric,
That's the wireless video system

Eric,
That's the wireless video system I used in my 688I sail at the recent Sub Regatta in Johnston,RI, thanks to John's recommendation of Maxivisual. It works fine just above water, and I will be able to use it to watch missile launches, when I get a new high torque servo for my missile launching system. I got some fairly good tapes of the island and the activity back on shore from my patrol with the video camera on. The visitors to my table loved seeing themselves on TV from the camera in the sail of the sub.
The tape and monitor went blank when the sub submerged. I have the antenna in the periscope, so there is transmission when the camera is just an inch or two under water, but I couldn't see anything. I'll try it in the clear pool tomorrow to see if I can see anything for a few inches or a foot in front of the camera. I did see an image about 10 inches ahead of the lens, on the inside wall of the pail, when I dunked the sail in a bucket of water to test it. The antenna must be above water to transmit. See camera info on my website, in the L.A. album, and elsewhere. Art Broder's Models

[Guest]

Guys,
A pleasant surprise! I went

Guys,
A pleasant surprise! I went out to the pool this morning, and with the waterproofed camera lens underwater, and the tip of the antenna just above the water, I could see the other end of the pool, 40 ft. away, on the TV monitor! That was under clear pool water.
When the antenna was placed under the water 1 or 2 inches, I could only get transmission 4 or 5 ft away from the receiver and TV.
Better results than I expected.

[eric_mtl]

Hey Art that's great!

I plan

Hey Art that's great!

I plan to set up a small camera on my Delta with a little antenna floating on the surface above it... I'm thinking maybe of making a little spring loaded spool to always keep the minimum of wire between the sub and the antenna to avoid snags... Unfortunately, the sub is presently in my bathtub while I try and plug-up all the water leaks...

eric

[Guest]

Eric,
My understanding is that any

Eric,
My understanding is that any alteration or change in length of the camera/transmitter antenna would adversly effect reception, so proceed cautiously.

[QuarterMaster]

Hi Art!,

Sorry I did not

Hi Art!,

Sorry I did not get a chance to sit with you at the Regatta, those two day's were a whirlwind!!

I was so impressed with the video that I can tell you mine is already in the mail from MaxiVisual.

I'll be popping it in the the clear dome of the PROTEUS. From there I will try and get it to rotate (the dome has a 360 deg view) on top of a servo. I'll have to find a servo with a good swing arc.

Thanks for the inspiration!

[ramius-ii]

Hi Ed]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_smile.gif

Hi Ed]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[anonymous]

Hi,

I tried to buy/win a

Hi,

I tried to buy/win a camera from the seller mentioned above, but he did'nt have any at that time. So I picked one up from someone else for $42. I could have waited a day or 2 and bid on some others instead, but $42 was'nt gona kill me...my wife might!

I cant beleave how GREAT the picture is! I just got it and tried it out. Will wait and see how well it works in the field but I am impressed so far!

Mike

[QuarterMaster]

Ed,

Thanks much for the input!

With

Ed,

Thanks much for the input!

With your guidance I found these three sites so far.

http://www.botic.com/alsrobotics/servohack.html

http://www.seattlerobotics.org/guide/servohack.html

http://www.leang.com/robotics/info/articles/servo/drvservo.html

I’m sure more are out there.

The good thing happens to be that I have quite a few spare servos (collected over time) to work with.

Again Thanks!

[ramius-ii]

Hi Ed]http://www.rentron.com/Products/ServoC.htm

Ed http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_smile.gif

Hi Ed]http://www.rentron.com/Products/ServoC.htm[/url]

Ed

[anonymous]

I Tried To Find "MaxiVisual",

I Tried To Find "MaxiVisual", No Luck.
Is There Someplace Else To Find This Camera
System?

[Guest]

It's on E-Bay. Try Google

It's on E-Bay. Try Google search for MaxiVisual. I just found it again.

[anonymous]

If MaxiV doesnt have any,

If MaxiV doesnt have any, search eBay for "Video Transmitter". The guy I got mine from (Sunpointusa) has 8 up for auction now. He starts each off at .01!

Mine works great so far. have'nt put it in a sub yet but I think its the same as what MaxiV sells!

Mike



Edited By Floats_like_a_Rock on 1061575739