RS-232 Camera

**thecapitalizt** · 06-27-2005, 08:54 AM

I've got a side-project that may be embedded in a car, or maybe not. We'll see. Anyways, I am planning on purchasing a Gumstix with a CF card slot so that I can have a tiny wifi-enabled computer. I'd like to hook a camera up to it and have wifi at the same time, so using one of those cf card cameras that they made for PDA's is out of the question. I want the entire thing to be as small as possible, which theoretically shouldnt be too hard considering that I can go out and pick up one of those miniature cameras that are the size of your thumbnail, including transmitter.

USB cameras are also out of the question since there is no USB Host driver on the board, only a USB Slave.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

**tom61** · 06-27-2005, 07:09 PM

RS-232 cameras exist, but are too slow to be used as a rear-view cam. Most RS-232 cameras I've come across take a picture then transmit it, which takes two to five seconds. Not really helpfull when you want to make sure that there isn't someone or a moving car in your path. I'm not sure of a vendor that sells them in a small quantity, as most are intended for industrial parts recognition.

Last I heard, the Gumstix developers were working on a USB host expansion, perhaps waiting for it, or developing it yourself (a post on the gumstix forums has most info you'd need) would be better.

Hmm... the Etherstix would work if you got a network camera.

**thecapitalizt** · 06-27-2005, 08:36 PM

Acutally, I'm not doing any sort of image processing. I need a frame every 10 secs, that's it. Any linkage you could supply me? Also, wher did you get that info on the usb host? That's def. New to me.

**tom61** · 06-28-2005, 04:35 PM

I saw the USB host thing on the gumstix.org forum, a while back.

As far the rs-232 camera, search for that on google, and keep an eye at the ads on the sides, industrial stuff doesn't have much 'google juice', but they use google ads alot. In a quick search I found this: http://www.digitallyunique.com/loraccrs232.html

**thecapitalizt** · 06-30-2005, 06:45 PM

I found information on a USB Host CF card, and fortunately they have drivers that work for the Zaurus. I'm hoping that they could be recompiled for gumstixage. BTW, that rs232 converter is for controlling cams, not for the image.