Serial Camera Module

Archive
1

While our gadgeteer camera is priced well and works great on spider, it doesn’t work on hydra and cerberus. We have been working VERY hard for long months to get the the bottom of this and get you a serial gadgeteer camera for a reasonable price. Current options for hydra/cerberus are now $30 non-gadgeteer or $70 for gadgeteer!

Here is a sneak peek of what to come and yes it support 640x480 320x240 160x120 and uses U socket. We should have these in about 4 to 6 weeks if all goes well and hopefully price it at same as USB camera or less. No guarantee or decision on what lens we will offer but wanted to share both with you guys.

Enjoy the tease!

2 Likes
2

Sweet! My vote would be for a replaceable lens. I’ve seen some very creative DIY and reasonably priced off the shelf options for wide angle, bubble, etc…

1 Like
3

Looking good!

4

Can’t wait!

5

Oh the irony. I just received a serial camera which I’m soldering on to an extension module now. Good job guys :slight_smile:

6

Oh well, at least I can tinker with this until the gadgeteer camera comes out…

7

Nice work guys. I just ordered this module. Seems like I read that it will be supported with GHI premium libraries. Have those been written yet? If so, can you post the location so I can begin reading up on usage? If not, when is the expected release date? Thanks.

8

These cameras do not rely on the premium libraries, as they are supported by every mainboard.

9

okay thanks. Where can I find the API documentation on using this camera module?

10

The driver should be available in the next SDK, but the API will be very similar to the currently offered camera.

11

I’m just received the GHI Serial Camera L1 Module today.
Where can I find the documentation of it? (e.g. user guide, dll or source code or commands descriptions)?

I’ve checked everything: no info at all !? :frowning:

Thanks in advance,
Péter

12

Check gadgeteer codeplex (SerCam)

http://gadgeteer.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/21495#273379

13

Hi, please help to find detailed documentation about commands for SerCam
I mean commands like

byte[] send = new byte[] { 0x56, 0x00, 0x34, 0x01, 0x00 };
serialPort.Write(send, 0, send.Length);
14

Hi, can you describe SerCam Protocol ?

15

Here is the description of the commands:

http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/Imaging/1274419957.pdf

16

Big thanks

17

You are welcome!

18

Hi, Thanks for help.
I tried and I’ve got error message:
A first chance exception of type ‘System.Exception’ occurred in Microsoft.SPOT.Graphics.dll
An unhandled exception of type ‘System.Exception’ occurred in Microsoft.SPOT.Graphics.dll
Any idea?
Best regards,
Peter

details:

Found debugger!

Create TS.

Loading start at 20175958, end 201a2c9c

Assembly: mscorlib (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Native (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware (4.2.0.0)
Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Graphics (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.TinyCore (4.2.0.0)
Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.IO (4.2.0.0) Assembly: System.IO (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.Usb (4.2.0.0)
Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.SerialPort (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Touch (4.2.0.0)
Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Ink (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.PWM (4.2.0.1)
Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.OneWire (4.2.0.0) Assembly: System.Xml (4.2.0.0)
Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Time (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Net (4.2.0.0)
Assembly: System (4.2.0.0) Assembly: Microsoft.SPOT.Net.Security (4.2.0.0)
Assembly: System.Net.Security (4.2.0.0) Loading Deployment Assemblies.

Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: GHI.OSHW.Hardware (4.2.3.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: Gadgeteer (2.42.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: Gadgeteer.WebClient (2.42.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: System.Http (4.2.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: Gadgeteer.WebServer (2.42.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: Gadgeteer.Serial (2.42.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: GTM.GHIElectronics.Potentiometer (1.0.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: testapp (1.0.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: GTM.GHIElectronics.Button (1.0.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: GTM.GHIElectronics.SerCam (1.0.0.0) Attaching deployed file.

Assembly: GHIElectronics.Gadgeteer.FEZHydra (1.0.6.0) Resolving.

GC: 1msec 422496 bytes used, 5868636 bytes available

Type 0F (STRING ): 24 bytes

Type 15 (FREEBLOCK ): 5868636 bytes

Type 17 (ASSEMBLY ): 33144 bytes

Type 1E (BINARY_BLOB_HEAD ): 389256 bytes

Type 34 (APPDOMAIN_HEAD ): 72 bytes

GC: performing heap compaction…

The debugging target runtime is loading the application assemblies and starting execution.
Ready.

‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\mscorlib.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Native.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Graphics.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.TinyCore.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.IO.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\System.IO.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.Usb.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.SerialPort.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Touch.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Ink.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.PWM.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.OneWire.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\System.Xml.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Time.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Net.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\System.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\Microsoft.SPOT.Net.Security.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\System.Net.Security.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\GHI Electronics\GHI OSHW NETMF v4.2 SDK\Assemblies\le\GHI.OSHW.Hardware.dll’
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Gadgeteer\Core\Assemblies.NET Micro Framework 4.2\le\Gadgeteer.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Micro Framework\v4.2\Assemblies\le\System.Http.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Gadgeteer\Core\Assemblies.NET Micro Framework 4.2\le\Gadgeteer.WebClient.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\Microsoft .NET Gadgeteer\Core\Assemblies.NET Micro Framework 4.2\le\Gadgeteer.WebServer.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\gadgeteer-22735\Main\Modules\GHIElectronics\SerCam\Software\SerCam\SerCam_42\bin\Debug\le..\Gadgeteer.Serial.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\GHI Electronics\GHI .NET Gadgeteer SDK\Modules\Potentiometer\NETMF 4.2\le\GTM.GHIElectronics.Potentiometer.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\gadgeteer-22735\Main\Modules\GHIElectronics\SerCam\Software\SerCam\SerCam_42\bin\Debug\le\GTM.GHIElectronics.SerCam.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\GHI Electronics\GHI .NET Gadgeteer SDK\Modules\Button\NETMF 4.2\le\GTM.GHIElectronics.Button.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\Program Files\GHI Electronics\GHI .NET Gadgeteer SDK\Mainboards\FEZHydra\NETMF 4.2\le\GHIElectronics.Gadgeteer.FEZHydra.dll’, Symbols loaded.
‘Microsoft.SPOT.Debugger.CorDebug.dll’ (Managed): Loaded ‘C:\gadgeteer-22735\Main\Modules\GHIElectronics\SerCam\Software\testapp\bin\Debug\le\testapp.exe’, Symbols loaded.
The thread ‘’ (0x2) has exited with code 0 (0x0).
Using mainboard GHI Electronics FEZHydra version 1.2
Program Started
potPercent :0
potPercent :0
#### Exception System.Exception - CLR_E_FAIL (6) ####
#### Message:
#### Microsoft.SPOT.Bitmap::.ctor [IP: 0000] ####
#### Gadgeteer.Modules.GHIElectronics.SerCam::ts [IP: 001d] ####
A first chance exception of type ‘System.Exception’ occurred in Microsoft.SPOT.Graphics.dll
An unhandled exception of type ‘System.Exception’ occurred in Microsoft.SPOT.Graphics.dll

19

@ Péter Seszták - Check this thread. Sounds like the same problem.

20

@ Architect - What do you mean exactly about : ‘this thread’ ?

It’s seems like to be a problem with .MakeBitmap() function:

e.g.:
if ( Gadgeteer.Modules.GHIElectronics.SerCam.pictureReceived!=null)
{

             Bitmap bmp=   Gadgeteer.Modules.GHIElectronics.SerCam.pictureReceived.MakeBitmap();
            }

I receive the following:
first chance exception of type ‘System.Exception’ occurred in Microsoft.SPOT.Graphics.dll
Exception performing Timer operation
potPercent :0
Cannot take picture at this time
#### Exception System.Exception - CLR_E_FAIL (1) ####
#### Message:
#### Microsoft.SPOT.Bitmap::.ctor [IP: 0000] ####
#### Gadgeteer.Picture::op_Explicit [IP: 000c] ####
#### Gadgeteer.Picture::MakeBitmap [IP: 0004] ####
#### Gadgeteer.Timer::dt_Tick [IP: 0018] ####
#### Microsoft.SPOT.DispatcherTimer::FireTick [IP: 0010] ####
#### Microsoft.SPOT.Dispatcher::PushFrameImpl [IP: 0054] ####
#### Microsoft.SPOT.Dispatcher::PushFrame [IP: 001a] ####
#### Microsoft.SPOT.Dispatcher::Run [IP: 0006] ####
#### Gadgeteer.Program::Run [IP: 0020] ####