Getting video from NXTCam-v3

[mollete]

Hi all!!

Does anyone know how it´s possible to see in my computer what my NXT si seeing?

I´m working on a project of a web-bluetooth teleoperated NXT. I have the NXT Cam connected to my NXT and I´m trying to get video with bluetooth connection between NXT and my laptot, but I don´t know how!

I´ll be pleased if anyone knows something about this!!

[mollete]

So, nobody can help me?

thanks!

[gloomyandy]

With the standard firmware for the NxtCam you can't get video from the camera. You can replace the firmware on the NxtCam but it is not a simple programming environment, and even then you will have very low frame rates. The Mindsensors site has details of how to obtain the NxtCam firmware and the tools that you need to re-program it. Take care though it is possible to end up with a non functioning camera! I made public an early version of my custom firmware that allows you to grab frames from the device, the firmware is available here:
http://nxtcam.svn.sourceforge.net/viewv ... loomyandy/
The following thread gives some details of the toolchain required (the NxtCam firmware is a mixture of C and ATMega assembler), it also provides some details of the issues encountered when trying to grab images. As you can see when operating in the highest resolution mode (which is not exactly HD), the transfer time is of the order of 20 seconds...

Note that I am not in a position to support this code. Unless you are totally comfortable working with the device at a very low level in embedded C then I would not recommend replacing the standard NxtCam firmware....

Good luck...
Andy

[mollete]

Hi again,

Thank you very much for your information, I saw your video in youtbe (30 seconds per frame it´s too slow for my proyect but i think it´s the faster speed for this camera) do you think it would be easier to use another camera + arduino to get video? or maybe an wifi camera...

Thanks again

[TechnoX]

I think the NXT is way too slow to handle the videostream, and maybe bluetooth too. So try with an WiFi camera if you want to send the video to a computer.
If you have an smartphone you can make an app that send the stream through bluetooth or WiFi

[sioux]

I think TechnoX has a point there. After him, I would suggest using an external camera and a pc program
that analyzes the data and interacts with the Brick.
From what I've seen, NXTCam is designed as a stand-alone spotting tool and not designed to be
a video camera. Speeds that will add a real-time sense to your program like 13-15 fps or generally close to the human eye
will not prove parseable on the NXT that apart from allocating the bandwidth for the communication with the camera
will be running the analysis program too.