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[DPRG] USB web cam for under $10
Subject: [DPRG] USB web cam for under $10
From: R. Steven Rainwater
srainwater at ncc.com
Date: Mon Feb 23 18:13:00 CST 2004
On Thu, 2004-02-19 at 16:12, R. Steven Rainwater wrote:
> On Wed, 2004-02-18 at 12:27, Randy M. Dumse wrote:
> > http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?T1=204+0582
>
> $10 was too cheap not to take a chance, so I ordered one.
Got the camera today. As expected there are no Linux drivers. (it does
comes with a CD of windows crap, so it might work on a windows desktop
machine).
Here's what I know so far:
USB vendor ID: 0xC45 (Sonix Technologies)
USB product ID: 0x6005 rev101
Resolution: 640x480/CIF
Imager: 1/7" CMOS/CCD, Color
USB 1.1 Camera Controller: Sonix SN9C101
The camera is color and has a tiny (very tiny) fixed focus lens. It
claims it'll focus down to 10cm. Also claimed on the package: auto white
balance, auto exposure, auto gain, frame rate to 30fps.
The USB vendor ID refers only to the controller chip. The camera came in
a cardboard blister pack with no company name. It says only "Tiny Cam
model M6323". A Google search turned up a website in Hong Kong (not the
manufacturer) that has an actual photo of the camera in the package -
this is exactly what I received:
http://www.success-hk.com/sc_html/Computer/18_Tiny%20Cam%20(M6323)%20for%20PC%20Computer.htm
The controller chip vendor is a Taiwanese company called Sonix:
http://www.sonix.com.tw/
I've emailed them for details on the chip. If it's similar enough to
other USB/CCD controllers, it should be possible adapt one of the
existing Linux camera drivers. I found someone working on a driver for
the Sonic SN9C102 controller which looks pretty similar:
http://www.mnementh.co.uk/sonix/
Also a SourceForge project for the driver:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sonix/
I mounted the Windows CD and poked around the drivers there and notice
they seem to be for an OV511 USB camera controller, so the Sonix chip
may be a clone of the OV511.
I'll bring it to the RBNO tomorrow. We can try installing the Windows
drivers and see what happens...
-Steve
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