Re: Mark IV is Moving

[Chris Albertson <chris@topdog.pas1.logicon.com>]

Tom Droege wrote:
> 
> I just took the Mark IV apart in preparation for a move up to the roof
> tonight.  It will take a day or two to get everything put back together and
> cabel tied up.  For those thinking about installing a Mark IV, it will just
> go through a 32 inch door.  It needs about 31".  A 36" door would be safe
> and you would not have to remove the door.
> 
> I have tested everything that I can think of.  For sure as soon as I try to
> make it work I will get tired of running up and down that spiral staircase
> and want to get a camera to watch it.  Anyone know how long a cable you can
> put on the $100 cameras they sell to sit on top you computer to transmit
> your picture?

I've thought about doing this too.  Our proposed site is a 1 1/2 hour
drive away from where the "control room" will be.  This is far worse the
a your spiral staircase.  I'd like to be able to check the weather by
using the camera
I was thinking about using one or two of these
little ball shaped cameras.  I've seen black and white units as low as
$50.00.  These camera tend to come in two "flavors" one connects via
the printer port the other via USB.

The other option I was thinking about was to buy a frame grabber card for
<$100 and get a standard NTSC video camera that outputs its signal to an
RCA jack.  This would likely provide better video quality.  In your case
where everything is all on one building you could skip the computer and
use a TV set for display.   

I have one more constraint in that I want a camera or frame grabber that
is supported under Linux.  If all you need is Win98 support USB cameras
seem like the way to go as USB cabling is pretty flexible and all sorts
of extenders and junction boxes are available.  USB support under Linux is
still experimental however.

The Connectix camera has a PIC micro controller inside the D shell that
plugs into the parallel printer port.  I think it talks to a serial
ADC that lives in the camera ball. I doubt a PIC can push data down
a 100ft printer cable. 

> 
> Once I see stars and the cameras look OK, I will order 12 more CCDs.  A big
> expense, so I want to do it right.  Does everyone agree that they should be
> ordered without covers?  This means that if dust or cat hairs get on the
> chip you will have to pick them off with great care.

If the covers worked I think they'd be good.  By working I mean that they
didn't leak and held inert/dry gas or vacuum.  They would prevent ice
from forming on the CCD.  If they are not sealed they are worthless.
Can you order "guaranteed in writing" leak proof windows?

> 
> There is still lots of software needed for me to run and take reasonable
> data.  But I figure that will be cloudy day work.  It will not be long
> before I can get out some CD roms with lots of data so you all can start
> working on the production software.
> 
> Tom Droege

-- 
--Chris Albertson

  chris@topdog.logicon.com                Voice:  626-351-0089  X127
  Logicon RDA, Pasadena California          Fax:  626-351-0699