Camera Switch

[sateng]

Hey guys!

For my Pz IV I plan to add an fpv system with at least 2 cams.
So far so good.

What I want to have:
- Switchable Cameras for driver / commander view
- Keep full 360° turret rotation

I searched the web and this forum but there seems to be no good (and small) solution to this as there is not much space in the turret left for this.

The main problem to me seems there is no way to wirelessly switch the cameras from my remote control. There are camera switches but they have to be wired. I would like to use one set of transmitter / receiver for both cameras only.

Maybe there is somebody out there with some nice ideas to solve this?

[Rad_Schuhart]

I think this will help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUhZo2j9CQs

The tank is 1:24, so I guess you will have enough room in your tank.

[Jussek]

hi Sateng

some of the members of my club and myself are walking this way right now. As i'm a bit of a rivetcounter i do not like to have the cameras, vtx, batteries, or antennas outside, and this is a bit of a handicap in some cases. But this is me, if you do not care having a 'camera pack' bulging or hanging outside the matter is far easier

i was planning to open a new and well constructed and documented thread soon, but i want to wait until i've sorted out some issues.

i can tell you the list of components we are using right now:

- FPV googles. I use the Eachine EV100, because i wear prescription glasses and in these goggles i can adjust the diopters

https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-EV100- ... ds=myorder
i swapped the foam for this one, i wear them better and have a better view of the screen
https://www.banggood.com/2-PCS-Fatshark ... rehouse=CN

- video sw, i've two types, one from hobbyking and one from banggood. I'm using the later now.

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/hobbyking-3 ... tore=en_us
https://www.banggood.com/FPV-Camera-3CH ... ds=myorder

- CCD camera (i hate the CMOS effects, this one is so good for the price!

https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-1000TV ... rehouse=CN

waiting for this one, hoping it will 'fit' into the KöTi driver periscope...

https://www.banggood.com/600TVL-SRD-152 ... rehouse=CN

- vTX, as the 1000TVL camera has no sound, i selected this video transmitter, wich has a micro, so i can record the sound for the videos

https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-TX801- ... rehouse=CN

- video recorder, it works with the googles, but i will use it on a 'ground station' with another video receiver connected to a display, for the 'public' view

https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Micro- ... rehouse=CN

- the second vRX

https://hobbyking.com/en_us/5-8ghz-32ch ... y-vrx.html

i'm working now in both my Tiki Tiger and Cataphractus KöTi to replace the BB gun for servo elevation and recoil, and i will install the cameras and all the FPV stuff inside in the process

the first camera installed on the tiger driver's visor port



seen from outside is almost invisible without a direct beam of ligth





the vTX inside the hull, with the aerial inside, i get decent image from 20m distance, and this with my house in the middle, and transmitting at 400mW, at 600mW it get very hot, so i would use some fans in the final disposition



a little teaser (please, turn off the sound... )

phpBB [video]

as i said, i will open a thread soon


best regards

[sateng]

Hey Jussek!

This looks great!!
I have a similar equipment to yours.
Unfortunately I do not have much space in the Pz IV to install this big camera.
The one I use is also called 1000tvl but mine is without housing and has a mic.
Maybe the description at banggood was wrong xD

Anyways I have the 1000tvl, atx03 and use my smartphone as monitor for testing.

I already cut the vision port - it is also narrower than the one on your tiki.
Directly behind the port there is the gearbox

My camera equipment should also be invisible from the outside.
So I wonder how to get the camera signal from the commanders view wirelessly to the video switch

[HERMAN BIX]

Cleaver and inovative

[Jussek]

hi chaps

So I wonder how to get the camera signal from the commanders view wirelessly to the video switch

i do not believe this is possible at all, you have to connect the wires from&to every component.

best regards

[sateng]

I think you are right.
The only option I see until now to keep the turret fully rotatable is replace the rotating plug with more wires.

[Max-U52]

as i said, i will open a thread soon

I'll be looking forward to that. The three camera switch looks great, and I'd also like to learn to get video from my FPV. Right now the only way I know to record video is to use the Mobius Cam, but I'd much rather be able to record what I see in the goggles. And speaking of goggles, yours look very good, especially for the price. A pair of fatshark as sleek as yours is over $400 USD. The ones I use were about the same price as yours, but man are they clunky. I had been saving for fatsharks, but I may give yours a try instead. For that much savings I think it's the way to go. The only thing I might miss with my current goggles is the camera on the front so I can see what's going on around me without having to remove the goggles. Do your goggles have such a feature, or do you have to take them off to see the real world again? I also wear glasses (with what we call "Coke-Bottle lenses) so it can be a pain to have to take off the goggles and still have to put the glasses back on before I can see. I'm hoping you're going to tell me your goggles have that feature built in!

But I really will be looking forward to your thread, and I'm always up for learning new stuff.

[Jussek]

hello chaps

I think you are right.
The only option I see until now to keep the turret fully rotatable is replace the rotating plug with more wires.

on my Tiger i had two cameras installed from years, old 2.4GHz with inbuilt vTX, poor quality and too much interferences. The wiring from the turret cam went down the lower hull to the battery that feed the two cams, i never had any issues rotating the turret, with the 360 degrees mod on the turret ring and without any rotating thingy, but i have to turn and 'unturn' of course...

as i said, i will open a thread soon

I'll be looking forward to that. The three camera switch looks great, and I'd also like to learn to get video from my FPV. Right now the only way I know to record video is to use the Mobius Cam, but I'd much rather be able to record what I see in the goggles. And speaking of goggles, yours look very good, especially for the price. A pair of fatshark as sleek as yours is over $400 USD. The ones I use were about the same price as yours, but man are they clunky. I had been saving for fatsharks, but I may give yours a try instead. For that much savings I think it's the way to go. The only thing I might miss with my current goggles is the camera on the front so I can see what's going on around me without having to remove the goggles. Do your goggles have such a feature, or do you have to take them off to see the real world again? I also wear glasses (with what we call "Coke-Bottle lenses) so it can be a pain to have to take off the goggles and still have to put the glasses back on before I can see. I'm hoping you're going to tell me your goggles have that feature built in!

But I really will be looking forward to your thread, and I'm always up for learning new stuff.

As i said, it will take me a while to start the thread

these googles do not have sound, i discovered this after purchasing them, that's the reason why the horrendous noise is heard in the video... and this is the reason why i decided to build up a 'ground station' with the Quanum RC540R 5.8GHz 40CH Race Band FPV Diversity Receiver, i will connect the little DVR to this receiver, and the get the same view that on the googles but with sound. In the rcgroups forum they talk a lot of these googles and modding them, it's possible to modify them to get sound it seems

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthr ... k-s-killer

and about your question, i did not know there was any google with a camera on front
I'm sorry but with these googles you have to remove them in order to see 'outside', but as they are really small and light i only have to raise them up a little and they stay on my forehead, as if they were sunglasses

i have seen different models large enough to allow the use of glasses inside (and they say this on the description). In hobbyking or banggood, i do not remember the model i'm sorry.

best regards

[Max-U52]

I can wear my goggles with glasses on, but being very nearsighted it's better to leave them off. They didn't come with the camera on the front, I just stuck that on with a push button switch to go back and forth. These are them, they're from quannum (sp?) and the screen is actually quite good. They're just rather clunky and heavy so they're not the best for long stints. My finger is pointing at the switch that goes back and forth from the cam on the front to the cam in the tank. I'm going to look more into creating a base that I can attach a DVR to.