[HATS] Re: XCam2 Wireless Video System

[Steve Bunch]

Charlie,

Charles Lafkoff wrote:

> Hello....can anyone tell me if this will work with the Wavecomms?
>
> --Charlie w2cl
>
>  http://www.x10.com/products/x10_vk45a.htm
>
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> -- File: XCam2 Wireless Video System.url
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Attached is a note from a few weeks ago.  There was also a subsequent
note on HATS from someone who took one apart and determined that the
frequency is set by analog voltages, not a PLL.  So the trouble I had
measuring the frequency may have been oscillator pulling, as opposed to
insufficient signal strength.

Steve, K9SRB

Subject:
            Re: [HATS] X10 video...
       Date:
            Sun, 26 Mar 2000 00:51:13 -0800
      From:
            Steve Bunch <steveb@owc.net>
        To:
            r_rjohns@bellsouth.net
        CC:
            hats@stevens.com
 References:
            1




Ron,

I bought one of the X10 camera/tx + rx kits, and also one of the tx + rx

kits
(used with a separate video source).  Some comments follow.

I used a frequency counter on the tx, and did the same with a Wavecom.
Results:
    X10    Wavecom
2409.63    2410.77
2433.78    2433.76
2453.54    2452.76
2472.55    2472.76
I don't completely trust the X10 numbers, as the transmitter power was
low
enough that the counter reading was sensitive to where its antenna was
held
near
the tx antenna.  If I get a tx modified to either bring power out to a
connector, or raise the power out, I will verify these.

A second WaveCom unit measured about .1 MHz lower, so all these
frequencies
are
going to be plus-or-minus a bit in practice.  In very light testing, my
Wavecom
and X10 units do interoperate fine on a couple of channels, and so-so on
the
other two.  I haven't figured out if it's frequency mismatch or
adjacent-channel
interference, since I've got a Wavecom transmitter going all the time
and
didn't
turn it off.  If I figure it out, I'll mail out an update.

The combined camera/tx unit is cheap, compact, and easy to mount
anywhere
you
want.  I am guessing that the camera is a CMOS unit, rather than a CCD.
Resolution is visibly lower than even inexpensive CCD cameras, color
saturation
and accuracy is lower, and dynamic range is lower (obvious in both high
and
low
light situations).  In medium light, it produces a fair image, but you
won't
mistake it for a good CCD.  Using their tx and a CCD camera (cheap
Sony),
switching from channel to channel is a very obvious difference.  The
camera
also
transmits mono sound, so if you have other transmitters connected to
stereo
sources and change channels at the rx to change sources, you'll have one

audio
channel of sound and one of static when you tune to it.  You'll have to
mute
one
channel on your display device, or go to mono-only in your system to
eliminate
this annoyance.  For a simple surveilance application, the size and
convenience
might offset the video quality and low dynamic range, but in my opinion,

it's
marginal for ATV.

I haven't yet taken one of the X10 transmitters apart yet.  I did remove
the
attenuator on a Wavecom, and that was pretty painless, so I was hoping
for a
similar experience when I open the X10.  (They're cheaper, so the risk
is
also
smaller.)  If someone has had one apart already, I'd appreciate hearing
about
it.

73,
Steve, K9SRB

R & R Johnson wrote:

> Some one sent me this web site the other day.  Has anyone heard of it
before
> and
> is it usable for ATV.  www.x10.com
>
> Ron
> KG4DRE

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