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lcreasy123
#1 Posted : Sunday, August 12, 2012 5:57:56 PM(UTC)
Rank: Tinkerer

Joined: 8/12/2012(UTC)
Posts: 3

Thanks: 2 times

Please help a newbie out...


I'm diving head first into .NET Gadgeteer and I'm trying to figure out the best combination of hardware for my project.  I'm attempting to develop a small foot print device (handheld) where I can:



  • Incorporate a small CMOS/CCD Camera Module

  • Display realtime video feed on a 3-4 in LCD screen 

  • Monitor device orientation with an accelerometer

  • Allow simply user input via a joystick, 3-4 buttons

  • Display overlay images (graphical, etc.) on the same LCD based on user and sensor feedback

  • Save image stills to an SD card (minus the overlays?)


I figure I need a mainboard that has some horse power to display the video feed (320x, 640x?) on a suitably sized LCD screen, and also the said graphics.


Please help me get started in the right direction and not dump a lot of cash into hardware that will not get me to where I must go.


Thanks!
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Bodwad
#2 Posted : Tuesday, August 14, 2012 4:15:13 AM(UTC)
Rank: Tinkerer

Joined: 6/25/2012(UTC)
Posts: 5

Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)
Hello, welcome to the world of Gadgeteer. I dont see any problems with what you want to do and the first thing that comes to mind is the FEZ spider kit. The kit contains the LCD 3.5inch screen (its touch but you dont have to plug it in) and spider main board along with a joystick and a couple of button modules. It also has a basic (although poor quality) camera and an SD card reader/writer, it would be a good starting point.

For an accelerometer you could buy the one from GHI but I think others are available.

The GHI spider board isnt the fastest board available, although I think it will cope with what you want to do. As an alternative you might want to look at these boards although I have no personal experience with them

FEZ Hydra - Faster processor
Argon R1 - Faster processor and memory

Unfortunately you will need to avoid the following as they dont have the sockets you need
REZ Cerberus - No LCD sockets
Mountaineer boards - No LCD or SD card sockets

P.s
I see on GHI's website that they are releasing a better quality camera module but they arent available yet. You could start with the basic one in the kit and swap it out later.

I hope that helps you out, once you get into it you will probably keep buying extra modules anyway just to satisfy curiosity, I know I do lol. You can also make your own modules if you have some electronics and programming experience ;o)
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1 user thanked Bodwad for this useful post.
lcreasy123 on 8/19/2012(UTC)
Steven
#4 Posted : Tuesday, August 14, 2012 4:19:59 AM(UTC)
Rank: Tinkerer

Joined: 2/23/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1

Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)

Dear Lucas,


It is always hard to recommend hardware without fully understanding your needs, but here are some tips:


The kits tend to be cheaper than buying individual hardware e.g.  http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/297 or https://www.loveelectron...216/argon-r1-starter-kit


The good thing about .NET Gadgeteer is that there is LOTS of hardware out there, but this makes it more difficult to get started.


You are after ‘lots’ of processing power but I guess it is all relative, the Spider has a 72MHz 32-bit ARM7 processor whereas the love electronics is a 120Mhz, the Cortex-M3. ( The Sytech mainboard has a 200MHz ARM9 http://sytechdesigns.com/NANO.htm)



  • Incorporate a small CMOS/CCD Camera Module


There are plenty of cameras : http://sytechdesigns.com/CameraMod.htm , http://www.ghielectronic.../catalog/search?q=camera



  •  Display realtime video feed on a 3-4 in LCD screen


What frame rate are you after? 10fps?



  • Monitor device orientation with an accelerometer


Easy, http://www.soldermonkey....=59_60&product_id=54 or http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/320



  • Allow simply user input via a joystick, 3-4 buttons


http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/299



  • Display overlay images (graphical, etc.) on the same LCD based on user and sensor feedback


Memory and CPU could be in issue here.



  • Save image stills to an SD card (minus the overlays?)


Easy, just dump the array to SD


http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/271


http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/359


http://sytechdesigns.com/EthernetSDMod.htm (depends on your Mainboard decision)


 


 


Please be sure to check your mainboard has all the sockets you need to plugin all the hardware you have in mind for the project.


There are just a few pointers, please feel free to ignore them and be aware that I am part of the .NET Gadgeteer team. Have fun!


 


Steven


 


.NET Gadgeteer outreach PM and Research fellow at the University of Southampton, UK

.NET Gadgeteer outreach PM and Research fellow at the University of Southampton, UK
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1 user thanked Steven for this useful post.
lcreasy123 on 8/19/2012(UTC)
lcreasy123
#5 Posted : Sunday, August 19, 2012 12:33:36 AM(UTC)
Rank: Tinkerer

Joined: 8/12/2012(UTC)
Posts: 3

Thanks: 2 times

Steve,


I've tried to respond / comment to your information below (->).  Thanks so much for jumping in on this!  If I can just get started down a path with the hardware, I can really kick this thing off quickly I think.


See below...


Thanks!


Lucas


 


Steven;8894 wrote:


Dear Lucas,


It is always hard to recommend hardware without fully understanding your needs, but here are some tips:


The kits tend to be cheaper than buying individual hardware e.g.  http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/297 or https://www.loveelectron...216/argon-r1-starter-kit


The good thing about .NET Gadgeteer is that there is LOTS of hardware out there, but this makes it more difficult to get started.


You are after ‘lots’ of processing power but I guess it is all relative, the Spider has a 72MHz 32-bit ARM7 processor whereas the love electronics is a 120Mhz, the Cortex-M3. ( The Sytech mainboard has a 200MHz ARM9 http://sytechdesigns.com/NANO.htm)  -> Per your point on processing power, which of the above would you say is the ferrari of the group?  



  • Incorporate a small CMOS/CCD Camera Module


There are plenty of cameras : http://sytechdesigns.com/CameraMod.htm , http://www.ghielectronic.../catalog/search?q=camera



  •  Display realtime video feed on a 3-4 in LCD screen


What frame rate are you after? 10fps?  -> Something fairly realtime, similar to what you'd see from a digital camera.



  • Monitor device orientation with an accelerometer


Easy, http://www.soldermonkey....=59_60&product_id=54 or http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/320



  • Allow simply user input via a joystick, 3-4 buttons


http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/299



  • Display overlay images (graphical, etc.) on the same LCD based on user and sensor feedback


Memory and CPU could be in issue here.   -> It would be a fairly simple piece of geometry, but the idea it would need to change "shape" with accelerometer feedback.



  • Save image stills to an SD card (minus the overlays?)


Easy, just dump the array to SD


http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/271


http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/359


http://sytechdesigns.com/EthernetSDMod.htm (depends on your Mainboard decision)


 


 


Please be sure to check your mainboard has all the sockets you need to plugin all the hardware you have in mind for the project.


There are just a few pointers, please feel free to ignore them and be aware that I am part of the .NET Gadgeteer team. Have fun!


 


Steven


 


.NET Gadgeteer outreach PM and Research fellow at the University of Southampton, UK



 
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lcreasy123
#3 Posted : Sunday, August 19, 2012 12:44:48 AM(UTC)
Rank: Tinkerer

Joined: 8/12/2012(UTC)
Posts: 3

Thanks: 2 times

Bodwad,


Thanks for the reply.  I've seen the FEX Hydra, but the Argon R1 is new to my vocabulary.  I'll check that one out.


As far as FPS for the camera to LCD, could I achieve near realtime, similar to a digital camera?


Thanks again!


Lucas


 


Bodwad;8893 wrote:
Hello, welcome to the world of Gadgeteer. I dont see any problems with what you want to do and the first thing that comes to mind is the FEZ spider kit. The kit contains the LCD 3.5inch screen (its touch but you dont have to plug it in) and spider main board along with a joystick and a couple of button modules. It also has a basic (although poor quality) camera and an SD card reader/writer, it would be a good starting point.

For an accelerometer you could buy the one from GHI but I think others are available.

The GHI spider board isnt the fastest board available, although I think it will cope with what you want to do. As an alternative you might want to look at these boards although I have no personal experience with them

FEZ Hydra - Faster processor
Argon R1 - Faster processor and memory

Unfortunately you will need to avoid the following as they dont have the sockets you need
REZ Cerberus - No LCD sockets
Mountaineer boards - No LCD or SD card sockets

P.s
I see on GHI's website that they are releasing a better quality camera module but they arent available yet. You could start with the basic one in the kit and swap it out later.

I hope that helps you out, once you get into it you will probably keep buying extra modules anyway just to satisfy curiosity, I know I do lol. You can also make your own modules if you have some electronics and programming experience ;o)
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Bodwad
#6 Posted : Wednesday, August 22, 2012 9:45:11 AM(UTC)
Rank: Tinkerer

Joined: 6/25/2012(UTC)
Posts: 5

Was thanked: 1 time(s) in 1 post(s)

My current experiance of the camera module is it can be a little slow to update and has a very slow frame rate. I am hoping the new one from GHI will be much better.


I am assuming that its not slowed down by the slow processor on the Spider board. I cant do any tests on this yet as the spider and cerb are the only two boards I have. I doubt the cerb has enough memory to run the camera module but I might give it a try when I get a chance :o)


Sorry that I cant be any more helpful :oS


 


Paul
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