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Old 12-04-2002, 07:03 PM
Daless2 Daless2 is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Kentucky
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Anti-Braille Offroad Video Eyes (ABOVE) System

Anti-Braille Offroad Video Eyes (ABOVE) System

With winter fast setting in (it?s snowing here right now) I have this need to come up with a new project and here it is. I call it the Anti-Braille Offroad Video Eyes System, ABOVE System for short. (I have to call it something!)

As the name implies I intend to aid in eliminating those blind spots that I cannot see while wheeling. Right now I do the right side via a spotter when things get difficult, or via the Braille system as most of us do. On the drivers side there is always my body to lean out the doorway to get somewhat of a view of things.

I intend to install a video system, with four cameras, an in-cab LCD monitor and a video switch that will sequence the cameras at an adjustable interval or allow selection of any one or two cameras for display on the LCD monitor.

So here I am thinking out loud, and soliciting your input before I start assembling things.


The Cameras:

I picked up four Sony Black and White, Very low light, waterproof and fully submersible cameras (up to 150 feet).

These things are tiny, less then two inches long and 1.25-inches in diameter. They are NTSC video format capable of shooting 380 lines of resolution.

Each camera can see in as little as 0.1 Lux (Star Light) for15 feet.

The cameras also have 6 built in Infrared LEDS that enable Night Vision up to 35 feet.

The field of vision is 92 Degrees.

There is also a very small 360 degree adjustable mounting bracket which I will use once I figure the best real estate location on my Jeep to mount the cameras. (Any thoughts would be appreciated.)

I have some donut shaped magnets that I intend to screw to the bottoms of these mounts so I can move and stick the cameras around till I get the right location.

Do I want to watch the front tires actually climbing a rock, or do I want a larger field of vision and mount the cameras to a door hinges on each side?; perhaps one pointing forward and one backward on each side of my Jeep. (Maybe I will mount the two front cameras to the Currie Anti-Rock arms so they follow the suspension. Don?t know. Need to play a bit.)

These cameras, with IR LEDS on draw less then 150 mA of power each and operate on 10 to 15 volts DC. No problem with the Jeep?s 13.8 vdc.

Here?s a picture of the camera and mount.







LCD Monitor


The in-cab Color LCD Monitor will be a 5-inch LCD TFT Color TV/Monitor that I purchased at Wal-Mart for $99.

I intend to make a bracket to mount this monitor above the rear view mirror and the roll bar/windshield frame. It fits nicely up there.

The LCD Monitor has an A/V (Audio/Video) plug. The LCD operates on 11 to 14.9 Volts DC. No problem at the Jeep?s 13.8 vdc.

Here?s a picture of the LCD Monitor with one of the cameras next to it..






Camera Sequencing

I picked up a switch sequencer that I will plug all four cameras into. The sequencer will then control which camera is displayed on the monitor. The functions this will enable are:

* Manual selection of any one camera
* Manuel selection of any two cameras for shared LCD monitor viewing
* Auto sequencing of all four cameras with time selection of 0.5 to 30 seconds per camera

Here?s a picture of the sequencer. It is relatively small, about 4 inches across. I will mount this under the auxiliary switches/astray location.






Audio

This sequencer also has the ability to switch audio. While not a part of this project I do intend to use this ability for some under Jeep microphones (stethoscopes) to listen in on u-joints, differentials and the t/case transmission from time to time.

Anyway, that?s my plan, or at least my thoughts out loud folks.

Please feel free to add any and all comments, suggestions and ideas.

As I get this thing wired up and installed over the next few weeks I will keep you posted on my progress and evaluation as to how well, or how poorly it works.

Total cost for all off the shelf components is $412.00 All I still need to get is some shielded cable and a few connectors.

Frank
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