Alternate OS for 3.1MP Camera BeagleBone Cape

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi all,
Has anyone had success with using the new 3.1MP Camera cape (on the LCD7) with 
non Angstrom flavors?

I loved working with ICS and JB before I got the camera, because apps were 
easier to make, but now the system powers up (JB) and then the status lights 
fade on the camera board.

I made sure the EEPROM switches were set differently. That LED fade makes me 
wonder about power problems, but I have a 3A supply running to the system.

I'm currently obtaining Angstrom A6A- just to make sure all is well with the 
hardware in the first place.

The following link is to the PDF manual for the camera: 
https://github.com/CircuitCo/BeagleBone-3.1MP-Camera/blob/master/BeagleBone-3.1M
P-Camera-RevA2-srm.pdf?raw=true

As far as hardware goes: BBone: A5, LCD7: A2, CameraCape: A2, and Camera 
Sensor: A2

I hope I've covered anything you'd want to know, but please keep me posted. 
Thanks so much in advance,

Atlas

Original issue reported on code.google.com by Atlas.KTa on 29 Oct 2012 at 6:47

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I got the BB with the camcape and a LCD3 cape just a few weeks ago (what is not 
really well compatible, but I can use a VNC connection instead the LCD3 cape 
...).
Now I trying to do the same, did you have any progress in the meantime?
Would be great to hear from you, thanks!

Alex

Original comment by alex.in...@gmail.com on 22 Mar 2013 at 2:07

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Wow, an ancient thread! But hey.

I'll have to dig up what my configuration was as far as versions- but JB or ICS 
did end up running fine with the camera expansion and LCD7. Haven't played much 
with VNC stuff because my research has alotta H/W, integration, and mobility 
needs. (No PC)

What halted me later was the camera app that supported the 3.1 cam. Imagine 
3.1MP resolution, but only observing chunks (or "kernels" if you know your 
image math transforms) at a time. It was like a sweep needed to be performed, 
but wasn't - so I was getting like the top left tiny corner of a high-res 
image. (not sure of the actual position). The manufacturer of the cape didn't 
offer any support.

I'm playing with other devices now (still including the LCD7 kit, but more of a 
shopping cart of stuff to play when something fails.)

What are the problems you are running into? And...I assume the compatibility 
issue you're talking about is between the CAM and LCD3, not LCD3 and BBone...?

Atlas

Original comment by Atlas.KTa on 22 Mar 2013 at 7:19

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hey thanks for still following the thread!

Yes the problem is between CAM and LCD3 capes , but I guess this is only with 
Angstrom, because somehow the configuration of some pins is different, if you 
use LCD3 instead of LCD7.
However in my opinion it is easier to write applictioans on Android, and I 
guess the support is better. And Android has by the way the better interface 
for such a display. Anyway to get good pictures is my primary aim.

Basicaly I just want to take pictures every few minutes, store them and later 
maybe imageprocessing and upload/send them to a server or host. In the 
meanwhile it should. 

With Angstrom I can't take pictures well enough. They become worse after a 
while, don't know why. And with Android I couldn't even find my camera when I 
try to run an application.

------

But seems to be like they had some progress, or I tried it differently last 
time ... your right, the prebuild image with the camera app shows just a part 
of the picture.
And it works with VNC and LCD3, awesome!
Now I know it works, I will try to build my own app. 

Original comment by alex.in...@gmail.com on 25 Mar 2013 at 10:52

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Just curious, did you ever tried to use the GIPO pins for anything, did it work?

Thanks.

Original comment by alex.in...@gmail.com on 25 Mar 2013 at 11:45

[GoogleCodeExporter]

So wait now, you had full image acquisition/display with Angstrom? -But your 
problem was deterioration? That would be very interesting....
Agreeing with you about Android being much more compatible with 
interface/software.

Glad you got some things working; if you get something to show more than a 
kernel of the 3.1MP image, whether it be a sweep process or a better app, 
PLEASE post.

As for GPIO, never really tried. It seems like most buses are too busy for IO 
handling with the LCD and cam business in code. Instead, I'm just using the USB 
host to send simple serial commands to a controller such as a Propeller (which 
can then handle its own mess of output structure with 8 cores).  Again, if you 
get something working onboard, PLEASE post. :)

-Atlas

Original comment by Atlas.KTa on 26 Mar 2013 at 12:29

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Sure I will.

Yes kind of, it was not like seeing the pictures, because none of the software 
worked. But it is able to save frames, it needs some till the adjustment with 
gain, colors etc. is correct but it takes images, I am not able to see them on 
my display but I can download them and take a look at them.
As I am interessted in taking pitures every few minutes and over a long time, I 
let it run over night, and then the pictures become bad, every 20th picture was 
useful then, or even worse.

So I used the latest Angstrom image, and mplayer through the command line:
mplayer -vo png -frames 9 tv://

Here is a link about the whole picture thread with angstrom:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/beagleboard/beaglebone-capes/_B
Y3xVXYazQ

and maybe some other useful stuff

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/beaglebone/-tW5KFXsf8E
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!category-topic/beagleboard/gpmc/2E
g9ijW5SU0

Alex

Original comment by alex.in...@gmail.com on 26 Mar 2013 at 1:20