for an art project i'm trying to do i am broadcasting my on own RF signal using a blonder tongue modulator and simple antenna'd TVs. From the modulator I have a lot of options for video sources: cameras, VHS and DVD players, laptops, and Smartphones.
however for the project i'm expected to integrate arduino into the process. what i would LIKE to do is find a means of taking sensory input, most likely with an ultrasonic range finder, to interrupt the RF broadcast at certain distances. is this entirely impossible? my research so far makes it seem like it might be much too complex for a beginner.
i dont necessarily want the arduino to manipulate the video data itself, but more so the transmission. if that interruption can happen at the level of RF signals or involve the particular video source (VHS, DVD OR laptop) i would be more than happy and willing to attempt either.
it also occurred to me that turning the arduino into a remote control that turns on or off the TVs or even the video source if it is DVD or VHS might also be another avenue to take.
based on your knowledge, which do you think is more plausible?
Are you saying you want the range data to simply stop or start the transmission?
Yes, that is entirely possibly, by powering the transmitter through a suitable buffer.
Great! now here's an annoying question... where do i start? i have an arduino UNO and I think I'll be trying to have the video come from my macbook since i can connect it to the video in on the transmitter.
i'm not sure what components i would need or even what codes. most other projects i find dealing with video are doing it in a very different way. any guidance?
i also thought it might be helpful to add the the blonder tongue transmitter has the following inputs/outputs which may or may not be able to interface with the arduino in an easy way??
RF out IF in IF out AUDIO in VIDEO in
normally there's a coaxial cable connecting the IF in and out and of course the A/V in is connected to the video source.
Nothing there really for an Arduino - it's all analogue, and at a much higher bandwidth than an Arduino could handle directly.
A relay on the composite video and audio signals, or the power would be about your best hope.
Anyone know why the IF would be looped-back like this? Multi-channel working?
yes grumpy mike, she's a professor who knows MORE than i do but nothing that i really want to or don't already know about arduino.
the broadcast is so short range that it's not illegal at all, actually.
do you have any helpful insights or do you just live up to your name and then head on home?
i fear that AWOL is right about the bandwidth issue which is why i'm looking into using an xBee. do you have any ideas about those? i can't seem to find anything explaining what its basic functions are in a simple way to decide if it would helpful or not.
i fear that AWOL is right about the bandwidth issue which is why i'm looking into using an xBee. do you have any ideas about those?
One Xbee, huh? That will be a bit like one hand clapping.
If you were two invest in two of them, on the other hand, they would simply replace the wire between the Arduino and the whatever you are sending the data to. They are not some magic bullet that will allow you to defeat the laws of nature. The Arduino is limited in its ability to process serial data, whether it comes in using a wire, or wirelessly, via an XBee, bluetooth, or magic.
anyways, i don't expect you all to understand what that i've never done this before.
That was understood. What wasn't is the wishful thinking based on nothing more that "It will work because I want it to".
opensource sucks because of people like you.
You are more than welcome to try a closed source solution. Of course, you wont have any better luck, but do ahead. Don't let us stop you (from leaving).
anyways, i don't expect you all to understand what that i've never done this before.
enjoy your hobbyist pedestal covered in stupid LEDs.
opensource sucks because of people like you.
You're being pretty belligerent considering that you're asking people to contribute their personal time and knowledge for free in order to help you in your academic career. If you're planning to use internet forums to get help in the future, you might find this guide helps you get a constructive answer.
I'm having little luck using forums because i think i just don't know enough to communicate myself properly and also am so new to all this that the frustration from it all makes unhelpful and antagonizing responses are not something i'm used to dealing with, since it's much rarer face to face.
sorry for the outburst but the 'free help' isn't really help, it's passing antagonizing. also this isn't really further anything about my academic career, ill surely pass without this but would've liked to have fully realized the project since it's something i was sincerely interested in understanding.
maybe this is a classic example of hazing. i don't really know. thanks for your free help though. i should just learn how to explain myself before asking, i realize.
if anyone has some advice on some alternative way of using the arduino as an on/off switch for the broadcast (possibly with some idea of how to go through it) i'd appreciate that. or else i'm on my way using the method i've set out so far and will let you know if it was successful.
fabielie:
I've read it before... though it didn't help much in this particular case.
thanks for the help though.
I've been on both sides of the fence myself, and I can tell you that guide is absolutely right on the money. Your posts are clearly not following the advice in it, so if you think you've read, understood and are following it, I think you're mistaken.
It sounds as if you have a working system and are looking for a reason to add an Arduino to it, rather than facing a problem to which the Arduino is a sensible solution. It doesn't seem as if you have any specific questions other than "I am trying to do this difficult / impossible thing, have no idea where to start tackling the problem myself, please advise me what to do". And you have responded with hostility when people fail to give you the help you're asking for. You were asking for 'free help', and the reason you didn't get much of it in this case was because of the way you asked for it.
I'm sure you understand that the Arduino can't do anything with the RF signal itself, or directly generate/manipulate the audio signal on it. But it can switch things on and off quite nicely. Do you have any controls on any of these devices that you can trigger through a switch or relay? For example, perhaps you could make the audio switch to a different source depending where people are standing (play classical music when they stand here, jazz when they stand there) or add a station announcement when somebody walks past a sensor? (Auduino can play a short audio recording on demand, if you can figure out a way to feed an audio signal into your transmitter.)