Sending a video feed over xbee?

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) General Frequently-Asked Questions
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Anyone know if it's possible to send a video feed using xbees? They have quite the distance abilities, and I would really like to stream a live video feed from a few miles away (I was hoping to use these: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9087 )

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I don't think there is the bandwidth for this.
See discussions on XBee

3

Mike, the thread you linked to seems say that a uart camera can indeed send a feed (although I didn't understand whether the feed is slow loading pics or a video feed)

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I've been trying to work out whats involved in doing capture, which I believe faces the same basic issues but I want to replace Xbee with an SD card instead.

I was pointed to JPEG Color Camera - UART Interface - SEN-09334 - SparkFun Electronics which seems like it would do the job for stills - I am not sure if you could achieve a 25Hz rate out of it though in order to get video - 8fps seems its limit there... It has a UART interface too so should be a doodle to just "proxy" one uart to the other ... (solves the Xbee problem)... infact, it looks the same as the electronics123 one referenced in the thread..

I'm very interested to see what solutions you can find - I was thinking I'd need to switch to an ARM (or FPGA of some description) to get teh rates needed (Cool timing on the new IlluminatoX-machina :wink: ).

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Well I started looking into other wireless video sources, and found many rc-hobby linked ones (being an rc-car fan it got me all excited)... these wireless camera setups where meant to be security system cams, but apparently they work quite nicely for putting on little planes and boats and what not as well. The turn off is that the best I have found all have a max of 150 meters of range... So I felt that maybe its time to thread-morph and ask if it's possible to mod the pathetic looking antenna on the receiver of one of these camera kits (for exanple: http://www.raidentech.com/24ghzmiwicoc.html ) to get some nice range? I mean like taking a dish from a good old satelite TV set and hooking it up (well, or something along those lines ;))

6

I've worked with the Xbees and one thing I want to point out is the range is not nearly what they promise. Any surface between you and it kills the overall distance greatly. Other electric components between you and it also kill the range.

7

Yea... I've dropped the idea anyway, I found many small wireless cams... the distance on them is terrible though.

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I mean like taking a dish from a good old satelite TV set and hooking it up

While you can add gain in the antenna this comes at the price of:-

  1. Making it directional, the more gain the more directional it is and if one end of the link is moving then it's not good.

  2. Regulations for these sorts of transmitters quote the ERP that's Effective Radiated Power, you go putting gain on the system from transmitter's antenna and you make the set up illegal. (it's OK on the receiver end though)

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