Video only HDMI to analog converter
- Thread starter Bartman
- Start date
redridinghood
Member
1... for me
Bartman check with Esben over at www.littlesmartthings.com. He is on a quest as one of his next projects. He looked at what folks are currently using (typically the board from portta.com) and saw that it has lots of functionality that we don't need. How to get it down to the essentials. Esben is on the forum so may chime in. I've got his StrattoSnapper for managing remote triggering and it is thing of beauty and function.
Bartman
Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
I approached the guy from Dunehaven Systems and he was very unprofessional in his reply. Next I asked Dimension Engineering and they were very courteous and even put it to their group for consideration but passed on it.
All we/I need is HDMI to analog video in as small a package as possible and compatible with straight 2 cell Lipo power.
I'll keep looking for someone that could tackle this and make the NEX cameras a better option for us. If Esben could do it that would be great.
Bart
All we/I need is HDMI to analog video in as small a package as possible and compatible with straight 2 cell Lipo power.
I'll keep looking for someone that could tackle this and make the NEX cameras a better option for us. If Esben could do it that would be great.
Bart
DucktileMedia
Drone Enthusiast
I wonder if you could find the pins on the board of a gopro and use that as a self powered converter? Or maybe that's not even what it uses. I dont know.
Yes I am trying to figure out a solution, but I must admit that progress is slow. I haven't found a chip manufacturer that provides the functionality we need, in a package that suits the purpose.
- It has to be small. About the size of an SD card is my goal.
- Very low latency. Else FPV flying would be.. well funny.
Unfortunately those are features that matter less to most manufactures of AV converter chips. Most designs end up in some clunky box anyway, and nobody cares if the get the latest episode of "Mad Men" 200 milliseconds later.. However, everyone that has been doing FPV knows that this is a no-go.
BUT! The hunt continuous - I'm sure it's out there somewhere. Perhaps someone in here knows something? I would be happy to see such a thing come out of our pick'n'place machines. Mostly because I could really use one my self
Best
Esben
- It has to be small. About the size of an SD card is my goal.
- Very low latency. Else FPV flying would be.. well funny.
Unfortunately those are features that matter less to most manufactures of AV converter chips. Most designs end up in some clunky box anyway, and nobody cares if the get the latest episode of "Mad Men" 200 milliseconds later.. However, everyone that has been doing FPV knows that this is a no-go.
BUT! The hunt continuous - I'm sure it's out there somewhere. Perhaps someone in here knows something? I would be happy to see such a thing come out of our pick'n'place machines. Mostly because I could really use one my self
Best
Esben
Bartman
Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
Esben,
Thanks for chiming in. Like IrisAerial said, maybe the converter in a camera could be used? The GoPro is one idea but wouldn't a camera like a Canon T2i have a converter circuit in there if it's doing HDMI and analog outputs simultaneously of the same images? Also, couldn't the existing HDMI to analog converter just be stripped of its audio circuitry and rearranged to fit a smaller board?
I'm an electronics idiot so I'm just guessing here. GLad someone is trying to solve the problem.
Bart
Thanks for chiming in. Like IrisAerial said, maybe the converter in a camera could be used? The GoPro is one idea but wouldn't a camera like a Canon T2i have a converter circuit in there if it's doing HDMI and analog outputs simultaneously of the same images? Also, couldn't the existing HDMI to analog converter just be stripped of its audio circuitry and rearranged to fit a smaller board?
I'm an electronics idiot so I'm just guessing here. GLad someone is trying to solve the problem.
Bart
The functionality is definitely in many cameras, but it's often integrated into more complex chips that does a lot of other stuff as well. Unfortunately this makes them pricey, big and hard to integrate. But I have been surfing a bit around and wrote to a few manufactures. Hopefully they will answer. Got my mojo back after reading this thread The problem with big chip-manufactures often is that companies that doesn't put out 10.000+ units is of relatively little interest. LittleSmartThings can't really brag about numbers like that.
Search continues! Keep you posted on: "The Quest For Simple HDMI - Composite" from now on known as : TQFSHC
Best
Esben
The problem with big chip-manufactures often is that companies that doesn't put out 10.000+ units is of relatively little interest. LittleSmartThings can't really brag about numbers like that. Search continues!
Keep you posted on: "The Quest For Simple HDMI - Composite" from now on known as : TQFSHC Best
Esben
Cabe
Member
Coming from a Video Engineer the problem is not "take this digital signal, make it analog" but you also have to down scale it as well. The best scalers from companies like Extron, Kramer, ProBel and others are on the order of a single video line (30 fps*1080 lines = 32400 lines per second). They reduce the width and height of this line, convert it to an analog signal and then pump it back out the relevant connector.
This all requires DSP's and clever maths, which pushed up the price. Sadly it is not something I can ever see a low price FCPGA could achieve.
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Blu-ray-HDMI-HDCP-Digilent-FPGA,14105.html for an idea of what sort of grunt you need to push things around in the HDMI world.
The second issue is attempting to remove the converter from aircraft, this is almost as difficult to achieve as converting it. The data rates that HDMI is capable of is circa 1.5gbps for 720 and 3gbps for full 1080p. With RF signals you have to increase frequency to increase bandwidth. This usually has the side effect of decreasing range due to attenuation. Think of the difference in range you get with Wifi vs FM (and if you really want to play with distance, LW).
Not saying it cant be done, and I am sure Esben has a better handle on the mechanics of it but I thought I would try and brain-dump the issue as I see it in case it sparks up some eureka moment from someone.
This all requires DSP's and clever maths, which pushed up the price. Sadly it is not something I can ever see a low price FCPGA could achieve.
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Blu-ray-HDMI-HDCP-Digilent-FPGA,14105.html for an idea of what sort of grunt you need to push things around in the HDMI world.
The second issue is attempting to remove the converter from aircraft, this is almost as difficult to achieve as converting it. The data rates that HDMI is capable of is circa 1.5gbps for 720 and 3gbps for full 1080p. With RF signals you have to increase frequency to increase bandwidth. This usually has the side effect of decreasing range due to attenuation. Think of the difference in range you get with Wifi vs FM (and if you really want to play with distance, LW).
Not saying it cant be done, and I am sure Esben has a better handle on the mechanics of it but I thought I would try and brain-dump the issue as I see it in case it sparks up some eureka moment from someone.