Author Topic: 1990s Panasonic Camcorder viewfinder issues  (Read 586 times)

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Offline valley001Topic starter

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1990s Panasonic Camcorder viewfinder issues
« on: August 03, 2020, 12:57:48 am »
Hello all,

I am having some fun with an old Panasonic palmcorder, thinking the viewfinder might be useful for a project. 

I was surprised to find a composite video input in the viewfinder wiring bundle.  Further investigation revealed inputs for power +15 and +5v, ground plus a number of other wires I assumed  were associated with the playback controls located on the viewfinder housing.  I was able in inject a video source into the viewfinder composite input and got it to display in the viewfinder (this is with it still mostly attached the the rest of the camera).  I then proceeded to remove (cut) the wiring I assumed was not associated with the LCD/backlight/video input and was rewarded with a dead screen.  I replaced said wiring and the screen came back. 

Hooking the suspect wires to my DSO reveals a series of pulses when power is applied to the camera, this is followed the display lighting up.  If I remove one of these wires while the display is on, it will turn off. 

I assume these are some sort of control pulses coming from the main board on the camera.  Is it possible to read and then replicate these pulses so the viewfinder will activate?  Perhaps this is not possible at all?  I am not familiar with programming outside my awareness of things like raspberry pi and such.  Hoping for a simple solution/ideas.  Thanks all!
 

Offline dmendesf

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Re: 1990s Panasonic Camcorder viewfinder issues
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2020, 02:03:36 am »
Probably can be done with a cheap microcontroller (arduino level). Are they just 0/5V waves?
 

Offline valley001Topic starter

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Re: 1990s Panasonic Camcorder viewfinder issues
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2020, 03:43:14 am »
So far as I can tell they are +5v pulses. 
 


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