Salvaging a webcam

[dengorius]

Hello everybody,

I found an old webcam like this http://pcdrivers.it/photos/L/o/g/LogitechQuick-Cam-USB-Logitech-1-pic.jpg
I don't really need it and AFAIK it is not even compatible with Win7. I was thinking to salvage the camera itself and use it to so some random stuff. If I do that how can I interface to the camera? What kind of circuitry do I need? Can anybody point me toward a good article or book?
If it can help you there's not much on the board (I had a REALLY quick look), just the camera, a QFP and some discrete components.

Thanks for the help

[logictom]

It will all depend on the image sensor and the circuitry in the webcam. Have a look and see what chips are used in there to begin with and see if there is an interface other than the USB you can use; SPI, I2C, serial, RGB etc.
I've got an image sensor and it uses 8bit bus with the image data and a number of lines for synchronisation/frame markers etc.
I would have a look and see what's currently being used and see if that can be adapted and if not you can use a different chip that accepts the same signals.

Or use a chip with USB host and write a driver for it

[Bored@Work]

I think I have a similar one in some junk box. If I remember correctly it worked out of the box under Linux. Therefore I think its protocol is not a great mystery.

[Mechatrommer]

made an attempt to interface a webcam like this to a mcu or at least output a composite/s-vide/serial data. attempt unsuccessful

[NiHaoMike]

It might work as-is on Linux. Then remove the IR filter and try some IR photography experiments.

[Mechatrommer]

It might work as-is on Linux. Then remove the IR filter and try some IR photography experiments.

then portable system should be in mind. there alot of IR ray (lanscape) out there to be captured
an IR filter plugged in front of the lens (the one which pass IR only, not the sensor IR block filter) will be much fun!

[GeoffS]

There are a number of open source camera capture programs available, try Fwink

[Mechatrommer]

There are a number of open source camera capture programs available, try Fwink

i used Windows API. a bit slower than native driver, but native got no doc unfortunately and device specific.

[dengorius]

First of all thanks for the answers

I think I tried to hook it up to my linux box but I don't think it was working. If I remember correctly EHCI was bitching and couldn't sync. I can try again. Anyway I'm not really interested in using it as a standard webcam, I'd rather get something fun out of it
That's why I was curious on how to interface from it