CCTV System for Low Vision

[bob p 0]

Hi. I'm intersted in CCTV for a non-surveillance application. I haven't had much luck finding helpful information, and I'm hoping I can find an answer here. I apologize if this post is in the wrong forum.

 

I'd like to set up a CCTV system to assist a family member who has low vision due to macular degeneration. I'd like to set up a CCTV camera, with lighting, on a stand, or a swingarm above a desk, and feed the output directly to a flat panel HDTV. The objective is just to display whatever the camera sees on the TV, with the image enlarged enough to be readable by someone with low visual acuity. I don't have any need for recording, so it seems that a PC, DVR, etc doesn't need to be part of the equation. All that I need is to have a camera that is capable of adequate magnification & focusing for close-up work, so that a book or a newspaper could be placed on the table, and suitably enlarged for reading on an HDTV screen.

 

I'm thinking that such a setup should be simpler than most CCTV applications, because the recording requirement is being eliminated. Essentially, all that I need is a live-feed from the camera to the TV.

 

Can anyone here provide helpful ideas? I've searched a bit, but I've been unable to find helpful information because this seems to be an atypical use for CCTV. There are commercial units available that to this, but they are exceedingly costly, and require purchasing yet another TV as part of a closed-technology system. I'd like to DIY a camera-based solution that will work with your garden variety big-screen HDTV.

 

thanks in advance.

 

bob

[bike_rider 0]

What you need is a camera with an HDMI output that you can connect directly to the TV. I don't think any traditional surveillance camera has that. This was talked about breifly in this thread. viewtopic.php?f=19&t=29772

 

That answer then was:

GoPro Hero2 or Contour+ has live HDMI video out.

 

[ssnapier 0]

I second the GoPro Hero2... the only issue is that the lens on the is VERY wide!

[bob p 0]

Thanks for the tip. both of those recommenations seem to have pretty low quality video output, and perhaps not much close-focusing ability at high resolution, so it sounds like my idea for a direct camera to TV hookup won't work. Too bad, as something that simple would be about the limits of what a disabled person could handle by themselves.

 

Now that simplicity is off of the table, what's the easiest way to set-up a high quality / high-resolution / close-focusing camera on a dedicated stand, so that I can have a high resolution CCTV feed to a PC monitor to magnify a book or a newspaper? Recording won't be a requirement.

 

Going this route, it sounds like I'd have to turn the setup on and off, but as long as the magnification can be adjusted to work well in real-time, it might be an option for someone with low vision.

 

thanks.

[ak357 0]

Thanks for the tip. both of those recommenations seem to have pretty low quality video output, and perhaps not much close-focusing ability at high resolution, so it sounds like my idea for a direct camera to TV hookup won't work. Too bad, as something that simple would be about the limits of what a disabled person could handle by themselves.

 

Now that simplicity is off of the table, what's the easiest way to set-up a high quality / high-resolution / close-focusing camera on a dedicated stand, so that I can have a high resolution CCTV feed to a PC monitor to magnify a book or a newspaper? Recording won't be a requirement.

 

Going this route, it sounds like I'd have to turn the setup on and off, but as long as the magnification can be adjusted to work well in real-time, it might be an option for someone with low vision.

 

thanks.

 

How about this

Avigilon cam 2 MP (box or dome) with remote zoom and auto focus

plus any comp u have plus 1 ch software Lic

out to Monitor with VGA,DVI,HDMI input and u done

 

or try to find Sanyo HD cam some models had direct HDMI output

[bike_rider 0]

You are going to need to give more information about your expectations. 1080p isn't high resolution enough? OK, what are you looking for? How close does it have to focus?

[groovyman 0]

I'd like to set up a CCTV system to assist a family member who has low vision due to macular degeneration. I'd like to set up a CCTV camera, with lighting, on a stand, or a swingarm above a desk, and feed the output directly to a flat panel HDTV.

What you're describing is a document camera. It works like an overhead projector, but can output to different devices like a flat panel HDTV. Google the term document camera and you'll get a load of information.

 

I used to do quite a bit of residential computer services work and had clients with failing eyesight (I live in an area with a high retiree population). Some would use something that looked like a microfiche reader where they would put whatever they wanted to read on a tray and could set the magnification. I believe there are document cameras with the same capabilities.

[groovyman 0]

A company named Freedom Scientific has a device called the Topaz. It's expensive, but Google it and take a look. Would something like that work?

[yakky 0]

Get a DSLR camera with HDMI out. You will be able to get a quality lens that can do macro so they will be able to see stuff as small as an insect's antennas.

[bob p 0]

I already have macro still camera equipment for a DSLR with HDMI out. I've tried it. It won't work.

 

It's not suitable for this application, becuse the output to TV is limited by a timer that automatically turns everything off after only a few minutes. This limitation is set by the camera's firmware, and there is no capability to turn the camera on and leave it running. It automatically shuts off. This feature cannot be changed, it's embedded in the camera's firmware. The reason that I'm looking for a CCTV setup is because I'd like an equivalent "document camera" that will stay on when turned on, and not turn itself off. DSLRs that have TV output are not meant to operate as non-stop CCTV. They are configured to turn themselves off after any short period of what they determine to be "inactivity."

 

It sounds like what I'm looking for is a CCTV "document camera" that won't shut itself off.

[bob p 0]

bike_rider, it's not that 1080p isn't enough, it's that those helmet-cams claim to offer 1080p, but if you try to read newsprint with them, their resolution isn't very high quality. They're great for strapping to a helmet on a bike and recording scenerey but the lenses don't offer a fine enough picture for micrographic type work.

 

groovyman, thanks for the tip about the term "document camera." It sounds like exactly what I'm looking for if I can find a high quality CCTV macro-type lens that has sufficient resolution to render newsprint clearly on a computer monitor. I'll look into the products you mentioned. Thanks.

[tomcctv 187]

sanyo cameras have direct HDMI output for TV as well as rs485 for zoom in and out.

 

you can mount direct to a standard tripod and direct into HD tv or monitor.

[bob p 0]

Thanks for the tip. I called Sanyo's USA support today, and they told me that the line has been discontinued, but that I might be able to find a unit through a reseller that already has it in inventory.

 

Can you help me with any information about the close-focusing capabilities of these lenses? I can't find any information that tells me how close the lenses will focus, which is going to be a key consideration for my application. It would also be helpful to know if the lenses are threaded on the ends to accept standard size filters and other attachments.