{"id":678,"date":"2009-09-09T21:28:03","date_gmt":"2009-09-10T01:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/?p=678"},"modified":"2009-09-09T21:28:03","modified_gmt":"2009-09-10T01:28:03","slug":"talking-to-an-old-ptz-camera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/?p=678","title":{"rendered":"Talking to an old PTZ camera"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"arduino-picturetel-ptz1\"I recently obtained an old Polycom PTZ-1 camera. This camera went to an old video conferencing system, long past it’s usefulness in today’s era of instant desktop video conferencing ala Skype. The camera was inside a large plastic housing to keep it secure– I removed it from the housing to get a closer look.<\/p>\n

I know most cameras are controlled via RS-232 so I searched around and found a site that listed the control codes necessary to talk with this camera.<\/a> I also found how to build the cable to go from a serial DB-9 to a mini-din 8 here.<\/a> That’s where the Arduino comes in.<\/p>\n

Previously, I figured out how to interface an NES joy-pad to the Arduino<\/a> (even purchasing the proper female jacks<\/a> so I wouldn’t need to cut the original cables). So I thought about marrying the camera with the controller. Behold, the the Picture PTZ-1 being controlled by the Arduino via an NES joypad.<\/p>\n

The first problem I encountered was that the PTel PTZ-1 liked to talk serial using ODD parity. Yikes, I didn’t think the Arduino could do that. Well, it can actually. I found a forum posting that listed an extension to the serial protocol of the Arduino.<\/a><\/p>\n

Although the Arduino has on board serial, it needs help to speak RS-232 serial (because of voltage differences). That’s where the MAX232 chip comes in and it’s cast of supporting capacitors.<\/a><\/p>\n

Below is the Arduino sketch that I’m using. The code will pan and tilt the camera using the plus-pad. The A and B buttons control zoom in and out. Select and Start are for presets. The camera has 8 hardware presets. Press select the number of times equal to the preset you want and press start. To set a preset, press select the number of times equal to the preset, holding on the last preset and press start.<\/p>\n

#include <SerialExtension.h><\/p>\n

# NES Controller Pin Setup
\nint latch = 8; \/\/ set the latch pin
\nint clock = 9; \/\/ set the clock pin
\nint datin = 10; \/\/ set the data in pin<\/p>\n

# A Status LED To Light When Receiving input from NES
\nint ledpin = 13; \/\/ set the led status pin<\/p>\n

# Zero Counters
\nint selects = 0;
\nint starts = 0;<\/p>\n

unsigned char report[6];
\nunsigned char prev_report[6];<\/p>\n

void setup() {
\n\/\/ Setup NES controller
\npinMode(latch, OUTPUT);
\npinMode(clock, OUTPUT);
\npinMode(datin, INPUT);
\npinMode(ledpin, OUTPUT);<\/p>\n

digitalWrite(latch, HIGH);
\ndigitalWrite(clock, HIGH);<\/p>\n

Serial.begin(9600);
\nSetSerial(9600,’O’, 8, 1);
\ndelay(500);
\ninit_camera();
\nreport[0]=0x80;
\nreport[1]=0x80;
\nreport[2] = report[3] = report[4] = report[5] = 0;
\nprev_report[0]=0x80;
\nprev_report[1]=0x80;
\nprev_report[2] = prev_report[3] = prev_report[4] = prev_report[5] = 0;
\n}<\/p>\n

void loop () {
\nNEScontrollerRead();<\/p>\n

\/\/ Tilt up begin
\nif ((report[1] == 0) && (prev_report[1] == 0x80)) { motion_begin(‘t’, ‘u’); }
\n\/\/ Tilt up stop
\nif ((report[1] == 0x80) && (prev_report[1] == 0)) { motion_stop(‘t’, ‘u’); }
\n\/\/ Tilt up cont
\nif ((report[1] == 0) && (prev_report[1] == 0)) { motion_cont(‘t’, ‘u’); }<\/p>\n

\/\/ Tilt down begin
\nif ((report[1] == 0xFF) && (prev_report[1] == 0x80)) { motion_begin(‘t’, ‘d’); }
\n\/\/ Tilt down stop
\nif ((report[1] == 0x80) && (prev_report[1] == 0xFF)) { motion_stop(‘t’, ‘d’); }
\n\/\/ Titlt down cont
\nif ((report[1] == 0xFF) && (prev_report[1] == 0xFF)) { motion_cont(‘t’, ‘d’); }<\/p>\n

\/\/ Pan left begin
\nif ((report[0] == 0) && (prev_report[0] == 0x80)) { motion_begin(‘p’, ‘l’); }
\n\/\/ Pan left stop
\nif ((report[0] == 0x80) && (prev_report[0] == 0)) { motion_stop(‘p’, ‘l’); }
\n\/\/ Pan left cont
\nif ((report[0] == 0) && (prev_report[0] == 0)) { motion_cont(‘p’, ‘l’); }<\/p>\n

\/\/ Pan right begin
\nif ((report[0] == 0xFF) && (prev_report[0] == 0x80)) { motion_begin(‘p’, ‘r’); }
\n\/\/ Pan right stop
\nif ((report[0] == 0x80) && (prev_report[0] == 0xFF)) { motion_stop(‘p’, ‘r’); }
\n\/\/ Pan right cont
\nif ((report[0] == 0xFF) && (prev_report[0] == 0xFF)) { motion_cont(‘p’, ‘r’); }<\/p>\n

\/\/ Zoom in begin
\nif ((report[2] == 1) && (prev_report[2] == 0)) { motion_begin(‘z’, ‘i’); }
\n\/\/ Zoom in stop
\nif ((report[2] == 0) && (prev_report[2] == 1)) { motion_stop(‘z’, ‘i’); }
\n\/\/ Zoom in cont
\nif ((report[2] == 1) && (prev_report[2] == 1)) { motion_cont(‘z’, ‘i’); }<\/p>\n

\/\/ Zoom out begin
\nif ((report[3] == 1) && (prev_report[3] == 0)) { motion_begin(‘z’, ‘o’); }
\n\/\/ Zoom out stop
\nif ((report[3] == 0) && (prev_report[3] == 1)) { motion_stop(‘z’, ‘o’); }
\n\/\/ Zoom out cont
\nif ((report[3] == 1) && (prev_report[3] == 1)) { motion_cont(‘z’, ‘o’); }<\/p>\n

\/\/ Select button function
\nif ((report[4] == 1) && (prev_report[4] == 0)) {
\nselects++;
\nif (selects > 8) { selects = 0; }
\n}<\/p>\n

\/\/ Select and Start functions
\n\/\/ Goto preset
\n\/\/ Press “Select” times to equal the number of the preset
\n\/\/ then press “Start” to go to that preset.
\nif ((report[5] == 1) && (prev_report[5] == 0) && (report[4] == 0)) {
\nif (selects > 0) {
\ncommand_begin();
\nSerial.print(“g0”);
\nselects–;
\nSerial.print(selects);
\nSerial.print(“n”);
\ncommand_end();
\nselects = 0;
\n}
\n}<\/p>\n

\/\/ Store preset
\n\/\/ Press “Select” times MINUS 1 equal to the numer of the preset to SET
\n\/\/ Press and HOLD “Select” on the last number and press “Start” to set the preset
\nif ((report[4] == 1) && (report[5] == 1) && (prev_report[5] == 0)) {
\nif (selects > 0) {
\ncommand_begin();
\nSerial.print(“s00”);
\nselects–;
\nSerial.print(selects);
\ncommand_end();
\nselects = 0;
\n}
\n}<\/p>\n

prev_report[0] = report[0];
\nprev_report[1] = report[1];
\nprev_report[2] = report[2];
\nprev_report[3] = report[3];
\nprev_report[4] = report[4];
\nprev_report[5] = report[5];<\/p>\n

delay(100);
\n}<\/p>\n

void NEScontrollerRead() {<\/p>\n

int x = 0x80, y = 0x80; \/\/ 0x80 = 128 = axis centered (nothing pressed)
\nint a, b, select, start, led = 0;
\nreport[0] = report[1] = report[2] = report[3] = report[4] = report[5] = 0;
\nunsigned char tmp = 0;<\/p>\n

digitalWrite(latch, LOW);
\ndigitalWrite(clock, LOW);<\/p>\n

digitalWrite(latch, HIGH);
\ndelayMicroseconds(2);
\ndigitalWrite(latch, LOW);<\/p>\n

\/\/ button A
\na = !digitalRead(datin);
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

\/\/ button B
\nb = !digitalRead(datin);
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

\/\/ button Select
\nselect = !digitalRead(datin);
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

\/\/ button Start
\nstart = !digitalRead(datin);
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

\/\/ button Up
\nif (!digitalRead(datin)) { y = 0; led = 1;}
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

\/\/ button Down
\nif (!digitalRead(datin)) { y = 0xff; led = 1; }
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

\/\/ button Left
\nif (!digitalRead(datin)) { x = 0; led = 1; }
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

\/\/ button Right
\nif (!digitalRead(datin)) { x = 0xff; led = 1; }
\nNESCycleClock();<\/p>\n

report[0] = x;
\nreport[1] = y;
\nreport[2] = a;
\nreport[3] = b;
\nreport[4] = select;
\nreport[5] = start;
\n\/\/report[2] = (a << 0) + (b << 1) + (select << 2) + (start << 3);
\nif (a || b || select || start || led) { digitalWrite(ledpin, 1); }
\nelse { digitalWrite(ledpin, 0); }
\n}<\/p>\n

void NESCycleClock() {
\ndelayMicroseconds(4);
\ndigitalWrite(clock, LOW);
\ndigitalWrite(clock, HIGH);
\ndelayMicroseconds(2);
\n}<\/p>\n

void command_begin() {
\nSerial.print(0x02, BYTE);
\nSerial.print(“ck”);
\n}<\/p>\n

void command_end() {
\nSerial.print(0x04, BYTE);
\n}<\/p>\n

void init_camera() {
\ncommand_begin();
\nSerial.print(“k”);
\ncommand_end();<\/p>\n

command_begin();
\nSerial.print(“i0n”);
\ncommand_end();<\/p>\n

\/\/ Wait for an ACK from camera
\nwhile(Serial.read() != 0x04) {}<\/p>\n

command_begin();
\nSerial.print(“d0”);
\nSerial.print(0xF2, BYTE);
\ncommand_end();
\ndelay(100);<\/p>\n

\/\/ Wait for an ACK from camera
\nwhile(Serial.read() != 0x04) {}<\/p>\n

command_begin();
\nSerial.print(“z0m”);
\ncommand_end();<\/p>\n

\/\/ Wait for an ACK from camera
\nwhile(Serial.read() != 0x04) {}
\n}<\/p>\n

void motion_begin(char axis, char dir) {
\ncommand_begin();
\nSerial.print(“r0k”);
\nSerial.print(axis, BYTE);
\nSerial.print(dir, BYTE);
\nif (dir == ‘u’) { Serial.print(“099”); }
\nif (dir == ‘d’) { Serial.print(“097”); }
\nif (dir == ‘l’) { Serial.print(“100”); }
\nif (dir == ‘r’) { Serial.print(“101”); }
\ncommand_end();
\n}<\/p>\n

void motion_cont(char axis, char dir) {
\ncommand_begin();
\nSerial.print(“c0k”);
\nSerial.print(axis, BYTE);
\nSerial.print(dir, BYTE);
\ncommand_end();
\n}<\/p>\n

void motion_stop(char axis, char dir) {
\ncommand_begin();
\nSerial.print(“p0k”);
\nSerial.print(axis, BYTE);
\nSerial.print(dir, BYTE);
\ncommand_end();
\n}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I recently obtained an old Polycom PTZ-1 camera. This camera went to an old video conferencing system, long past it’s usefulness in today’s era of instant desktop video conferencing ala Skype. The camera was inside a large plastic housing to keep it secure– I removed it from the housing to get a closer look. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biosrhythm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}