Stereo Video is a stereoscopic 3D hardware project which describes how to build a stereo camera from cheap board cameras; the camera can connected to a television or computer monitor, and, with the aid of LCD shutter glasses, view scenes in stereo 3D video.

Two electronic circuit boards are described: the camera itself, and an adapter that allows display of stereo video on a PC monitor.

Applications include remote controlled vehicles, computer vision, robots and stereo ranging.

Table of contents

1 Introduction

2 How the System Works

2.1 Synchronizing video cameras

2.2 Stereo Ranging

2.3 Configurations

2.3.1 Local Camera with Television

2.3.2 Remote Camera with Television

2.3.3 Local Camera with VGA Monitor

2.3.4 Remote Camera with VGA Monitor

3 Cameras

3.1 Requirements

Single-chip sensor

NTSC video format

Sync Input and Output Signals

Battery Power

3.2 The camera used in this project

3.3 Modifying the Camera

3.3.1 Modifying the left camera

3.3.2 Modifying the right camera

3.4 Preparing the camera mount

3.5 Installing connectors

3.6 Other Camera Sources

4 Synchronization circuit board

4.1 Video switch

4.2 Power-on reset timer

4.3 Shutter control

4.4 Power Supply

5 Camera Module Construction

5.1 Operation

5.1.1 Camera Separation

5.1.2 Shutter Control

6 Display Adapters

6.1 Shutter Adapters

6.1.1 TV adapter

6.1.2 VGA Adapter Module

6.1.3 VGA Adapter Circuit Board

6.2 RF modulator

6.3 VGA Converter

6.4 Shutter glasses

7 Design Files

7.1 Sync Board PCB Artwork Layers

7.2 VGA Adapter Board PCB Artwork Layers

7.3 Using PCB Artwork Files

8 RF Transmitters and Receivers

9 Last Words

10 Sources

Cameras

Interlace and Page-Flipping Shutter Glasses

RF Modulator

VGA Converters

2.4GHz Transmitters and Receivers

Circuit Level Components

Printed Circuit Boards

Links

Glossary

Table of figures

Figure 1a Combining video streams

Figure 1b Odd/Even Fields for Stereo Display

Figure 1c Odd Fields for Stereo Ranging

Figure 2 Local Camera with Television

Figure 3 Remote Camera with Television

Figure 4 Local Camera with VGA Monitor

Figure 5 Remote camera with VGA Monitor

Figure 6 Frame Sync Out Signal Timing

Figure 7 Relationship between FSO and Video Out

Figure 8 Project Camera Modified with Connector and Base Mounting

Figure 9 Rear View of SVP Cameras

Figure 10 OV7500 Pinouts for Sync Signals

Figure 11 View of front of the camera with lens removed

Figure 12 Photo of the modified left camera chip

Figure 13 Photo of the modified right camera chip

Figure 14 Camera mounting detail

Figure 15 Photo of camera mount

Figure 16 Camera to PCB connections

Figure 17 Jameco's Camera, front view

Figure 18 Jameco Camera, Video Chip

Figure 19 Jameco Camera with Cable

Figure 20 Qkits camera, Front View

Figure 21 Qkits Camera Video Chip

Figure 22 Front View of CM2

Figure 23 Rear View of CM2

Figure 24 CM2 Video Chip

Figure 25 CM2 with modified housing

Figure 26 Camera module - function and connector placement

Figure 27 Video Switch Simplified Diagram

Figure 28 Right Sync Enable

Figure 29a Generating FSI for Odd/Even Fields

Figure 29b Generating FSI for Odd Fields (Stereo Ranging)

Figure 30 Shutter Control Delay

Figure 31 Shutter Control Timing

Figure 32 Schematic, Sync Board

Figure 33 Camera Module Base Dimensions

Figure 34 Camera Base

Figure 35 Camera Base with Sync PCB

Figure 36 Camera Base with Sync PCB and Cameras

Figure 37 TV Adapter

Figure 38 VGA Adapter module

Figure 39 VGA Adapter Block Diagram

Figure 40 VGA Adapter attached to VGA Cable

Figure 41 Schematic, Shutter Adapter

Figure 42 RF modulator

Figure 43 AVToolbox's CM-330 VGA Converter, front view

Figure 44 CM-330 VGA Converter, rear view

Figure 45 Mcnaughton 3D-Spex shutter glasses

Figure 46 Combined View of Sync Board Artwork Layers

Figure 47 Sync Board Artwork - Top Copper

Figure 48 Sync Board Artwork - Bottom Copper

Figure 49 Sync Board Artwork - Silkscreen

Figure 50 Sync Board Artwork - Soldermask

Figure 51 Combined View of VGA Adapter Artwork Layers

Figure 52 VGA Adapter Artwork - Top Copper

Figure 53 VGA Adapter Artwork - Bottom Copper

Figure 54 VGA Adapter Artwork - Silkscreen

Figure 55 VGA Adapter Artwork - Soldermask

Figure 56 Hung Chang 2.4GHz Transmitter

Figure 57 Hung Chang 2.4GHz Receiver

Figure 58 Rear View of Transmitter or Receiver (they're identical from the rear)

Table of Tables

Table 1 Connector pinouts

Table 2 Sync Board Bill of Materials

Table 3 TV Adapter Parts List

Table 4 VGA Shutter Adapter Bill of Materials

Revision history

8/25/02 Updated text, schematic and bill of materials for sync board to include description of hardware for stereo ranging capability.