FreeTrack Forum

Welcome, you're not connected. ( Log in - Register )

FreeTrack Forum > FreeTrack : English Forum > Support : Tracking System > MS Lifecam VX 1000 disassembly for filter removal

RSS >  MS Lifecam VX 1000 disassembly for filter removal
tankbuster #1 05/10/2007 - 11h01

Class : Habitué
Posts : 66
Registered on : 27/08/2007

Off line

I've taken my MS VX 1000 apart with the intention of removing the filter. Taking it apart is easy. There's a little screw in the back; undo that and the prise the case open.

What is the silver component in the top right? It has the black and white wires going to it and the hole in the front shell lines up with this component. I wonder what it does?
Posted Image


The lens unscrews and the ir filter can be seen clearly on the back. The red tint is quite clear in daylight, less so under a fluorescent light. I prised it off with a sharp knife and it came off cleanly without breaking. It's tiny.
Posted Image


Without the filter, the image the cam captures doesn't look very different. Is this to be expected?

Posted Image



Sometimes, having myopia short sight is a bonus. I can take my contact lenses out and work with tiny objects like placing a 5mm piece of negative film into the lens assembly. Glue was too hard to work with in these tiny amounts and i was afraid of dropping some on the lens and ruining it, so micro slices of blutack were used instead. I know it looks a little bit messy but these are very small objects here. I'm a lorry driver by trade. Accuracy tolerances of 8 inches are good enough for me normally! :)
Posted Image

Reassembled, and tested. Here's the obligatory wrist artery shot.
Posted Image
And out my window in broad daylight.
Posted Image
Kestrel #2 05/10/2007 - 11h59

Webmaster (admin)
Class : Webmaster (admin)
Posts : 780
Registered on : 13/07/2007

Off line

tankbuster @ 05/10/2007 - 13h01 a dit:

What is the silver component in the top right? It has the black and white wires going to it and the hole in the front shell lines up with this component. I wonder what it does?



Microphone?


Without the filter, the image the cam captures doesn't look very different. Is this to be expected?



Without the filter, the main difference is poor/wrong colour and higher light sensitivity. '


Thanks for sharing.
tristan68 #3 05/10/2007 - 12h06

Electronicien en chef
Class : Electronicien en chef
Posts : 651
Registered on : 10/07/2007

Off line

Hello Tankbuster

I confirm , the silver component is the electret microphone.

cya
tankbuster #4 05/10/2007 - 12h24

Class : Habitué
Posts : 66
Registered on : 27/08/2007

Off line

Oh it's the mic! Of course. I should have thought of that. :)

I wouldn't normally do things like disassembling stuff, but for some reason the enthusiasm just swept me away. If I can do it and make it work, I'm sure it's not beyond most people.

About the higher light sensitivity. Am I going to damage it by removing this filter? I mean, is the ccd going to fail or something? Should I make a lens cap for when it's not being used?

Thanks guys.
Edited by tankbuster on 05/10/2007 at 12h27.
tristan68 #5 05/10/2007 - 13h00

Electronicien en chef
Class : Electronicien en chef
Posts : 651
Registered on : 10/07/2007

Off line

Normally  the ccd shouldn't have problems with the increased sensitivity.

You might nevertheless consider adding a VL filter  (visible light filter, ie photographic film or radiographic sheet) to furher increase constrast.

cya
tankbuster #6 05/10/2007 - 14h41

Class : Habitué
Posts : 66
Registered on : 27/08/2007

Off line

I did put a tiny square of black negative film in where the old red filter was. Is that what you mean?
tristan68 #7 05/10/2007 - 14h48

Electronicien en chef
Class : Electronicien en chef
Posts : 651
Registered on : 10/07/2007

Off line

exactly !
jbalat #8 06/10/2007 - 06h37

Class : Apprenti
Posts : 40
Registered on : 21/08/2007

Off line

Can I ask if this has made any difference

I already get smooth motion and 30fps on my stock VX-1000

Is it worth it ?

Can the kids continue to use the Cam to talk to friends in MS Messenger or has the picture quality dropped ?
Kestrel #9 06/10/2007 - 07h12

Webmaster (admin)
Class : Webmaster (admin)
Posts : 780
Registered on : 13/07/2007

Off line

jbalat @ 06/10/2007 - 08h37 a dit:


Is it worth it ?



If you want to make your setup more robust in the presence of background light then it's highly recommended, but otherwise, it's not really worth it.


Can the kids continue to use the Cam to talk to friends in MS Messenger or has the picture quality dropped ?



Everything is much brighter, you can see veins more clearly, dark hair and clothing pigments can appear white, colour is washed out by IR light, some clothes can reportedly become partly transparent, I guess you could still use it as a webcam, but it would be a bit weird.  :stuart:
tankbuster #10 06/10/2007 - 17h51

Class : Habitué
Posts : 66
Registered on : 27/08/2007

Off line

It's effectively a black and white camera now and only works when there's plenty of natural daylight around.
tankbuster #11 06/10/2007 - 17h52

Class : Habitué
Posts : 66
Registered on : 27/08/2007

Off line

jbalat @ 06/10/2007 - 06h37 a dit:

Can I ask if this has made any difference

I already get smooth motion and 30fps on my stock VX-1000

Is it worth it ?

Can the kids continue to use the Cam to talk to friends in MS Messenger or has the picture quality dropped ?



It worked for me because my 1000 was only making 24 FPS, though as I said, I can't be sure how much of that improvement is down to the fact I use FT 2.1 now.
Kestrel #12 07/10/2007 - 02h31

Webmaster (admin)
Class : Webmaster (admin)
Posts : 780
Registered on : 13/07/2007

Off line

only works when there's plenty of natural daylight around.



Only because you did this:

tankbuster @ 05/10/2007 - 16h41 a dit:

I did put a tiny square of black negative film in where the old red filter was.

tankbuster #13 07/10/2007 - 21h42

Class : Habitué
Posts : 66
Registered on : 27/08/2007

Off line

Oh what I meant there was that as a FT camera it still works fine, but for normal webcam stuff, it only works if there's lots of daylight.
jdub765 #14 08/10/2007 - 16h52

Class : Apprenti
Posts : 4
Registered on : 04/10/2007

Off line

Hold up a (transparent) glass of cola in front of the camera for an unexpected surprise  :blink:
tankbuster #15 13/09/2008 - 09h58

Class : Habitué
Posts : 66
Registered on : 27/08/2007

Off line

OK. I've been using this for a while now.

I have to say, if you build a headset to the spec suggested in the wizard thingy, the emitters are plenty bright enough for an unmodified camera.

I find that my the points are too bright in my modded VX-1000, and I have to have the threshold within a pixel of the right hand edge. They work best when the AA batteries are almost flat!

 >  Fast reply

Message

FreeTrack Forum > FreeTrack : English Forum > Support : Tracking System > MS Lifecam VX 1000 disassembly for filter removal

 >  Stats

1 user(s) connected during the last 10 minutes (0 member(s) and 1 guest(s)).