Sending Sensor data with Video on same Ethernet

Any miscellaneous pieces and parts that don't fit in the above forums.
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KR2_Diving
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Joined: Aug 30th, 2012, 11:43 am
Location: Currently: NW Suburbs of Chicago. Originally: NE Wisconsin

Re: Sending Sensor data with Video on same Ethernet

Post by KR2_Diving »

For my set up, I have mounted an OSD inside the ROV, that will add crucial telemetry data TO the video stream and send it topside on two wires... My control and other telemetry is sent back and forth on a duplex RS485 setup... all in all, my tether is only 6 or 7 wires (depending on the grounding situation with the video, may have to have its own ground)... less than a CAT5 cable... All on-board cameras (3) and control is run with one Arduino Mega.

If I want to see my video feed unobstructed, I can switch off the OSD.

All video is recorded on-board the ROV (two GoPros). I am also looking for a way to record the actual topside video feed I use to drive the ROV. Perhaps a hacked camcorder or DVR?

Anyway, whole system run with only Two Arduinos... only one programming language. HD video available AFTER the dive when I recover the SD cards from the GoPros! Trying to keep it all simple!

Ok... so no Ethernet... but Ethernet may be a bit overkill for what most of us are trying to achieve? yes?
rossrov
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Joined: Feb 28th, 2013, 5:01 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Sending Sensor data with Video on same Ethernet

Post by rossrov »

Disregarding custom-built two-conductor and fibre hardware solutions that could be built to transfer composite video and data, Ethernet allows the greatest freedom in tether choice. Not to mention that any Fibre including Ethernet over Fibre will allow the longest tether and lowest drag tether. I get the impression that those on the forum who are doing Ethernet with cat5 cables at present are planning on or would like to go fibre-optic or EoP one day.

Personally, if not for the tether issue and that fact that I enjoy a challenge, then I would probably be concentrating less on the Ethernet stuff and using older, simpler, computer-less technology, which I actually like a lot more.

The other thing with IP cams, Ethernet and topside PCs is that there is a lot of cheap and accessible gear and software that can be utilized in the "Networked ROV" environment. Also, one click on the IP cam viewer and dive footage can be recorded straight to hard drive. Doing video file overlay such as depth, bearing etc trickier I think than with composite cams, but on the other hand these numbers can be processed real-time by the PC and utilized or written to another file if need be.
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Moki
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Re: Sending Sensor data with Video on same Ethernet

Post by Moki »

rossrov wrote:Disregarding custom-built two-conductor and fibre hardware solutions that could be built to transfer composite video and data, Ethernet allows the greatest freedom in tether choice. Not to mention that any Fibre including Ethernet over Fibre will allow the longest tether and lowest drag tether. I get the impression that those on the forum who are doing Ethernet with cat5 cables at present are planning on or would like to go fibre-optic or EoP one day.
Sure, one day ;)
rossrov wrote:Personally, if not for the tether issue and that fact that I enjoy a challenge, then I would probably be concentrating less on the Ethernet stuff and using older, simpler, computer-less technology, which I actually like a lot more.
Haha, sure some of us like to make fire with sticks... others just use matches, because that's easier.
rossrov wrote:The other thing with IP cams, Ethernet and topside PCs is that there is a lot of cheap and accessible gear and software that can be utilized in the "Networked ROV" environment. Also, one click on the IP cam viewer and dive footage can be recorded straight to hard drive. Doing video file overlay such as depth, bearing etc trickier I think than with composite cams, but on the other hand these numbers can be processed real-time by the PC and utilized or written to another file if need be.
If yer going this way, look at some subtitle programs... or gps dashcam software. They love recording video and data on separate streams and putting them together at a later time.
a_shorething
Posts: 289
Joined: Sep 10th, 2013, 5:26 pm
Location: New Jersey Shore

Re: Sending Sensor data with Video on same Ethernet

Post by a_shorething »

KR2_Diving wrote:For my set up, I have mounted an OSD inside the ROV, that will add crucial telemetry data TO the video stream and send it topside on two wires... My control and other telemetry is sent back and forth on a duplex RS485 setup... all in all, my tether is only 6 or 7 wires (depending on the grounding situation with the video, may have to have its own ground)... less than a CAT5 cable... All on-board cameras (3) and control is run with one Arduino Mega.

If I want to see my video feed unobstructed, I can switch off the OSD.

All video is recorded on-board the ROV (two GoPros). I am also looking for a way to record the actual topside video feed I use to drive the ROV. Perhaps a hacked camcorder or DVR?

Anyway, whole system run with only Two Arduinos... only one programming language. HD video available AFTER the dive when I recover the SD cards from the GoPros! Trying to keep it all simple!

Ok... so no Ethernet... but Ethernet may be a bit overkill for what most of us are trying to achieve? yes?

To your question about overkill: It's only overkill if the work involved in coding/communication is more than it would be otherwise, no? You can use UDP signals over ethernet and the protocol is 'baked into' some comm systems so it's really not any more work than a serial signal at that point. It's pretty thin and in a lot of respects offers scalability and some other potential benefits that would require additional work down the road.

For instance I envision letting people 'ride along' with me by setting up a webserver on the boat and then they can view the feed from anywhere on the planet. This would allow people to see it in real time across the internet. In fact it might even be possible to let them drive. How cool would that be?

Once you are talking via ethernet there are LOTS of possibilities within and outside the ROV like recording the stream from topside like Ross said and some other stuff too, and it's basically at no incremental cost.
Just my .02. :)
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KR2_Diving
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Location: Currently: NW Suburbs of Chicago. Originally: NE Wisconsin

Re: Sending Sensor data with Video on same Ethernet

Post by KR2_Diving »

a_shorething wrote: For instance I envision letting people 'ride along' with me by setting up a webserver on the boat and then they can view the feed from anywhere on the planet. This would allow people to see it in real time across the internet. In fact it might even be possible to let them drive. How cool would that be?
now THAT would be pretty cool!!

Full Disclosure:
I have never really worked with Ethernet so I really can not compare to what I have been working with... it is on my list of things to play with one day when I have some free time... so... at the moment, I might get around to it... oh... in 20-30 years! :)
a_shorething
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Joined: Sep 10th, 2013, 5:26 pm
Location: New Jersey Shore

Re: Sending Sensor data with Video on same Ethernet

Post by a_shorething »

KR2_Diving wrote:
a_shorething wrote: For instance I envision letting people 'ride along' with me by setting up a webserver on the boat and then they can view the feed from anywhere on the planet. This would allow people to see it in real time across the internet. In fact it might even be possible to let them drive. How cool would that be?
now THAT would be pretty cool!!

Full Disclosure:
I have never really worked with Ethernet so I really can not compare to what I have been working with... it is on my list of things to play with one day when I have some free time... so... at the moment, I might get around to it... oh... in 20-30 years! :)
Well, that's the cool thing about this age of 'open source' stuff... seek and ye shall find. I didn't know anything about it either (and originally planned to go the serial route when I started this a year ago) but soon found that it wasn't any more difficult using ethernet and there are more options (in my opinion) doing it this way.
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