[sci.electronics] Video Chip on toy video camera

mcdowell@e34b.austin.ibm.com (Steve McDowell/50000) (04/05/90)

Does anyone have any information on the chip inside the Fisher Price
video camera that acts as the lens? Is that the same chip found in
digitizers? I can think of several interesting uses for such a thing.
It must be inexpensive, as the camera sells for around only $100. 
Any information is appreciated.


 Steve McDowell (mcdowell@e34b.austin.ibm.com)     	 VNET SC10191@AUSVM6
 Contractor to IBM AIXv3 Base Kernel Development         T/L 793-3883    
 Outside IBM: ..!cs.utexas.edu!ibmaus!auschs!e34b.austin.ibm.com!mcdowell
 DISCLAIMER: My statements do not necessarily reflect the position of IBM.

trh@atari.UUCP (T R Hall) (04/07/90)

> Does anyone have any information on the chip inside the Fisher Price
> video camera that acts as the lens? Is that the same chip found in
> digitizers? I can think of several interesting uses for such a thing.
> It must be inexpensive, as the camera sells for around only $100. 
> Any information is appreciated.

	The chip is made by Sanyo, with a resolution of 100 by 160
pixels, black and white. It uses a "bucket brigade" technology, which
scans the image out by shifting the rows down to an output shifter.

	I don't remember the number, but you should be able to find it out
from Sanyo. Incidently, Seiko Epson/SMOS make a _much_ better device, called
the HD7010. It is 244 x 244 pixels, and uses an interesting output scan
mechanism that avoids shifting the data across the screen (essentially, it
addresses each pixel directly).

	I don't have my data here at work (I do toy design indepently from
my _real_ job), but I will post what I have on _*cheap*_ video circuits
in a day or two. (I've looked into it several times in the past)

					Be patient

					TRH