[Nottingham] Mega-pixel webcams

[Martin]

Jim Moore wrote:
> a quick google (sorry, "search"!) indeed revealed that it is in fact,
> only a 1.3MPixel sensor... the SoaC reveals the cheat: the
> interpolation is performed on-die, which means that the 2MP output is
> treamed at die speed (ie the progressive framerate of the sensor
> itself), further interpolation done offchip for the 12MP stills. That
> in itself is an impressive claim, I wouldn't mind giving it a try
> myself...

Regardless of the processing and interpolation, the source optical
resolution is still 1.3Mpixels. You cannot create optical information
that isn't there in the first place, even for their claimed 12Mpixels!

OK, so you'll get ever smoother anti-aliasing for the 1.3Mpixel pixel
boundaries... :-) You can simulate the same effect in gimp if you're
interested in what it looks like.


> BTW, the SN9C20X Bridge is the same as used in the Creative Live!
> voice webcam and the Microsoft VX6000 Lifecam (there's an Ubuntu Howto
> for this piece of kit here if it's any help:
> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1118056 which like the
> Panther GX favours the Microdia driver).

So... It /might just work/ (TM)... Thanks.

Mmmm... Hey hell, I'll give it a try. Hopefully the glass lens will give
reasonable results. Sort of Panther GX-esq but at full 1.3Mpixel res.

Aside for the Panther GX '4M':

A strange quirk I've discovered is that the automatic gain can randomly
go wild to give a completely overexposed image for a few seconds until
it settles oncemore. It does seem to tolerate low light quite well.
Shame the dynamic range for an image is so small, but I guess that is a
problem for all CMOS sensors.


Here's hoping the "Hue HD" works and works well...

Cheers,
Martin



> On 12/4/09, Martin <martin at ml1.co.uk> wrote:
>> Folks,
>>
>> Anyone tried this webcam?
>>
>> HUE HD Webcam
>> http://www.huehd.com/
>>
>> "True 2 Megapixel CMOS sensor"
>>
>> Also on Amazon:
>> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hue-webcam-green-built-Windows/dp/B001NF8T7M/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1259952034&sr=1-6
>>
>>
>> Searching around, it appears to use:
>> microdia: Detected SN9C20X Bridge
>> microdia: Detected MT9M111 Sensor
>>
>> And the sensor is listed as:
>>
>> MT9M111: 1.3-Megapixel, 1/3-Inch, Low-power CMOS Image Sensor Camera
>> System-on-a-chip
>>
>>
>> Despite the apparent "2 Megapixel" lie, 1.3Mpixels should be fine.


-- 
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Martin Lomas
martin at ml1.co.uk
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