embedded video surveillance system

[mirkomes]

Hi all,
I want to create an embedded video surveillance system. My final objective is to create a central unit linked to some cameras (that returns video in PAL format) and with the capability to store videos to an apposite hard drive.

Can anyone tell me what kind of hardware I need? (what kind of microcontroller si better, video decoders, etc...)

I've done some research and I've found this link from T.I. web site: focus.ti.com/docs/solution/folders/print/485.html

Is the purpose of Texas Instruments appropriate?

Thanks in advance

Mirko

 

[Malek Lamari]

i strongly advice you to go for TI solutions, as they have the full system parts.
to begin with, try to interface a webcam to an FPGA board ...
good luck.

 

[allsey87]

G'day Mirko

First up, steer clear of FPGAs unless you are doing digital video processing (very advanced stuff / probably not what you are after).

Select the cameras based on cost and wiring constraints (i.e. can you run cables through walls etc / is there a switched LAN in place).

You could use USB webcams (can be very cheap), and run the USB cables back to a cheap PC. you should easily be able to get some open source software which will capture a frame/sec from a (or multiple) USB webcams and save to the local HD quite easily. this will work okay, but long distances will adversely effect the performance of USB (you could solve this using a series of USB hubs).

If you have a switched LAN already in place, then grab webcams which have an Ethernet interface. you can then plug them in, set an IP address and with your open source software (I assume this would exist, you'll have to dig around on sourceforge for it tho) to do your business. if your have a Wireless LAN, in range of all the places you want cams when you could also use wireless webcams (tad more expensive).

I suppose the main question is, how embedded do you want to go, and why? Fully customised designs are a lot of work, and generally not cheap solutions.

Cheers, Mike.