Hey guys, has anyone an idea how to get this CCTV camera running again?

Posted by finnanzamt@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 17 comments

I got this Grundig CCTV camera from a flea market for 3€. It has C mount. I guess this is a vidicon Tube. From what I know this camera produces an analog signal. What would I need to see through the camera on a computer?

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finnanzamt@reddit (OP)

After some research I found that it is a camera from the FA70 series. It needs a SN70 power station.

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abagofcells@reddit

Without the rest, I'd say the easiest solution is to put a modern camera inside the shell.

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finnanzamt@reddit (OP)

well thats not the point. I will just use it as a fancy shelf piece. I actually got another vidicon camera that should work

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nixiebunny@reddit

This isn’t a complete camera, just a head. It looks like it requires a separate box with the power supply and sweep circuits to work. I say this because it has no transformers in the box. A Vidicon tube requires high voltage to operate the tube, 6V to operate the heater, and horizontal and vertical deflection pulses to scan the image. The circuit board is probably just the video amplifier.

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finnanzamt@reddit (OP)

where can I get something like this controller? can it be simulated via Raspberry Pi and some transformer? I want to say that I have some experience in electronics but never worked with 80s computers :)

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displayboi@reddit

Nah mate, if the other guy is right and that board does not include the sweep circuit (which is probably right because I don't think it has enough transistors for that), what you have is a neat 3€ paperweight unless you have the time and knowledge to reverse-engineer the connector and build one yourself, because a real control unit for stuff like that is basically unobtanium.

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finnanzamt@reddit (OP)

ohh ok, well its a nice shelf peace indeed :)

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Blackholeofcalcutta@reddit

Well, first off, those electrolytic caps likely need to go. That is pretty easy to do since this is through-hole stuff. Resistors are usually OK (I restore radios that are 80+ years old) but you will want to check them to make sure they’re still in tolerance. When you get through all of that, most of the gremlins in something like this ought to have been drowned.

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finnanzamt@reddit (OP)

ok thats no problem. Bit after that what equipment do I need to use the camera? There are just these connectors. Are they standardised, if yes what are they?

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