Interfacing an old Canon GL2/MX2 EVF with the rest of the world - need pinout! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: pizzigri
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2015, 12:33:50 pm
content: My first post!I've been lurking around a lot, and always found incredibly informative and interesting posts and answers.But, this time I could not find anything related to my specific project, so here goes...OK, I bought this Canon GL2/MX2 EVF from the Bay. The camera it comes from is NTSC, since the auction stated it was removed from a GL2:This is the camera it comes from:http://www.cnet.com/products/canon-gl2/It is supposed to be a very good 180k resolution microdisplay with a .44" diagonal, and decent ocular optics. Paid 25$ for it, guaranteed 100% working.It has a 16 lane flat cable ending in a standard connector, and I wanted to use it to visualize the output of a thermal camera (actually, an OEM MicroIR commercial BAE systems IR sensor core, the SCC500). The output of the IR core is standard analog video (RS170 NSTC B/W and color video) and - it should also have, but I'm not sure - a 2 wire serialized LVDS Digital Video.So, I really would need the help of all you guys in making this thing work! How can I figure out the function of each pin in the connector? I've already contacted Canon, and the very helpful techie there told me they do not have technical manuals that cover the schematics of the digital stuff but only block diagrams, with no specific on the pinouts at all.May be true. Anyhow, these diagrams are copyrighted, and even if they had it they could not just hand them out, no matter how old the camera was.Thanks everyone!

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2015, 01:58:26 pm
content: Your best bet is in the repair manual. I got it paid for my xl1s in the net somewhere. Not everybody has gl2

author: pizzigri
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2015, 03:20:32 pm
content: Mecha,could you please check in your XL1S repair manual whether there are indeed details for the EVF electrical connections? The EVF that I have is apparently much different from the removable one used in the XL1, but maybe they share the same electrical design (which makes sense, since the XL1S uses the same 180K, .44" LCD microdisplay).Of course, pinout would be totally different (a round DIN type connector against a flat cable, but at least I'd know what kind of VCC power, signal etc I can expect...).Thank you!Franco

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 06:38:08 pm
content: xl1s viewfinder though

author: pizzigri
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2015, 07:03:12 pm
content: Oh Gawd...I'm missing the whole PCB with the LCD driver. I only have the microdisplay, (which, by the way, is a Sony LCX033ANB)...and I'm no way able to rebuild such a driver. Seems like a dead project. Too bad, the Sony LCX033A is a 180k pixel part, and they are supposed to be expensive.I did manage to trace the datasheet but I did not understand how complex the driver would bethanks a lot, I really appreciated your help!

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2015, 01:22:23 am
content: It doesn't look all that more complex than driving a standard controllerless LCD display, except this one needs analogue video data (you'll need a video DAC + gamma voltage generator if you're intending on driving it with a digital source).https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/driving-controllerless-graphical-lcd-modules/A fast MCU can do it, a CPLD works too. You'll need some level conversion for the outputs, and invert the signal every other frame at the minimum (to avoid DC bias), but that's not difficult to do.