Mystery device / unit, need help to identify it! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 02:32:08 pm
content: Found this thing for sale on a local website, simply advertised as "Electrical thingie", the seller had no idea what it was. He was only asking $12 for it -- and I was curious, so I picked it up.Taking a closer look at it made me none the wiser.. Anyone else have a clue? It has "Video Out" and "Locking In" on the back. The hole in the front looks like a zinc selenide window, the knob moves the window in and out.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 02:43:47 pm
content: Some sort of *OLD* tube video camera. if the front plate is threaded for a lens, then the knob would do focus by moving the whole camera tube. Since you've bought it, whip the cover off and reveal its guts for us in all their glory.

author: Falkra
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 02:46:38 pm
content: Yep, and you can open it to get more information, there are screws to remove the black/dark cover easily.

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 02:49:18 pm
content: Quote from: Falkra on October 19, 2016, 02:46:38 pmExactly, open it up, it's only 4 screws

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 02:54:42 pm
content: Quote from: Ian.M on October 19, 2016, 02:43:47 pmYep, the hole in the front is threaded. It does look like a lens mount! Makes perfect sense. Any idea how old? Any hope in hell I can make sense of the video out?

author: Falkra
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 03:01:45 pm
content: Don't turn it on, take it apart !

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 03:11:25 pm
content: Quote from: Falkra on October 19, 2016, 03:01:45 pmHere you go!

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 03:14:48 pm
content: Very old vidicon tube based CCTV camera Front knob probably back focus adjust. Input is for genlock to sync multiple cameras for mixing

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 03:15:43 pm
content: Vidicon or similar mono video camera.The lock in is just a video sync in to 'lock' a series of cameras together so you can use a very simple switcher without picture roll.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2016, 03:16:13 pm
content: Its probably monochrome baseband video, unless its from a security system which may use VHF or UHF with AM modulation to allow several cameras to share a single cable.Edit: its not UHF/VHF as there's no modulator.The odds are it will free-run with nothing on the sync input.Check the video out signal on a scope, and if the sync looks right and the whole signal is about 1V Pk-Pk when loaded with 75R, connect it to the composite video in of a TV. You'll need to find it some sort of lens with the right focal length, and an adjustable iris as the performance will be critically dependent on the lighting level.Edit: It looks very '70s, from the style of board layout, types of capacitors and transistor cases and large open frame carbon track presets. It could be '80s but I doubt it. Take a close look at the larger caps - you my find a date code.

author: TheAmmoniacal
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 29, 2016, 04:40:41 pm
content: For the two people in the world who was curious, here's the mugshotDestructive teardown! The best kind! (The device was not working properly, later found out the big cap was dead)