TI-H: TI-85/86 as a LANC editing controller

[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

TI-H: TI-85/86 as a LANC editing controller


What do you think of this:

Practically all Sony camcorders have a 2.5mm LANC editing 
connector jack. It can be used for synchronized editing, 
remote controlling the camcorder or even accessing hidden 
service mode features.

Both the physical LANC connector and the voltages seem to 
be the same as found in Texas Instruments TI-85 graphical 
calculator's link connector/cable. As a matter of fact, a 
standard TI-85 link cable works fine as a LANC edit 
controller cable and vice versa. 

Now, would it be possible to program TI-85 (or any of the 
other TI calculators which feature the same connector) to 
function as a LANC device - i.e. as a replacement for e.g. 
Sony's own RM-95 service remote controller or - even better
 - as an advanced, programmable remote for storing/replaying 
different macros and automagical functions with the camera? 

It is possible to control practically all camera functions
via the LANC connector.

There would be many useful purposes for this kind of hack:

 - enabling the DV-in, CVBS-in and S-Video-in recording 
   functions and other hidden functionality on those 
   cameras that have had these features disabled in 
   the factory 

 - controlling an ordinary camera to take still pictures,
   say, once a minute (to produce nice clips of fast-moving 
   clouds, flowers that open in the morning etc).

 - controlling focus, zoom and white balance functions 
   more accurately (some cameras do not have a manual 
   white balance setting although they can be fully 
   controlled via LANC as if they had)

 - using the calculator as a preset memory (or macro 
   storage and playback device)

 - using the calculator as a record button (that is 
   missing from some models - or more specifically,
   not implemented in their IR remotes) for recording
   material into the camera via the A/V connectors.

Programs that control the TI link connector (i.e. duel games) 
have already been made. But is the Z80 CPU in TI-85/86 fast 
enough for LANC protocol? Are the connectors really 
electrically compatible? Would this be a feasible project 
for researching? Has anyone here done any link connector 
programming? 

LANC-related links:

 <http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/handycam/other/faq.html#33>
 <http://home.t-online.de/home/mb.koenig/lanc.htm>
 <http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~adv3/lanc/lanc.htm>
 <http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/1104/features5.html>
 <http://perso.libertysurf.fr/dvin/>
 <http://www.lynxdv.co.uk/sites/lynxdv/pc95.asp>
 <http://www.cis.tu-graz.ac.at/wb/dvin/>

 -- znark