Removing the infrared filter on the Creative Labs VF-0040 webcam
Just bought a Creative Labs VF-0040 webcam from Fry's for about $8. They (and many nicer webcams) are probably available on the web for less, but it was there and I had time.
The resolution is the lowest (CIF?), but it works out of the box in VLC on my Ubuntu 9.10 laptop with the zc3xx driver. Removing the infrared filter wasn't trivial, but it wasn't difficult - take the main case apart, and then unscrew the lens. The filter is sandwiched inside the lens on the side closest to the sensor. To get things apart, I sanded the sensor side of the lens down enough to reveal bare metal and completely remove the glue, and then I gently applied some force on the outside face of the lens with a cue-tip. The retaining washer and circular infrared er then popped out of the lens. The filter came off easily and then I re-assembled the lens with the retaining washer. I haven't bothered to find some exposed 35mm film to make a visible-block filter for it yet, but that seems easy enough.
Next step is to make the beacon and figure which piece of the gazillions of Linux CV/video tracking software to use..
The resolution is the lowest (CIF?), but it works out of the box in VLC on my Ubuntu 9.10 laptop with the zc3xx driver. Removing the infrared filter wasn't trivial, but it wasn't difficult - take the main case apart, and then unscrew the lens. The filter is sandwiched inside the lens on the side closest to the sensor. To get things apart, I sanded the sensor side of the lens down enough to reveal bare metal and completely remove the glue, and then I gently applied some force on the outside face of the lens with a cue-tip. The retaining washer and circular infrared er then popped out of the lens. The filter came off easily and then I re-assembled the lens with the retaining washer. I haven't bothered to find some exposed 35mm film to make a visible-block filter for it yet, but that seems easy enough.
Next step is to make the beacon and figure which piece of the gazillions of Linux CV/video tracking software to use..