Introduction

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CircuitPython module for use with the VC0706 serial TTL camera. Allows basic image capture and download of image data from the camera over a serial connection. See examples for demo of saving image to a SD card (must be wired up separately) or internally.

Dependencies

This driver depends on:

Please ensure all dependencies are available on the CircuitPython filesystem. This is easily achieved by downloading the Adafruit library and driver bundle.

Installing from PyPI

On supported GNU/Linux systems like the Raspberry Pi, you can install the driver locally from PyPI. To install for current user:

pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-vc0706

To install system-wide (this may be required in some cases):

sudo pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-vc0706

To install in a virtual environment in your current project:

mkdir project-name && cd project-name
python3 -m venv .env
source .env/bin/activate
pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-vc0706

Usage Example

See examples/snapshot.py.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please read our Code of Conduct before contributing to help this project stay welcoming.

Documentation

For information on building library documentation, please check out this guide.

Table of Contents

Simple test

Ensure your device works with this simple test.

examples/vc0706_snapshot_filesystem.py
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"""VC0706 image capture to local storage.
You must wire up the VC0706 to a USB or hardware serial port.
Primarily for use with Linux/Raspberry Pi but also can work with Mac/Windows"""

import time
import busio
import board
import adafruit_vc0706

# Set this to the full path to the file name to save the captured image. WILL OVERWRITE!
# CircuitPython internal filesystem configuration:
IMAGE_FILE = '/image.jpg'
# USB to serial adapter configuration:
# IMAGE_FILE = 'image.jpg'  # Full path to file name to save captured image. Will overwrite!
# Raspberry Pi configuration:
# IMAGE_FILE = '/home/pi/image.jpg'  # Full path to file name to save image. Will overwrite!


# Create a serial connection for the VC0706 connection.
uart = busio.UART(board.TX, board.RX, baudrate=115200, timeout=0.25)
# Update the serial port name to match the serial connection for the camera!
# For use with USB to serial adapter:
# import serial
# uart = serial.Serial("/dev/ttyUSB0", baudrate=115200, timeout=0.25)
# For use with Raspberry Pi:
# import serial
# uart = serial.Serial("/dev/ttyS0", baudrate=115200, timeout=0.25)

# Setup VC0706 camera
vc0706 = adafruit_vc0706.VC0706(uart)

# Print the version string from the camera.
print('VC0706 version:')
print(vc0706.version)

# Set the image size.
vc0706.image_size = adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_640x480
# Or set IMAGE_SIZE_320x240 or IMAGE_SIZE_160x120

# Note you can also read the property and compare against those values to
# see the current size:
size = vc0706.image_size
if size == adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_640x480:
    print('Using 640x480 size image.')
elif size == adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_320x240:
    print('Using 320x240 size image.')
elif size == adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_160x120:
    print('Using 160x120 size image.')

# Take a picture.
print('Taking a picture in 3 seconds...')
time.sleep(3)
print('SNAP!')
if not vc0706.take_picture():
    raise RuntimeError('Failed to take picture!')

# Print size of picture in bytes.
frame_length = vc0706.frame_length
print('Picture size (bytes): {}'.format(frame_length))

# Open a file for writing (overwriting it if necessary).
# This will write 50 bytes at a time using a small buffer.
# You MUST keep the buffer size under 100!
print('Writing image: {}'.format(IMAGE_FILE), end='', flush=True)
stamp = time.monotonic()
with open(IMAGE_FILE, 'wb') as outfile:
    wcount = 0
    while frame_length > 0:
        t = time.monotonic()
        # Compute how much data is left to read as the lesser of remaining bytes
        # or the copy buffer size (32 bytes at a time).  Buffer size MUST be
        # a multiple of 4 and under 100.  Stick with 32!
        to_read = min(frame_length, 32)
        copy_buffer = bytearray(to_read)
        # Read picture data into the copy buffer.
        if vc0706.read_picture_into(copy_buffer) == 0:
            raise RuntimeError('Failed to read picture frame data!')
        # Write the data to SD card file and decrement remaining bytes.
        outfile.write(copy_buffer)
        frame_length -= 32
        # Print a dot every 2k bytes to show progress.
        wcount += 1
        if wcount >= 64:
            print('.', end='', flush=True)
            wcount = 0
print()
print('Finished in %0.1f seconds!' % (time.monotonic() - stamp))
examples/vc0706_snapshot_simpletest.py
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"""VC0706 image capture to SD card demo.
You must wire up the VC0706 to the board's serial port, and a SD card holder
to the board's SPI bus.  Use the Feather M0 Adalogger as it includes a SD
card holder pre-wired to the board--this sketch is setup to use the Adalogger!
In addition you MUST also install the following dependent SD card library:
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_SD
See the guide here for more details on using SD cards with CircuitPython:
https://learn.adafruit.com/micropython-hardware-sd-cards"""

import time

import board
import busio
import digitalio
import storage

import adafruit_sdcard
import adafruit_vc0706


# Configuration:
SD_CS_PIN = board.D10  # CS for SD card (SD_CS is for Feather Adalogger)
IMAGE_FILE = '/sd/image.jpg'  # Full path to file name to save captured image.
                              # Will overwrite!

# Setup SPI bus (hardware SPI).
spi = busio.SPI(board.SCK, MOSI=board.MOSI, MISO=board.MISO)

# Setup SD card and mount it in the filesystem.
sd_cs = digitalio.DigitalInOut(SD_CS_PIN)
sdcard = adafruit_sdcard.SDCard(spi, sd_cs)
vfs = storage.VfsFat(sdcard)
storage.mount(vfs, '/sd')

# Create a serial connection for the VC0706 connection, speed is auto-detected.
uart = busio.UART(board.TX, board.RX, timeout=250)
# Setup VC0706 camera
vc0706 = adafruit_vc0706.VC0706(uart)

# Print the version string from the camera.
print('VC0706 version:')
print(vc0706.version)

# Set the baud rate to 115200 for fastest transfer (its the max speed)
vc0706.baudrate = 115200

# Set the image size.
vc0706.image_size = adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_640x480 # Or set IMAGE_SIZE_320x240 or
                                                       # IMAGE_SIZE_160x120
# Note you can also read the property and compare against those values to
# see the current size:
size = vc0706.image_size
if size == adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_640x480:
    print('Using 640x480 size image.')
elif size == adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_320x240:
    print('Using 320x240 size image.')
elif size == adafruit_vc0706.IMAGE_SIZE_160x120:
    print('Using 160x120 size image.')

# Take a picture.
print('Taking a picture in 3 seconds...')
time.sleep(3)
print('SNAP!')
if not vc0706.take_picture():
    raise RuntimeError('Failed to take picture!')

# Print size of picture in bytes.
frame_length = vc0706.frame_length
print('Picture size (bytes): {}'.format(frame_length))

# Open a file for writing (overwriting it if necessary).
# This will write 50 bytes at a time using a small buffer.
# You MUST keep the buffer size under 100!
print('Writing image: {}'.format(IMAGE_FILE), end='')
with open(IMAGE_FILE, 'wb') as outfile:
    wcount = 0
    while frame_length > 0:
        # Compute how much data is left to read as the lesser of remaining bytes
        # or the copy buffer size (32 bytes at a time).  Buffer size MUST be
        # a multiple of 4 and under 100.  Stick with 32!
        to_read = min(frame_length, 32)
        copy_buffer = bytearray(to_read)
        # Read picture data into the copy buffer.
        if vc0706.read_picture_into(copy_buffer) == 0:
            raise RuntimeError('Failed to read picture frame data!')
        # Write the data to SD card file and decrement remaining bytes.
        outfile.write(copy_buffer)
        frame_length -= 32
        # Print a dot every 2k bytes to show progress.
        wcount += 1
        if wcount >= 64:
            print('.', end='')
            wcount = 0
print()
print('Finished!')

adafruit_vc0706

VC0706 serial TTL camera module. Allows basic image capture and download of image data from the camera over a serial connection. See examples for demo of saving image to a SD card (must be wired up separately).

  • Author(s): Tony DiCola

Implementation Notes

Hardware:

Software and Dependencies:

class adafruit_vc0706.VC0706(uart, *, buffer_size=100)[source]

Driver for VC0706 serial TTL camera module. :param ~busio.UART uart: uart serial or compatible interface :param int buffer_size: Receive buffer size

baudrate

Return the currently configured baud rate.

frame_length

Return the length in bytes of the currently capture frame/picture.

image_size

Get the current image size, will return a value of IMAGE_SIZE_640x480, IMAGE_SIZE_320x240, or IMAGE_SIZE_160x120.

read_picture_into(buf)[source]

Read the next bytes of frame/picture data into the provided buffer. Returns the number of bytes written to the buffer (might be less than the size of the buffer). Buffer MUST be a multiple of 4 and 100 or less. Suggested buffer size is 32.

take_picture()[source]

Tell the camera to take a picture. Returns True if successful.

version

Return camera version byte string.

Indices and tables