Cromenco digital camera using Mostek MK4008p-9 as sensor

Post new topic   Reply to topic    CPU-World.com forums Forum Index -> Vintage Chips
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Williac



Joined: 25 Feb 2022
Posts: 933
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2023 7:21 pm    Post subject: Cromenco digital camera using Mostek MK4008p-9 as sensor Reply with quote

Found this whole looking for info on the MK4008p. Apparently you could delid them and use them as image sensors?

Rudimentary digital camera on a S100 bus machine. Wild.

http://wsudbrink.dyndns.org:8080/cyclops/index.html
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message  
LSM



Joined: 08 Dec 2014
Posts: 70
Location: Denmark

PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 12:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes indeed. The Cromemco Cyclops was a very early digital camera that was introduced in 1975. It used a 1K RAM chip. I've been looking for the camera for a while but they only rarely turn up for sale.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message  
Williac



Joined: 25 Feb 2022
Posts: 933
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 1:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It’s pretty crazy to see that the die from a CMOS RAM chip can be used as a sensor. The link I visited actually was for a gentleman that built a compatible camera from scratch using original components and a custom fanned PCB that mirrors the original spec.

He’s even got the schematics and kicad files if anyone wants to give it a go.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message  
yy2013



Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Posts: 739
Location: Nagoya, Japan

PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2023 5:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Extremely interesting!

By the way, I think MK4008P is an NMOS dynamic RAM chip. Maybe the charge in the dynamic RAM cell is unstable enough to be affected by incoming light.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message  
berni



Joined: 17 May 2011
Posts: 59
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2023 4:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I remember correct, I've seen an article in the German ELEKTRONIK magazne how to build a camera out of decapped DRAM chip and some PALs. I think it has been in the late 80's...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message  
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    CPU-World.com forums Forum Index -> Vintage Chips All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1
Jump to:  
You can post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum

Powered by phpBB © 2001 phpBB Group