Kodak DVC325-SC Modification

 

Here are some pics of my SC modification of the Kodak webcam.
The mod was my first and most difficult, due to having 3 pin lifts and 3 pad connections as well.
6 wires in total, to give 2 frame control from K3 or any other Astro capture software.
Steve C gave me a lot of help and info via email. Thanks Steve!

I believe this was the first DVC325 to be successfully modded.
It has a rated lux of 200 in the supplied specs, but I have always doubted this figure.

CCD is the Sharp LZ24BP shown here, removed.

Also, here is a shot of Saturn through my DVC325 SC 

                   
Tests done by me confirm it is in the same sensitivity category as the Vesta and the Toucam.
Whether this is due to the CCD I don't know. NOISE is a different story. The dark frame is a shocker.
I have not done the extra AMP OFF mod or peltier cooling to see if the noise comes down.
I did stick the entire camera in an icebox and got it down to 5C. Hot pixels did drop noticeably.
The Kodak driver is a bit of a bummer. not much control of the things you want to control.

For my mod I used fine transformer wire. This stuff is insulated and can sit side by side with other
wires and not short. To remove the varnish you just apply the iron quickly and it burns away.
A delicate scrape with a scalpel and it will tin straight away.
Once the wires are on the pins and pads, I CAREFULLY bent them back over to the chip and held
them there with a dob of Araldite. Then each wire was shortened and soldered to a bit of Veroboard.
That links to the Mod circuit (4066). The case is homemade, with a homemade bayonet adaptor at front.
The case also has a small CPU fan fitted.