Mitsubishi Camcorder pinout

[PJ]

Hi folks.

This may well be the wrong group for this question - appropriate redirection welcome, but UK.DIY-ers seem willing to have a go at most things, so...

We've been given an old-ish analog mini-VHS-tape-thing Mitsubishi HS-CX1(B) camcorder, minus manual. On the rear of the unit there is a mini DIN type socket into which plugs a small box on a flying lead which provides modulated UHF I/O for picture/audio - just plug into the antenna socket of any TV/video...

However, I want an unmodulated composite video out. There are, I think, more pins on the camcorder socket than would be required to provide what I/O we have - I'm wondering if it's possible to get composite video + sound from some of the others? Does anyone have a pinout for this device?

It appears that manuals are available for this device, but at a price... :(

TIA.

PJ.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

5GBP is not really that much?

[PJ]

If it doesn't contain the info I want, yes...

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Ha! yes sorry you want the service manual rather than the operators manual.

Just had a look its 38GBP that is a bit much for an camera thats now extinct.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Might as well post this site could be usefull for anyone needing a service manual.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Can you open up the modulator and trace the wiring? Since it's a camcorder, I'd expect it only to carry composite video, stereo sound and possibly power for the modulator. But it may only provide sound when playing back.

Earlier cameras which plugged into a separate recorder also had power and control circuits on IIRC a 10 way. I've got the pin out for those. ;-)

[PJ]

That's plan B. Here goes...

... later.

Four wires terminating at a socket on the modulator PCB. Each pin is labeled on the PCB, although the labels are partially obscured by the socket. They appear to read (with corresponding wire colours):

A (Red)

G (Brown)

V (White)

B (Black)

There's another line of text above - it starts with a triangular symbol, and then reads, "MTM-1OV-O". I don't know if the '1', and 'O' are letters or digits. I can trace each wire through to a corresponding pin on the DIN type connector (it's unlike any I've seen before - PS2-ish in size, three keys at 120deg intervals (one larger than the other two), eight pins arranged in a circular pattern).

Stereo sound may be a bit much... :)

The modulator unit is identified as a Mitsubishi DAR-M1EB. It claims an input voltage of 5VDC, 35mA. It also boasts something called an "I/G system select switch", whatever one of those is... :/

I don't mind that. I'm just not so keen on blowing my video card up by plugging the wrong thing into it...

Thanks.

PJ.

[Bart]

Composite video would be around 1 volt maximum voltage. Connect a voltmeter between ground and each pin in turn looking for something between 0.3 and 1V that varies with picture content. That might be video out. Audio might need trial and error connection.

[Sparks]

Do you have a multi-meter?

If so, connect the cable to the camera turn on camera and play a tape (or put it into camera mode!)

Now poke the connections inside the modulator and look for the 5v It's probably on Red and Black now measure the -ve from the 5v to the other two connections, one of them will show about 1v (varying) this is your video signal - the last one is audio :-)

My guess would be...

A (Red) - +5v

G (Brown) - Audio

V (White) - Video

B (Black) - Ground

But you won't know unless you poke it :-)

Sparks...

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

[Owain]

Different PAL versions?

Owain

[PJ]

Yup. Fluke.

Okay. Will try. *Slightly* concerned about killing the camera, but...

... later.

Okay, I get nigh on +5v (+4.96v) on Black with Red as ground. Still with Red as ground, I get between +0.75v and +1v on white, fluctuating between the two values as I put my hand over the lens and then remove it.

So my video signal is on Red/White? My PC's video card has an RCA (phono) input for composite video - Red to the ring and White to the tip?

Any other precautions before hooking it up?

Ahh. As with so many things... :)

Thanks.

PJ.

[PJ]

Could be. The modulator has two coax connections - "OUT TO TV", and "IN FROM ANT", which I assume are just for patching into an existing UHF feed. There's also a channel tuner, labeled "32 - 40", which I assume is for setting the output frequency of the modulator, and the "I G" switch...

PJ.

[Sparks]

Yup, sounds good to me! Slightly odd that the 0v is red - you definatly got the meter's probes in the correct holes!?

Not really, just dont short the 5v to anything! The brown has to be audio, so you may as well hook that in too!

Sparks...

[PJ]

Yup. Appeared odd to me too, so I double-checked. Black probe in the "COM" socket of the multimeter, to the black wire, and the red probe in the "+" socket, to the red wire, gave me "-4.96", on the multimeter.

Cool. I'm assuming I'm going to end up hacking this cable - the connector manufacturer is Mogami, but I've yet to find anything retail on either RS, or Mogani's own website (which doesn't appear to work too well). Ho-hum...

Thanks.

PJ.

[Sparks]

Looks like that's what it is then! (You could just triple chsck and measure a known source like a battery!)

Is this connector an 8 pin one, with a notches at...

12 o'clock (Between pin 1 and 8) 5 o'clock (Between pin 3 and 4) 7 o'clock (Between pin 5 and 6)

Do you have a photo of the connector?

Sparks...

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

I'd of thought white(signal) and black(ground) would have given you the signal?

Hey up 5v+ to the card I smell smoke. :-(

[PJ]

That sounds like the one...

Try:

... to give you some indication of scale, the external diameter of the ring around the pins measures 9.55mm with my digital calipers.

Thanks.

PJ.

[Sparks]

:-) I have one on my old old old Ferguson Video VHS-C camera :-)

On mine, if you look at the connector on the cable, with the biggest notch at the top, going clockwise, assuming the pin at 1 o'clock is pin 1...

Audio + = 3 Audio - = 5 Video + = 8 Video + = 7

• meaning the centre pin on an RCA plug, and - meaning the screen.

Sparks...

[PJ]

Ahh. But do you know where to get new ones that I can make up into my own cable?

Did you mean to write two plusses for the video, on both pins 8 and 7? If you did, I'm having a failure of understanding... :)

Thnaks.

PJ.