MAKE pal Mr.Bill has a great HOW TO for us on CVS Video Camera Hacking for Macs…Shortly after the cameras became available at my local store, I picked one up for “safekeeping”, not knowing how long they’d be available. I’m glad I did, because progress was being made in finding out exactly what made the new cameras tick, and the Camera Hacking message boards were abuzz with discussions about the software. A week ago, I saw on the MAKE: Blog that someone had finally figured out the final step to getting video off the camera. Time to dig the camera out of the closet- here’s the HOW TO!…Ever since CVS announced their one-time-use video camera, I’d been waiting to see if it was successfully “hacked” like their PV2 single-use digital still camera.
Shortly after the cameras became available at my local store, I picked one up for “safekeeping”, not knowing how long they’d be available. I’m glad I did, because progress was being made in finding out exactly what made the new cameras tick, and the Camera Hacking message boards were abuzz with discussions about the software.
A week ago, I saw on the MAKE: Blog that someone had finally figured out the final step to getting video off the camera. Time to dig the camera out of the closet:
From reading Raymond Kawakami’s PV2 cable instructions (mirrored as a PDF; his web site is down), I knew that I needed a Palm III serial sync cable in order to connect to the camera via USB without opening it up. Luckily, an eBay search found a local vendor, and I had a cable in my hands the next day.
Before I wreak havoc on the cable (all we need is the connector at the end), let’s see what it looks like now..
Not too complicated. Because I hadn’t touched a soldering iron in about fifteen years, I’d bought a basic electronics kit with soldering iron and got some practice in the night before, building a LED blinker.
The first thing I did was cut all of the old serial cables off the connector, and bend the unused pins out of the way.
Then, I cut the “square” end off of an old A-to-B USB cable that I had sitting around, and stripped the wires.
According to Raymond, the pinout from the USB cable to the Palm serial connector looks like this (pins numbered 1-10, starting at the top):
Palm Connector USB Function USB Color
6 +5V Red
8 Data + Green
9 Data – White
10 Ground Black
Ten minutes later, my horrible soldering job was done (remember, I’m new at this) and everything was reassembled. I used packing tape as a pseudo- stress relief to keep wear and tear off my solder joints.
There was only one problem – the connector, as is, won’t fit into the port on top of the camera – its too thick! So, out came the Dremel tool, and I proceeded to get black plastic shavings all over my desk. The end result…
Let’s give it a try… It fits!
Just to be safe, I plugged the cable into my USB hub, instead of directly into the iMac G5. I’m not *that* sure of my soldering abilities just yet.
For the moment of truth.. I fired up System Profiler, clicked the “USB” entry on the left, and there it was!
I ran around the house and took a video of my cats, then proceeded to download them off the camera. First, I tried the process on my Windows machine. I downloaded libusb-win32, and used its wizard to create an .INF file for the camera. Once that file was created, I told XP to use that file as the camera driver when it was plugged in, and pointed it to libusb0.sys (from the libusb distribution) when prompted.
The other piece of software you’ll need is the latest version of the Ops utility.
Once the camera is installed and recognized by Windows, download and extract the Ops software. Run the executable that pertains to the version of libusb that you downloaded. Once the window pops up, you should be able to click “Open Camera”, “Unlock Camera”, and then download the videos off the camera to a location of your choice. You can also reformat/erase the camera after downloading, but it will not reflect “zero space used” until it is power-cycled.
Camera downloading is possible on a Mac as well, but you’ll need to be familiar with building programs from source code and using the command line. First, grab the libusb source code and compile it by extracting the .tar.gz file, changing to the source code directory, and then doing “./configure; make; make install” as root. Then, you’ll want to grab cmstar’s port of SaturnDownload to OS X. Running the application, you’ll get a simple window with a “Download” button.
Videos from the camera are in XviD format. I’ve posted some sample videos here . Filenames ending in “.divx.avi” are DivX format, where I used ffmpegX on OS X to convert the XviD movies to DivX. Files ending in “.avi” are “raw” XviD from the camera.
Resources:
68 thoughts on “HOW TO CVS Video Camera Hacking for PC & Macs”
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That’s cool,
Me and my friend Russ did this one different. We opened up our cameras and hacked out a hole for a USB “b” female connector in the side of the case opposite the lens where there is plenty of room inside for one. We soldered wire from the connector straight to the contacts on the circut board, put em back together and now we can use any normal USB a to b cable to transfer the video. :)
Johnny: one of my coworkers did the same thing; I didn’t get any pictures of his work though. I’m not confident enough yet to solder directly to the connector on the camera like he did. 8-)
Johnny_Action:
What did you have to do to open up the camera?
Jesus get some audio in those videos! The very faint breathing sounds and total lack of commentary makes it seem like I’ve come across some sort of stalker video. ;)
btw cute dog.
There’s a new camera that has showed up in the CVS stores, that is visibly darker… Has a larger RED record button, and a smaller front RED light indicating it’s recording. This camera does not work with the current hacks. CVS must have had these just waiting for a hack on the first ones..
This thing really works. Modified the I/O using a mini DIN connector that mounts in the side of the left side of the case (facing camera lens). Hacked up on old USB cable to make a DIN to USB interface cable. Not the most beautiful thing in the world but there are so many old cables lying around why spend more money.
Does this thing take AA batteries, or do you need a charger?
I have built a cable using the palm III and am able to download movies from the camera. They are listed as Movie_0001.avi with a 0 K size. They will not play.
The camera info is: FW ver 3.40 and the PCB ver is B1.
I have tried several of the different versions of Ops_libusb-0.1.10.1.exe and other things I have downloaded, and still can’t view any of the movies. Is there a complete “idiots” step-by-step guide of exactly what is needed for use with the model camera I have?
Does anyone have any sugestions? email redbeard263@earthlink.net please. Thanks from OldRedBeard
Does anyone know if the CVS one-time use video cameras are still able to be hacked. I see all the posts from the summer and early fall of this year, and now it is December, I want to know before I go and buy one. Thanks…
Damn, works like a charm!
I’ve been hanging on to this camera since August waiting for a useable hack. Hats off to all who made this possible, I knew it was just a matter of time!
Damn, works like a charm!
I’ve been hanging on to this camera since August waiting for a useable hack. Hats off to all who made this possible, I knew it was just a matter of time!
INFORMATION FROM NEW RITZ-RED PV2
FIRMWARE 6550
HARDWARE 06
TYPEID 2B
CMP TYPEID 2B
ID DB1051600043
REALM ID 16
I SUPPOSE THE NEXT QUESTION ANYONE WILL HAVE IS WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HACKING A VIDEO CAMCORDER IF IT IS NOT DISPOSABLE. THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. THE MEMORY USED ALLOWS BOTH UPLOADING AND DOWNLOADING OF VIDEO FILES. WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO SPEND FOUR TIMES AS MUCH ON THE NEW VERSION OF PURE DIGITAL CAMCORDER, WHEN IT IS A FEATURE THAT THE MERCHANDISING PUNDITS SAY YOU CAN DO TO YOUR TV SET DIRECT FROM THE CAMERA. THE CAMERA, OF COURSE HAS ITS OWN TV VIEWING SCREEN.
Hope someone can help me with this problem.
I purchased a CVS digital video camera, made the USB cable and downloaded and installed the software.
The computer/program sees the CVS camera but it will not unlock the camera.
I hope someone can please, explain to me why it is not working and tell me how to fix it.
Thanks in advance.
Rene R. rener@gis.net
Hope someone can help me with this problem.
I purchased a CVS digital video camera, made the USB cable and downloaded and installed the software.
The computer/program sees the CVS camera but it will not unlock the camera.
I hope someone can please, explain to me why it is not working and tell me how to fix it.
Thanks in advance.
Rene R. rener@gis.net
I purchased what I think is the same camera at Rite-Aid. I used a handheld docking stations M105? and the plug/circuit board seems to fit snug (If you cut the extra plastic off, the camera sits upside down on the dock!)
I used the appropriate ciruit board holes 6, 8,9,10.
Neither a pc or mac sees the device. I’ll check my connections with a meter.
Any thoughts.
Oh, any more details on the drivers. Im not familiar with software at this level…
Here is a link to a site that links to the CronusKey.rar file which can help unlock the camera. Refer to camerahacks.com for more info and of course the READ ME files.
http://drknife.com/macbook/index.php?itemid=10
I just purchased the CVS camcorder. The firmware version is 23.82 and the PCB ver is B3. I’ve been reading about putting this guts of this camera into a model rocket. Can this version of the camcorder still be hacked? If so, where is the software I should d/l to get the vidoes off the camera?
–Scott
I have a CVS camcorder:
The FW ver; 33.19
Camera ID: GD3061200617
PCB Ver: B1
Can this camera be hacked and if so,what version of software do I use to dowvload the video’s?
Hey, newbee here. I think I have the correct camera and I did the software thing and it shows
FW version 53.12
Realm = 20
PCB = A3
It looks just like the one posted light grey, so it looks like the duck but will it walk like a duck…ha ha
I have an old palm3 cable and can solder fairly well.
Will this one be able to download????
Please help the new guy. Thanks all.
Hey, newbee here. I think I have the correct camera and I did the software thing and it shows
FW version 53.12
Realm = 20
PCB = A3
It looks just like the one posted light grey, so it looks like the duck but will it walk like a duck…ha ha
I have an old palm3 cable and can solder fairly well.
Will this one be able to download????
Please help the new guy. Thanks all.
where can I find step by step guide to making the cable?
I have the serial sync cable for palm3. What end will go to the camera? the already made side that goes to the PDA or the other end that you end up making, or do both ends need to be re-wired.
Thanks for your help to the newbee
I cant find the Ops utility. I think the link is broken. Can someone find it and post it I have searched google.
thanks
rich
where can i find the ops utility?
ok i did the usblib thing and made a file, btw it wont let you rename the file or else it give you a curruption error. So I made the inf file your_file.inf. I went to hardware manager and right clicked on the unknown usb device and navigated to the folder i put it in and it wont recognize that its there. What am I doing wrong? I really want to get this to work.
Hey all, hope your’re having better luck than I am…but by the looks of it, no. Well I made the cable and tested it on my laptop, which it saw the camera, named Saturn. I tried the programs but cant really get it to work. I need the driver, and theres the semi-unexplained section about creating the .inf file…which I do not understand how to do. Ive reached the point at which it is over my head haha. Any one get around this issue? Wizard comes up but, obviously, there arent any drivers for it.
Hope you all have some luck with the newer versions (mine is pcb ver: DC-6910 A3…whatever that means and FW version: 53.12). Hopefully a new hack will come out for the newer versions, or atleast the drivers for the PV cameras. Until then Ill probably hang onto it.
Hi everyone thankful to have found this!!! I bought the rite aid camcorder in january and for some reason I knew it would end up being hacked. This is awesome because I really dont believe rite-aid when they tell me that my videos “would never be kept on file” or that “we respect our customers right to privacy”. Plus I am a big cheapskate so having a thirty dollar reusable camcorder that I bought with a check that bounced on purpose is a very satisfying thing.
Ohk, so the newer version isnt easily hackable…yet. Does anyone know where to buy the older hackable version? Perhaps there is a website? I dont think the stores will have any because they come and go pretty easily (plus I highly doubt they’d know which is which). Really anxious to get this working…how’s the video quality and resolution? I know it’s in VGA format but I seen great and horrible video quality in this form.
Model 200, 220, & 230 are hackable. If you would rather buy a cable look on ebay, search CVS CAMCORDER and cables will be there.
Great to see someone got this working and I enjoy seeing the smarts that went into this.
For some of us, we are lazy and cheap and for those of us who are looking for the quick and cheap way… The manufacture often has a $30 rebate on the reusable version with flip out USB included. I got mine at the local Jewel Grocery store which is part of Albertsons. Have seen them since then at COSTCO as well. Yes, this could be a joy killer for someone bent on making their own version. However, may be some who are reading this would like to know of an option to just mail off for that rebate and have a version with a warranty for less effort than this project.
Make it own it.
Seems like a pricey experiment to me. $30 for the camera, $15-$20 for the cable… After reading all of the feedback above, seems like a lot of people not able to get things to work. I bought a camera but, i will be returning it. I can’t afford to throw away $40-$50. This project is too risky IMHO.
As someone else has asked, will this break down into small enough pieces to fit inside a model rocket ?
Tnx, Dave
dcannell @@@ freeshell … org
Has already been done. Can’t remember the site off the top of my head but I found a guy who used a hacked cvs camcorder as the payload for a bunch of rockets. Awesome footage I must say. Seems the camera held up pretty well too.
Google it.
Can you also upload video back to the camera?
Thanks,
Bill