Computer Based Systems for SSTV

These days most people are using personal computers instead of dedicated scan converters for SSTV. Advantages are:

In this chapter we will briefly examine commercial systems which use a personal computer. The numerous shareware/free programs are not covered here because they are covered in detail many other places.

Note that in all cases you need some extra hardware for the audio interface between the computer and transceiver. Various systems use an internal card which fits inside the computer, an external interface connected to a serial or printer port, or a Sound Blaster card.

The information in this chapter gathered mostly from manufacters' literature. Amount of coverage depends on how much information they sent when I told them I wanted material for a handbook. In the cases they didn't respond at all I had to scrape together bits and pieces from ads and other sources.

Where do I plug in my camcorder?

This is a very common question. None of the PC-based SSTV systems have built-in video input. You will need a separate device, called a frame grabber or image capture card, if you want to capture video from a camera or VCR.


In alphabetical order:

The AVT Master is for the Amiga computer. Everything else is for the IBM PC.

Related Software:


AVT Master (discontinued)

The AVT Master system was the first comprehensive computer based system for SSTV and WEFAX. It was developed by Ben Blish/Williams AA7AS and later manufactured by AEA. It is composed of an interface that attaches to the parallel port and software.

It has images with up to 4096 colors, about 55 different transmission modes, builtin graphics editor, text generation, image processing techniques to clean up noisy pictures, and loads of other features.

It was discontinued Fall 1993 when AEA dropped all of its Amateur Television products and the Amiga waned in popularity

Product review in 73 Amateur Radio, July 1989.

Software updates are still available from Blackbelt Systems.


MFJ-1278B

The MFJ-1278B is a multi-mode controller for packet radio, RTTY, AMTOR, Morse code, etc. It is also capable of SSTV with the optional Multicom software.

Transmit and Receive Modes:

MFJ Enterprises, Inc.
P.O. Box 494
Mississippi State, MS 39762


Pasokon TV Classic

Click on a small image to see full size screen shot.

Version 2, 640 x 480 screen.

Version 3, 800 x 600 screen.

The Hardware

This interface fits into the expansion slot of a PC.

The Software

Minimum Computer System Requirements

See article in January 1993 issue of QST for more details.

Ordering information.


Pasokon TV Lite

The Hardware

Uses same type of interface as most of the shareware/free SSTV programs. Available from numerous sources or build your own with a few cheap readily available components.

This type of interface is not available from Absolute Value Systems at this time.

The Software

Essentially the same as Paskon TV Classic, above.

A free reduced functionality version is available.

Minimum Computer System Requirements

Same as Pasokon TV Classic except it uses a cheap interface connected to a serial port instead of an internal card.

Additional information from manufacturer.

Ordering information.


PC SSTV 5.0

Two compact modules (one for transmit, one for receive) connect to to a serial port.

Transmit and Receive Modes:

Minimum Computer System Requirements:

Software Systems Consulting
615 S. El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672


Blaster SSTV

Click on this small image to see full size screen shot.

Now you can send and receive color Slow Scan TV with the Sound Blaster. It is a very inexpensive way to get into Slow Scan TV, even if you have to buy the Sound Blaster compatible card! And the great part is that the Sound Blaster has so many other uses.

Color Slow Scan has many different modes of Slow Scan TV including popular color modes that view in color on your VGA monitor. Slow Scan TV is found every weekend on 14.230 MHz (most common) with many pictures being sent back and forth. Now you can join them, see what they are sending and and send your own pictures as well. Pictures can be saved to .PCX format for later viewing and using other paintbrush programs. Saving to the .VOC format will allow you to resend the picture to others. You can also make a .VOC file from your own .PCX pictures so you can send them as well! Although it is very easy to use, a built in help mode will answer questions.

New features!

Hook up is very easy. To receive, all you need to do is connect the speaker out of your reciever to the mike input of the Sound Blaster. For transmitting, hook one channel of the stereo out of the Sound Blaster to the mike input of your transmitter.

For more information, contact:

Harlan Technologies
5931 Alma Dr.
Rockford, IL 61108
815-398-2683

An earlier version of this software was described in the May 1993 issue of QEX.

Additional information from manufacturer.


SSTV Explorer

This is a low cost receive-only version of Pasokon TV version 2 which uses a compact demodulator that plugs into a serial port.

Receive Modes:

Most other features are the same as Pasokon TV, described earlier.

Product review in QST, April 1994.

Radioware Corp.
P.O. Box 1478
Westford, MA 01886


ViewPort VGA

This is an external interface that connects to the printer port.

Receive Modes:

Transmit Modes:

Minimum Computer System Requirements:

See article by KA2PYJ in August 1992 issue of 73 Magazine for more details. The software is shareware and available on the Cookie BBS at (419) 562 6327.

A & A Engineering
2521 West LaPalma, Unit K
Anaheim, CA 92801


WinPixPro

This is a Microsoft Windows based program that uses the computer's sound capabilities to transmit and receive SSTV.

SSTV Modes:

Computer System Requirements:

G.V. Associates Inc.
2440 Hamline Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55113

Additional information from manufacturer.


Hi Res 32

HIRES32 is an Image Processing, editing, and Paint program all wrapped in one. It can do more things to a Slow Scan image than you can imagine, and it can do them very fast while your QSO is going on. How would you like to be able to receive a picture, and in just seconds, send the picture back to the originating station with his/her image wrapped around a ball or wineglass, and your "Replayed by [Call Sign]" graphic on the image? Sound Amazing? It is!

It is the only program on the market today which is designed especially for SSTV and the new Pasokon TV system. HIRES32 is designed to work only in 32,768 colors, using special graphic video drivers. These drivers must be compatible with your video graphics adapter (SVGA) card, in order for HIRES32 to function. A video card test disk is available, which will test your SVGA card and mouse driver software for compatibility with these special drivers. Before purchasing the HIRES32 software, you must run this test disk.

For more details, contact:

Tom Jenkins N9AMR
5968 S. Keystone Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46227

Additional information from manufacturer.

Extra fonts can be found at http://www.d-shore.demon.co.uk/Fonts.htm and transparencies can be found at http://members.aol.com/jpritch638/bob/bob2.htm


HiScan

Click on this small image to see full size screen shot.

The HiScan program runs with the ViewPort VGA interface from A&A. Modes for Receive and Transmit:

Minimum Computer System Requirements:

The program has a windows like appearence (not mouse driven) , menudriven and easy to use. Thumbnail pages for easy access to pictures, with automatic/manual saving of received picture.

Further information from:

Leif Lundskov (OZ2LW)
Valmuevej 12
DK-8382 Hinnerup
Denmark
Europe

PBBS oz2lw@oz8pac.jyl.aau.dnk.eu
e-mail lelu@retsmedicin.aau.dk


Home Page. Next Chapter.
(C) Copyright 1995 John Langner.

JohnL@world.std.com