TargetTalk

Has anybody tried to build an electronic target system from off the shelf parts?

It's been an interesting project concept for myself as well. However I have too many projects at the moment to kick off yet another.

I'm MOST intrigued by the light curtain approach. LED's and receptors on each of the four edges. The accuracy is far superior than the sonic sensors and the light is unaffected by temperature and humidity.

I'd love to hear about a DIY project in this area. After I'm caught up with my gas engine to electric ATV conversion, build a 2nd one-wire weather station, get the deck build around the hot tub, finishing tiling the edges of my other deck, put the bead-board up around our kitchen island, finish painting the office, I'm going to get started right away on a DIY target system ;-)

Oz

Would a USB camera work on a 35-40 ft cable?
It would not be electronic just a rudimentary visualizing method, but it would beat looking through the scope every shot.
How good is the image of a wireless camera? it comes with its own lighting!
http://www.spygadgets.com/Merchant2/mer ... gory_Code=

Oz wrote:...The accuracy is far superior than the sonic sensors...Oz

Refining the theoretical accuracy of the detection system soon reaches a point where it gets swamped by the mechanical limitations of the physical target such as sensor placement, target face to support structure alignment, tolerances on the target face structure...
Getting a 'practical' accuracy to around 0.1mm is mainly related to the mechanical aspects.

Oz wrote:...and the light is unaffected by temperature and humidity...Oz

As is the self-calibration in the Sius system

paulo wrote:Would a USB camera work on a 35-40 ft cable?
It would not be electronic just a rudimentary visualizing method, but it would beat looking through the scope every shot.
How good is the image of a wireless camera? it comes with its own lighting!
http://www.spygadgets.com/Merchant2/mer ... gory_Code=

You can get wireless usb-usb extenders, or cat5 extenders.

paulo wrote:Would a USB camera work on a 35-40 ft cable?
It would not be electronic just a rudimentary visualizing method, but it would beat looking through the scope every shot.
How good is the image of a wireless camera? it comes with its own lighting!
http://www.spygadgets.com/Merchant2/mer ... gory_Code=

The above would no doubt work, but I suspect it's not enough of an engineering challenge for the OP (s). Replicating a top end electronic target system would be very interesting and no doubt involve some detailed electro-engineering and mechanical knowledge and solutions.

Way too complicated for me though, my engineering skills stopped somewhere between lego and meccano.

Rob.

If all you are doing is LOOKING at the target, either a wireless or a wired webcam/spy camera with a cheap flat screen monitor works well. mine cost $128 for everything including lights, mostly off ebay. I am flooding the target with 1200 LUX light (3 100 watt bulbs in cheap home depot clamp on aluminum reflector light fixtures 3 feet above the target) and had to add a filter to cut the amount of light the camera was seeing, (filter: a piece of 35mm slide film skyscape cut to fit the lens). The wired webcam I have is set up just below the target, about 4 inches away, protected with a 16 ga aluminum shield to keep any stray pellets from damaging the camera. The target fills the 13 in. monitor screen and indicator holes shot into the target are 1/4+ inch dia. on the screen, very easy to see. Mounting the camera at this angle produces a slight oblong picture of the target, but nothing that is a problem. Cheaper than a good scope... so far 6 months no problem, what is the lifetime? I dunno, electronics are cheap. 10K pellets cost more than the camera system I have..... shoot with the system turned on every other target in a series and you can see the difference..(for me, 1-3 points a target higher NOT seeing the scores) set the monitor edge on so you have to stretch to see it, that way you don't learn to snap your eyes to it before you shoot to see the result....

howdy, if it is a simple, but NOT highly accurate, build it yourself system you are looking for...
nuts & volts magazine (google it) has an indoor shooting range KIT, $52.00. It also requires about $50 more in electronic parts.
Their sales description follows:
start:
Build your own indoor shooting range! With a little part customizing for your own weapon and components from your favorite parts house, you'll be firing photon bullets in no time.
The set includes;
1 Target PCB
4 Emitter PCB's
1 Programmed Laser Chip, SMT
1 Target Chip, TH
Includes an article reprint.
full stop.

I have no affiliation with this company/magazine, etc etc..
its' just something I read about and am offering as information for your question.. (somewhere in my vast collections of current and older magazine subscriptions I have the article, as I recall it was useful for a type of dry fire that required a "score" of sorts, the receptor board stores 6 ? (I don't remember) shots and their location/score on a bull)

Would it be possible to scan the article, or give a link?

Seems this thread points at some alternative "methods":

"Virtual shooting" which may end up with SCATT etc. , but also things like Laser shooting along lines marketed by Twinmaster in Germany.
Will this soon be available as an extension of computer games like Wii?

"Real electronic targets" which I have tried, and like a lot.
This may include decimal-scoring, average score, average point of impact etc. One thought: Hewlett Packard once sold a computer touchscreen adapter using a frame with a light grid that you could attach to your screen. I almost bought one of those around 1980: this was before Windows and mice :-)

Web-camera replacing a target-scope, probably quite pleasant, and tempting. Easy with the computer stuff you can buy today, or you could just use an old video-camera and TV monitor :-) .

I guess one has to decide what functions are important before going any further.

paulo wrote:Would a USB camera work on a 35-40 ft cable?
It would not be electronic just a rudimentary visualizing method, but it would beat looking through the scope every shot.
How good is the image of a wireless camera? it comes with its own lighting!
http://www.spygadgets.com/Merchant2/mer ... gory_Code=

USB isn't designed for long distance. Remember USB peripherals are usually powered by the computer, through the USB port. It's a power socket and data port all in one. You might be able to do it if you had a powered USB hub between the lengths of extension cable, but signal attentuation would be severe.
My old club have two USB cameras on a hub in the range that feeds to a monitor in the clubroom. Total distance is probably 4m (12ft) of USB cable, but if the USB hub isn't plugged in to it's mains adaptor, only one of the cameras will work - the USB port at the computer just doesn't produce enough power to drive them at that distance. Beng a very low voltage, the signal attenuates over a very short distance. It's only really designed for desktop peripherals.

You'd be better off with either a network webcam that plugs into the mains (i.e. self powered), and transmits over CAT 5, or as you mentioned, one of those wireless cameras.
Image quality will depend on the camera. Wireless can give very good images, the quality of the camera will be the limiting factor. However, since it will likely be within half a metre of the target, even a low end cam should give an acceptable image.

It appears that this topic has resurfaced because of a spammer.
But for those interested, there are quite few patents on this subject. Some of them are expired.

For example patents EP0354284 and US8570499 would appear to be how meyton and sius optical targets operate.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=pate ... 4284A1.pdf
https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=pate ... 570499.pdf

If it is just a video image of the target you want, attaching a bullet video camera to a LCD monitor is relatively simple. Remove the eyepiece from a spotting scope, remove the lens from the camera, insert, and focus.
Scoring is quite another matter!
I use mine for up to 50', indoors and out, to view .22cal hits. Do not use any old cheap video camera, as you will be disappointed with the quality of the image. For example, here's a good camera:
http://www.supercircuits.com/security-c ... ra-pc338hr

If you are using a splattering type target the color contrast would show much better, for easier viewing. you can find a good selection of theses targets at nothwoodshootingsports.com