Reusing webcam from laptop. Need to figure out the configuration of wires

Question

I'm trying to reuse the webcam of a faulty laptop and getting it to work with my PC. I'd like to connect the webcam to my PC via USB if that's possible.

The laptop was a HP 4530s and the webcams model number is 6047B0021801. Here are the pictures of the webcam:

I really don't know how to check those wires for each their own individual function so any guidance would be quite helpful. I hope this webcam does have an USB interface after all.

Solution

If you can't find a pinout on google, or get one from the hp manuals. Odds are you won't know what this does or be able to interface to it unless you do some serious hacking\ reverse engineering. This isn't going to be an easy project if you don't have a knowledge of how digital electronics work.

Almost every digital interface has power/gnd pins, and some kind of communication bus which in this case could be USB, I2C or SPI being the most likely candidates.

For starters, plug the thing in and figure out which pins are power and ground.

If you have a scope plug it in and look at the digital signals, compare them with waveforms on google of USB and SPI. If the digital lines are always high then odds are its I2C. Determining what the camera module is could also help, which could lead you to a datasheet and that would let you know how its talking to the PC. There might be another chip on the motherboard side so if you can see where the PCB trace goes, you might be able to find the chip on the motherboard. If you just want a camera, this is the wrong way to go about it. If you want to learn a lot about hacking then go for it.

Comments

[Funkyguy]

Possible duplicate of Connecting old webcam via USB

[Eugene Sh.]

There is no reason for it to have USB interface. Can you see it as USB device when connected to the computer? I doubt it.

[cde]

Its almost always usb now a days. But that module also holds two microphones, you can see them at either end. A high res, in focus picture of the back would be helpful too. What does the small chip on the top left say, h8 5GD?

[cde]

The problem with this board is that nothing is labeled, and the chip that's under the white sticker has no leads you can test. AND the board does more than just the Camera. It has the microphone array, and some versions do led flash. Its hard to even suggest what to look for, except maybe power and ground.

[Admin]

That is a low pin count, which also supports the idea that it is USB. Certainly not a parallel interface.

[Admin]

Just guessing, but the pinout would probably include VCC, D+, D-, GND, mic1+, mic1-, GND, mic2+, mic2-. If you could power it up (if the faulty laptop works at all, maybe you could temporarily re-connect to it) it might be possible to figure out which signals are which.

[jippie]

Nearly exact duplicate of: electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/216093/…

[Admin]

I found the service manual for the laptop and it says the webcam module has a part number HP 642795-001. Unfortunately I cannot find a schematic for it.

[Admin]

If you remove the label that has H101P... on it I think you will find a chip underneath it. If you can read the part number from the chip it may help further.