Making a tiny endoscope from a webcam

Aug 21, 2009 2 Replies
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Anyone successfully removed a glass fronted ball-grid-array CCD from a webcam and extended out. The one I was looking at is a CCD 4mm square with



6x6 BGA array , 0.5mm spacing of contacts. I can get some loops of 0.12mm nichrome wire under the chip to help lift off, when heated on the other side of the multilayer board. Only a couple of SM Rs on the other side and easy to focus heat on the approx 4mm or so square patch of the other side. Assuming it could be removed without damage to chip or traces, what would be the limitations of extension wiring? inches or feet? Would a blast of freezer spray on the CCD damage it , before applying heat on reverse. ?


-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

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Anyone know the function of the relatively large square piece of coated glass behind the tiny lens. ? UV filter ?, colour corrector? maybe the (so far) unseen face is curved and a compound lens, unlikely as square. I'm assuming that to remove it, to make easier fitting into some sort of smaller barrel, would be of no great significance.

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as it has a reddish coating it is probably an IR filter so removing should not only be ok but could have added (non endoscope) functionality , for hotspot location. eg blink comparator imaging of same board and position , one powered other unpowered.

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