Wiznet makers

"No need for STM or FPGA anymore!"

With just one Ethernet chip, one camera, and one RP-PICO board,
we’ve achieved real-time streaming.

Simple. Powerful. Now anyone can build it.

🔧 Project Overview

This open-source repository demonstrates an embedded video streaming platform using RP2350, HM01B0, and a WIZnet Ethernet chip.
It captures video frames at 320×240 resolution and streams them in real time over UDP.

📦 System Setup

🔄 Operation Flow

1. HM01B0 Camera → Initialized via I2C + 24 MHz MCLK from PWM  
2. RP2350 MCU → Captures YUY2 frame using PIO + DMA  
3. W6300 or W5100S → Streams frame over UDP in chunks  
4. PC Viewer → Reassembles and displays the image in real time

✅ Likely compatible with W5100S, W5500, W6100, and other WIZnet chips

🖥️ Python GUI – WIZnet Stream Viewer

The included Python tool is not just a viewer – it's a fully featured desktop GUI with decoding, saving, and scaling functionality.

🔹 Key Features

❗ Note:
Resolution settings in the Python GUI must match the resolution defined in the C code.
For example, if USE_FRAME_320X240 is set in main.c, the Python GUI should be set to 320x240.

⚙️ Firmware Sequence (C Code)

This project’s core logic revolves around enabling real-time camera capture + streaming on a single RP-PICO board. Here’s a breakdown of what the firmware does:

① System Initialization

Configures the system clock for stable PIO and DMA operation.

Initializes SPI and WIZnet Ethernet chip (e.g., W5500, W6300).

Sets network parameters (IP, MAC, etc.) and opens a UDP socket.

Configures HM01B0 camera over I2C and generates 24 MHz MCLK via PWM.

② Listening for UDP Commands

Waits for incoming UDP commands on port 5000.

On "START" → enters streaming mode.

On "STOP" → exits streaming mode.

③ Capturing Camera Frames

Captures grayscale frame from HM01B0 using DMA.

Converts grayscale to YUY2 format (Y=brightness, U/V=128 fixed).

Total frame size = 320×240×2 = 153,600 bytes.

④ UDP Frame Transmission

Splits the frame into 1532-byte chunks.

Each packet contains a 4-byte header:
Frame ID, Packet ID, Total Packets, Final Packet Flag.

Sends all packets sequentially to the destination IP.

⑤ Real-Time Control

"STOP" command ends streaming.

Resolution is defined via macros in main.c and must match Python GUI.

Future formats like JPEG or MJPEG can be integrated easily.

📂 Folder Structure

rppico-wiznet-camera-streaming/
├── examples/
│   └── WIZnet_Video_Streaming_HM01B0/
│       ├── core/
│       │   └── main.c         ← C-based video streamer
│       └── stream_viewer/
│           └── stream_gui.py  ← Python GUI-based UDP receiver

✅ How to Use

1. Connect the board according to the pinout.

2. Select your board by uncommenting it in the top-level CMakeLists.txt.

# Set board
# set(BOARD_NAME WIZnet_Ethernet_HAT)
# set(BOARD_NAME W5100S_EVB_PICO)

...

...
# set(BOARD_NAME W6100_EVB_PICO2)
 set(BOARD_NAME W6300_EVB_PICO2) // uncommented my board

3.Go to examples/WIZnet_Video_Streaming_HM01B0/core/main.c and choose the resolution:

#define USE_FRAME_320X240
// #define USE_FRAME_160X120

4. Build the project and flash the .uf2 file to your RP-PICO.

5. Run the Python GUI:

6.Press Connect → Start to stream.
Capture PNG or record MP4 directly via buttons.

🎓 Use Cases

🎓 Educational Demos – Learn embedded video streaming architecture

🧪 Debugging Tool – Measure packet loss, frame rate, and more

🔬 Prototype Base – Expand to JPEG, MJPEG, or TCP-based transmission

🧰 Maker Showcase – Demo with real hardware + live visualization

🔗 GitHub Repository

📌 Open Source Project:
👉 https://github.com/theoim/rppico-wiznet-camera-streaming