in car video question

P

powerslide91

New member
Is anyone using more than one lipstick cam for their incar footage? I have just decieded to step up to a CCD camera system and would really like to have the main cam pointed out the front and a pic in pic of a cam facing out the rear of the car. Does anyone know of a mixer box that can run off the cars voltage to do pic in pic?

Thanks,
Jeff
 
I'd like to expand the question a little to include suggestions for all hardware bits that provide a good value - cost-to-performance - for in-car video. We are kid-free so I'm probably the only 40+ guy in the US without a camcorder.
smile.gif


K

Edit - On the heels of our fun with the DL-1, I was thinking something like this might be useful...

http://www.pimall.com/nais/dvr6.html
 
Hey K,

Here is another option for the recorder that I am now using.
http://www.compuplus.com/insidepage.php3?i...fwwlq6u3zp33s0v
I tried for years to use a 8mm camcorder and was never happy with the results. A buddy used this PVR at recent race and the video was outstanding. To me the benifit was all solid state, no moving parts to get messed up. We got about 1:40 of video before the battery died.

To see a video we recorded on it, go to;
www.rcubedmotorsports.no-ip.com/04enduro and right click and save the highlight video. For broadband only and my server is kind of slow.

Jeff
 
I'm partial to 'lipstick' cams, as you can' mount them anywhere without blocking vision. Best selection of 'lipstick' cams on earth:

http://207.207.29.130/store/home.asp

For $100-200, you can get really a high quality camera. How good ? F1 quality video. 25+ years on the Engineering mgmt. side of TV broadcast, buying cameras & lenses that cost $100k and beyond...so I know a little bit about cameras...

If you're using the exteranl video and audio input to a camcorder, you need audio too. $12-14 gets you a mic too.

Mounts ? I used to use 3/4" or 1" EMT connectors (the things that you use to tie pieces of metal conduit together) with the center ridge buzzed out with a die grinder. Mounted that to an one of the cockpit rollbars with a rollbar clamp from Coleman or Lefthander or one of the cheap roundy-round race suppliers. After a few too many cameras got trashed by rock hits (I normally race an open cockpit sports racer...), I started using a mount from Helmetcamera, which had an optical glass front element which could be replaced - a couple of bucks vs. a $100 camera.

http://www.helmetcamera.com/

The Helmetcamera guys used to have a listing of all camcorders that accepted an external video input on their web site, but I just glanced there and didn't see it. The 17-yr old knucklehead at BestBuy or Circuit City or where-ever will probably know...
 
Not to get too far off topic, but there could also be significant value in such a lens focused on the driver, illustrating how a particular piece of safety equipment--like, oh, say, a head and neck restraint--might function in crash and non-crash scenarios.

It could be especially valuable for those who wished to participate in the first annual Isaac crash video competition.

------------------
Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com
 
One of the SM drivers out of Memphis (Jim Drago) has four lipstick cameras mounted in his car, running through a multiplexer into his camcorder.

* One pointed forward, mounted beside the rearview mirror
* One in the footwell, pointed at his feet
* One in the upper passenger side of the car, pointed at the driver
* One on the roll hoop, pointing out the back window

I believe his multiplexer is this:
http://207.207.29.130/STORE/prodinfo.asp?n...aitem=2&mitem=9

If not, it's something similar....see the same place (supercircuits.com).

Personally, I've got a single lipstick camera NOW mounted in a helmetcamera.com mount on the roof of the car. AWESOME video.

I'm using a Canon ZR-60 MiniDV camcorder. It works just fine....but if I were to do it again (I'll take offers for this year-old camcorder....) I'd get a camcorder that has a LAN-C connection in it - it would allow a wired remote to start the recording. (The Canon requires the wireless remote to start it....not a big deal, as my wife is always along as crew...but if she weren't, it would be more difficult.)

Jeff, I'd give the folks at Supercircuits a call and tell them your wishes; they should know which multiplexer boxes can be used in a car.

Either that or wait 'til I win the lottery, and I'll try everything out and let you know what works best.
biggrin.gif


Gregg, even if I had a camera pointed at me, I'd rather not participate in your competition. It's not that I don't like you or anything.....

Jarrod
 
I can attest to the system that Jarrod is using. I got a chance to view some of his video from the ARRC and the only thing running through my mine was "I have to get this!"

The video was easily as good as that from the Speed TV cameras used at the runoffs. I'm just trying to figure out how to afford it all (this plus the DAQ system, a new truck, etc...)

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com
 
Originally posted by JIgou:
Gregg, even if I had a camera pointed at me, I'd rather not participate in your competition. It's not that I don't like you or anything.....

Jarrod
Click to expand...

I hear ya, Jarrod
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Actually, we've been giving some thought to a video contest with real prizes--not some Mickey Mouse T-shirt like some competitors offer.

Potential customers are always curious about getting in, getting out and head motion. We could pay a film production outfit to make a slick video, but we'd rather give the $ to Isaac users--real drivers who use a real product in a real car on a real race track.

Crashing would be discouraged. However, if someone already had a crash video...

------------------
Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com
 
Check www.supercircuits.com

Their in car stuff is aimed at the police market, but they do have some good stuff at reasonable prices. The PC33C is a small color camera that runs on 12 VDC, has good picture quality, and cost $159.00 plus lens.
 
New Ballast Idea...

Multiple "Lipstic" cams recording to old HEAVY VCR'S that fill the entire trunk...

Hummmm...

Raymond "I would love some lipstick on my car" Blethen

PS: We have used (and still do in the blue car) wide angle lenses with our in-car videos... Camera is mounted on cross bar behind/beside driver. The shot includes the right side of the driver including his head, right arm (shifting and stearing) as well as his right leg/foot (good footage of brake loss going into turn 3 at NHIS). All this while still getting a good view out of the windshield.
 
<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\"> Not to get too far off topic, but there could also be significant value in such a lens focused on the driver, illustrating how a particular piece of safety equipment--like, oh, say, a head and neck restraint--might function in crash and non-crash scenarios. </font>
Click to expand...

One of my neighbors drives an SM and has a 4 camera setup with a multiplexer. One camera is aimed at his head. He hit a wall at Sears Pt earlier this year and when he saw his head movement in the video he bought a HANS (sorry Gregg). Said the movement was very extreme (in range) and very fast.

[This message has been edited by pgipson (edited November 29, 2004).]
 
On three separate occasions last year I e-mailed Supercircuits asking about compatablilty of a lipstick camera to my Panasonic DV camera and have yet to get a response. They may have good equipment, but their customer service sucks.

------------------
Chuck Baader
#36 ITA E30 BMW
Alabama Region Divisional Registrar
 
I'm surprised to hear that. I had great experience with them!! I originally bought a lip stick, hooked it up, and went dugh! I bought a black and white lip stick. So that explains why it was so cheap. (No, it did not say it was B&W - silly mixup and partially my fault)

They sent me the new one right away and took care of shipping costs. Pretty cool!

------------------
Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si
 
They're cool on the phone.

I would recomend not choosing the cheaper lipsticks. THe more expensive ones seem to have better exposure latitude. (Less blocked highlights and shadows)

Pay attention to the mounting...or you'll end up with 20 laps around Road Atlata...of stuff sliding left, then right on your floor! (If you go with an interior mount, of course!)

------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]
 
Originally posted by JIgou:
One of the SM drivers out of Memphis (Jim Drago) has four lipstick cameras mounted in his car, running through a multiplexer into his camcorder.

* One pointed forward, mounted beside the rearview mirror
* One in the footwell, pointed at his feet
* One in the upper passenger side of the car, pointed at the driver
* One on the roll hoop, pointing out the back window

I believe his multiplexer is this:
http://207.207.29.130/STORE/prodinfo.asp?n...aitem=2&mitem=9

If not, it's something similar....see the same place (supercircuits.com).
Click to expand...
I just spoke to the fellows at Supercircuits about their multiplexers and rather than the one listed above, I am going with a newer model, the QS-27.

http://207.207.29.130/store/prodinfo.asp?n...aitem=2&mitem=2

The main advantage is that when running < 4 cameras this unit will do picture-in-picture (which the one above can't).
 
Resurrecting an old thread...

Any chance someone with a faster connection can host the video recorded with the PVR-A1 unit listed above?

Additionally, has anyone else looked into this device (The Mustek PVR-A1). For $89, it looks very inviting...

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com
 
Bill,

This site appears to be dead. I'm getting nothing.

We typically run 65-90ms for a ping. We could probably put it up for a while. How big is it?

[edit for speed check]

------------------
Gregg Baker, P.E.
Isaac, LLC
http://www.isaacdirect.com

[This message has been edited by gsbaker (edited April 11, 2005).]
 
Sorry guys, my server has been down for a while due to router issues. If someone wants to host it, and has FTP, send me the info and I can FTP it over. Email powerslide91 at yahoo dot com.

I have been using the PVR for 3 events now and no issues. I have had to play with the camera position in my IT car. I liked the cam on the main cage so you could see the steering wheel / shifter, but the dark dash and roof was making the contrast way too bright out the windshield. Last event I moved the cam to just behind the windshield and the picture quality improved a bunch. Also, I am running a 1 gig memory card, and running the PVR on it's highest resolution means I need to download the footage after each session or the mem card fills up.

Jeff
 
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