Video Camera With Laptop - Backing Safety/Precision

[ImagesThatSing]

Originally posted by Fuzz

I have just tried the X-10 wireless color camera. . I had one.

I fastened it to the ladder on back of 5'er,and use a small monitor that I had... . Didn't work too well. It was OK when stationary but

no good when moving. . jiggled a lot,suppose it was the antenna

bouncing. . I ran telephone wire from the battery in front of trailer to the camera. . BTW I took it off.





I just remembered this quote when I saw the camera on the wireless site was this x-10 mentioned above. Hmm. So a guy might have to think about this "jiggling a lot with a solution" by dampering vibration somehow. Also, I guess this means that the camera works on an equivalent of 12 volts or so since he hooked up with a wire from the battery. This power equivalent will have me thinking of power sources other than hanging battery pack. That is fairly easy for the back of the truck, but now am thinking about the trailer.

 

[ImagesThatSing]

Originally posted by Rock-N-Rammer

First, I thought that I would make sure that we are talking about the same camera... .



"Sorry, I used M/M to refer to male to male plugs on the electric wire/cord. The wires amount to extending power outlets from the inverter to the back of the truck and trailer for the camera. "



<<Well, the power for the camera looks like it comes from the battery pack, but since the other gentleman who tried this same camera used a line from his battery, I am thinking we can power from the truck with a 4 pin or 7 pin connection right into the trailer connection when using this for hitching up. Still working on how to power the camera (not to use the battery pack if possible) on the back of the trailer. >>



In the web page that I'm looking at, the XCam2 transmits 100'.



<<<Yes my post regarding 15' length was regarding a usb webcam solution. The reason I don't like the webcam is that we must buy expensive usb cord extenders to make that solution work. >>>







I would think that mag strips would be sufficient as well. We are talking about hooking up & backing into a site so vibration, etc... should not be a big issue.



<<<Yes, but the gentleman who tried the same camera experienced vibration to the point he deemed the setup unuseable or atleast said he disconnected it because of this. >>>



I think I might need a larger inverter..... 300watts will not power a coffee pot (annual dry camp event).

<<<I am using a 400/800 watt inverter, but since the only thing I think we have to power is our laptops (if we wish) and maybe this receiver (that receives the transmitted signal from the camera) I am thinking this is a small power requirement.



I do not see what kind of connection/power is needed by the receiver unit and am wondering about that. >>>

 

[ImagesThatSing]

That last post didn’t work so here is another try in a different format.



Yes we are talking the same unit.



Well, the power for the camera looks like it comes from the battery pack, but since the other gentleman (FUZZ) who tried this same camera used a line from his battery, I am thinking we can power from the truck with a 4 pin or 7 pin connection right into the trailer connection when using this for hitching up. Still working on how to power the camera (not to use the battery pack if possible) on the back of the trailer.





Yes my post regarding 15' length was regarding a usb webcam solution. The reason I don't like the webcam is that we must buy expensive usb cord extenders to make that solution work. >>>





Yes, but the gentleman who tried the same camera (FUZZ) experienced vibration to the point he deemed the setup unusable or at least said he disconnected it because of poor quality.



I am using a 400/800 watt inverter, but since the only thing I think we have to power is our laptops (if we wish) and maybe this receiver (that receives the transmitted signal from the camera) I am thinking this is a small power requirement.



I do not see what kind of connection/power is needed by the receiver unit and am wondering about that.



Also I am thinking about this $59. 95 additional hardware and software purchase. It seems that all we need is the hardware, that is to say hardware that will convert the signal from rca plug out of the receiver to say usb into our laptops. We don't need the ability to have these pictures transported to the web for review. I will be looking into that as well.

 

[Fuzz]

The X-10 camera is what I tried. It and the receiver are 12V. They come with an 110-12V plug in transformer. I cut the wires on both

the camera and the receiver and made up some quick couplings(male&female)spade fittings.

For the camera I just ran Telephone wire to fuse box on trailer.

On the receiver I used a cigarette lighter plug. I can use both on 12V DC or plug the transformes back in for 110.

Gsevison. . I live in Castle Rock. . If you want to borrow my camera

to experiment with youn are welcome. 303-688-4764

The camera came with a battery box(4 AA batteries),but as I was wanting to mount it permantely I didn't use it.

If you look at the Carter Cam page. . That gentleman used a different camera. I think it was hardwired. .

The Super Circuit people have a wireless xmiter and reciever setup for around $100 and the camera they recommend is around that also.

On one of the RV forums a gent tried the wireless X-10 and found it unsatifactory as I did. He used their hardwire model and

it worked OK.

There is nothing to tighten up,I think the jitters or intermittant signal is caused by intereferance from the trailer,engine etc...

FWIW

 

[R-N-R]

Fuzz,



I appreciate your input... there is nothing like experience (preferably someone else's) to use as a guiding beacon.





Have A Great Day,

Bill

 

[ImagesThatSing]

FUZZ,

Thank you for the detailed reply. I appreciate the offer to experiement with your camera, however your detailed explanation has convinced me that you did what could be done with that system.



So I am checking your other sources.

Is this the camera and receiver to which you are referring@ the super circuits site?:



http://www.supercircuits.com/STORE/prodinfo.asp?number=MVL25&variation=&aitem=10&mitem=10



or no?



Thanks for sharing your experiences, you saved us the expense of learning the hard way, and that is most valuable. >>Tip 'O The Hat<<

 

[R-N-R]

This might be the same equipment without the monitor.

 

[ImagesThatSing]

It is the same without monitor, and looking at the specs it would probably work fine, so the problem left is how to get the RCA video output from the receiver into an intelligible format to our laptops.



Here is the solution offered by the now abandoned former camera setup http://www.x10.com/products/x10_va11a.htm

which says will provide live video viewing. and that is $69. 95 plus shipping, but when I check on the software I don't get any links to it to download, so I would have to check that.



I am checking to see if this same type of cable and software is available elsewhere.

 

[R-N-R]

Download

 

[ImagesThatSing]

Thanks for the download info, I am downloading it now.



I have done a fairly exhaustive search for what are commonly called Video to USB adapters. ( first thought they would be called RCA to USB adapters but no).



There are varying qualities, and after reading a few pdf files on the specs I have found that on at least some of these (maybe older types) the only way one can get 30 frames per second (fps) is to have a small frame open on ones laptop.



I have found this one to come up over and over from different trusted sources and pricepoint locations that I normally use.



http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?dpno=851763



I will be checking its performance figures presently.

 

[ImagesThatSing]

Unfortunately this solution



1. does not support windows xp,



2, and more importantly, the image size for playback is quite small.



Min Operating System Microsoft Windows 95 OSR 2. 1 or later, Microsoft Windows 98/2000



Peripheral / Interface Devices CD-ROM, USB port

Software Included Drivers & Utilities



Data Transfer Rate 12 MBps



Digital Video Capture Resolution 352 x 288



Digital Video Capture Speed 30 frames per second



So back to check other corded devices, but I am thinking, ... I have a Dazzle system that captures video that I use from time to time from my video recorder source, and that is a quite small image also, and a bit "herkey jerkey" even on my 1. 7 GHZ 512 MB Ram laptop.



So maybe there is a reason they are offering a TV type playback with these cameras.



The thing about them is not so much expense (we would be spending just about as much with the above solution), but just the idea that we are mounting, then storing a video unit that isn't really small, and that we won't be using except for backing "hooking up".



Time to give this a rest maybe and come back to it after a little more "big picture" Thought is what I am feeling at this time.



One of the reasons I liked the idea of using my laptop is that I take it whenever I go camping anyway, it folds up and stores very compactly.

 

[Fuzz]

Re super cicruits

When I told them what I wanted to do,as cheap as possible and still work,they recommended their MVL-10 wireless Transmitter/reciever system 2. 4GHZ... 109. 95

They have another for 49. 95 (looks like the one from X-10) and they said it would be a waste of money.



For the camera they recommended a PC-74WR or PC-75WR,a weatherproof tiny lipstick camera,one color,one B&W. $99. 95 for the B&W $149. 95 for the color.

They also suggested the B/W Weather resistant Microvideo camera... 119. 95(looks like the one on most motorhomes).

They might have a suggestion for use of the computer. . What heck

they have an 800 #