[Ground Loop]

(All things considered, I'm surprised we don't have a Camera/Video forum. )

I'm dreaming of digital video, waiting impatiently for both the ChaseCam DVR and an Elise to put it in, when I found these two new product listings:

The first is a hard-drive based video recorder with 20GB and 40GB drives available:

http://207.207.29.130/store/prodinfo.asp?number=OB-MDVR2-40&variation=&aitem=3&mitem=23

Neato. MPEG4 compression, so the 20GB goes a long way (40 hours!). A built-in 3.5" LCD is unnecessary, but nice. Price of $500 is less than I would have guessed. USB2.0 for slurping data out of the machine. Four hours on internal battery with display is impressive.

Next up is something closer to Randy's, using solid state memory in the form of SD cards (booooo). Why on earth would they use SD cards for something that's going to be data intensive? Weird. The size is right, though.. and 5.3oz:

http://207.207.29.130/store/prodinfo.asp?number=MDVR3&variation=&aitem=22&mitem=23

Only 60 minutes on the internal LiIon battery, but three hours when using the external 4-AA battery pack.

Price puts it out of reach, though.

It's frustrating how they pick & chose the specs to print. No mention of resolution, shock sensitivity, or DC input, for example.

All in all, it's good to see some products entering the market.

 

[Randy Chase]

We tested a hard drive based solution on a shifter kart. It lasted about 10 seconds.

 

[kbob]

We tested a hard drive based solution on a shifter kart. It lasted about 10 seconds.

A hard drive based solution is still what I want -- in a full sized car it's easy enough to isolate the drive (or the whole computer) from vibration.

The advantage of 40 hours of video instead of 1-2 hours is too big to pass up.

kbob

 

[Randy Chase]

A hard drive based solution is still what I want -- in a full sized car it's easy enough to isolate the drive (or the whole computer) from vibration.

The advantage of 40 hours of video instead of 1-2 hours is too big to pass up.

kbob

Understood and we will probably address that market later also, it is a simple change, mostly a mechanical issue. In my opinion, I don't think most people need 40 hours of recording capacity, but some will. The other issue is battery life, which is less with a hard drive.

 

[Patricko]

When I was in Taiwan last week there was a sea of people selling this type of thing. I think you will see a lot more choice at lower prices soon.

 

[Ground Loop]

We tested a hard drive based solution on a shifter kart. It lasted about 10 seconds.

I'm thinking of getting it, yanking out what is probably a 2.5" laptop HD, and replacing it with a passive adapter and CF card.

Either that, or just using some ample shock-foam to pamper it through the bumps.

The one feature I require is "circular" recording, where it loops when full and just stores the last X hours. So hard to find behavioral features on these things. Just a list of jacks and dimention specs... argh.

 

[GetBoost]

I came across this and thought that it might make a really nice digital recorder on the Elise. Features a 30GB harddrive, 3.5" LCD screen at 480x234 pixels, SD card expansion slot, USB interface, remote, records in MPEG4, and completely portable. Best of all, it's only $200!!!

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=MPM-201&sourceid=00384104774967759786

I don't know how long the HD would last on LSS, but maybe the SD card would be a good alternative.

 

[Greg]

You don't need batteries when you have an alternator...

'Greg

Understood and we will probably address that market later also, it is a simple change, mostly a mechanical issue. In my opinion, I don't think most people need 40 hours of recording capacity, but some will. The other issue is battery life, which is less with a hard drive.

 

[sleepless]

Understood and we will probably address that market later also, it is a simple change, mostly a mechanical issue. In my opinion, I don't think most people need 40 hours of recording capacity, but some will. The other issue is battery life, which is less with a hard drive.

Plz address MY needs first I want that PDR100 before the driving season starts in March! Get to it man...-poke-

 

[masheen]

...In my opinion, I don't think most people need 40 hours of recording capacity, but some will...

i don't need 40 hours.

i was to your website once. my impression was that the bullet cams it presents are such great ideas, but then it seemed like some (a lot of?) other equipment would be required. i don't remember anymore. it was a while ago.

i guess i need to go there again. in the meantime, maybe you fell like telling me here, in a word or two, what are things that need to be put together for the simplest in-car video recording system, using let's say two of those bullet cams, to actually get something and view on the computer/dvd? and how much it would cost all together?

 

[Dave]

i don't need 40 hours.

i was to your website once. my impression was that the bullet cams it presents are such great ideas, but then it seemed like some (a lot of?) other equipment would be required. i don't remember anymore. it was a while ago.

i guess i need to go there again. in the meantime, maybe you fell like telling me here, in a word or two, what are things that need to be put together for the simplest in-car video recording system, using let's say two of those bullet cams, to actually get something and view on the computer/dvd? and how much it would cost all together?

I use a 420 line bullet cam, with a Neuros compact flash recorder...whole system weighs only a few ounces and isn't much bigger than a pack of cigs. I have the camera mounted rearward to catch other drivers' expressions - as its rare, if ever, that I'm not dusting someone.
Link: http://www.neurosaudio.com/store/prod_recorder.asp

 

[RevUrGT3]

I bought a JVC one with a hard drive and I had to return it since the vibrations kept shooting down the damn hard drive... so I used my Canon SD450 and I can shoot pretty good video with it... 20 mins with a 2GB SD...

 

[Ground Loop]

I used my Canon SD450 and I can shoot pretty good video with it... 20 mins with a 2GB SD...

I thought I would do the same thing.. the 60fps 320x240 mode is really nice video! Too bad the asshats at Canon decided to limit the recording length to -- One Minute!

I would have loved to sit in on that engineering meeting.. "To serve our customers better, we need to castrate the most awesome video framerate we have ever shipped"

That, and your 2GB card will still be limited to the 1GB maximum file length at 640x480 30fps.

It's like there's some unwritten law about making digital recorders almost, but not quite, complete. They must be crippled in some way. Or... perpetually in development, just out of reach. -poke-

 

[CALtd]

Don't you think cache size and power drain led to these limitations? What are the write speeds to Flash Rams?

 

[sleepless]

I use a 420 line bullet cam, with a Neuros compact flash recorder...whole system weighs only a few ounces and isn't much bigger than a pack of cigs. I have the camera mounted rearward to catch other drivers' expressions - as its rare, if ever, that I'm not dusting someone.
Link: http://www.neurosaudio.com/store/prod_recorder.asp

I looked into that recorder too, but MPEG-4 just doesn't cut it for me; I want an MPEG-2 recorder.

 

[sleepless]

Check this out: http://www.optexint.com/sales/covert/sting.html

 

[charliex]

a 16x Compact flash tops out at 2.4MB/sec (16x150KB)

320x240 16 bit at 60FPS raw would take about 8.8MB/sec

 

[sleepless]

And a little competition for ChaseCam: http://www.stackltd.com/tdivdvrharsh.html

Maybe not at $6500!

 

[sleepless]

I don't even understand the point of 60FPS anyway?

 

[charliex]

me either, just picking a standard, its either 320x240 QVGA 60fps or 640x480 VGA at 30fps etc
theres a sting ii as well, but its larger http://www.investigativemechanics.us/stingII.html