solid-state video recording...

[Pierscoe1]

hi all.. I'm after a good solid-state (memory-cards) video recorder, for use with a bullet-cam, in preparation for this years 'Ring trip...

can anyone recommend one?

so far, I've only seen these that are really suitable:
https://sslrelay.com/s139675512.oneandoneshop.co.uk/sess/utn;jsessionid=1545b5123391b94/shopdata/0028_Recording+devices=2C+data+loggers+and+PIP./product_details.shopscript?article=0032_Mini%2Bsolid%2Bstate%2Brecorder%2B%3D28Mbox%3D29
https://sslrelay.com/s139675512.oneandoneshop.co.uk/sess/utn;jsessionid=1545b5123391b94/shopdata/0028_Recording+devices=2C+data+loggers+and+PIP./product_details.shopscript?article=0045_SDVR125%2Bsolid%2Bstate%2Brecorder%2B%3D28SDVR125%3D29

or am I better off going for a canon mv960 that has AV-in

http://froogle.google.co.uk/froogle?q

any ideas??
the dv-cam route obviously has the advantage of very easy viewing/playback/expandable storage (tapes are cheap..), but it's also more fragile with it's tape mechanism etc...

the SD-card based units are good too though, and with a 2Gb SD card coming in at under £15, I could buy a bunch of them...

hmm.. choices choices.. what do you all recommend?

thanks all..

[GetCarter]

Just be aware of the time limitations - with cards especially. My fast/large SD card gives only 16 mins at decent res - and a £4 tape will give 60 mins

...and a tape video will be MUCH less likely to judder, shake, break than both solid state and card recorder.

bloke with a bullet cam.

Edited by GetCarter on Monday 22 January 19:54

[Pierscoe1]

right.. so assuming I go for a DV cam, is there a cheaper alternative to the Canon mv960?

I presume not, as it's only ~£240, but thought I'd ask if anyone knew of any really good bargains...

obviously I only need it for it's tape-drive and AV-in, so screen/features/handling/lens etc is of next to no importance....

[TonyHetherington]

I use a Sony handy cam and bullet cam kit, I made a post about it let me have a quick search I'll find it for you

[TonyHetherington]

Okey dokey check out a few of these

Hope they help

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=194903

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=189634

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=168944

[Pierscoe1]

thanks for the links..

I'm more concerned with which DV-cam to get though, as I've already got the bullet-cam sorted.

[cwk]

Pierscoe1 said:

thanks for the links..

I'm more concerned with which DV-cam to get

Piers, for what it's worth, I went throught the same process just before Christmas and ended up with the MV960 too.

I haven't tried the setup "in anger", as it were, but I can tell you that it all works. The camcorder itself is quite small (a good thing) and quite "plasticky" (perhaps not a good thing). The next step for me is to find a place to mount it all.....

PM me if I can help at all

Charles

[Pierscoe1]

just out of interest.... where did you end up getting all your kit from?? (which shop for the mv960, which bullet-cam, and from where etc)

thanks..

[cwk]

Piers, I bought the camcorder from amazon for £240 plus delivery. The bullet cam I bought from rfconcepts and then off to Maplins for their suction mount.

The camera didn't come with tapes(!) so back to Amazon I went. I also bought some re-recordable DVD disks whilst I was there. My advice? DO NOT buy any of that sort of thing on the High Street!!!

I'm just itching for the weather to get better, then it'll be track day time. So far, the only video I've taken is in my wife's Nissan Micra, driving round the village. Just to check all the kit works together, you understand

Charles

[Pierscoe1]

cwk said:

...the only video I've taken is in my wife's Nissan Micra, driving round the village...

that sounds awesome!! can you upload it so I can have a look!!

..seriously though, thanks for the info. Much appreciated. It looks like I'll be getting the same kit, as I haven't found a better alternative.





edited to ad: this is probably a very stupid question, BUT, will DV-tapes from my old JVC camcorder work/play ok in the canon?? I'm presuming DV is DV is DV.... obviously I don't want to lose all my old footage, or have to keep the JVC just to play my old tapes....

Edited by Pierscoe1 on Thursday 25th January 23:14

[cwk]

Pierscoe1 said:

cwk said:

...the only video I've taken is in my wife's Nissan Micra, driving round the village...

that sounds awesome!! can you upload it so I can have a look!!

..seriously though, thanks for the info. Much appreciated. It looks like I'll be getting the same kit, as I haven't found a better alternative.





edited to ad: this is probably a very stupid question, BUT, will DV-tapes from my old JVC camcorder work/play ok in the canon?? I'm presuming DV is DV is DV.... obviously I don't want to lose all my old footage, or have to keep the JVC just to play my old tapes....

Edited by Pierscoe1 on Thursday 25th January 23:14

No. I will NOT upload that footage. The shame would be too much

I have no idea about your old JVC tapes, I'm afraid.... Sorry.

Best of luck - and do let us know how it goes.

Charles

[Burnie]

Did you get your set up ? as in same boat now!!

[edt]

have a look at the video page
http://tvrbliss.co.uk/tvr_bliss_video
and find the TVR Tuscan race one at Castle Combe.

I used a bullet cam from
www.sports-camera.com
and a Sony miniDV camera stashed away in the car. Zero drop out (as the DV was safe inside a soft bag) and just some gaffer on the bullet

works well

Ed

[Pierscoe1]

good vid that!!

I'll be getting my bullet-cam from there.. I've decided on the Package5 kit (550tvl).. but am still unsure about what to record to... as the cheapest DV-cam with av-in is the canon mv960, at ~£250..

[edt]

Pierscoe1 said:

good vid that!!

I'll be getting my bullet-cam from there.. I've decided on the Package5 kit (550tvl).. but am still unsure about what to record to... as the cheapest DV-cam with av-in is the canon mv960, at ~£250..

Bloke on here Chuggaboom was trying a setup using a HD device for his car... give him a shout.
£250 is annoyingly cheap though.. my little Sony cost me near a grand a few year ago!

[Pierscoe1]

well finally decided what I'd go for...

I managed to find a nice very small Sony mini-DV cam with AV-in on ebay, for the bargain price of £160..
That arrived today, and all is well with that (it's actually a really nice little camera!).. so I've just ordered Package5 from RF Concepts (550tvl bullet-cam package with everything needed)..

hopefully I'll be able to try it all out next week!!

Now I just need to fix up some ingenious mounting solutions for the bullet-cam.. one inside the car with a decent view out, and one in the front bumper somewhere, preferably very unobtrusive so as to pass the nurburgring camera police checks!

[edt]

Practice setting it up a few times.. there are plenty or wires to connect & things to remember & the last thing you want is to be fumbling around, scratching your head, with 5 mins to go before you plant your boot into the carpet at the 'ring!

Rf

[Pierscoe1]

hehe... yeah!

I've got a trackday at castle-coombe at the end of march.. so that will be the real testing-ground for the setup!!

speaking of which.. my Bullet-Cam arrived today!!!!

just got it all plugged-in, and everything seems to work fine.. which is a relief!! I'm actually really plesantly suprised by the picture quality too... very good!

Can't wait to try it out properly!

[edt]

make sure DV camera doesnt take too many bumps & vibrations as you'll get dropout

[Pierscoe1]

yep... next on my list is sorting out mountings for the whole kit..

I think I'll need to get a LANC cable, as the camera controls are a bit fiddly.. and this would also enable me to wrap it up snugly in some bubblewrap/foam etc and tuck it out of the way....