Camera advice

[tristancliffe]

Originally Posted by PTRACER

Do these digital cameras actually capture at 25fps interlaced, or 25fps progressive? On a TV screen, 25fps progressive will look like a high-speed slideshow, but will look fine on a computer screen.

I think it depends. Chasecam stuff is interlaced, most camcorders are interlaced, but some are progressive.

I'm not sure what I prefer. Most of the time I use a computer screen to view them, so progressive is better, but it's easier to deinterlace footage to progressive (so I have a TV/DVD and a PC version) than it is to interlace progressive to interlaced, if you see what I mean.

The downside of interlaced is that each frame is quite blurry, so frame-by-frame ends up being rubbish. And deinterlacing this doesn't improve matters.

[RF_Racer]

If I was to clamp my Nokia N95 upto my Formula Ford, would they let me out on to the track or would the have objections because it is a camera phone? I know its a bit chavvy, but if it works why not!

[Al Weyman]

As I said a few posts back its exactly what some guy in our club does and he don't even ask permission to film just clips it into the little holder he made up when he lines up.

[Tim Falce]

If you are videoing, then officially at most tracks you need permission and also get the mount passed by the scroots.

[tristancliffe]

The operative word being officially. I'm sure plenty sneak cameras through the processes without asking for permission. And quite a few people I know have arrived, been scrutineered, and in the hour or two gap before their practice or race they decide to fit that camera system they've been waiting for some spare time to fit. So it never gets scrutineered and they don't have permission.

And I've not heard of people getting removed from the sessions because of it. Not that I condone trying, and it's not my fault if you do get caught [/disclaimer]

[Al Weyman]

I know but he was'nt bothered, maybe he did'nt want to sign his life away.

[brickkicker]

Thanks for all the information, I have gone for the dogcam one. Phoned up on Thursday had a good chat with the man on the phone ordered it and it turned up on the Friday (although no one was here to sign so I had to go and fetch it this morning). When I ordered it I was told they had no hard cases in stock so they would post that on when they got in but it all came through.
Must say well impressed with the service, and the system looks good to. All being well I will give it a test run next weekend on a track day and will try and post some results.
With my scrutineering hat on I would suggest that you fit the camera before hand as it will cause less agro. Most tracks will let you use them with no problems, and most scrutineers are more interested in the fit of the camera from a safety point of view more than anything else.

[Eric Falce]

And dont forget to turn them on or find out how to before the race,a Tim.

[Al Weyman]

Not such a silly comment actually Eric because it can be a problem. My camera is impossible to turn on once straped in and if you leave it for a few minutes it goes into auto shut down so what I do is I take the remote control in the car with me, flip the screen 180 degrees so I can see whats happening, take photo snapshops every couple of minutes to save it from turning off then hit record once we are ready to race all activated via the remote.

[The STIG]

Here's something you can do with the suction mounts on a Dogcam. Allowing for youtube quality losses - this is quality from my [cheapest kind of] Dogcam. The newer ones are much better.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=24xOPDmv7Js

[minifox]

the on and off button is one problem with the chasecam. it takes a long time to get it into record mode. and also you have to make sure all the connectors are taped up so they cant come out. lost alot of good footage because of that!

[tristancliffe]

I use an old bit of network cable with an RJ45 plug, a push button and a two-colour LED to make my own dash on/off button for the Chasecam, and I use the firmware that causes it to start recording as soon as it's on. With tidy cable routing (and perhaps a bit of tape, but I never bother) I've found it to be ultra-reliable. In 2007 I had problems with the bullet camera itself, but that was all sorted, for free, by the beginning of last season.

The only spanner in the works is me - once or twice I still forget to press the button until several laps into a session, or forget to turn it off afterwards - but as I run on AA batteries and replace them for each session with freshly charged ones neither are big problems.

[minifox]

we just use the switch thing that came with it. tank taped to the side of the tub so the driver can see it with a hans on.

also we cut the cigarette lighter fitting off of the lead that comes with it and put connectors on and wired it into the battery. the batteries never worked well. they used to flick on and off. i guess because of the vibration and stiff suspension.

[Armchair Enthusiast]

STACK produce a Solid-State Digital Video Recorder, and the customer base for these units is quite impressive (although confidentiality agreements don't permit me to shout about who they are). The first version developed 4 years ago cost £3,600 but in 2009 a DVR2 range was launched with the DVR Clubman priced at £699. Please note that this does not include the bullet camera or Compact Flash card (cheaper to buy this from Jessops then from STACK). For those interested, you can also turn the DVR into a video-logger. Please see the following page for more information - http://www.stackltd.com/videosystems_motorsport.html

[RF_Racer]

This thing look bloody impressive!!

http://www.smartycam.com/index_eng.htm

[Al Weyman]

Nice, hate to know how much though, where was the track it looks really good?

[RF_Racer]

I have heard it will be $800 so about £500 ish pounds?

No idea about the track, but it is running in a higher 720 resolution. Love the F1 type overlays. I will hold out for one of these as I already have an AIM logger.

[PTRACER]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Nice, hate to know how much though, where was the track it looks really good?

It's the recently modified Vallelunga circuit.

EDIT: Just watched the clip. Talk about terminal understeer!

[GORDON STREETER]

Well the camera is better than the driver !

[Dataspares]

Originally Posted by RF_Racer

I have heard it will be $800 so about £500 ish pounds?

No idea about the track, but it is running in a higher 720 resolution. Love the F1 type overlays. I will hold out for one of these as I already have an AIM logger.

It will be around £750. Connected to an Aim dash/ logger MXL / EV04 / Mychron 4 ( these models only ) will allow it to collect chassis and engine data.

If you don't have an MXL / EV04 / Mychron 4 fitted, a link to collect data from ECUs wil be available later and be around the £170 mark.

[GT3]

Originally Posted by tristancliffe

And I've not heard of people getting removed from the sessions because of it. Not that I condone trying, and it's not my fault if you do get caught [/disclaimer]

I have known Assembly Marshals to spot a camera has been fitted without permission and not let the car out until a scrutineer has checked it!

As 'brickkicker' said, it's safety i'm concerned with and it's up to the Circuit if they want to sue you!

Just remember, that to roll the car is bad enough, but to have a camera loose flying around inside as well..... well, i don't even want to thing about it!

oh, and for the people who run the camera from the car's electrics, make sure power is cut to the camera as well when the electrical cutoff is activated!

[Al Weyman]

As regards the above, I have also been pulled in the bay when I forgot to produce the neccessary paper work at the time so I would'nt chance it and have noticed start marshals looking for my incar exception sticker as well when they spot the camera.

[RF_Racer]

http://www.rahulnair.net/blog/2007/0...way-n95-video/

very good apart from the wind noise... maybe some tape on the mic would make it a bit better ?

[JamesH]

I have on my desk here a prototype mobile phone that can record HDTV at 720p on to SD card. Quality is really good from a standard phone 5MP camera sensor (well, standard in a years time)

Given the parts for the encoder (BCM2727) on this phone will be about $15 in volume (With 2/3d acceleration [better than PS2], graphic overlays, 720P record, 720p HDMI out, camera ISP to 12MP), we could possibly see a crop of cheap HDTV solid state recorders in about a year or so's time that would blow current systems away. Or just strap your new mobile to the roll cage.

I could easily mod this board to do the recording above, with a bit more effort get the data overlays as well. Sadly, the dev board I'm using costs over £1000, so not worth it at the moment!

James

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by JamesH

I have on my desk here a prototype mobile phone that can record HDTV at 720p on to SD card. Quality is really good from a standard phone 5MP camera sensor (well, standard in a years time)

Given the parts for the encoder (BCM2727) on this phone will be about $15 in volume (With 2/3d acceleration [better than PS2], graphic overlays, 720P record, 720p HDMI out, camera ISP to 12MP), we could possibly see a crop of cheap HDTV solid state recorders in about a year or so's time that would blow current systems away. Or just strap your new mobile to the roll cage.

I could easily mod this board to do the recording above, with a bit more effort get the data overlays as well. Sadly, the dev board I'm using costs over £1000, so not worth it at the moment!

James

Forgot to say the board also has built in GPS, Bluetooth, Wifi, GSM etc......which is pretty much everything you need for video + simple positional data logging (like the PerformanceBox or similar). Costs bit more for all those bits, but should have them for pretty cheap in next years mobile phones. It's just a matter of having the right software in the phone and you have a video datalogger.