Video Problem PDR? Or SS1000?

[Wizco]

Running a hillclimb this weekend, halfway through the day, my videos turned to crap. This edited file: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a36haW6tz8 shows what happens about 7 seconds in. After reviewing Saturdays clips, I double checked everything Sunday AM, and all was well. Then the same thing happened later in the day Sunday.

I'm running a PDR, 2 Chase cam 520 line cameras, the DM10 and the SS1000. All are secured to the rear bulkhead of a Miata using the Chase brackets, and locking front brackets. The PDR is using recharagable AA's, and is primarily powered via a cigarette lighter. The SS1000 is hard wired from the same power leads going to the cigarette lighter. Ambient temps in the 90's and the open cockpit is exposed to the sun all day.

Any ideas on what's causing this? First any ideas on whether it's in the PDR, or the SS1000?

Then, is this a power issue, a cable issue somewhere, or is the equipment simply overheating? (Which would explain why everything is fine in the morning.)

This setup has worked fine in this particular car for several months, and in a couple other Miatas over the same time frame with no problems.

I don't see anything obviously wrong and since I can't make it happen on demand, I'm kind of stuck.

[sales]

Wizco, can you clarify how you're powering the PDR and SS1000? Are you using a 2.1mm DC splitter to bring a cigarette lighter adapter to both units? Are you powering to the terminal block of the PDR100 and jumpering back out of pins 1 and 2 to the SS1000? Or are you powering to the terminal block of the PDR100 and coming out pins 3 and 4 to the SS1000?

Also, are you changing or recharging the batteries between uses?

I think I've seen this video problem once before and I want to say it was power related to a voltage drop, but I'm trying to see if that's possible with your set up.

[Wizco]

Positive(fused) power directly from the battery to a cigarette lighter adapter, grounded to the chassis using the stock ecu ground point in the same general area.

The PDR is plugged into the cigarette lighter, and is using rechargable AA's as backup. Batteries fully charged Friday night. Everything good on Sat AM. All videos Sat PM are the purple lines look as on the video. Sunday AM, make a 5 second test video, transfer the file to the PC, and all looks good. All runs Sunday AM are good. Sunday PM, problem reoccurs.

The SS1000 is hardwired directly to the wires powering the cigarette lighter. It is tapped between the battery and the cigarette lighter adapter.

I'm not using the power blocks of either unit to power the other.

A test video right now is fine.

[Wizco]

On the premise that a picture might explain better than the babbling above:



http://wizco.net/chasecam/IMG_8497.jpg

I'm home now, and the race car isn't here, but this is the exact same setup on another Miata.

Hopefully, it makes sense to you.