Want some info from an old thread... ask here for it to be retrieved and posted again

[bluearcus]

Hi there administrators,

OK, since it seems there's a problem with the Chasecam old forum content being made available, perhaps I can start a thread where people can request that you guys go and retrieve specific items from the old forums.

Obviously this is very inconvenient, and I don't currently expect that many requests will get answered, but it's worth a try.

At the moment, I'd like to see:

* Info on external powersupply voltage limits for the chasecam, and current draws (I am looking at getting an external LiIon pack)
* Large capacity CF card info (what works and what doesn't... I'd like to buy some 8Gb cards... Kingston x133 Elite Pros look likely)
* Any postings on multi-camera switch setups
* Any postings on zoomable camera setups
* The RJ45 pinout / 'build your own' remote thread
* Any threads on video processing workflow
* Threads on the PAL image issues, and their status in latest firmwares
* Threads on recommending a good unpowered external microphone

I would like to extend my current simple chasecam recording setup over the next few months, and without the old forums it's going to be a difficult and potentially expensive (error prone) process.

Regards,

Mike Miller

[RandallNoll]

Hi Mike,

Some answers here. I'll let Randy answer the other stuff and see what he can pull from the old database:

-Input voltage range is 9V - 24V DC.
-We have successfully tested up to 32 GB cards.
-RJ45 pinout posted here: http://www.chasecam.com/forum/showthread.php?t=60

By "video processing" do you mean editing/manipulation?

Thanks.

[Jordantii]

[QUOTE=

At the moment, I'd like to see:

* Info on external powersupply voltage limits for the chasecam, and current draws (I am looking at getting an external LiIon pack)
* Large capacity CF card info (what works and what doesn't... I'd like to buy some 8Gb cards... Kingston x133 Elite Pros look likely)

Mike Miller[/QUOTE]

I use this battery pack to power 2 PDR100GF/SC's and 2 cameras. It will last about 6 hours on a charge.

Get the charger for it as well.

http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2334

We use Transcend CF cards all the time with no problems. All the way up to 32gig.

Hope this helps.

[ProCam]

Hi Mike

I use a non powered seinhiesser lapel mic with great success also the external batteries i use are these http://www.bixnet.com/unpodvbapa.html

Hope this helps

Mike

[BroussalM]

Hi Mike

I use a Sony ECM DS 70 P, great sound and in stéréo.

Michel Broussal

[boney]

Large capacity CF card info (what works and what doesn't... I'd like to buy some 8Gb cards... Kingston x133 Elite Pros look likely)


The paperwork that comes with the PDR explains the speeds. I believe that the fastest necessary speed was somewhere in the 60-80x range.

I've got the Kingston CF card you're looking at. It works great. I also have 2 pqi 8GB 100x cards, only, one of them is not fast enough for even the lowest quality setting. It's been that way from the get-go, but I didn't figure it out until it was out of warranty. The lesson learned there I suppose is "beware of cheap cards."

[tristancliffe]

Hi,

Trying to find the information on mounting a bullet camera to a Dallara. A kind soul posted some pics and a technique, and I was hoping to review it. Any chance it could be posted here please? Then I'll save it locally, I promise!

Thanks in advance.

Tristan

[BroussalM]

Tristan

I think you speak about a message that I sent to you on the old forum.
If I remember well, you have changed your Martini for a Dallara 398.

What I advise you after doing my owne experience was:

1 - Put the PDR on the crash-box near the top of the front damper with the Velcro.
With the PDR at that place you get easily to the CF, the set-up, the power. It's also more secur than into the cockpit!

2 – Important : Get a wire directly from the battery for the 12v.

3 - Put the cam on the hoop just behind your head with the Velcro.
The wire sold with the chasecam cam is long enough to connect the PDR. The way of that wire is as far as you can from the general power of the car.
For the velcro top, put a flashy color stiker on it, as I explained you, everybody put a hand on the hoop to look at the engine and there are going to upset your cam each time. With the flashy color, they’ll not do that.
The Velcro part on the hoop is Male, the Velcro top is female. Don’t forget to put also small parts of velcro on the bottom and top of the cylinder of the cam, without it it will not work !.

To be precise the order of the Velcro it's :
Big part on the hoop ( male) + small part on the bottom cylinder cam (female) + small part on the top cylinder cam ( male) + Big part to cover all with sticker ( female). It's like a sandwich.

The ref of the Velcro is : BLACK, product Code 60239 - Part N° E92041622.
This is 2 sets of 50mm x 100mm and it's just what you nead. 1 set for the hoop, small pieces cam on the other set, and the rest for the PDR. Prefer ordering 2 packages to prevent a mistake, the adhesif is also very strong and nearly impossible to get off without destroy the Velcro!
(I bought it on "radiospares.fr" on the ref 459-3657)

4 – Built or buy a Lanc C

5 - For the mic, I heared the vibrations of the nose cover, so I put an external mic SONY ECM DS 70P mounted on foam and fixed in the cockpit with...Velcro ( of course!). The sound in stero is very great.

This cam position seems to be the best. It's nearly the same view as yours. you'll can analyse your trajectorys after each races and progress. The others positions are only for fun and are good...for fun.
If you go out of the track, don't forget to explain that you have a cam on the hoop before they put there strap !!! Let some wire free behind your cam.

You also spoke about the rain, for me it's not a problem. I run with very bad weather and didn't get any water under the nose cover.

Hope it's help you. If you have any problems, mail me.
Michel Broussal

[tristancliffe]

Thank you kindly once again! I'll save that info on my hard drive and see how it goes.

Tristan

[got2boostit2]

*Any postings on multi-camera switch setups*

In the old forum there was a thread by a user who made a switcher for use on his motorcycle. Cannot remember the user name. If someone has time, can you search and post?

One of the posters in the thread was "bluesti" or similar.

Thanks in advance.

[RandallNoll]

The paperwork that comes with the PDR explains the speeds. I believe that the fastest necessary speed was somewhere in the 60-80x range.

I've got the Kingston CF card you're looking at. It works great. I also have 2 pqi 8GB 100x cards, only, one of them is not fast enough for even the lowest quality setting. It's been that way from the get-go, but I didn't figure it out until it was out of warranty. The lesson learned there I suppose is "beware of cheap cards."

As you've experienced, this is right on the edge of the speed threshold (100x). However, as a lot of folks are learning, not all cards are created equal. We sell the ones we sell because we know they work. We have heard of experiences where people buy cards that appear to meet the speed requirements and they don't work.

Hope this helps.

[RandallNoll]

4 – Built or buy a Lanc C

...or upgrade to use our Auto-Record feature. Quick summary:

When hard-wired to switched vehicle power, and G-Force enabled, the ChaseCam recorder with Auto-Record:

1) Senses when the car is switched on, and fires up simultaneously.

2) Begins recording when it senses motion. You set the sensitivity in g's. For example, once the recorder sees a 0.25g movement (acceleration, braking, or turning) it will begin recording. This can be set from 0.09 - 2.00g.

3) Stops recording a set time after it no longer senses the preset g-threshold. Example: If the recorder doesn't see a 0.25g movement for 60 seconds, it stops recording and goes to standby. Once it senses 0.25g again it will begin recording another file. This "timer" can be set from 10 seconds to 10 minutes.

4) Shuts down shortly after the vehicle is turned off. Using Supercaps, this is usually about a 5-second delay. Using batteries, you can program how long you want it to continue to run after it loses external power.

We use this Auto-Record feature on all the Speed World Challenge cars as well as the Australian V8 Supercars. We also used five of these systems on the 1955 Hagemann Jaguar we outfitted for Jay Leno's race team. I use it on my own race car.

-You can go an entire weekend without ever thinking about your video.
-You never miss a lap or session.
-Since it's fully user programmable, you can set it so you only get the footage you want.
-Once you use it, you wonder how you ever lived without it. :)

[tobyp]

There was a discussion on the old board about the mounting techniques for a PDR/SS1000 setup in a 911. It even had pictures and was very well laid out. Can we get that info back also?

Toby

[mrexcitement]

I am running the pdr100 + camera from a 4 cell lithium ion pack 14.8v (18650 cells 2400mah, same as used in laptop battery packs). This gives me just over 5 hours recording time powering camera as well. The camera i use is the 580tvl sony chipset bullet camera which draws up to 150ma @12v(more than the average bullet camera) I have taken some current measurements at different voltages running the camera as well.
18.0v = 380ma
16.8v = 410ma (fully charged lithium ion pack)
14.8v = 460ma (average voltage of lithium ion pack)
14.0v = 480ma
12.0v = 560ma (Flat lithium ion pack)
9.0v = 740ma
As you can see the higher the input voltage less current is drawn, this because of the switching regulator which steps the voltage up or down depending on the input voltage ( above 12v steps down less current more effiency, below 12v steps up more current less effiency). Also measured the current consumption of running the pdr100 + camera of the internal AA batteries

5.6v = 950ma (fully charged nimh x 4)
4.8v = 1050ma (average voltage of nimh x 4)

Also don't forget at 1050ma discharge current you will not get the rated mah out of the battery, it will be a bit less, that rating is for a 0.2c discharge rate
(500ma discharge on 2500mah battery)
My setup with 4 2500mah nimh batteries powering camera as well struggles to get 2 hours recording and the batteries are quite warm. I use this for a dirtbike which has no 12v power so have to run off batteries.
The pack weighs less than 8 AA bateries and last almost twice as long.
You can use li-po batteries as well but the 18650 lithium ion cells have the highest energy density per size and are physically more robust. I have the older pdr100 so power consumption might be less with the newer units.
Hope this is of some use to someone as it has been the solution to my problem. With 2 battery packs i have 10 hours recording time.

David