Interfacing camcorders to the real world...

[wedg1e]

Camcorders. Been looking at them. They all seem to output 'DV'. I want to use a composite or RGB monitor.
Any ideas? Is there a format converter widgetty thing?

[meeja]

The DV output is the camcorder's digital connection, which allows you to transfer the video from the camcorder to a PC (for example) in digital format, with zero quality loss.

Some DVD recoders have a DV Input, which means you could transfer your camcorder footage direct to DVD with zero quality loss.

Most camcorders will *somewhere* have an analogue A/V connection.... they are usually a jack-plug style connector, in which you plug a lead that comes with the camcorder, which converts the jack plug into phono connectors for Video, Audio Left and Audio Right.

Plug those phono's into your AV input on your TV, and Robert will be your Mother's Brother.

[simpo two]

The hurdle, I believe, is converting from an interlaced signal (video/TV) to non-interlaced (computer). Expect a quality drop over what you might imagine since PAL is only 720x576 pixels.

[wedg1e]

Cheers fellers; we have a customer who wants to inspect the inside walls of some storage tanks without climbing in there and whilst there are professional video systems that can do it, he's a cheapskate and wants to know if we can create something on the cheap
I was thinking camcorder and a pair of halogen lamps on a telescopic pole, IR remote for the zoom and a small monitor to see what's in there... maybe £750-1000 instead of £15000 for the real thing

Guess I'll have to get my hands on some camcoders at Argos or wherever and see what can be done...

[agent006]

Camcorder with AV in and a bullet cam on a stick? Most camcorders i've used have the facility to output to RCA cables.

[meeja]

[quote=wedg1e]
IR remote for the zoom
[quote]

Stick it on auto-focus and you wouldn't need the remote.

[simpo two]

I'm sure you can find a camcorder which you can connect straight to a portable TV.

[wedg1e]

meeja said:

[quote=wedg1e] IR remote for the zoom [quote] Stick it on auto-focus and you wouldn't need the remote.

Not for the focus; to zoom in and out on areas of interest...

[meeja]

wedg1e said:

meeja said: [quote=wedg1e] IR remote for the zoom [quote] Stick it on auto-focus and you wouldn't need the remote. Not for the focus; to zoom in and out on areas of interest...

very good point.

that'll teach me to read posts properly before replying!!

[KB_S1]

You can buy little convertors and digital capture devices from companies such as Canopus, for arund £150-300.
There is a basic one that converts from DV to S-Video.

[wedg1e]

Cheers for that KB!