Is there a digital video recorder device? Kind of like VCR, only portable. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2015, 10:24:04 pm
content: I have an RC helicopter with a camera on it that transmits video.The video is picked up on the ground by a receiver.The receiver gives out a composite video signal - an AV socket with PAL or NTSC.I want to record that video signal (instead of putting another camera on the copter).What can be used to do that?It have to work stand-alone in a field with no computers in sight, so all the USB TV tuners that fill the Google aren't it, and it's not exactly convenient to carry an old-fashioned VCR (along with a battery and an inverter) around.I suppose it's possible to plug one of the USB thingies into a Raspberry Pi with a battery, but surely there is already some little Chinese box with an AV port on one side and a MicroSD slot on the other, that would do just that?If so, what would it be called?

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2015, 10:36:48 pm
content: portable DVRMagic in a box!

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2015, 10:43:06 pm
content: Quote from: SL4P on July 03, 2015, 10:36:48 pmThat gives me a Googlefull of dashcams...EDIT: Or not.Found this thing:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Metal-Security-Mini-DVR-Digital-Video-Recorder-with-TF-Micro-SD-Card-/141556400965?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f56b4345Look like exactly what i'm looking for.Thanks!

author: warp_foo
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 04, 2015, 12:05:10 am
content: What is your budget?Atomos Ninja Star is light and has pretty a good feature set. I'm not a huge fan of the storage, however.http://www.atomos.com/ninja-star/m

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2015, 01:26:13 am
content: Those little 808 keychain cameras used to be pretty popular, not sure if they're still the best deal though.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2015, 04:39:40 am
content: Some time back, there was a gadget called an "iSee" that's basically a pocket DVR that used an iPod as memory. With a simple hack, it could use any USB storage device. I managed to pick one up for $5 at the time. Video quality is between VHS and DVD, not exactly surprising.Nowadays, Analog Devices makes a chip that takes in composite or Svideo and outputs MIPI CSI. Someone should make a board to allow it to be used with a Raspberry Pi or even a hacked smartphone or tablet.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 04, 2015, 07:26:43 am
content: A lot of Sony camcorders offered (or still offer?) the ability to record an external video input to the DV tape/DVD etc.I have used one myself, the quality is pretty good, although with the DVD model, if you even move the drive just a little too much during recording, you will get video skips.

author: electr_peter
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 04, 2015, 07:33:35 am
content: Try this DVRhttp://www.ebay.com/itm/KS-750M-LCD-Portable-Mini-Recording-System-Button-DVR-Video-RecorderCamera-/191554809588For RC stuff, I use two cameras - one camera has SD card with record mode on, other camera signal out only. I can choose which camera is transmitted via video TX. On video RX side I can choose to view live image from cam 1 or 2 and/or record live feed.

author: Artlav
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 07:02:59 pm
content: One of these days i will learn not to expect quality from these Chinese products and avoid frustration...One of these days...Got the C-DVR thingy -http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Metal-Security-Mini-DVR-Digital-Video-Recorder-with-TF-Micro-SD-Card-/141556400965?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f56b4345It's not "magic in a box", it's the most pathetic excuse for a video recorder i've ever seen.The recording looks like a cinema projector with the mangled film - it keeps losing the frame lock, and the frame slowly pans up and around into focus.The compression rate is absurd, resulting a lot of "JPEG artefacts" kind of pixelation.Well, at least it was cheap.Quote from: rdl on July 04, 2015, 01:26:13 amGot one of these.Tried using it for that exact purpose back in the days of having nothing.The performance is quite abysmal:It stops working at random, it's very narrow angle, it's not very vibration proof (waves in the picture).For comparison, here is a view from a common consumer camera (Samsung ES10), shot from the same platform:Much better... But also oh so much heavier.Anyway, 808 is an onboard camera, and i'm looking for a video signal recorder.Quote from: electr_peter on July 04, 2015, 07:33:35 amWell, i was hoping to save on weight and carry only one camera.Also, most cameras cease working during lithobraking, so having a recorder on the ground can give some interesting footage.Quote from: warp_foo on July 04, 2015, 12:05:10 amNot that much...However, i wonder if it's a good idea for it to be not that much.

author: Kevman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 07:29:30 pm
content: Hm, my Live Gamer Portable would work if you could get or convert to component. It doesn't support composite or S-video (only component and HDMI), but it'll go the whole way up to 1080p 30fps, so its future-proof.My Canon HV20 would do exactly what you want onto DV tape, though. You'd need firewire to read it off (and would have to read it off in real time). You might find some newer cameras that don't use tape.

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 08:22:31 pm
content: Easy enough to use a cheap security recorder if your willing to rig a battery.http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Black-New-NTSC-PAL-SD-DVR-Digital-Video-Recorder-Surveillance-Audio-1-0A-/161681462463?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a4f754bf

author: kezat
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 08:31:31 pm
content: I use thishttp://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25321__SD_DVR_High_Resolution_Digital_Video_Recorder_for_FPV.html52$The video is not that great but the video link is not that great anyhow, part of the reason I got it is for craft recovery. Easy way to get the GPS location or a idea where the craft had gone down.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 07, 2015, 11:38:19 pm
content: Google Ampex VR-3000Broadcast Quality, but a bit bulky.

author: RickBrant
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 08, 2015, 12:52:40 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 04, 2015, 07:26:43 amThis. Avoid the DVD models.

author: Old_Tech
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: July 08, 2015, 01:06:35 am
content: http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_14&products_id=1204This takes AV input PAL or NTSC, and also has a small display. Records to SD card.