Video Camera Questions, considering installing an in-car cam Options

[John]

Any advice/suggestions for mounting a video camera in our track only car? There is virtually no interior left and a bracket would be fabricated and welded into place for mounting.

Any brand/model recommendations? Any brands/models to avoid?

The car is a DE only vehicle.

What I THINK I want is a small, lightweight camera that stores video on Digital Tape, and can be powered from the car 12v system. I want something that will be easy to transfer video to a PC and then burn DVD's to be played in stand-alone players.

I want enough resolution that it will look decent full screen on a television.

It will need to be hard wired as there is no lighter plug (or dash for that matter).

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[John]

I've been playing around with my wife's DCR-HC40. I can capture the video on the PC via the DV cable (firewire) and get acceptable results (for me).

Now I just need to figure out a robust method of attaching the camera in the car. I think the camera has a remote to start/stop the recording.

I'll also have to figure out how to manually control the focus and the brightness. Looks like it may be a fun challenge.

We've wanted to put a camera in the track car now for about 15 years and it may just make it in for our last event this year (in October).

I've got to get to work on a mount.

Here is a question about the videos posted on the web such as youtube: What format and resolution are those in? AVI, MPEG??? I'm more used to making VOB files for burning to DVD's.

[turboman808]

Here is a question about the videos posted on the web such as youtube: What format and resolution are those in? AVI, MPEG??? I'm more used to making VOB files for burning to DVD's.

VOB is just another for of Mpeg. For the most part I make everything a DIVX file. It gives you the highest resolution without being to large.

When you go to upload to many sights you will find they do not accept files over 100mb or 10 minutes. So using DIVX format will resolve alot of this.

Also I use a site called Veoh.com and Stage6.com

Stage6 is the only sight I know that lets you freeely upload any length and also in High definition.

Veoh.com is really handy because when you upload to there sight it will also upload to all your other video sites. So it knocks out 6 video sites in one upload(youtube myspace aol etc). It's really handy. Plus if your friends run Veoh on there home theatre and they are subscribed to your channel they get your videos automaticaly to the home theater. Really nice!!!

[Dominic L]

Here is a question about the videos posted on the web such as youtube: What format and resolution are those in? AVI, MPEG??? I'm more used to making VOB files for burning to DVD's.

VOB is just another for of Mpeg. For the most part I make everything a DIVX file. It gives you the highest resolution without being to large.

When you go to upload to many sights you will find they do not accept files over 100mb or 10 minutes. So using DIVX format will resolve alot of this.

Also I use a site called Veoh.com and Stage6.com

Stage6 is the only sight I know that lets you freeely upload any length and also in High definition.

Veoh.com is really handy because when you upload to there sight it will also upload to all your other video sites. So it knocks out 6 video sites in one upload(youtube myspace aol etc). It's really handy. Plus if your friends run Veoh on there home theatre and they are subscribed to your channel they get your videos automaticaly to the home theater. Really nice!!!

Thanks for the tips, Nathan. I went ahead and bought the Canon hv20 high def camcorder. (So now I'm 1000 dollars poorer thanks to your video of Yarin in high def! LOL) Read lots of good things about it. I recorded one autocross video with it but it came out too jittery. Afterwards, i found out that one clamp was loose on the io port camera mount. DOH! Worked well for vacation too! One question. What do you use to edit your videos?

[turboman808]

Thanks for the tips, Nathan. I went ahead and bought the Canon hv20 high def camcorder. (So now I'm 1000 dollars poorer thanks to your video of Yarin in high def! LOL) Read lots of good things about it. I recorded one autocross video with it but it came out too jittery. Afterwards, i found out that one clamp was loose on the io port camera mount. DOH! Worked well for vacation too! One question. What do you use to edit your videos?

I use Sony Vegas. Way before I picked up a camera I was an audio engineer for Sesame Street. Sony Vegas started it's life 10-15 years ago as a program for audio engineers. So the controls are laid out like a multitrack recorder and make alot more sense to me then say Premiere or Final Cut. I also never have issues with taking in different formats like all my friends have with the other programs. My system is pretty high end though. But Vegas is scalable.

My computer has 3 32inch widescreen monitors, 2 quad core processors and runs blackmagic decklink with Vegas. I have a terrabyte of storage localy and a file server with another 10 terrabytes. Have a few other toys around but that's primarily what I use.

[Dominic L]

I use Sony Vegas. Way before I picked up a camera I was an audio engineer for Sesame Street. Sony Vegas started it's life 10-15 years ago as a program for audio engineers. So the controls are laid out like a multitrack recorder and make alot more sense to me then say Premiere or Final Cut. I also never have issues with taking in different formats like all my friends have with the other programs. My system is pretty high end though. But Vegas is scalable.

My computer has 3 32inch widescreen monitors, 2 quad core processors and runs blackmagic decklink with Vegas. I have a terrabyte of storage localy and a file server with another 10 terrabytes. Have a few other toys around but that's primarily what I use.

Wow! No wonder your videos look so professional! Thanks again!