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]

Ok,

I have done my first experimentation at recording sessions at the DE I attended last weekend. I'm still trying to learn about the video editing.

I am using my wife's Sony DCR-HC40. It records to 60 minute DV tape.

I used some capture/editing software and successfully burned my first DVDs. On a regular (non high definition) Television, the image looks ok. Similar to that of a VHS Video Camera.

I used a fixed focus and a fixed exposure to do the recording.

Right now, I am trying to figure out what the different formats offer. All these video files are HUGE!!

I have a few questions:

1. What resolution constitutes High-Def? (it seems that HD video records in the 1080 lines. mine is 520 lines and it really makes a huge difference.)
2. If using DIVX format, the file size should be approx 10MB per minute? (don't know yet, but this seems optimistic.)
3. Is DIVX a codec that can be downloaded or is it a format the editing software must include? (Yes, DivX seems to be a downloadable codec that can work in other software)
4. Would an updated editing/conversion software be of benefit? I currently use an old version of Pinnacle Studio. (It may, but the real limit is the source file resolution)


For me, this seems to be a big learning curve, but it's fun to review/record driving sessions.

I've only been doing DE's for 20 years now, but am nearly a novice at the in-car-camera thing.

P.S. My 17 minute MPEG video is 257 MB. (a little large to upload somewhere)


EDIT: I answered most of my own questions.....



So far, I believe that the best setup would be the highest resolution DV camera that you can afford that records to DV tape. Tape being preferred due to robust design (due to vibrations).

Please correct me if I am wrong.