Hi everyone,
I want to use an old Camcorder as a security camera feeding the composite
video directly into a VCR so that I can record for 8 hours at a stretch in
LP mode. It works great except that the Camcorder's auto shutoff triggers
every ten minutes or so even when powered by a external power pack. How
difficult is it going to be to disable the auto shutoff, and is there a
workaround? I thought it might be feasable to modify an old cassette to fool
the transport mech that it's doing something usefull, but unfortunately I'm
not clever enough. does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any ideas much
appreciated. Also what cable should I use for a video run of around 8 meters
or so?
Thanks,
pete

It would be best for you to have quoted the model number and manufacture
name.

The auto-off feature in most of these is in the firmware that is burned in
to its uPC.

Get someone who is servicing this model, has the tools and service manuals
for this camera, and see if he can do a mod on it to force the power control
circuits to stay on, no matter what the uPC wants to do. Depending on the
design it may or may not work. If the uPC is also going in to a standby
mode, then you may have a camera that is turned on, but will not operate,
because the uPC is in standby.

Personally, I would spend the few dollars, and get a standard security type
camera that is designed for the job you want it to do.

--

Jerry G.
=====


"RubbishRat" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,
I want to use an old Camcorder as a security camera feeding the composite
video directly into a VCR so that I can record for 8 hours at a stretch in
LP mode. It works great except that the Camcorder's auto shutoff triggers
every ten minutes or so even when powered by a external power pack. How
difficult is it going to be to disable the auto shutoff, and is there a
workaround? I thought it might be feasable to modify an old cassette to fool
the transport mech that it's doing something usefull, but unfortunately I'm
not clever enough. does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any ideas much
appreciated. Also what cable should I use for a video run of around 8 meters
or so?
Thanks,
pete

In article , RubbishRat
writes
Hi everyone,
I want to use an old Camcorder as a security camera feeding the composite
video directly into a VCR so that I can record for 8 hours at a stretch in
LP mode. It works great except that the Camcorder's auto shutoff triggers
every ten minutes or so even when powered by a external power pack. How
difficult is it going to be to disable the auto shutoff, and is there a
workaround? I thought it might be feasable to modify an old cassette to fool
the transport mech that it's doing something usefull, but unfortunately I'm
not clever enough. does anyone have any thoughts on this? Any ideas much
appreciated. Also what cable should I use for a video run of around 8 meters
or so?

What model is it?

Some camcorders will stay on if you leave the tape door open, or if you
switch to VCR mode. Others will not stay on whatever you do.

Regarding the cable, any type of coax should be fine for this.
--
Tim Mitchell

Leaving the tape door open is one trick that often works. Try
different variations with no tape in the cam.


Thanks for the input everyone, I got quite excited there for a minute but
this particular camcorder (It's a Telefunken 4300 ) switches the video off
the second the cassette door is opened. Damn piece of junk! Luckily I only
paid 4 GBP for it at a boot (trunk) sale. But I must say I think it's very
short sighted and unimaginative of the maker not to think that someone might
want to use the camera in this way for a longer period of time than ten
minutes. Arrogant sob's.
Anyway thanks to all who took the time to reply, It's appreciated.
Pete

I agree with your assessment.. these "smart machines" are an aggravation to
experimenters and reverse enginneer-type enthusiasts. The majority of it is
crap consumer stuff, some commercial/industrial stuff available as surplus
is versatile enough to use for other purposes.

Cheers
WB
..................

"RubbishRat" wrote in message
...

Leaving the tape door open is one trick that often works. Try
different variations with no tape in the cam.


Thanks for the input everyone, I got quite excited there for a minute but
this particular camcorder (It's a Telefunken 4300 ) switches the video off
the second the cassette door is opened. Damn piece of junk! Luckily I only
paid 4 GBP for it at a boot (trunk) sale. But I must say I think it's very
short sighted and unimaginative of the maker not to think that someone
might
want to use the camera in this way for a longer period of time than ten
minutes. Arrogant sob's.
Anyway thanks to all who took the time to reply, It's appreciated.
Pete

In article ,
RubbishRat wrote:

Leaving the tape door open is one trick that often works. Try
different variations with no tape in the cam.

Thanks for the input everyone, I got quite excited there for a minute but
this particular camcorder (It's a Telefunken 4300 ) switches the video off
the second the cassette door is opened. Damn piece of junk!

Try closing the door again with no tape in, then!

--
--------------------------------------+------------------------------------
Mike Brown: mjb[at]pootle.demon.co.uk | http://www.pootle.demon.co.uk/

A small security camera these days is pretty cheap .. forget the
camcorer .

In article ,
Si Ballenger wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:53:17 -0600, (Ken G.)
wrote:

A small security camera these days is pretty cheap .. forget the
camcorer .

Camcorder optics and low light operation are usually far superior
to what is available in most inexpensive security cams.

.... and security cameras haven't come down to 4 GBP each yet, either, which
is what that camcorder cost!
--
--------------------------------------+------------------------------------
Mike Brown: mjb[at]pootle.demon.co.uk | http://www.pootle.demon.co.uk/

Si Ballenger wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:53:17 -0600, (Ken G.)
wrote:

A small security camera these days is pretty cheap .. forget the
camcorer .

Camcorder optics and low light operation are usually far superior
to what is available in most inexpensive security cams.

Not to mention that there are tens of thousands of them out there clogging
up the landfills, pawn shops and thrift stores; which can be had for next to
nothing.

jak

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 15:00:12 -0500, "jakdedert"
wrote:

Si Ballenger wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:53:17 -0600, (Ken G.)
wrote:

A small security camera these days is pretty cheap .. forget the
camcorer .

Camcorder optics and low light operation are usually far superior
to what is available in most inexpensive security cams.

Not to mention that there are tens of thousands of them out there clogging
up the landfills, pawn shops and thrift stores; which can be had for next to
nothing.

jak

Right. While I have several of the "inexpensive" security cameras in
use I find the old video camcorder(old sony 8mm) that I wired up to do
much better work.
I made a metal watertight enclosure for it(lexan front panel) and
wired the controls into a canon plug assem.
Now it zooms in and out and I can adjust all the basic exposure
controls to get a perfect picture.
I mounted it on an old antenna rotor and and get a full 360 pan out of
it as well.
Had to do this to keep the crack dealers of my front drive and
sidewalk.
All in all I put about 15 buck into this project and got a camera that
rivals a 400 dollar setup from any of my local security stores.

gothika wrote:
On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 15:00:12 -0500, "jakdedert"
wrote:

Si Ballenger wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:53:17 -0600, (Ken G.)
wrote:

A small security camera these days is pretty cheap .. forget the
camcorer .

Camcorder optics and low light operation are usually far superior
to what is available in most inexpensive security cams.

Not to mention that there are tens of thousands of them out there
clogging up the landfills, pawn shops and thrift stores; which can
be had for next to nothing.

jak

Right. While I have several of the "inexpensive" security cameras in
use I find the old video camcorder(old sony 8mm) that I wired up to do
much better work.
I made a metal watertight enclosure for it(lexan front panel) and
wired the controls into a canon plug assem.
Now it zooms in and out and I can adjust all the basic exposure
controls to get a perfect picture.
I mounted it on an old antenna rotor and and get a full 360 pan out of
it as well.
Had to do this to keep the crack dealers of my front drive and
sidewalk.
All in all I put about 15 buck into this project and got a camera that
rivals a 400 dollar setup from any of my local security stores.

Now...if we could find similar uses for all the TFT LCD displays out there
which are currently connected to dead or obsolete laptops, camcorders,
digicams, mini TV's etc.... If the manufacturers had settled on a common
display addressing scheme, someone could design a cheap universal interface
which would supply RGB, composite or VGA inputs to drive them.

I've got four or five displays in several such gadgets which are useless
without the aforementioned devices--which have all died--although the
expensive display is just fine.

jak

In article , jakdedert
writes
Now...if we could find similar uses for all the TFT LCD displays out there
which are currently connected to dead or obsolete laptops, camcorders,
digicams, mini TV's etc.... If the manufacturers had settled on a common
display addressing scheme, someone could design a cheap universal interface
which would supply RGB, composite or VGA inputs to drive them.

I've got four or five displays in several such gadgets which are useless
without the aforementioned devices--which have all died--although the
expensive display is just fine.

Ebay them for spares, there are people out there who have units with
broken displays. I have passed several knackered laptops onto a good
home using ebay.
--
Tim Mitchell