Confirmation/Help, please.

[sah1510]

G'day All.

 

Havent been here in a while as I have been busy with school studys. But that aside, here is my question.

 

I am prepairing for a school production of West Side Story late in the month and as well as filming it, I have been asked to set up a live feed of the stage for the crew and cast. (to be veiwed on laptop backstage with mirrored second monitor on otherr wing.)

 

I asked around, did my research and the school bought a £50 ip camera. Unfortunatley, the camera did not react well to light, and frame and buffer rates were simply terrable.

 

So, my next plan is this.

• 1x digital video camera
  
• 1x 30m S-Video cable
  
• 1x Video capture device (svideo/rca to usb)
  
• 1x version of screen money to veiw is full screen
  

would this work well? and are there any better/cheaper solutions?

Thanks for your time.

 

 

 

Regards,

Scott.

[bruce]

1 old domestic video camera with composite output. Doesn't need to have a working tape transport. Or a CCTV camera.

 

1 length of coax

 

1 old telly with composite input (often a scart or phono)

 

No computers.

 

Edit: I see you need 2 monitors. You'll need to add a simple distribution amp, another telly, and more cable.

[Shez]

I'd agree with Bruce. Unless there is a really pressing reason to use video over IP, a piece of coax will do the job much better and more simply.

 

Also bear in mind that stage performances are a major challenge for video cameras - you can spend a couple of thousand on a camera and still not get particularly good results. (Cheap) Cameras that output directly to IP tend (in my experience) to produce poorer pictures than even budget video cameras.

[bruce]

a piece of coax will do the job much better and more simply.

 

... and with no noticeable latency. IP cameras, on the other hand...

[J Pearce]

If the monitors are on the same cable run, ie to cable the second you'd pass the first, you'll be fine with a T piece rather than a DA.

Its only backstage relay, doesn't have to be top notch quality.

 

I used to do the same for my old school, in fact I used XLR cable and XLR y splits as I didn't have sufficient coax. Cheap and cheerful.

[sah1510]

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful.

 

The second monitor is not essential, but would obviously help quite a bit.

 

Now I just need to find out if the school has any small tv's.....

 

Thanks once more for your help.

 

 

 

Scott.

 

EDIT: Am I right in thinking this would do the trick?

 

Moderation: Fixed link

[J Pearce]

Thats meant for RF, you could use a modulator (vhs deck is a cheap solution) and then run that.

 

Or you terminate those cables in phonos (or use adaptors) and it would probably still work fine, depending on whats going on inside that 3way splitter/combiner.

[sah1510]

Thats meant for RF, you could use a modulator (vhs deck is a cheap solution) and then run that.

 

Or you terminate those cables in phonos (or use adaptors) and it would probably still work fine, depending on whats going on inside that 3way splitter/combiner.

 

May Iask what you would recommend buying?? (cable wise).

[Russ83]

Options:

Using computers - Use a webcam and VLC Media player to encode on one machine and another copy installed on the destination machine to receive the stream. This relies on a stable network connection and will have about 2sec latency (on a good day).

 

Good old reliable hard wired - use any video camera with RCA outputs (DV or even security camera) and buy leads and connectors. You can then plug it into a TV or projector (whatever is about, its a school so surely there must be a TV trolley somewhere that can be borrowed?). You may also need one of these for the TV. I've used this method successfully for 80m of cable and it still gives good results.

[sah1510]

Thanks, Russ83. The wired way seems to be the way to go. Regarding the tv. there are plenty of tv's about on trolleys. Issues being

a) they are huge widescreen crt's

b) not enough space backstage for cast and the trolley

(this is why the laptop was suggested.)

 

However, I shall not let that put me back. I am trying to find out if the school has any small tvs and if not if anyone is willing to bring in an old (working)one or if the school is willing to purchase.

 

 

 

Thanks once more

Scott.

 

EDIT: anyone know of rough delivery times up to Glasgow from CPC?! (finding it difficult to navigate the webstie)

EDIT 2: Ooops, sorry. I found it.

[Russ83]

If you are needing to play it on a laptop then what about something like this? I've never used one before but it would be interesting to know how well they work (also depends how soon you need it).

 

If the item is in stock then it's normally next day delivery with CPC AFAIK.

[Nick S]

[*]1x Video capture device (svideo/rca to usb)

 

You'll be getting a good 1/2 - 1 second delay off of that. Even straight camera -> TV runs can have latency, so make sure you're working off good monitors. A venue I work at just bought around 12 HD LCD panels for monitoring, and then discovered that they had a .25 second delay on the built in AD converter when running from a camera.

 

*Any* USB video solution is going to have latency. Even the high-end hardware Firewire converters I use aren't without their problems.

[bruce]

EDIT: anyone know of rough delivery times up to Glasgow from CPC?! (finding it difficult to navigate the webstie)

 

First, talk to your school, chances are they may have a CPC account. If they do, you'll probably get a substantial discount and free next-day delivery. Or they may have another preferred supplier.

 

Secondly, there are several suppliers local to Glasgow who can provide this sort of kit over-the counter (and I'm not talking about the overpriced rip-off shops with no product knowledge in the high streets...)

 

Try Tait Components, www.taitcomponents.com, who are about 5 mins walk from George Square, next to Tisos.

 

Does your school not have an A/V technician?

[nicemms]

Is the reason you wanted to use a laptop because you had some TFT VGA monitors to use?

 

If so, you could buy a cheap video(phono) to VGA a VGA splitter and conect an approiate camera to the two TFT monitors?

[sah1510]

Is the reason you wanted to use a laptop because you had some TFT VGA monitors to use?

 

If so, you could buy a cheap video(phono) to VGA a VGA splitter and conect an approiate camera to the two TFT monitors?

 

That was one of the reasons yes. We originaly thought it would be best as using the ip camera meant that we could show the stream in the dressing rooms on the projectors. The other was of course that I was (and still am) unaware if the school has any tv appropraitley sized for the wings.

 

This had crossed my mind breifly, however.

 

Thanks.

 

Scott.

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

If you are needing to play it on a laptop then what about something like this? I've never used one before but it would be interesting to know how well they work (also depends how soon you need it).

 

If the item is in stock then it's normally next day delivery with CPC AFAIK.

 

They are what I was refering to in the first port as 'video capture device'

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

EDIT: anyone know of rough delivery times up to Glasgow from CPC?! (finding it difficult to navigate the webstie)

 

First, talk to your school, chances are they may have a CPC account. If they do, you'll probably get a substantial discount and free next-day delivery. Or they may have another preferred supplier.

 

Secondly, there are several suppliers local to Glasgow who can provide this sort of kit over-the counter (and I'm not talking about the overpriced rip-off shops with no product knowledge in the high streets...)

 

Try Tait Components, www.taitcomponents.com, who are about 5 mins walk from George Square, next to Tisos.

 

Does your school not have an A/V technician?

 

I dont know about an account with CPC, but they definatley have a good relationship with Taits.

 

The school does have an A/V tech, but he is only in 2 days a week. Most of the time I would ask the IT tech or the depute head - after all, he is the one with all they money