Can I hook up a "Helmet Cam"

[toacyclingclub(at)yahoo.com]

I am interested in attaching a plain video camera (not camcorder) to a unit to allow me to have onboard video recording on the bicycle. It the Neuros MPEG-4 vcr appropriate for this application? Obviously I would need to configure a battery.
Thanks
Gray

[Hostile]

As long as the video camera has rca outputs sure, if it has male plugs you will need some sort of converter that has 2 female ends for each plug.

Logan

[vikinge]

How can you control the start / stop without a video output?  Is there a way I can wire a switch to just start/stop recording?

[FJ]

I will ask around a post any asnwer I get here. If you have any suggestions or already have a new set up with the R2 post it on the wiki.
For a battery pack, see this link: http://www.rainydaymagazine.com/RDM2006/RainyDayProjects/BackpackCam/RDP_BackpackCam_Neuros.htm


FJ

[Ex-Navy]

You will need to wire a custom battery, 5Volts + center
A 7805 regulator works fine.
Two female RCA chassis plugs back to back work for the camera
to recorder cables.
A bullet cam usually uses anywhere from 6V to 12Vdc.
A 12V battery with a 5 volt regulator will set you up fine.
Set the recorder up to be in AUTO record.
If you leave the recorder plugged in to the battery, once
you switch on the video cam, the unit will start to record
on its own.

Have fun!!


Ex-Navy

[Ex-Navy]

You can see bullet cam video using this equipment at
www.olson-engineering.com under Neuros samples.
Cool little item the Neuros recorder is.

quote:Originally posted by Ex-Navy

You will need to wire a custom battery, 5Volts + center
A 7805 regulator works fine.
Two female RCA chassis plugs back to back work for the camera
to recorder cables.
A bullet cam usually uses anywhere from 6V to 12Vdc.
A 12V battery with a 5 volt regulator will set you up fine.
Set the recorder up to be in AUTO record.
If you leave the recorder plugged in to the battery, once
you switch on the video cam, the unit will start to record
on its own.

Have fun!!


Ex-Navy

Ex-Navy

[mardibloke]

quote:Originally posted by Ex-Navy

Set the recorder up to be in AUTO record.
If you leave the recorder plugged in to the battery, once
you switch on the video cam, the unit will start to record
on its own.

That's exactly what I purchased the Neuros 2 for, sadly I cannot make it work.
I set the AUTO record to YES, but it only works once. The unit then goes back to AUTO record being set to NO.

[]

Any suggestions what I can try, to automate recording from an external camera?

[Skeeter]

quote:Originally posted by mardibloke
I set the AUTO record to YES, but it only works once. The unit then goes back to AUTO record being set to NO.

I'm glad to see that I am not the only one with this problem.  It seems Ex-Navy has figured out how to make this work properly.  Maybe he (or someone else) can enlighten us?  I am trying to set up a security system.  I have an outdoor video camera that turns on when motion is detected.  I want the Recorder2 to record only when the camera is active.  And, yes, I do leave the Recorder2 powered on at all times.  As stated by Mardibloke, it will only work once, which definitely makes this product less functional for me. Hopefully this will be addressed in a new firmware or do Mardibloke and I have defective units?  Thank you.

[Ex-Navy]

Are you turning off the R2?
If you leave the unit powered up, you should be able to
record once you connect the bullet cam.
I put mine on a switch. Also, I have found cheap video cams
that have built in microphones (preamps included) on Ebay.
I salvage the video cam just for the mic preamp. All for under
$30

quote:Originally posted by mardibloke

quote:Originally posted by Ex-Navy

Set the recorder up to be in AUTO record.
If you leave the recorder plugged in to the battery, once
you switch on the video cam, the unit will start to record
on its own.

That's exactly what I purchased the Neuros 2 for, sadly I cannot make it work.
I set the AUTO record to YES, but it only works once. The unit then goes back to AUTO record being set to NO.

[]

Any suggestions what I can try, to automate recording from an external camera?

Ex-Navy

[mardibloke]

quote:Originally posted by Ex-Navy

Are you turning off the R2?

Nope, can re-create the problem everytime, set to AUTO, power up cam and it records, power down cam and it stops recording and switches AUTO to off, so powering up the cam again it does not record.  As far as I'm concerned its not working as advertised and its no use to me.

[Ex-Navy]

There is a neat little hack that can fix this.
Buy another remote,
I can show you how to wire the remote so the record button is
activated via a motion sensor.
The remote IR LED is also placed inside the sun lense for the
R2. (I did this already)
Not difficult to do.
It fixes this bug until someone modifies the firmware so we have
the option of leaving Auto record on.

Ex-Navy

[mardibloke]

quote:Originally posted by Ex-Navy

There is a neat little hack that can fix this.
Buy another remote,
I can show you how to wire the remote so the record button is
activated via a motion sensor.
The remote IR LED is also placed inside the sun lense for the
R2. (I did this already)
Not difficult to do.
It fixes this bug until someone modifies the firmware so we have
the option of leaving Auto record on.

Ex-Navy

That's a fair workaround, but not ideal for my application.

I have a couple of Recorder II's and a couple of bullet cams, I was hoping to mount both units, portable power supplies, mic pre-amps and power all in one sealed box.  Have connectors on the box for the remote cams,  and then just power the cams up to start recording.  I don't want to have to mess with pressing several buttons etc.
If there was a hack to solder some wires to the Recorder II's and run a remote cable with a toggle switch on the end that would work for me too.

It's a real shame, as I feel so close to a perfect solution if only AUTO record worked.   Tried both my units now and AUTO record only works once, even if you keep the unit powered up.

[Ex-Navy]

There is one other possibility that I am going to try when
my other R2's arrive.
Removing the Ir LED from the remote
Remove the Ir receiver from the R2.
Look at hardwiring the output of the remote directly to the input of
the R2. The Ir receiver simply demodulates the Ir and passes the
pulse modulated signal to the decoder.
Then, wiring a toggle switch across the record button on the
remote.
The remote is so thin and also inexpensive to include it
right in the same box.
This way, you can also use the remote as a control panel for
future trouble shooting, etc.
Undoubtably the cheapest and most effective way until someone
revises the firmware.

quote:Originally posted by mardibloke

quote:Originally posted by Ex-Navy

There is a neat little hack that can fix this.
Buy another remote,
I can show you how to wire the remote so the record button is
activated via a motion sensor.
The remote IR LED is also placed inside the sun lense for the
R2. (I did this already)
Not difficult to do.
It fixes this bug until someone modifies the firmware so we have
the option of leaving Auto record on.

Ex-Navy

That's a fair workaround, but not ideal for my application.

I have a couple of Recorder II's and a couple of bullet cams, I was hoping to mount both units, portable power supplies, mic pre-amps and power all in one sealed box.  Have connectors on the box for the remote cams,  and then just power the cams up to start recording.  I don't want to have to mess with pressing several buttons etc.
If there was a hack to solder some wires to the Recorder II's and run a remote cable with a toggle switch on the end that would work for me too.

It's a real shame, as I feel so close to a perfect solution if only AUTO record worked.   Tried both my units now and AUTO record only works once, even if you keep the unit powered up.

Ex-Navy