Recording challenge - need a genius (or a 10 yr old)

dragnil

dragnil

Member
Hummy is connected conventionally to TV by HDMI. Also connected to TV, by Scart, is a nest box camera on which we are watching Betty Blue Tit sitting on eggs (no comments, please, about voyeurism). My problem is that we'll be on holiday starting around the day the eggs are due to hatch and we'll miss the feeding, growing up and fledging.

Is it possible to (1) connect the nest box camera to the system so that Hummy recognises it, and (2) set up a timer schedule to record, say 30 ins each day while we're away.

If anyone can see a way to do this this, they'll earn the undying gratitude of my grand daughter (and me).

Thanks, as always for your help.

David
 
Pvrs like the HDR FOX T2 are not capable of recording an external source, they can only record the digital stream direct from the internal tuners. You need a DVD recorder or vcr to record an external analogue source, or possibly a PC/Laptop with a analogue input or a usb analogue to digital converter.

eg

http://www.ezcap.tv/
 
dragnil said:
Is it possible to (1) connect the nest box camera to the system so that Hummy recognises it, and (2) set up a timer schedule to record, say 30 ins each day while we're away.
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Sorry but not possible. The Humax will only record digital TV streams from the aerial.
 
grahamlthompson said:
Pvrs like the HDR FOX T2 are not capable of recording an external source, they can only record the digital stream direct from the internal tuners. You need a DVD recorder or vcr to record an external analogue source, or possibly a PC/Laptop with a analogue input or a usb analogue to digital converter.

eg

http://www.ezcap.tv/
Click to expand...

Thanks, Graham, I had a feeling this would be the answer but it's good to have it confirmed. I'll look into the DVD option. Thanks again.
 
If you wanted to get really geeky about it, digital TV encoders and injectors are available to buy, which would then present an additional multiplex channel that the Humax could tune (and if you buy a fancy one you could connect multiple cameras to the input and be able to switch between them by changing channel...). I believe there's a section of the station number range reserved for such uses, even.

However, that's a bit OTT for what you're after. I've got a cheap video capture card plugged into my old laptop which works just fine for analogue recording purposes such as that, and the software allows you to set up multiple recordings which repeat daily. If you've got an old computer (almost anything less than 10 years old should be fine) hanging around and can spare enough disc space then that would be just the ticket. Heck, if you keep the bitrate fairly modest and plug in a big-ish external drive, you could spool the feed to it continuously, maybe just breaking it up on an hour-by-hour basis. (2400kbit == 1gb/hour = 168gb/week)

The definition is slightly less overall than you'd get from a pure digital system (because of it using composite video, which technically speaking can't actually achieve a full 640 never mind 720 horizontal pixels), and for some reason the current version of that particular software doesn't seem to understand interlacing (it bounces everything down to 25fps using the motion-blurry "blend" mode), but given the usual quality of nestbox cams and the kind of footage they shoot this shouldn't be an issue.

Or if you only want to grab about 8 hours of very basic quality footage ... plug in a DVD recorder and use its longest-play recording mode. Or just hook up an old VHS deck and use a 4-hour tape in LP. Provided either offers sufficient recording slots for your purposes of course.
 
tahrey said:
If you wanted to get really geeky about it, digital TV encoders and injectors are available to buy
Click to expand...
This interests me. I have not looked for a long time, and I guess the market has moved on, but when I did last look into this there was no such thing on the consumer market. Reference?
 
tahrey said:
The definition is slightly less overall than you'd get from a pure digital system (because of it using composite video, which technically speaking can't actually achieve a full 640 never mind 720 horizontal pixels)
Click to expand...
Technically speaking it most certainly can. Perhaps you ought to read the relevant standards.
 
MartinLiddle said:
Not exactly consumer price band is it.
Click to expand...

A TV costing the same would be firmly in the consumer price band and it's on sale at a consumer (not trade) website. No doubt they will get cheaper. It was a simple example, a simple search will find others.

http://cpc.farnell.com/antiference/dmsd02/digital-modulator-twin-sd-dvb/dp/AP02864?CMP=CPC-PLA

http://www.mercateo.co.uk/p/2113-18...mn&pk_campaign=SEA_PLA&pk_kwd=AV(2d)Modulator

Do you really need spoon feeding ?

The link to a DVB-T modulator should have been enough information.
 
grahamlthompson said:
Do you really need spoon feeding ?
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I beg your pardon. This thread started with someone (not me) wanting to record a bird from a nest box camera. I was simply pointing out that although (unknown to me) products have started to appear that make this technically feasible, the price of the item linked to was unlikely to be appealing to the OP.
 
MartinLiddle said:
I beg your pardon. This thread started with someone (not me) wanting to record a bird from a nest box camera. I was simply pointing out that although (unknown to me) products have started to appear that make this technically feasible, the price of the item linked to was unlikely to be appealing to the OP.
Click to expand...

My post was to a post by Black Hole who was asking for information about such kit. I never suggested in any way that the OP would be interested in a product that currently costs about £100.00 plus. Some with deeper pockets may well think it's worthwhile :). At what sort of price would you consider a digital modulator to become consumer price band, is £6000.00 for a oled 4K TV consumer priced ? Presumably the TV makers think so.

This interests me. I have not looked for a long time, and I guess the market has moved on, but when I did last look into this there was no such thing on the consumer market. Reference?
Click to expand...

At some point presumably such a device could become attractive to those using Sky pvrs without a subscription and using a terrestrial freeview pvr rather than a DVDR as recorder. That popint is likely already here.
 
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Jeez, this got a bit spiky overnight...

As I said right from the off, they're pricey pieces of equipment, generally intended more for professional or institutional rather than domestic use. However, a basic cheapie one can be had for rather less than that... no guarantees on the quality of course.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/2615...1=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

Source: Typing "dvb-t encoder" into google, scrolling down the first page of "shopping" results, and picking out the cheapest item.
 
I've also been offered £4000 on a 79" 4K touchscreen, or £6000 for an 84" one, via a professional supplier. Exceedingly tempted, both for the pro purposes and in terms of potentially maxing out my credit card. They're becoming competitive with projection interactive whiteboards, without any of the usual pitfalls, the only actual disadvantage being that they're somewhat heavier.

Exciting times we live in...
 
Connect the camera to a computer through its USB or other facility and there's plenty of software to take time lapse to keep the storage requirements down.
Nothing stops you putting a live stream on the web to watch whereever you are.
 
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