dshepard

I am considering getting into video with my helicopter and/or airplane. There are a number of kits out there for transmitting video, but what are most of you doing at the flying field to record the video? Are you carrying a home style VCR, a camcorder, or converting the signal and recording to a laptop?

There are also a few kits available to transmit the signal from a digital camera. Is this a viable solution?

Just curious.

Thanks

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

Waste of time unless you are willing to spend the capital to invest in this project. Optics and electronics make this a go no-go business. If your aim is in the professional arena than you must have the funding to produce quality material.

echobot

I have a 12 volt TV/VCR that I record to. Works out really good for me as I can review the video I recorded and if I don't like it I rewind the tape and start again.

dshepard

Not interested in making money, just doing it for fun.

kindjordan

hey there shepard....i spent lots of money during my initial interest in aerial video, mostly on cheap 200mw ebay style wireless cam. I never got anything even usable. Maybee its cause i live in a fairly congested area in NY (most good videos w/these systems come from the farm country......but i figured out a cheap way to take decent video and pictures by eliminating the wireless aspect. I had to lug my laptop with me when i recorded and got very sick of doing that...so i got a pencam w/modification and created a website with my videos and pictures...check it out.

[link=http://kindjordan.tripod.com]my aerial website[/link]

yb2normal

If you can afford it, the best way to capture video at the field is via a digital camcorder. Many models offer analog input which takes the output from your wireless video receiver and records it to the camcorder tape. From there, the editting process is entirely digital (lossless), until you decide to output it to an analog medium like vhs tape.

For long term storage you can even buy a recordable dvd player with 'firewire' input, which allows you to record your video directly from the digital camcorder to a DVD disc.

BTW, I have the Sony TRV-22 for recording at the field.

Regards,
Bill

Fubar-One

My Feedback: (1)

What he said.
I use a Sony TRV-120 digital 8 camcorder for all the aerial videos on my website. I also dub the Hi-8 video my Dad shoots at the field to my camcorder at the end of the flight session for later editing. Firewire it into Studio 9.

dshepard

Thanks everyone, sounds like I need to make a trip to Circuit City and pick out a Mini-DV camcorder.

DadsFunPage

When you're picking out your camcorder, check to see that it will take video IN as well as out. Not all of them do. My Sony shares In and Out. I put together a little AV How To section on my web page - http://www.DadsFunPage.com . It's not all inclusive, but just explains how I do mine.

Good luck and enjoy!