BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

OK, so today I took the Panasonic CX-161 CCD camera I purchased from BlackWidowAV.com out for a test run. I spent yesterday cobbling together the wiring and power supply and "mounting" it on my Electra motorglider. Very cludgey wiring job, virtually a breadboard setup, this was simply to test the camera itself.
I powered the camera with a 600mAh rx pack I had laying around and used a Spylinker 800mw video system to send it. Camera was triple wrapped in 1/4" foam and built into a small balsa box with a plexiglass window on the front. Box is about 3" cubed, velcroed to the side of the Electra. Jammed the 9v battery, rx battery and 6 cell motor power pack into the fuse along with all the loose wiring.
Problem #1 arrives. All the wiring inside the fuse is NOT a good idea and led to flight rx interference. Just little twitches so I kept the plane close during flight. Didnt have this problemo prior so its all the crummy wiring setup crammed into the fuse. Future flights will have a different setup.
Problem #2 pops up but is expected. Plane is now a bit too heavy and does not climb well. As I said, this was expected.
Plane is launched and video is on. I seemed to be getting some glare on the plexiglass window but this was also half way expected. I think the window was also fogged a bit by the CA I glued it on with.
Flight was just a little over 6 minutes long due to lack of thermals. Landing was not pretty and the plane received some tail damage so only one flight was made.
Had to play with my Ultra Stick 60 instead.:D

Anyway, here is a 1 minute or so clip of the flight.
[link=http://fubar1.freeservers.com/rc/movies/Blackwidow Cam 2.wmv]BlackWidow Cam Test![/link]
My findings and opinion on the camera?
Big thumbs up. I expect to buy a second one to put on my slope glider. Well worth the moolah!
Forgot to mention, a lot of the haze you see is actual haze! It burned off about 20 minutes after the flight.

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Fubar-One,
I can't connect via your link, is there a problem?

Ensignnolo

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

The link works here so I dunno what the deal is.
It's:
http://fubar1.freeservers.com/rc/movies/Blackwidow Cam 2.wmv

I always test the links since I am real good (bad) at screwing the links up. Thats why a lot of my posts that have a new video link in them also have that "Edited by Fubar-One" yada yada line.[&:]
Anyway, try typing that direct if you cant get the original link to work.;)

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Fubar,

I was just wondering what video editing software you use to make your clips viewable over the net. You clips are very good with the intros, dubbed music tracks, and of course the cool flying footage itself.

I am experimenting with my mini DV cam on my trainer, but I have not bought any editing software yet and have no experience with such things. I am going to attempt some barnstorming out at my mothers' farm. She has a 60 x 100 foot steel building with roll up doors at opposite ends big enough to drive the Winnebago straight through. Thus, my devious mind figures I can fly through with the mini DV on the plane, and have my girlfriend shoot it with another camcorder when it comes out. Then I need to something to cut and paste it together into a nice clip. I just need to remember to take the Winnebago out first !!! [X(]

Thanks!

BTW That new cam look really good. Fix the probs you mentioned and you should really be able to get some outstanding clips. I look forward to it !!

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Nice!

Ensignnolo

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

how much did the whole camera system cost?

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Great video Dan!

I fly my CX161 with nothing in front of the lense, but then again, I have a few boxes of them here if I crunch one ;)

Regards,
Bill

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Great video, but your last one was good also, I dont see much difference for the money
Honestly. Where does the 161 out perfom your other setup

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

The primary advantage of the CX161 is it's small size and power requirements along with it's good quality.

Many people fly 5v transmitters, so the CX161 is a good match because everything can be powered from the same battery pack.

The advantages are less obvious when you start talking about 9v or 12v transmitters, because then you have to make special arrangements to get power to the CX161. By the time you add a separate battery pack for the camera, as I think Dan did, you are back up to the weight of your larger cameras.

I fly exclusively with the CX161 and have posted a bunch of clips here:
http://blackwidowav.tripod.com

There are other, cheaper CCD cameras that will give you the same results, they are just larger/heavier/higher voltage. Your decision to use it just depends on the payload capacity of the plane you will be using for aerial video.

Think of the CX161 as those tiny little micro servos that cost 3x more than a full size servo :D

Bill

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Well, that system is the 800mw Spylinker system using the Panasonic CX161 CCD camera that Bill (BlackwidowAV) sells. That camera cost me $91w/shipping and I got it in something like 3 days. Only other additions were some 4 pin Deans plugs and a 4.8v rx pack I had sitting in my Frankenstein drawer. ("Igor! Fetch me a switch harness!" "Yeth, Mathter!")
I went a bit overkill on the housing I made for the camera but you have seen footage of the field I fly from so it might not be THAT much overkill.

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Pinnacle Systems Studio 8.
Great program. I can make videos in wmv, mpeg, avi, real media, VCD, SuperVCD, DVD and, of course, back to digital 8 video. Another great thing about Studio 8 is that its pretty easy to learn.
The tunes I use for my videos are MP3's I ripped from various CD's I own. Musicmatch MP3's will not work with Studio 8 for some reason so I use the Roxio EasyCD 6 somethingorother.
Very interested in seeing the results of what you got planned. Yeah, I would remove the Winnabago first. Would make an interesting clip but would be the last clip made with that plane and camera!

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

When I get a little more scratch together, I plan to purchase a second one for my Super Scooter slope glider. This one will not have anything in front of the lens but WILL be buried in an EPP "pod" to protect it, something like this:
http://fubar1.freeservers.com/rc/videoscooter.jpg
This image is of one of my current stock 800mw systems on the Super Scooter. The camera will go in the pod that is now housing the CMOS camera that came with the system. That pod is held on with velcro and I figure I can just flip that sucker around for a chase view without changing the CG of the plane. The voltage regulator is part of the original camera and will be removed. A 9v transister battery even with a voltage regulator aint got enough soup to power both the Spylinker tx AND the CX161 CCD camera.

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

The videos shot using the Kadet Senior were done with the Supercircuits $350 system. This system requires 12v to operate, both the camera and the tx. I am using a 10 cell 1100mAh AA nicad pack to power it. Very heavy, too heavy and bulky for a glider, especially an EPP foamie but fine for the Kadet which can lift a wet moose. The system on the Kadet will most likely remain as is other than changes in rx antenna selection and other minor things.

The deal with the CX161 is its small size, its a CCD camera, and the fact that it will run off a 4.8 rx pack. It only draws about 240mAh if I remember the specs sheet correctly. The other camera is bigger and requires 12v. I forget what it draws. I got one of these as an upgrade to the Spylinker system.
The pack in my Super scooter is a 1400mAh nicad pack and is more than enough to power the plane AND the camera if I choose. All I need to do then is add the Spylinker tx and a 9v transister battery to power it.
Or, I can just remove the 1400mAh pack and install two 700mAh packs and have a similar weight in the nose.
Eventually, I have my eye on the BlackwidowAV 2.4ghz 600mw system which also is powered by 5v. As I understand the specs, both together can be powered by a 4.8 700mAh rx pack.
The basic idea is very small, light as possible and powered by a small 4.8v pack. Perfect for either a park flyer or a slope glider.
Imagine a guncamera view of slope combat! (Insert Tim Allen Grunt Here)
One of my next video project goals is one of slope combat where the POV is from both the plane and the ground. Guncamera view, ground view, and possible tail vew. This I would probably have to burn to VCDs or something as they might be too large for internet viewing.

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

dan,

Glad you finally did some more vid work... you was starting to slip in the " vid man" category

chris

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

Yeah, I know!
Hope to get some slope video shot next weekend using the new CCD camera. Gotta give the public what they want!;)
Got a few other ideas in the works...

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

how bout some more " oh s@#% vids... hahaha

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

yeah, but Im a "good" flyer now!

RE: BlackwidowAV CCD Camera Test!
 

LOL...