Camera monitoring

Using the Church Webcasting System, YouTube, etc. Including cameras and mixers.
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craiggsmith
Senior Member
Posts: 851
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: South Jordan, Utah

Camera monitoring

#1

Post by craiggsmith »

I bought a small monitor for our EVI-D70 camera; now I realize that if I'm going to control it with the laptop I should just monitor it with the laptop as well. Apparently some are having trouble with the capture cards but the Roxio package seems to be working OK. But a search on the internet yields plenty of issues with the hardware in the Roxio package. Has anyone here had a problem with one?

I haven't seen a consensus recommendation for a software video mixer yet; otherwise I would get the hardware recommended for it.

Is a distribution amplifier recommended for the 100+ foot run from the camera to the A/V cabinet? If so, I can just use it to give me another output for my monitor and get a PC input later. Unfortunately the only monitor I could find doesn't have an S-video input. However, a web search yields cheap S-video to composite cables; I didn't know such a thing was possible. I'm not sure what I can get by Saturday but we'll see.
Craig
South Jordan, UT
michaelfish
Member
Posts: 421
Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 4:44 pm
Location: Gilbert, AZ USA

#2

Post by michaelfish »

It is OK to run composite video a hundred or so feet with ordinary RG-6U coaxial cable. If you wish to use CAT5 or CAT6, you can use a video balun and extend the distance to 1200 feet. You can also run 4 composite or audio feeds through CAT5/6.

For more video outputs from the EVI-D70, both outputs from the camera can be used at the same time (composite and S-Video).

If you use CAT5/6 and baluns from the EVI-D70, one pair of wires could be used for composite video and 2 pair for S-Video.

S-Video to composite combiners can take an S-Video output and convert it to composite. Some combiners do a lousy job though and I've never been sucessful combining S-Video to composite and running it a long distance. If you need to combine them, make sure you put the combiner on the input of the video device so the composite run distance is next to nothing.

Having the video of the camera feed on the laptop will be especially helpful because it allows better mouse hand/eye cordination, rather than having to keep looking from the laptop screen for the cursor position, back to a monitor, and back and forth.

If you need two or more video feeds from the same video source, a video distribution amplifier is a must. Don't split video (OK for audio).
craiggsmith
Senior Member
Posts: 851
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: South Jordan, Utah

#3

Post by craiggsmith »

Thanks very much. Right now I'll be using using existing in-wall cable, so I'm stuck with coax. I picked up a VDA from Radio Shack tonight on clearance for $10. It doesn't increase the signal level, but I could use it to either split the composite signal or convert the s-video to composite. But I agree, having to look at two screens is probably not ideal.

I also got some F to RCA connectors so I can use coax for the additional 25 feet of cable on each end of the signal path that is not in the wall (although trying to tape down coax might be a chore).
Craig
South Jordan, UT
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