Dvr

[lew247]

I'm going to try and incorporate a gps receiver, to show my speed and location on forwards and backwards facing camera's in my car.
The purpose for this is to help in the case of "staged" accidents where people run into you just to claim insurance.

Does anyone know how to record video onto a hard drive, or make a DVR?
I'd ideally like to record the video in real time 25-30 fps.
Ideally i'd like to compress the video so that it keeps the high quality but is recorded onto the hard drive in as small a file size as possible.

Alternatively for shorter journeys of up to 2 hours maybe recording onto a memory card might be an idea?
I'd like to have the hard drive option because sometimes we do a long journey to Cornwall and back which is about 11-12 hours or recording time.

I did consider making a proper in car pc unit so it's got most of the functions of the home unit, and all the above could be easily done, however I'd ideally like a stand along unit that I could just plug the 2 camera's into and start and finish recording by a button press (or by turning the ignition on)

All ideas welcome as the design is all still in my head at the moment, but the main things are I dont have a lot of money to spend or I'd just buy a commercial one.

 

[thejamesclan]

carcam

the best way is to record onto two sd cards one overlapping the other
. say you start recording on card A then half a hour later card B starts
recording the same data, at the end of a hour card A is erased and starts
again while card B continuse untill it hour is up and then gets erased,
so all the time you have constant data of a one hour time frame.
in the event of a incident a trigger will save all data for retreival.

 

[lew247]

thats ok for doing the short journeys but not longer ones.
I'd like the facility to store all journeys on hd or dvd once I got home if wanted.

Also and this is going to sound stupid possibly, but any clues where to go to figure out how to write to sd cards? or convert the video to a format they will take?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Essentially you're talking a computer - so either use one, or build yourself one - you can get computer cards that accept 4 analogue video inputs, and record all four.

You can also buy security DVR's which do the same thing, and are basically a computer inside - probably running under Linux of some kind.

Do you have some reason for wanting to do this?, I wasn't aware it was ever a problem in the UK, and was just an American problem (and probably only a tiny problem there). Insurance coverage is different in the two countries, and I don't think the insurance here would be suitable for such a possible scam.

 

[thejamesclan]

carcam

look on the maplin site item number (A97HN)
i think this would be a cheap easy option, you will need a inverter
to power it, but you would need one for most options.

 

[thejamesclan]

wrong maplins code, the right one is N38GA

 

[audioguru]

Hi Lew,
Please say where you are so we can keep away from there.
People drive into you to claim insurance? Really? Are they crazy animals? Terrorists?

 

[lew247]

LOL
no it is'nt THAT bad - yet.
It does happen, thankfully it's not everyday or anything like that, it's usually when they see someone coming off the motorway onto the normal roads again, at those junctions, I wont give ddetails as it's not needed but it does happen.
It's partly for that purpose as the other half drives a lot on motorways (freeways if your American), it's a 100 mile round trip to work and back each day, so it's partly for her protection, and partly for me.
If she knows her trip is being recorded she might keep to the speed limit a lot more than she does sometimes.
Then I don't have to wonder (sometimes) if she is late because of traffic or because she has been speeding and either got caught and delayed, or in an accident,
Also should she ever be in one, we'd have video evidence which could go against her or it could go in out favour, - either way at least we'd definately know.

Oh as to the Maplins one - the cheap one, I did consider it - for a few seconds- it just wouldn't be any good, the frame rate is too low, and the amount it can record is severely limited unless your talking time lapse and that's no good, it has to be real time.

So - That really leaves me with making a car pc.
Has to be a pc because that's what I know, Anyone any suggestions as to good boards to use and any ideas about software?

I guess If I have to make one I might as well make a half decent one, if it can be done pretty cheap anyway.
Speed wont be a concern, and I guess 1Gig or memory will be fine.
I reckon an install of XP would be better than Vista, and strip it down so it only has the bits installed that's nessessary?

Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a touch screen display that pops out when needed?
I'm thinking of once it's finished removing the car radio and having a pop out touch screen there instead, I know you can get motorised pop our displays on car radio's but they are expensive, and If I'm making a pc I might as well do away with the in car radio and use the computer to do it.
Have it as a monitor for the cams if wanted, radio, mp3 player, I'd have to have wireless N built in as well then I can operate it remotely when she gets home and transfer the video recorded to the home computer or onto dvd.
Anyone got any other ideas what could be incorporated into the pc? as long as it's sensible and wont increase the price too much?

Thanks for all the ideas so far everyone.

 

[HarveyH42]

There are quite a few portable DVRs in the $200 and less range, and would probably do most all you want and more.

Actually, it's the the insurance money the scammers want. It's quick cash to avoid filing a police report and insurance claim, both usually cost the victim more in the long run, than a few hundred bucks hush money. If you think it's a scam, push for the police report, and insurance/personal information. A scammer will find a better mark.

I bought a used, and slightly abused security DVR for $250. It sells new for around $1300 (Speco Technologies). I does 4 cameras, 24/7 plus records 5 seconds on motion triggered events, tons other crap too lazy to figure out... On the 160 gig HD, I get about 3 days, best quality, 3 cameras hooked up, two motion enabled. You lose image quality with compression, but its still pretty good.

For your car, you should look into the commercial units, something designed and built for the purpose. It's going to get bumped around quite a bit. Got a hunch you'll spend the same money or more, for much less, if you patch something together.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Actually, it's the the insurance money the scammers want. It's quick cash to avoid filing a police report and insurance claim, both usually cost the victim more in the long run, than a few hundred bucks hush money. If you think it's a scam, push for the police report, and insurance/personal information. A scammer will find a better mark.

I don't think there's any such problem in the UK - car insurance doesn't work like that - and the Police aren't usually interested unless someone is hurt.

 

[audioguru]

I think the Scammer causes an accident then claims whiplash injury or back injury and sues. Then the insurance pays them for their "pain".

"Mr. Judge, I did not drive into him. He backed into me!"
Judge: "Without any witnesses then you must split the costs".