X10 Community Forum

📸Cameras & Camera Software => Camera General Discussion => Topic started by: bryce on April 03, 2005, 12:30:40 PM

Title: wireless cameras in race cars
Post by: bryce on April 03, 2005, 12:30:40 PM
hi i might be using the x10 wireless cameras
in race cars during racing season how ever
the reception doesn't even work in my house
and probably won't work at the track
considering there are scanners and stuf like
that at the race track. how do i mount a
couple of wireless cams in race cars and have
the reciever outside of the car.

Bryce
Title: Re: wireless cameras in race cars
Post by: zap on April 05, 2005, 01:02:25 PM
Bryce- I've been thinking of getting a small
digital video recorder (or camcorder with rca
inputs) to mount in the car with a set of
wired cams mounted into it.  i think FCC regs
keep the signal strength low on these x10
units, but thats why they are affordable.  i
would think you would not be happy with the
image quality for high-speed action because
these cams are fixed focus and fixed frame
rate- a good camcorder will self focus, image
stabilize, and be in a single compact
package.  if you think you want the pit crew
to monitor the race from this pits, this will
only be a distraction- let em watch the tape
later and tell you who's close from the side
of the track!
ohyeah, 1 other thing- a piece of racing
advice i always give... use the tall skinny
pedal as much as possible, and the short wide
pedal as little as possible!
Title: Re: wireless cameras in race cars
Post by: tom on July 05, 2005, 02:12:59 PM
Don't waste your time - the X-10 cams are
not a good solution for any sort of mobile
application. They have minimal range, poor
image quality and VERY directional
antennae. They are cheap (in any
interpretation of the word) and should be
viewed as "toys". You would do much better
with a higher-powered transmitter/receiver
and a higher quality camera. Check out
http://www.supercircuits.com for a few
ideas. I've also had marginal success with
random cameras off of eBay - just search
for "wireless camera" or somesuch.

And on the corners: "Go in slow, come out
fast. Go in fast, come out dead." ;^)
Title: Re: wireless cameras in race cars
Post by: Brian H on July 05, 2005, 04:05:44 PM
Range maybe a problem. I have see what
soneone did in mounting some X10 wireless
cameras in some RC Planes and Helicopters.
They changed the directional antenna to a
omnidirectional one. Even have few neat
sample videos to look at.
www.rc-cam.com
Title: Re: wireless cameras in race cars
Post by: tom on July 06, 2005, 02:16:06 PM
Very cool ... it appears he replaced the
low quality X10 camera unit with a much
higher quality unit, but the Tx/Rx is
giving very nice results! Maybe that box
full of old X10 cams *CAN* be useful after
all!

Thanks!