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Author Topic: Using computer as a recording devise?  (Read 38927 times)

Mr. Jones

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #30 on: May 20, 2011, 10:14:17 AM »

Hawk1 is fair in saying I'm an average windows user. I would like to make this as easy as i can. This is the 2001 computer spec.'s (run/dxdiag) you guys asked about. I'll be offline this weekend up at the house. I'll also get all the X10 product names and numbers you asked about earlier too.

2001 Computer
Pentium 3 930MHz
32Bit
128 RAM
Video Card: Radeon 9000 Pro family Rev1/ Total Memory 127MB
System Resources 60% free

Let me know if you need any other info from that computer.
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Deemar

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #31 on: May 20, 2011, 10:56:27 AM »

The va11 is X10's usb video capture adapter.  They also have a va12.  That's the problem with using Linux and Zoneminder is trying to find/and install a working device driver for it.

Don't get me wrong here, I love Linux and am using Mochad driver for the cm15, along with another cm15 and iHouse.  But  getting X10's va11 or va12 has always been a pain to try and setup in Linux.

If anybody has an easy way of doing this I would like to know.  But as far as I know this is not for the average Windows user to tackle.  Just my 2 cents.   :)

Device drivers are all built into the Linux kernel so you don't need to install anything. Plug in your webcam, install Zoneminder and you're done. And why do you need a capture device? Just plug the USB camera right into the computer.
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Tuicemen

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #32 on: May 20, 2011, 11:48:00 AM »

Deemar: Mr Jones has 3 cameras he wishes to feed into the PC not a single web cam thus a capture device is needed. these cameras don't have a USB connection.

Mr Jones: your going to need to find out what type of memory and the maximum it can hold as 128 won't be enough to get the video results your looking for.
Also you'll need a large hard drive to hold all your video.

 >!
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Mr. Jones

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #33 on: May 20, 2011, 12:21:11 PM »

So, that computer will not run XP? 

My brother may have an old computer running XP. He just needs a hard drive. Will the hard drive I have in the 2001 computer be enough? If and only if it's compatible of course.... Or do we need to find another one? What size do you suggest for hold/capturing large amounts of video clips? Does your program PCC allow me to set the amount of time I want it to record, after a sensor is tripped?
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hawk1

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #34 on: May 20, 2011, 01:16:19 PM »

Your 98 pc might run XP but you won't be happy with it.  It will be slow as a snail!  And you probably won't be able to record any video that is worth watching.  Your ram(memory) really needs to be bumped up.  I would suggest at least 1 gig if you are going to capture video.

Hard drives are fairly cheap now a days.  You can use www.pricewatch.com to find one for your pc, which is probably IDE interface.  I have a 40gig hard drive on my pentium 4 machine with 1 gig of ram and does fairly well.  But it all depends how much video your going to be recording before you can review it and delete the clips you don't want.  If your not going to review for a while that I would suggest a bigger hard drive.

That being said though, one needs to realise that recording video can eat up your hard drive space quick.  Depending on what kind of settings you use.

One thing you can do is get the model number of your (Hp) I think you said and go to hp's website and check the specs on it.  It should tell you the max amount of ram(memory) and what kind that can be put in your machine.  Again, you can go to your local used pc store or to www.pricewatch.com for memory as well.

After looking all this up you might want to compare "upgrading verses used xp box".  I personally think I would go to a used pc store and see what they had to offer.  If you do choose to buy a used pc make sure you either get the actual XP cd or recovery cd's for it.  You want to be careful about the XP cd's though, there is a lot of counterfeit cd's out there.
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Deemar

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #35 on: May 20, 2011, 01:19:37 PM »

Deemar: Mr Jones has 3 cameras he wishes to feed into the PC not a single web cam thus a capture device is needed. these cameras don't have a USB connection.
Oh......I didn't know non-USB cameras existed. They're just composite? For all the headaches they are introducing and limitations, would it be beneficial to replace them with USB cameras that allow for cheap upgrades? Zoneminder lets you use as many cameras as you want.
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Mr. Jones

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #36 on: May 20, 2011, 02:35:27 PM »

Hawk1 thanks for the suggestions. My brother did get back to me and his processor is 2 gig's, running XP. I'll look into his RAM when I get back into town. He has his copy of XP so what i think I'm going to do is, what you suggested. I'll go out and buy a new hard drive (maybe 60 gig's) and use that machine. Anything I'm missing? Totally awesome community boards here!!! I would have never gottin this far if it weren't for your guys help! Thanks
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hawk1

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #37 on: May 20, 2011, 03:05:53 PM »

You can get a 400 gig hard drive on www.pricewatch.com for 40 bucks.  Lot's more space for video.
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koopr@sstelco.com, I don't know what I'm doin but I'm havin fun doin it!

Deemar

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #38 on: May 20, 2011, 04:44:32 PM »

You can get a 400 gig hard drive on www.pricewatch.com for 40 bucks.  Lot's more space for video.
I just bought a terabyte drive last week for $55 from Memory Express (www.memoryexpress.com). You might as well get that.
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hawk1

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #39 on: May 20, 2011, 05:00:59 PM »

Went to the site.  Didn't see an 1tb internal EIDE hard drive.  Had some externals but I think if I was going to use a usb x10 video capture device I would give it all the bandwidth it could handle. Especially on an older pc. Just my 2 cents though.   :)
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koopr@sstelco.com, I don't know what I'm doin but I'm havin fun doin it!

Mr. Jones

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #40 on: May 23, 2011, 12:15:30 PM »

Okay, here is the system that I have up there right now.

3 XCAM2 Cameras
3 MS16A Activeeye Motion Sensors
1 VR36A Video Receiver
1 UX23a VCR Commander
1 TM751 Small Wireless Transceiver

Is there any else I'll need to up grade besides the VA11A/VA12A?
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Brian H

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #41 on: May 23, 2011, 12:26:42 PM »

Also remember that older computer hardware. May have a hard drive size limit. In its BIOS.
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Mr. Jones

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #42 on: May 23, 2011, 12:40:42 PM »

What your saying is.... I may not be able to put a 500 gig hard drive in it?
« Last Edit: May 23, 2011, 12:49:10 PM by Mr. Jones »
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Mr. Jones

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Brian H

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Re: Using computer as a recording devise?
« Reply #44 on: May 23, 2011, 01:01:05 PM »

If it supports LBA then you should be fine.
I maybe using my way back machine for my memories.
Also is your XP SP1 or higher? I believe original XP was 137 GBs and SP1 added 2TB support.
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