I need some help. I've done a LOT of research, reading, talking to folks...and I'm really not getting anywhere. Maybe I'm not very good at communicating my problem/intended set up.
I’m a private investigator. I’m trying to build a self-contained, 12-volt surveillance camera rig that I can set up in a vehicle. I want to be able to both run it off of the vehicle’s power or off of a battery pack. In other words, if a vehicle has an "always on" accessory plug, I can use it. But if it doesn't, I've got power anyway. [i’ve already got the battery pack set up].
The idea is to be able to leave a vehicle unmanned, but still be able to obtain recordings of a subject's movements.
I want this rig to be portable; to be able to be moved from vehicle to vehicle or from place to place, without sacrificing the relatively covert status. That means most of the rig should be easily concealable. Remembering that I want it portable, that probably means in a case of some type...including a monitor to ensure the focus and aim is correct.
Further, the subjects I'm usually surveilling are 100 yds to 1/4 mile away. So dashcams/backup cams won't do. I have to hang my own cameras off of this DVR. That probably means a composite/RCA connector to the DVR. (Though I'm open to anything here!)
I have a DVR that I’ve been using for years, that was taken from one of those school bus rigs. But the video is in a proprietary format that requires that I go through several very painful steps, using untold (and generally unbilled) hours to generate usable video for my clients.
I’d like to get to where I’m capturing the video on an SD card or HDD in a format that’s easier to transfer to media for my client. It'll need to be time/date stamped, at minimum. GPS isn't required.
I’d like a 4-channel system...to be able to hook up to from 1 to 4 different cameras at once. I use some fixed focal length cameras, some handycams with enormous zoom capability and a tilt/pan/zoom camera.
I’d like to be able to be agnostic as to the cameras…in other words, I’d like to be able to hook up a handycam with terrific zoom, or a tilt/pan/zoom camera or just some fixed focal length CCTV cameras, depending on the case, the topography and the application. It may be that an RCA plug for the video in is the best way. I don't know.
My problem is that with the research I’ve done so far, many of the DVRs require a particular camera-to-DVR connection. They each seem to be proprietary in some way. That’s okay, if I can get wiring diagrams that’ll allow me to build the cabling that’ll let me hook up the cameras I require.
Simply put, I’d like to find a DVR with a smallish footprint (to put in a case of some type), that will run off of the battery pack (also installed in the case) that will accept various video inputs. And it would need to be able to run/capture video up to 12 hours straight. I think I've got the power stuff worked out, but I need to work out the DVR/storage/camera connections bit.
Audio is not an issue. I don’t use it. Matter of fact, if I picked up audio, I’d delete it.
All of that being said, this board seems to be an amazing resource. Lots of folks with lots of knowledge…collective genius.
Here’s hoping that I can get some guidance as to gear/brands/rigs/wiring that’ll let me wind up with what I want.
[uLTIMATELY, I’m going to build a vehicle with 8 – 10 cameras, switches to choose which to record, TPZ capability, charging stations, monitors, etc. all built in. For now, I just want to build a terrific, portable unit that, if necessary, I can replicate.]
Any and all ideas are not only welcome, but intensely requested and hungered for.
[i'm not an electronics whiz, by any means. But I'll learn what I need to know to do this. One person suggested I try to start with the Raspberry Pi 2 and build one up from there. Hell, I'd do that if it'd work! But I'd rather find a DVR somewhere that I can get my various "video in's" to work.
Thankee ahead of time…
C
