Is this correct? Image quality and warble

[Jackster 0]

Hey all!

 

Brand new here.

Got a cheapo china wholesale camera for $20 and I am testing it out.

Also got a $13 capture card to.

 

Plugged the camera into a TV and looked great. But on my computer I get...

I am guessing it is some sort of compatibility issue or something?

 

Ill post full system spec if needed.

 

Thank you!

[Jackster 0]

After playing around I loaded up xSplit (yes the game broadcasting software).

 

So far I got it like this.

That is via remote desktop and the camera input setting as PAL_D at 758x288.

Does not want to go to its "default" of 768x576.

 

 

 

I am betting that the warble is due to the power cable 12V being 20meters long and dropping the voltage.

 

So when my new multimeter gets here from China (yes I buy a lot from there) ill be able to see how much is dropping.

 

 

 

The image before was from a "webcam CCTV software" package I downloaded.

 

Tried the old Active Webcam (bought it years ago for a few USB webcams I had) and that produced the same results.

They seam to have fixed resolutions but xSplit has a few, one working perfect.

 

 

But I rather get the CCTV software working as xSplit is not something I want to run to record cameras as it is not really built for it.

[the toss 0]

I'm sure your new Chinese multimeter will get to the bottom of the problem

[Kawboy12R 0]

I was thinking the same thing on the multimeter. Decent trustworthy ones with a few features start around $90. Triplett makes one in that range that I like. The OP might get lucky with a cheapo and have it be reasonably accurate or it might be waay off.

 

Heck, I even bought an Associated (THE brand name in 12v battery testers and chargers) 500 amp carbon pile load tester this summer and it was almost 1 volt off. I wasn't happy. My Triplett was .05v different from the Fluke tester that I used to doublecheck with.

[Jackster 0]

Well I think this Chinese meter is not very good, or we need to contact the head of physics because this is a bit odd.

 

 

The supply is 14.3v and at the end of the cable (20m) it is 18.4

 

 

Going to test the meter out a bit

[Kawboy12R 0]

http://www.amazon.com/Triplett-Model-9005-A-Digital-Multimeter/product-reviews/B0002S83NG

[Jackster 0]

Well I think I should get a PTZ for the front.....

 

Last night there was 3 youths who followed a lady into her house (the lady lives off TAX payers money and buys drugs,fags and beer) and they robed her.

 

What happened in the street could have been useful to have a camera out there with audio.

 

I filmed them with my DSLR throwing things so would like to get a PTZ to keep an eye on the car and be able to see who is at the door knocking at 9PM.

 

Seen a few on eBay from china that are up for bidding. It is around £40 atm with 3 days to go.

 

The model is DOZ27A

 

Anyone know of it?

[Kawboy12R 0]

Call your local bobbies and ask them if recording public audio is legal where you are. There's no point in collecting evidence that can't be used and might get you a fine.

[Jackster 0]

Call your local bobbies and ask them if recording public audio is legal where you are. There's no point in collecting evidence that can't be used and might get you a fine.

 

IDK if the pigs would know that. Might have to ask local council office.

[Kawboy12R 0]

There's always the chance they won't know when you ask but will smell a fine after the fact. Doesn't hurt to ask a few people in different places. Any place that installs CCTV should know.

[the toss 0]

Well I think this Chinese meter is not very good, or we need to contact the head of physics because this is a bit odd.

 

 

The supply is 14.3v and at the end of the cable (20m) it is 18.4

 

 

Going to test the meter out a bit

 

It is probably not regulated

[Jackster 0]

Well I think this Chinese meter is not very good, or we need to contact the head of physics because this is a bit odd.

 

 

The supply is 14.3v and at the end of the cable (20m) it is 18.4

 

 

Going to test the meter out a bit

 

It is probably not regulated

 

 

Might plug the cam into my servers PSU then. See what happens..

[Jackster 0]

Note to self, Don't buy $5 capture card.

 

Works great with one camera. As soon as you go 2 you drop to 10FPS. 4 cameras you get 2FPS :/

 

Paid $13 for the card and others sell it for $5 so durp.

 

Need a cheapish card that does at least 15 per channel over 4 channels.

[Jackster 0]

Apparently from reading the ZoneMind wiki this card is okay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330647829755?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D330647829755%26_rdc%3D1

 

Quite happy with 15-20FPS. This one has 4 channel audio to. Not going to use it all but still nice.

[the toss 0]

Apparently from reading the ZoneMind wiki this card is okay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330647829755?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D330647829755%26_rdc%3D1

 

Quite happy with 15-20FPS. This one has 4 channel audio to. Not going to use it all but still nice.

 

 

Buy cheap and buy often. You are simply wasting your money

[Jackster 0]

Apparently from reading the ZoneMind wiki this card is okay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330647829755?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D330647829755%26_rdc%3D1

 

Quite happy with 15-20FPS. This one has 4 channel audio to. Not going to use it all but still nice.

 

 

Buy cheap and buy often. You are simply wasting your money

 

But I don't have £150 for a nice 4-8 channel that will record at 30fps per channel.

[the toss 0]

If this setup is something you just want to play with then go ahead & buy the cheap stuff , fiddle with it & learn as you go. If on the other hand it is to fullfill a purpose then you need to buy gear that will have the desired outcome. It may be more than you want to pay but you have to weigh up the cost to the need. BTW you have already wasted $20 for a camera that is useless , $13 for a capture card that is useless & probably $10 for a multimeter that is useless.

[Kawboy12R 0]

$5 capture card? Holy smokes. What is saved image quality like?

[Jackster 0]

$5 capture card? Holy smokes. What is saved image quality like?

 

Video on it's way. 2am here and using xsplit over RDC is a pain.

 

VNC will hopefully fix it.

[Jackster 0]

Video test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rOsy9K6euU

[Kawboy12R 0]

Well, definitely worth $5. And probably worth $13. I assume that the pale image, fuzzy line at the top, and image shifting/jiggling are accurately recorded from the camera? I can't remember if you ever plugged it into a TV to view directly instead of relying on what is coming through your capture card. It might even be a "captcha" card, purposefully garbling everything for "security" purposes. Ya ya, I know, bad joke.

 

Can't help you much on the image quality improvement besides suggesting a good quality REGULATED 12v power supply for the camera and maybe changing where it's plugged in to hopefully eliminate possible grounding issues.

 

As for the interlace problem (looks like it is skipping very second scanline in the first pic), good luck. Looks like a software issue if it clears up in another program.

 

I bet that a name-brand card and camera from a reputable supplier clears up all of your issues quite easily.

[Jackster 0]

Quite happy with the $20 cameras. Just going to not use this capture card though.

 

2FPS with 4 channels is stupid.

 

But I got a new camera tonight to play with a whole 480 lines of pixels

Much better than 380

 

 

Power wise I am going to be using a PSU from a old server. It has enough amps to cook a chicken.

[cctvmann 0]

Quite happy with the $20 cameras. Just going to not use this capture card though.

 

2FPS with 4 channels is stupid.

 

But I got a new camera tonight to play with a whole 480 lines of pixels

Much better than 380

 

 

Power wise I am going to be using a PSU from a old server. It has enough amps to cook a chicken.

mate not being funny bt 380/480 is laughable in a professional sense try playing with 700! tvl!

[Jackster 0]

Quite happy with the $20 cameras. Just going to not use this capture card though.

 

2FPS with 4 channels is stupid.

 

But I got a new camera tonight to play with a whole 480 lines of pixels

Much better than 380

 

 

Power wise I am going to be using a PSU from a old server. It has enough amps to cook a chicken.

mate not being funny bt 380/480 is laughable in a professional sense try playing with 700! tvl!

 

But I am a newb at CCTV so 100 more pixels is cool.

 

Though I am a bit of a "pro" at live media broadcasting where we do 4k stuff, and that is cool to play with.