Angel Eye DVR.. Or other cheap Deal extreme models?...

[jweaver]

Anyone seen/tried one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Portable-2-5-Mini-Button-Spy-Cam-Camera-Pocket-Video-DVR-720P-Angel-Eye-/121338549736?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c405755e8

Not for the camera, but for the DVR.

But when I was looking around, DealExtreme do a load of DVRs which would (could) be perfect for recording off of a ground stations.. Such as:

http://www.dx.com/p/mini-digital-dvr-video-recorder-w-sd-slot-audio-cable-236945
http://www.dx.com/p/sc-dvr-1-ch-5-mode-recording-mini-dvr-w-remote-controller-pal-ntsc-254443


I can't imagine they would be that bad... Anyone had any experience with them?

Jon

[jweaver]

Got to say, I quite like the look of this one

http://www.dx.com/p/mini-digital-dvr-video-recorder-w-sd-slot-audio-cable-236945#.U-Chf7HzQyk

I am struggling to understand why DVRs are so expensive.. You can buy little cameras now for a few quid, which take in 'light' and convert it to an MPEG file.. So why can't they make something similar (using identical technology) to record from a composite input.

I don't want any features.. I would just like to be able to press a button and record whichs coming in on the composite feed.. Its only £20.. I might have a punt on this to check it out!

Jon

[Loopdreams]

They're dearer because they're something that hardly anyone wants.

[jweaver]

They're dearer because they're something that hardly anyone wants.

Agreed.. I understand that.. But everyone seems to go on about the PV700 which is about £100 or $100.. When I wonder if these cheaper ones will do the same job.. After all, its just encoding a composite video stream into MPEG.

The Angel Eye appears to have similar functionality (With screen) to the PV700.. And 1/2 the price.. But the aluminum cased ones for £20, look even better...

[BlueFlyer]

angel eye dvr is pants. you get an awful quality recording and often it will cut edges off your received video signal, making a perfect square video.

this one http://www.dx.com/p/mini-digital-dvr-video-recorder-w-sd-slot-audio-cable-236945#.U-C_c_ldUW4 and this one http://www.dx.com/p/sc-dvr-1-ch-5-mode-recording-mini-dvr-w-remote-controller-pal-ntsc-254443#.U-C_dPldUW4 is designed with fixed installation CCTV in mind.... meaning permanently wired up... not a wirelessly transmitted signal with all the static and/or interference you may encounter. this means that when you get static it will freeze the recording or even crash. Again, often it will have a motion sensing feature which starts recording when it sees something in the video move, then stop recording when it sees no movement. sometimes you can't switch this feature off so when you're flying straight and level it thinks there's no movement in the video and will stop your recording.

people rave about the PVR700 because it's a great DVR and it works great with FPV.

there are other options though. some of the archos dvrs can be suitable with the right accessories/attachments.

[jweaver]

angel eye dvr is pants. you get an awful quality recording and often it will cut edges off your received video signal, making a perfect square video.

this one http://www.dx.com/p/mini-digital-dvr-video-recorder-w-sd-slot-audio-cable-236945#.U-C_c_ldUW4 and this one http://www.dx.com/p/sc-dvr-1-ch-5-mode-recording-mini-dvr-w-remote-controller-pal-ntsc-254443#.U-C_dPldUW4 is designed with fixed installation CCTV in mind.... meaning permanently wired up... not a wirelessly transmitted signal with all the static and/or interference you may encounter. this means that when you get static it will freeze the recording or even crash. Again, often it will have a motion sensing feature which starts recording when it sees something in the video move, then stop recording when it sees no movement. sometimes you can't switch this feature off so when you're flying straight and level it thinks there's no movement in the video and will stop your recording.

people rave about the PVR700 because it's a great DVR and it works great with FPV.

there are other options though. some of the archos dvrs can be suitable with the right accessories/attachments.

Thanks for your input.. I can't justify spending $100 on something that I will only use one. I just can't help feeling that some of these cheap CCTV oriented ones will work.. After all, they will certainly use the same chipset found in the cheap keyfob cameras. I am tempted to try one, just to see what its like...

I have no doubt the PVR700 is perfect for this application, but I just can't see myself filming many flights if I am honest, and would just like the option if i need it.

Jon

[jweaver]

Any now you say that, I realise you are entirely right.. My last job, back in the 90s was "Video Conferencing" and that was well before the Internet (as we know it today) was in place.. We used to transmit our video over 64kBs links (128 if we were lucky) and static/noise killed the codecs.

What we did then, evolved into the modern codecs we see today (MPEG2, MPEG4, X264, etc) and they simply can't handle noise.. They rely on the next frame being similar to the last.. And whne you get noise, the WHOLE frame changes and the codecs simply can't process it..

So I think you are right.. A DV recorder which optimized for thsi application might struggle.. That said, I have a old standalone Panasonic DVD player/burner at home.. And I recently transferred some home movies (not THAT type of home movie I might add) onto that and recorded the 'static' at the end.. Even in the 2 hour mode (Which is highly compressed) MPEG2 it handled it fine.. So I have no doubt that a hardware MPEG4 encoder COULD handle it.. 

But I think its going to be a bit hit and miss.. But still, for £20 I am still tempted by the one on DX.. Just to see what its like and how it copes!

Jon

[Brod]

cheap and cheerful,these work ok...not the best picture but reliable as a ground recorder
built in battery and memory too

http://www.newmp3technology.com/av25.htm

we,ve tried some of  those ones you listed,just not reliable enough...

[BlueFlyer]

I've owned both the angel eyes and an el-cheapo "made for cctv" DVR.

Paid £45 for the angel eyes, £30 for the CCTV one. Both didn't work well at all, I ended up throwing caution to the wind and purchasing the PV700 from BEVRC.com

After my goggles, its the best money I've spent in FPV.

I will only fly these days if I have either a RTH or a DVR... preferably I have both

[RoryG]

I use the Angel Eyes and although the image is 4:3 it can be transformed in FCPX to 16:9 format. Here's a grab of picture in picture, I think the quality is perfectly acceptable and for the price hard to beat! The Angel Eyes picture is obviously not taken at the same time as the P2 footage - it's pouring down today!




Cheers,

Rory

[RoryG]

Here's a quick video I put together for something else but shows the recording from the Angel Eyes DVR. It would look pants as the main video but as picture in picture it's as good as a lot of the stuff out there...

http://youtu.be/tJJVhkgSAgg

Rory :)