Free DVR or video capture software

[slodave]

Hi,

In my quest to find the cat that is destroying my car cover and the people (kids) molesting my 911 - I find hand prints on it, if I do not cover it overnight. The prints are smaller than mine, so I think it may be a kid(s) in my complex....

I bought an inexpensive (think compulsive) wireless camera with receiver. Fist tests were done, using my video camera display as the monitor. OK, small, but the camera works OK in low light....

Plugged the receiver into a computer and using a capture card (old Hauppauge WinTV card), I was able to get video on the computer. Great, now I can do some time lapse.... The video is painfully dark. I can see the lump, that is my covered 911, but can't make out detail. On the video camera LCD, it's bright enough.

I've downloaded various free software, but none will boost the brightness of the video. Any ideas? The video camera is nice, but I am not getting up every hour to switch tapes....

Thanks!!!

Dave

[87coupe]

If you can up the exposure during capture you won't need to post process.

[slodave]

Brandon, yes, this is what I am after. Nothing I have downloaded, will let me do this. I don't have a T.V., so my only test was through my video camera and using the LCD to view the live video - which shows that the camera does pick up enough low light. It's the Windows software that seems to be the issue.

I'm just hoping somone may have a lead on some free software, that may have some brightness/contrast control.

[stomachmonkey]

Dave,

Confused. You have only one camera?

Does the camera itself have a low light or "night" function?

It'll typically yield black and white but that may be better than nothing.

[cstreit]

Windows Movie maker comes with some conversion and adjustments. It's free. However I think it won't do much good for you. the camera is the larger issue. Can you leave a light on?

[slodave]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Dave,

Confused. You have only one camera?

Does the camera itself have a low light or "night" function?

It'll typically yield black and white but that may be better than nothing.

Yes, one camera. No low light or night function, but the area where my car is, is light enough. The video is clear (bright) when I pipe it through my video camera - my only source for a "monitor". When I pipe the video through the PC, the video comes out a lot darker and I can't see my car, only the black shape/outline.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by slodave

Yes, one camera. No low light or night function, but the area where my car is, is light enough. The video is clear (bright) when I pipe it through my video camera - my only source for a "monitor". When I pipe the video through the PC, the video comes out a lot darker and I can't see my car, only the black shape/outline.

Could be a couple of things.

Being broadcast wirelessly you said?

Could be a limitation of the wireless device.

What outputs does the thing have?

Also could be monitor calibration, remember the LCD on the camera is most likely calibrated for itself whereas you PC's monitor is calibrated differently.

Remember you can dual head a PC and have identical out of the box displays that you can "make" look very different.

[slodave]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Could be a couple of things.

Being broadcast wirelessly you said?

Could be a limitation of the wireless device.

What outputs does the thing have?

Also could be monitor calibration, remember the LCD on the camera is most likely calibrated for itself whereas you PC's monitor is calibrated differently.

Remember you can dual head a PC and have identical out of the box displays that you can "make" look very different.

Yes, this was an impulse wireless buy....

I don't think it is a limitation of the device - well, not totally. As I said, using my video camera as a "monitor", the image is rather bright and you can make out detail and see. * Plugging in the receiver to the vid cam.

Plug the receiver into my computer (old hauppauge WinTV card) and the video is dark and no detail.

There are no rightness/contrast adjustments on the wireless units (cam/receiver) and I really doubt the the camera actually has aperture.

I remember that QuickCam software used to allow me to adjust brightness/contrast for the QC cameras. I was hoping that I could use their software, but the newest SW does not see the capture device.

I could crank up the brightness on the computer monitor, but then everything else would be washed out.

I was hoping that there was SW (free) that had a little control for brightness/contrast...

I'll try and take a few pix a little later to better show what I mean.

Thanks!

[stomachmonkey]

Still slightly confused.

I think you have a wireless webcam.

A wireless receiver.

You have a stand alone video camera that you can use to receive the signal but that requires you to switch tapes every hour, n/g on that. (thought you were using the video camera as the "webcam"

So you have receiver going into WinTV card but picture sucks.

Is it a mini DV video camera?

Most of them have Firewire.

They can be used as pass through devices for VCR to PC input.

Do you have a firewire port on the PC?

Basically use the video camera and eliminate the WinTV as the potential problem.

Should also be able to use the editing SW that came with the video camera.

Might also work if the camera has USB and separate analog inputs.

[slodave]

It's a little 2.4 gig wireless camera with a receiver. The receiver plugs into T.V., vid cam, computer via RCA. I don't have a T.V., so I cannot plug the receiver into that to test. I do have a video camera that allows me to plug in an external device, heck, I could plug a T.V. into it and record... I am using the video cam to test. I noticed that the quality of the image - displayed through the vid cam, was good, even in the low light. I had to dig up my TV card last night.

When I finally got my PC together, I tried plugging in the wireless receiver into the TV card and the video displayed on the monitor was dark. I could make out my car, but not a make, the fact that it is covered...

The idea was/is to use the computer to record, but it's useless, as you can't see a thing.

I have to eat, I'll try and post a couple of pix soon.

[gtc]

I would guess that it's your capture card or it's drivers.
I set up a system for my mother's office a while back that used the mini security cameras, which we hid inside light fixtures, air vents, etc. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the software, but I know it had options for motion detection, brightness control, etc. It looks like there's a fair amount of free software out there. Sorry I can't point you to something more specific.

[slodave]

It could be the card. It's old. The main chip is still in use on newer products - I'm using a driver for the new cards now.

I have looked for the 'right' free SW and have not found it, this is partly why I posted as well. I was hoping someone had a lead on some good free stuff. I seem to be in an endless loop of search-read description-download-try-nope no good-uninstall...

Oh, I got lazy on taking the pix...

[gtc]

Gotcha... I'll see if I have the disc at home. I don't think they use the system any more, so I wouldn't feel bad about making a disc image and uploading it somewhere for you to try.

[slodave]

My head is going to explode.

I went to Fry's, had other things to get - side note - shop before Thanksgiving or wait a week - the PATA HD shelves were empty.

I bought a Diamond Capture/TV/blah blah card. I was enticed by the rebate. The box cover shows a RCA input - great! Unpack and it's coax! Oh wait, it's a coax to RCA adapter. I plug in and....... nothing. OK, lets try and just plug the video cam in as a VCR and play back a tape - nothing. &$^%!!!!! Ah, the vid cam has an S-video out and the card has S-video in.... It works with the vid cam... Now I need a S-video to RCA adapter.

I shouldn't be so pissed, I did decide to go the cheap route...

[gtc]

Dave, here's an iso of the software. I removed the direct x installer to reduce the size.
http://rapidshare.com/files/169881186/visiondss.iso.html

Who knows if it'll work with your camera/card, but it might be worth a shot.

[slodave]

Graham,

Thanks I downloaded the SW, but the computer I'm using for the video does not like the .iso. I'll have to unpack it on another computer a little later.

I am getting somewhere. I picked up an RCA to S-video adapter - only to find out I had one at home already... Oh well, it was only 3.50.
One of the pieces of SW I downloaded does have brightness and contrast control and it did adjust the camera! Yea, but since it is daylight, my parking spots are back lit and it's still dark, but I don't really care about daytime. I have to get things setup to be web accessible. I'll post a link when that happens.

[slodave]

Here are two quick screen captures. The receiver is not in the ideal location at the moment, so there is a little static...

[stomachmonkey]

So Dave,

That looks bad. Tons of noise even in the bright areas.

How is that camera mounted? And how is it powered? It's plugged into an outlet right?

Go get a motion activated spotlight?

[slodave]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

So Dave,

That looks bad. Tons of noise even in the bright areas.

How is that camera mounted? And how is it powered? It's plugged into an outlet right?

Go get a motion activated spotlight?

I should have said it was CHEAP impulse buy! And I also stated that the receiver is not in the right location. I live in a rented TH, no chance to get power down there. Right now it's powered from a 9V. I have a bunch of older 12V UPS batteries that I'll try and use for longevity.





If it shows which cat is using my car as its personal scratching post and the kid that's in love with my car, I'll be happy. Send me $250.- and i'll show you better quality

[stomachmonkey]

I'm feelin your pain, just trying to figure out something that'll work for you.