Episode 65 17 Camera Car Rebuild

Discussion in 'The Collection' started by gormo, Apr 17, 2017.

  1. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    G`day Folks,

    First of all Happy Easter to all on the forum and their families.

    This week I have revisited my camera car set up. The original set up was mounted on a TYCO flat car and did it`s job reasonably well, however from the beginning it was apparent that the small plastic wheels on the flat car weren`t really up to the job at hand. Nevertheless, I got some good footage from my filming runs with that configuration.

    I thought some time ago it would be a good idea to change it over to a different type of wagon......something with bigger wheels and a better, smoother ride, so today I`ve done it. It`s been fitted into an older Hornby wagon.

    I will call it a success once I`ve made some minor modifications which affect clearances. I noticed on the video that the clip on the clamp that holds the camera is rubbing slightly against some platform edges. It`s not visually obvious, however you can hear it on the sound track. The other thing is that it is clipping the exit tunnel slightly on the way out up to the first incline.

    Minor issues that will be fixed with a bit of filing most likely.

    Camera Car Rebuild on YouTube



    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  2. SMR CHRIS

    SMR CHRIS Staff Member Moderator

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    Nice video Gormo great to see the entire layout again.
    The New secenics on the lifting Bridge look great as the train passed through.

    :thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
     
  3. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Thanks Chris,

    Yes the whole lot really gets seen only by me most of the time.

    It`s quite a long run if you start scheduling services to feed the whole thing.

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  4. Ron

    Ron Full Member

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    Excellent Gormo, can you let me have some camera details please??:)
     
  5. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Certainly Ron,

    The easiest way is to give you a link which has all the specs.

    http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Waterproof-Sports-Action-Camera-Bike-Helmet-DVR-Video-Full-HD-1080P-DV-Mini-YA-/222439319075?hash=item33ca6aa623:g:0WwAAOSwARZXoa7K

    As I mentioned in the video, I do know of somebody who purchased one of these and it was a dud !!!

    They had no end of trouble with it. Mine on the other hand is fine.????

    It can`t quite handle the four fluoro`s I`ve got in the train room. You will notice a flicker in the video and I have LED tubes in those lights now to help alleviate flicker. My normal Panasonic camera has no trouble at all with the lights in the room.

    I would suggest Ron, that the best way to go would be a better quality, known brand in the same style as this sports camera. The cylindrical shape is ideal because it fits inside the width of a wagon and the length is fine as well.

    Hope this helps

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  6. Ron

    Ron Full Member

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    Thanks Gormo, what is the camera's connection? ( to the laptop??)
     
  7. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    Very nice Gormo. :thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:

    I thought you may have used an old Hornby Weltrol or Trestrol wagon, but the four wheeler does the job nicely.

    So will the mods be to the clamp or will you lower the camera clamp so that it misses the platform edges ??

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  8. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    No worries Ron,

    The connection is via a USB lead that comes with it. You screw the cap off the back of the camera, insert the small USB plug into the small socket in the back, then at the other end of the lead you have a standard USB connection that plugs into your computer.

    Additional settings for the camera can be set whilst it`s plugged into the computer, however I don`t think you`ll find it necessary to adjust things.??? With the camera connected to the computer it`s a simple process to transfer still pics and video and when you`ve finished the transfer, you can use the computer to delete those files off the camera if you wish. It saves space on the camera`s card if you delete as you go......but that`s up to you.???

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  9. ed

    ed Full Member

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    Nice train ride Gormo, enjoyed that :thumbup:

    Didn't realise how much hidden track you had, don't think we've seen that before.

    How do you manage to clean the track in the fiddle yard, just the wagon with the Masonite skid?

    Ed
     
  10. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    G`day Ed,

    Yes most of the time I just use the track cleaner wagon with the masonite skid. Very rarely have a problem in there unless I create it myself by going to sleep in the signal box....:whatever::whatever::whatever::whatever:

    The main fiddle yard is directly below and behind Little Bardfield. The top lifts off if I need to get in there.

    Speaking of getting in there......I now have a supplementary video for the one above.

    This new video covers some modifications carried out on the camera car clamp and also the first tunnel that exits the room.

    Modifications on YouTube



    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  11. ed

    ed Full Member

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    Result :thumbs:

    But..........................

    ........ I'm a bit confused.

    If it's the same camera that was on the TYCO flat car, which was just lower, how could you have ended up with a width problem and not a height problem at the tunnel :confused::confused::confused:

    Ed
     
  12. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Well Ed.....that is a good question,

    There are some factors at play. The TYCO car was lower and I suspect the tunnel wall is not exactly vertical. I think it may have sat just low enough to clear the tunnel wall. To add to that the TYCO car is wider......I notice it through the station passing extremely close to the platform edges.......so possibly the width of the TYCO car was shielding the clamp from the tunnel wall.?????.....or all of the above.

    It would take some detailed analysis with the TYCO car to work it out......but now that this is working.....why worry......we are talking about a millimeter here or a millimeter there that can make a difference.

    I guess I was just lucky with the TYCO car slipping through under the radar with it`s squeeky wheel.

    So there you are.......basically your guess is as good as mine.????:whatever::confused:

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo

    PS....Sorry Gary......I must have leap frogged your question but it`s all in the second video now.
     

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