| Author |
Message |
Mac
Guest
|
 Posted:
Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:30 am Post subject:
DV camcorder as high quality webcam trick |
|
|
I have an old JVC GR-DVX7 that a year ago stopped recording to DV tape with
any decent quality (write head errors - blue blockiness on right side of
recorded picture). I did look into getting it serviced, but it was going to
cost about as much as new camera, so I shelved it.
Recently I have figured out how to re-employ it as a high quality webcam
(with the ability to use all it's built-in features (eg sepia mode etc etc
etc). With WME I can also encode direct to disk (rather than DV tape) - so
it is perfect for doing HQ home* video stuff.
*Home = Living room within a few metres of the PC over firewire, although in
theory I could hook it up to my laptop (once configured) and go anywhere
with it.
Firstly this is how I trick it -
1. It's on A/C power so it doesn't auto-power-off to save theoretical
tape-damage. A common trick.
2. There is no DV tape in it - (initially I had weried problems with it
refusing to work in camera mode but found it worked for video feed in Still
mode. Another common trick
3. With each PC reboot or camera power-down I need to simply pull out the
firewire cable from the PC and then reinsert to get a new connection. It is
set to launch WME with each such reconnect.Then it work fine...
Except I can't seem to get the level of brightness I would like. I have
hooked up extra lighting, tried various camera settings (Auto-Gain White
Balance etc), but it still looks just a little dull.
Any suggestions on the latter issue?
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Mac
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:30 am Post subject:
Re: DV camcorder as high quality webcam trick |
|
|
Here is the user manual link
http://www.jvc.co.uk/files/instruction_manual/gr-dvx7%20engelsk.pdf
"Mac" <mac@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:uF7NAX86FHA.2628@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
| Quote: | I have an old JVC GR-DVX7 that a year ago stopped recording to DV tape with
any decent quality (write head errors - blue blockiness on right side of
recorded picture). I did look into getting it serviced, but it was going to
cost about as much as new camera, so I shelved it.
Recently I have figured out how to re-employ it as a high quality webcam
(with the ability to use all it's built-in features (eg sepia mode etc etc
etc). With WME I can also encode direct to disk (rather than DV tape) - so
it is perfect for doing HQ home* video stuff.
*Home = Living room within a few metres of the PC over firewire, although
in theory I could hook it up to my laptop (once configured) and go
anywhere with it.
Firstly this is how I trick it -
1. It's on A/C power so it doesn't auto-power-off to save theoretical
tape-damage. A common trick.
2. There is no DV tape in it - (initially I had weried problems with it
refusing to work in camera mode but found it worked for video feed in
Still mode. Another common trick
3. With each PC reboot or camera power-down I need to simply pull out the
firewire cable from the PC and then reinsert to get a new connection. It
is set to launch WME with each such reconnect.Then it work fine...
Except I can't seem to get the level of brightness I would like. I have
hooked up extra lighting, tried various camera settings (Auto-Gain White
Balance etc), but it still looks just a little dull.
Any suggestions on the latter issue?
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mac
Guest
|
| Posted:
Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:30 am Post subject:
Re: DV camcorder as high quality webcam trick |
|
|
Oh I can also use it with WMM
"Mac" <mac@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:uF7NAX86FHA.2628@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
| Quote: | I have an old JVC GR-DVX7 that a year ago stopped recording to DV tape with
any decent quality (write head errors - blue blockiness on right side of
recorded picture). I did look into getting it serviced, but it was going to
cost about as much as new camera, so I shelved it.
Recently I have figured out how to re-employ it as a high quality webcam
(with the ability to use all it's built-in features (eg sepia mode etc etc
etc). With WME I can also encode direct to disk (rather than DV tape) - so
it is perfect for doing HQ home* video stuff.
*Home = Living room within a few metres of the PC over firewire, although
in theory I could hook it up to my laptop (once configured) and go
anywhere with it.
Firstly this is how I trick it -
1. It's on A/C power so it doesn't auto-power-off to save theoretical
tape-damage. A common trick.
2. There is no DV tape in it - (initially I had weried problems with it
refusing to work in camera mode but found it worked for video feed in
Still mode. Another common trick
3. With each PC reboot or camera power-down I need to simply pull out the
firewire cable from the PC and then reinsert to get a new connection. It
is set to launch WME with each such reconnect.Then it work fine...
Except I can't seem to get the level of brightness I would like. I have
hooked up extra lighting, tried various camera settings (Auto-Gain White
Balance etc), but it still looks just a little dull.
Any suggestions on the latter issue?
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mike Lowery
Guest
|
| Posted:
Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:30 pm Post subject:
Re: DV camcorder as high quality webcam trick |
|
|
"Mac" <mac@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:uF7NAX86FHA.2628@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
| Quote: | I have an old JVC GR-DVX7 that a year ago stopped recording to DV tape with any
decent quality (write head errors - blue blockiness on right side of recorded
picture). I did look into getting it serviced, but it was going to cost about
as much as new camera, so I shelved it.
|
Did you try using a cleaning tape? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Mac
Guest
|
| Posted:
Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:30 pm Post subject:
Re: DV camcorder as high quality webcam trick |
|
|
Yes ;-) Didn't work
"Mike Lowery" <selfspam@mouse-potato.com> wrote in message
news:uqxl%23gs7FHA.3880@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
| Quote: |
"Mac" <mac@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:uF7NAX86FHA.2628@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
I have an old JVC GR-DVX7 that a year ago stopped recording to DV tape
with any decent quality (write head errors - blue blockiness on right side
of recorded picture). I did look into getting it serviced, but it was
going to cost about as much as new camera, so I shelved it.
Did you try using a cleaning tape?
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Memberlist
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in