Hi,

I'm looking to semi-permanently rig a location for filming of events. Cost and robustness of cameras will be an issue. In the 'day job' I use a fair few IP security type cameras. Assuming one can live with the lack of control over the image relative to a 'proper' broadcast cam (white balance, black levels etc), are these likely to be a viable vMix option? I'm guessing the issue may well be getting a high enough bitrate so that fast movement (either panning of the camera or the subject moving) doesn't cause momentary 'blockiness' while the CODEC recovers?

Any practical experience in this area - or things to do / avoid? Thanks in advance.

I would never dare to arrive with security cams, and ask money for a job. But that's personal preference I guess. Even when no money is involved, looking like an amateur could get you replaced by a 'pro' once there is budget for it in the long term. So only when it's a strict hobby project I would consider it.

Apart from that: You can get better image quality for not so much more money when using small mirorless camera's. Panasonic and Sony make some good ones which are not super expensive. Even an entry level DSLR will nowadays produce images that are close to broadcast quality provided there is enough light.

If you use old and cheap lenses on them with an adaptor, and pimp them a bit with a cheap DSLR rig, they look more pro, and you will have more control over parameters, sharpness and image quality.

Even by using older FD lenses (they're really cheap on ebay) you will nail focus, instead of relying on autofocus.

Also a dslr or mirorless camera will provide you with standard mounting options for a tripod, and a screen where you can preview your cadrage.

Compared to network cables, sdi cables are a bit more expensive. Also capture cards and hdmi to sdi converters are needed. So compared to security cams a dslr solution is more expensive.

I have successfully connected a cheap IP security camera to vMIX.

It looks clear but the cheapness in the camera shows weird compression artifacts in the picture.

If you used a good quality camera it could be ok.

Not sure about syncing audio/video with an IP camera, does the latency vary???

If it was me, I would use better cameras unless it's something you wish to experiment with.

And use wired Ethernet so that you don't suffer from WIFI drops

Hi!

to answer your question, I can tell that Sony RX10 has no overheating at all even for 12 hours in a row. This v1 model can be bought second-hand around $500 and the lens is included. Check the specs... It's a really good solution.

Other "semi pro" camcorders like Canon HF G20/25 will give you a much better image quality and they can aswell be found for around $500.

I don't know your budget for securty cams but I guess it's hundreds of dollars anyway for a very poor quality in the end...

Maybe you should go for a rental for this "try and see" operation. Did you consider this? I know GoPros can be rent for $15 a day for example... This would give a much nicer image than security cams...

My 2 cts
Guillaume

And regarding capture cards I lately found a chinese clone of Magewell HDMI dongle at 59 euro
https://www.amazon.fr/Di...id%C3%A9o/dp/B01I0C5ZYU/

Might be available in your country too and other similar models.

it depends on the resolution: 1080p no, 720p maybe, 480p yes


BMD Decklink Duo 2 is $500 for 4 ports, so $125 per port.

Most people use cheap converters hdmi > sdi.

We always used this type, and never had any big trouble with them:

https://www.amazon.com/K...words=hdmi+sdi+converter

There's many variations of these actually, some have a green light to indicate if there is an hdmi incoming signal, others start blinking with incoming hdmi signal and some others don't indicate it at all. You have to be lucky to get the good ones, even the same seller might sell you a slightly different model once in a while.

We always take a few spare ones, but some of our oldest ones survived hundreds of gigs without any problem.

In case you don't have electricity closeby, you can use these running of a 5v powerbank with a usb > 5v adapter. They don't consume much, we managed to run one for a week off a 20 000 Mah battery.

Found these on Ebay for £20 ($25ish) - I'm amazed I never knew these existed!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/it...d26ee:g:~04AAOSwXeJYFD4j

I think that most of people forget one thing – Quality versus speed (of information)

Quote
Man with a crossbow in the proper position at the proper time’s worth a corps of heavy artillery half an hour late and ten miles down the road from where it should be
Quote

That mean speed and getting info (video/photo) can be crucial and offering some content from different places in right time + in real time can be as good as professional for every reader or viewer especially in today’s Internet time – Didn’t you notices that lot of TV station in today times simply buy rights to use someone else video recorded on a spot – Good choice of time and place is good enough for everybody and lot of people don’t do that with professionally equipment but with old phones (not even new ones)

For instance – If you cover different happening which involve high risk and involve lot of moving running and similar (covering police raids or rick events with hooligans involved or similar) all that with expensive and lot of equipment simply don’t fit – In today’s world when people use their mobile phones to record and share information insisting on quality can be very tricky – They even stream with mobile phones on Facebook and YouTube – Every modern mobile phone in today time can be used like camera with simple software and can be used in vMix – I try that with few phones plus tablets getting them info vMix – Better camera mean better pictures plus you can use Wi-Fi plus you can work with them for a lot of time adding simple power bank

Information is information and it is more important to be delivered on time than in what quality that has been done – 480p is perfectly suited and going to HD or Full HD or 4k and similar is by my idea of work totally unnecessary – In lot of areas of world in today’s time people don’t have access to high speed of internet (download) and not to mention high speed upload

It is better to have 3-4 IP (PoE) cameras to cover something from different angles and to broadcast that in 480p than to have on one and to broadcast from it in Full HD because quality will be ok plus you will offer several different angles – Making that to work on only one person (helmet camera plus additional 2-3 pointing in deferent angles) with vMix and to do broadcast in same time is something to bet in future

I'm glad the two guys above see it the same way as me - do it cheaply or not at all... I'd go with cheaply! On the specific of latency, is there a way to sync IP/ non IP cameras? In the old days what would be a delay line?