"Chewing gum" dv cam - firmware settings? - Page 5

dz1sfb · Oct 20, 2009, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackerbes

...I noticed Windows Media Player will not play the videos, nor will WinAmp. But if I use the more generic freeware VLC Media Player it plays them fine. ...

Jack

Jack,

There are many free video file converters out there. Here is one that I have used successfully. Converts from avi to wmv and others.

http://www.nchsoftware.com/prism/

Ken

jackerbes · Oct 20, 2009, 03:07 PM

Mine was an issue with CODECs I think. I installed some newer CODECs thingy (FFDSHOW?) and that has it working fine with everything. I do like this player better then WMP, much simpler GUI and works just as well:

http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/

And I recently noticed that irfanview will play videos too.

Jack

jackerbes · Oct 20, 2009, 05:17 PM

I finally got a couple of videos edited and posted to YouTube. These are in the YouTube uploading quality (whatever that is) as saved from WMM.

Zagnutz -

zag 01 YT (3 min 15 sec)

Nifty -

nif 01 YT (2 min 58 sec)

As you probably notice neither of those are ideal AP platforms nor am I much of an AP platform quality pilot...

There are higher quality save options offered from WMM but I don't know which of the WMM saves would be the same quality as the raw video from the camera. If someone can tell me, I can put together some short clips like that and post those for a download so that you can see what you could expect right from the camera at 30 FPS.

Jack

rich smith · Oct 23, 2009, 06:58 AM

Thanks for the PM info Jack. I ordered 10 of these from 10 different Ebay sellers from $12 to $15. There's quite a bit of confusion over 640x480 vs 720x480 with description often conflicting w/specs. I'm primarliy interested in photo not video and need 4:3 for compatibility reasons.

Considering the ridiculous low price it seemed like a good opportunity to evaluate vendors and versions. Shenzhen vs Hong Kong. Can't wait to see what shows up and when. Thanks again.

jackerbes · Oct 23, 2009, 08:09 AM

I am sort of wondering if there are two models too, one in 4:3 and one in 3:2.

I think I am going to add a JST red male to mine so I can charge it with another charger. The battery in mine looks like a LiPO, is marked 3.7V, and I don't think charging it as a 3.7V LiPO would hurt it if it is not a LiPO.

The battery maker is PTI and I found their web site but can't seem to break the code on getting the battery specs or communicating with them by email. They list it as a "polymer lithium" battery. What would that battery be if it is not a LiPO?

Jack

Arakon · Oct 23, 2009, 08:25 AM

It's a lipo.. LIthium POlymer. I think mine actually has the specs written on it, if I recall right it's 300 something mA (can't check right now).

rich smith · Oct 23, 2009, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackerbes

I am sort of wondering if there are two models too, one in 4:3 and one in 3:2.

If Ebay specs are to be believed there are at least 5 hardware versions (15 vs 30 fps, 640 vs 720, 1280 vs 1600). And if date changing issues here are an indication then maybe a dozen or so firmware versions. I tried to get one of each type and will have more info when they come in.

dghutt · Oct 23, 2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackerbes

There are higher quality save options offered from WMM but I don't know which of the WMM saves would be the same quality as the raw video from the camera. If someone can tell me, I can put together some short clips like that and post those for a download so that you can see what you could expect right from the camera at 30 FPS.

Jack

Hi Jack -

It's amazingly unintuitive, isn't it? Personally I can't understand why a video encoder like WMM can't detect the specs of the clips composing the project and suggest that output as the default.

I use a small, free utility called GSpot to tell me all the info I need about the raw video clip coming out of the camera (aspect ratio, framerate and bitrate most importantly). I then use those specs to determine which WMM setting to use. I look for the one closest to the original clip's parameters without going over. My keyfob-style cam, for instance, records 640x480 video, 30.94 fps, at 1,230 kbps. So I use WMM's "Video for LAN (1.0 Mbps)" profile.

I understand you can create custom profiles for WMM using Windows Media Profile Editor but I've never done it.

Dave

bnrusso · Oct 24, 2009, 01:56 AM

I noticed that if I plugged in my camera to the conputer, while it was on the photo setting (instead of video) I got a message that VISTA was trying to install a driver for my USBcamera, but failed.
It says it's trying to get a driver for "USB\VID_05E1&PID_0B01&REV_0002."

Has anyone seen this or had any success in finding such a driver???

jackerbes · Oct 24, 2009, 08:31 AM

I usually have mine turned off when I plug it in (XP, not Vista) and it is found as a removable drive. That seems a lot simpler to me because my goal is usually just to copy the folder with the video and photos to the hard drive.

I still have to clobber XP into submission nearly every time to keep if from doing something else with the contents of the drive.

That is another Windows annoyance that I'd like to turn off, this stuff that pops up all the time on the presumption that I am too stupid to know that something was just plugged into a USB port and that I am too stupid to know what I want to do it unless I get some hand holding from Windows.

I skipped Vista, I'll probably skip 7 too unless I happen to hear an overwhelming number of reports that Windows has finally produced something that approaches a flawless version.

Jack

rich smith · Oct 24, 2009, 09:16 AM

MSDOS rulz!

bnrusso · Oct 24, 2009, 10:58 PM

Microsoft media player wants to SYNC the data on the USB disk and I don't see a way to turn it off. I agree that's a pain of it's own.

I'm trying to understand if the camera is trying to work as a webcam and if anyone has found a driver to do so.

jackerbes · Oct 25, 2009, 11:35 AM

As ungrateful as it may be for all that M$ and Bill Gates has done for the world, I personally found WMP to be nothing more than a major PITA.

I went here and downloaded the free Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPCHC) software and am extremely happy with it. I feel like I am in charge again.

http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/

I had earlier downloaded and installed the K-Lite Codec pack from here:

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...Codec_Pack.htm

That codec pack got WMP and WinAmp working for me and, of course, it also works well with the MPCMC player.

I have since uninstalled Windows Media Player from my system and will never allow through the door again!

Jack

Arakon · Oct 25, 2009, 11:37 AM

Look into VLC. It's a very small player that comes with a huge load of codecs implemented (no need to install any codecs).

VasMan · Oct 25, 2009, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackerbes

I installed some newer CODECs thingy (FFDSHOW?) and that has it working fine with everything.

FFDshow is the bomb in terms of Windows video codecs:

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/FFDshow.htm

...and Media Player Classic for playing videos:

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...er_Classic.htm

Vas

Oct 24, 2009, 01:56 AM	#69
bnrusso early retired & loving it Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: northeast Illinois Posts: 1,015	vista detected camera, trying to install driver?? I noticed that if I plugged in my camera to the conputer, while it was on the photo setting (instead of video) I got a message that VISTA was trying to install a driver for my USBcamera, but failed. It says it's trying to get a driver for "USB\VID_05E1&PID_0B01&REV_0002." Has anyone seen this or had any success in finding such a driver???

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Oct 20, 2009, 03:07 PM	#62
jackerbes Jack Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ellsworth,ME, USA Posts: 3,604	Mine was an issue with CODECs I think. I installed some newer CODECs thingy (FFDSHOW?) and that has it working fine with everything. I do like this player better then WMP, much simpler GUI and works just as well: http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/ And I recently noticed that irfanview will play videos too. Jack

Oct 23, 2009, 06:58 AM	#64
rich smith 7000mw of raw power! Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,501	Thanks for the PM info Jack. I ordered 10 of these from 10 different Ebay sellers from $12 to $15. There's quite a bit of confusion over 640x480 vs 720x480 with description often conflicting w/specs. I'm primarliy interested in photo not video and need 4:3 for compatibility reasons. Considering the ridiculous low price it seemed like a good opportunity to evaluate vendors and versions. Shenzhen vs Hong Kong. Can't wait to see what shows up and when. Thanks again.

Oct 23, 2009, 08:09 AM	#65
jackerbes Jack Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ellsworth,ME, USA Posts: 3,604	I am sort of wondering if there are two models too, one in 4:3 and one in 3:2. I think I am going to add a JST red male to mine so I can charge it with another charger. The battery in mine looks like a LiPO, is marked 3.7V, and I don't think charging it as a 3.7V LiPO would hurt it if it is not a LiPO. The battery maker is PTI and I found their web site but can't seem to break the code on getting the battery specs or communicating with them by email. They list it as a "polymer lithium" battery. What would that battery be if it is not a LiPO? Jack

Oct 23, 2009, 08:25 AM	#66
Arakon Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 170	It's a lipo.. LIthium POlymer. I think mine actually has the specs written on it, if I recall right it's 300 something mA (can't check right now).

Oct 24, 2009, 08:31 AM	#70
jackerbes Jack Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ellsworth,ME, USA Posts: 3,604	I usually have mine turned off when I plug it in (XP, not Vista) and it is found as a removable drive. That seems a lot simpler to me because my goal is usually just to copy the folder with the video and photos to the hard drive. I still have to clobber XP into submission nearly every time to keep if from doing something else with the contents of the drive. That is another Windows annoyance that I'd like to turn off, this stuff that pops up all the time on the presumption that I am too stupid to know that something was just plugged into a USB port and that I am too stupid to know what I want to do it unless I get some hand holding from Windows. I skipped Vista, I'll probably skip 7 too unless I happen to hear an overwhelming number of reports that Windows has finally produced something that approaches a flawless version. Jack

Oct 24, 2009, 09:16 AM	#71
rich smith 7000mw of raw power! Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,501	MSDOS rulz!

Oct 24, 2009, 10:58 PM	#72
bnrusso early retired & loving it Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: northeast Illinois Posts: 1,015	Microsoft media player wants to SYNC the data on the USB disk and I don't see a way to turn it off. I agree that's a pain of it's own. I'm trying to understand if the camera is trying to work as a webcam and if anyone has found a driver to do so.

Oct 25, 2009, 11:35 AM	#73
jackerbes Jack Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ellsworth,ME, USA Posts: 3,604	As ungrateful as it may be for all that M$ and Bill Gates has done for the world, I personally found WMP to be nothing more than a major PITA. I went here and downloaded the free Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPCHC) software and am extremely happy with it. I feel like I am in charge again. http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/ I had earlier downloaded and installed the K-Lite Codec pack from here: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/...Codec_Pack.htm That codec pack got WMP and WinAmp working for me and, of course, it also works well with the MPCMC player. I have since uninstalled Windows Media Player from my system and will never allow through the door again! Jack

Oct 25, 2009, 11:37 AM	#74
Arakon Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 170	Look into VLC. It's a very small player that comes with a huge load of codecs implemented (no need to install any codecs).