Housing 'Timecodes'

[zboss]

Are there any pro-sumer housings or camcorders that will encode the depth and compass direction into a video during recording?

 

[MikeC]

It would NOT be a function of the housing, the housing is just remote controls and environmental protection.

My feeling is that no camera maker would add the extra software/sensors since such a small market might want the feature/function.

One question, how would the sensors know the depth if the sensors are inside the housing?

 

[diversteve]

I've seen it once on an ROV...Probably a little more than you want to spend though - $125K.

 

[Saipanman]

My D9 transmitts wirelessly my air pressure. Why can't they put a transmitter in an (admittedly larger) computer which sends the info (depth, compass heading, whatever) to a receiver in the camera (Lanc something or other) in the housing?

Could be done, I guess. Expensive, though.

 

[diversteve]

My D9 transmitts wirelessly my air pressure. Why can't they put a transmitter in an (admittedly larger) computer which sends the info (depth, compass heading, whatever) to a receiver in the camera (Lanc something or other) in the housing?

Could be done, I guess. Expensive, though.

LANC is a pretty stupid serial protocol that mostly does things with a series of pulses. So I don't know if it would be possible to send a datastream over it. Plus you'd have to talk Sony et. al. into building it into their cameras, doubt that's ever going to happen.

You could possibly do something with a simple serial data recorder. Especially one with it's own timecode(if such a thing exists) Synching it to the video topside later would be the tricky part.

 

[MikeC]

In the firearms world, there is a saying " Given enough time and money anything can be done." You probably could find some computer guru to write the code and design the needed hardware for a cost. Not sure what the cost would be.

Are there any digital compasses that are integrated with a dive computer? The Suunto's I have seen are all analog.

BTW, timecode is not visible on your "regular" outputs of a VTR, just usually what is called "monitor out". What you would need is called a "window burn". In NTSC I think there are a few unused lines that could be used for data. Now the hard part is redesigning the video record circuitry to record the data on the previously unused lines. Again, time and money...

It is an interesting concept, with some adaptation it could be used for skydiving IF someone in that activity wanted to spend the money.

 

[ChrisA]

Are there any pro-sumer housings or camcorders that will encode the depth and compass direction into a video during recording?

If you just need to record where you were can't you simply aim the camera at your
computer or compass now and then?

 

[zboss]

It would NOT be a function of the housing, the housing is just remote controls and environmental protection.

My feeling is that no camera maker would add the extra software/sensors since such a small market might want the feature/function.

One question, how would the sensors know the depth if the sensors are inside the housing?

I never said I wanted the sensors inside the housing. I wonder if Pelagic/Suunto could adapt their wireless tank computer sensors to work with a camera to record that data.

The reason I am asking for this is for reef surveys.

 

[zboss]

If you just need to record where you were can't you simply aim the camera at your
computer or compass now and then?

but where would the fun be in that?

 

[ronrosa]

If you just need to record where you were can't you simply aim the camera at your
computer or compass now and then?

Assuming this is not for scientific or legal purposes, you could text add the information in during editing.