Onboard Video - How To

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davdue

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I just got my Level 1 Cert at LDRS 30. I am still stoked about it. Unfortunately two days later I fell off a ladder and broke my ankle while helping my dad cut down a tree. This has seriously curtailed my rocketry activitities for a while. With that said I have been thinking about adding a video camera to my level 1 rocket. It is a scratch built rocket made from large scale plotter paper tubes (3 5/16" dia). Can you give me examples of how you have mounted "cheap" video camera's and the types of camera's used?

Thanks,

Dave
 
If you have a paint job you care about, use gaffer's tape. It costs more, but it leaves zero residue, and it's as sticky as duct tape. Seriously.

Otherwise, use electrical tape and you're fine. Just may leave some goo, especially on a hot day.

-Kevin
 
I believe the previous posters are referring to key chain cameras. I use electrical tape. Just search for keychain cam here on TRF fpr several threads about them. They take remarkably good video. [YOUTUBE]2XUCjb3byac[/YOUTUBE]
 
This is how I did it on my Minie Magg. I used a 3M Command Strip, which is like super aggressive Velcro, on a removeable strip. I also put a #4 screw through the keyring hole in the camera, and into the body.

command2.jpg

command3.jpg

command4.jpg

command6.jpg

command7.jpg
 
This is how I did it on my Minie Magg. I used a 3M Command Strip, which is like super aggressive Velcro, on a removeable strip. I also put a #4 screw through the keyring hole in the camera, and into the body.

I like the way you did that,cool!!
 
This is how I did it on my Minie Magg. I used a 3M Command Strip, which is like super aggressive Velcro, on a removeable strip. I also put a #4 screw through the keyring hole in the camera, and into the body.
Great design! That's a keeper!

Bob
 
I used a screw through the ring hole into a wood transition shoulder then a very thick rubber band to steady the whole thing.

007.jpg
 
I use the Scotch Blue masking tape. Doesn't leave a residue at all.

That said, the nice thing about keychain cameras is that they are put together with screws, and the casing comes off rather easily. I am going to pull one out of the case this winter and mount it so it takes less drag.
 
I've used electrical tape even when the camera was a little larger than a keychain camera. :)

Of course, making sure the rocket is stable is the priority. But, you might also want to play with where you position the keychain camera to get the best video. If you put a downward-looking camera too far up the rocket, you don't get a very good view of the flame and exhaust.

But, it's nice to see some of the rocket. So, don't put it all the way at the bottom. Also, most of the keychain cameras display a time stamp that you can't turn off. If you're going to crop or mask the time stamp, you need the camera a little further up the rocket so that you still see some of the bottom of the rocket after editing.

-- Roger
 
The date/time stamp is a pain. Changing it to the correct time requires you to go to the text file and changing the default to the current date and time. It should, but doesn't always stay with the current, however. So there are times you have to go back in and change it.
 
The date/time stamp is a pain. Changing it to the correct time requires you to go to the text file and changing the default to the current date and time. It should, but doesn't always stay with the current, however. So there are times you have to go back in and change it.

I tried to get rid of the date/time stamp altogether, but it didn't work.
 
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