Still want a cheap video camera?

Steve said:
Cheers Rob for the posting ,

Got my camra the other day , ok i got two dont ask :rolf:

My first attempt using it -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2TlRZdkBHI
Click to expand...

Blimey Steve, I've got something like green tomato chutney all over my monitor now..... testing to destruction huh! just as well you've a spare :rolf: - all joking apart, that's a pretty good result isn't it.... looking forward to more from different angles!!
Fixed mine to my bike (as per the advert) and went for a cycle along the old Manchester/Milford line out of Aberystwyth this morning. Despite taking it easy and trying not to wobble the handlebars much, the results aren't really worth publishing. (I may have to return the cam as it will only record in bursts approx 16 secs to one minute at a time.... although the supplied 8Gb the memory card has plenty of capacity)
(p.s. try writing the TAG.TXT file - in Notepad will do it) exactly as below only with date and time correct-ish, then save the file to the camera memory..... next time you switch on the beast it should display almost correct time!

[date]
2010/10/26
17: 20: 00


Regards
Rob
 
Rob, what speed is your 8Gb micro-SD? If it has a symbol like a capital C with a number inside (eg. C 2, 4 or 6) that's its speed rating. Eg. top right of this one:

54424adabd2d4f9ba501281071919453.jpg


Reason I ask is that from my research on the net it seems you need a high speed card (class 6) to allow the camera to dump stuff out without glitches.

I've tried a 4Gb class 2 and an 8Gb class 4 in mine, both give slightly jerky video outdoors, but seem to be perfectly smooth in lower light indoors even with my class 2 card, almost as if the camera's having trouble recording all the detail it picks up in full daylight. Seems to be that when mine's dropping frames the date/time flickers on the played back video.

I've ordered a 4Gb class 6 card to try.
 
ntpntpntp said:
Rob, what speed is your 8Gb micro-SD? If it has a symbol like a capital C with a number inside (eg. C 2, 4 or 6) that's its speed rating. Eg. top right of this one:

images


Reason I ask is that from my research on the net it seems you need a high speed card (class 6) to allow the camera to dump stuff out without glitches.

I've tried a 4Gb class 2 and an 8Gb class 4 in mine, both give slightly jerky video outdoors, but seem to be perfectly smooth in lower light indoors even with my class 2 card, almost as if the camera's having trouble recording all the detail it picks up in full daylight. Seems to be that when mine's dropping frames the date/time flickers on the played back video.

I've ordered a 4Gb class 6 card to try.
Click to expand...

Thanks for asking Nick, just checked it and it says Class C4 (4 inside a C)
Haven't had any particular problems with the 2Gb cards I use with the 'Keyfob' cameras, but I might just try using that on my bike and/or swap the card in the new camera.
Once again thanks for the interest, I look forward to your final summary!

Rob
 
ntpntpntp said:
Rob, what speed is your 8Gb micro-SD? If it has a symbol like a capital C with a number inside (eg. C 2, 4 or 6) that's its speed rating. Eg. top right of this one:

images


Reason I ask is that from my research on the net it seems you need a high speed card (class 6) to allow the camera to dump stuff out without glitches.

I've tried a 4Gb class 2 and an 8Gb class 4 in mine, both give slightly jerky video outdoors, but seem to be perfectly smooth in lower light indoors even with my class 2 card, almost as if the camera's having trouble recording all the detail it picks up in full daylight. Seems to be that when mine's dropping frames the date/time flickers on the played back video.

I've ordered a 4Gb class 6 card to try.
Click to expand...

[align=center]This must be why mine just gives frozen images, its too small for me to see any writing on it, dont see any symbol or number in the top corner at all.
[/align]
 
Unfortnately they don't always have the speed rating symbol. My 8Gb card doesn't, I just know it's class 4 because it said so on the packaging.
 
You should be OK with a class 4 card on 640x480. That's what I've been using for videos in my ordinary camera for quite some time (both 8Gb and 16Gb cards). No problems at all at anything up to 80mph. I agree that class 2 cards don't have enough oomph. Of course, it could just be an issue with the recorder's sophistication (or lack of) producing a "rolling shutter" effect.

I'm guessing that class 4 cards will probably struggle in a "proper" camcorder as those usually operate at higher resolutions, though I don't have any equipment to test the theory.
 
Good Evening All

Now once upon a time there was this chap Ste...........................anyway my Camera arrived today,
Charged it for over six hours....
Read the instructions.....
Made a short film.....

Plugged it into my Main (Vista) computer.....
All the lights flashed then nothing. (lights still flashin)
Did not seem to know camera was plugged in. (tried various USB Sockets)

Drageed out the (XP) Lap Top. (tried various USB Sockets)

Just the same.

Have I missed something. Help (nothing to teccy please)
 
3Valve said:
Mine arrived yesterday, but haven't had a chance to try it out yet.
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Best of Luck Gareth, I'm sure yours will be fine.

I'm just an unlucky person when it comes to electronic [STRIKE]junk[/STRIKE] items.

You know the sort eg: Lap Top gives up the day after the warranty runs out etc etc etc :crying:

If yours came from the same place, I would be intersted to see how you get on.

I hope there is not a duff batch but then again that would answer my problems. :bigsmile:
 
@ RoundnRound - so what exactly happens when you plug your camera into the USB to access the video files? Do you get any sort of USB device manager activity such as "new hardware found"? You should be seeing something like "USB mass storage device found" then "disk drive found" when you plug the camera in. Any sign of a removable disk drive appearing in Windows Explorer?

As an alternative, do you have any other way of getting into the micro SD card? The Last 2 cards I bought came with a micro-SD to SD adapter, which then fits into an SD to USB adapter and lets me read the card just like any other memory stick. Or you can get a multi-format USB card reader that supports micro-SD, and skip the micro-SD to SD adapter altogether.

I'm just thinking that if the USB part of the camera is indeed duff, all is not necessarily lost if it's recorded onto the card OK. It might even be that it's the little USB adapter that plugs into the camera which is at fault, rather than the camera itself.

I actually prefer to use a card reader, it seems less flimsy than the little USB adapter that goes with the camera.
 
Hi Nick, Thanks for your reply.

I have tried Camera on two computers (Vista & XP) using six different USB sockets

None will reconise the device, they all reconise other USB devices I have.

As to using the Card on its own, no I do not (sadly) have any sort of adaptor.

I have never met a card so small before.

Again, Nick, Thanks for your interest.

I have spent 20hrs on this now and am thinking its the camera.

Any other ideas would be welcome.

Cheers Trevor.
 
Errmm...silly question, but did you switch the camera on before or after you plugged it in to the usb socket ?
 
Dtsteam said:
Errmm...silly question, but did you switch the camera on before or after you plugged it in to the usb socket ?
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No not a Silly Question David. :thumbup::bigsmile:

I thought of that and tried all combinations.

Computer off - Computer on - Divce off - Divce on etc etc etc

but still no joy. :wits:
 
Mine switches itself on when plugged into USB, but worth checking this Trevor?
 
I think it is time to go and spend some more money to proove the point.

Search out and purchase a Micro SD Card Reader.

Then I can see if the video, I made last night works and that it really is a duff camera I have been sent.

Don't like the idea of spending more money to round the corners off that I cut off in the first place by getting a bargin,

but thats just my luck - Why Me :crying: - everybody elses worked alright :bigsmile:
 
Round n Round said:
I think it is time to go and spend some more money to proove the point.

Search out and purchase a Micro SD Card Reader.

Then I can see if the video, I made last night works and that it really is a duff camera I have been sent.

Don't like the idea of spending more money to round the corners off that I cut off in the first place by getting a bargin,

but thats just my luck - Why Me :crying: - everybody elses worked alright :bigsmile:
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear you are having problems with the 7dayshop camera - Nick's (ntpntpntp) suggestions are spot on - I would suggest to try switching the memory card - luckily I have several to play with - but IF there is still a problem, email the company via their contact website address, they will ask for details of the problem and get back pretty quickly - Their last resort is to ask for return by FREEPOST for either refund or replacement. I know this because mine would only record in variously short bursts. It's on its way back for a replacement as we speak!

Best wishes and luck
Rob
 
Thanks Rob,

I have started the contact process - Yes they are quick to reply.

So far they are making sugestions that I can't meet because I have no other equipment that I can try,

eg: spare cable or card reader

They have replied twice in 90 minutes and are now offering to send a new cable.

I am happy with their prompt service and just hope this is the answer.

Thanks for your message.
 
I'm late as usual. XP doesn't recognise SDHC cards, only SD, Vista and windows 7 recognise SDHC easily. As you pointed out a seperate card reader with SDHC capacity plugged into a USB 2.0 on an XP machine and your life will come back to normal.
I purchased a 35-in-1 card reader for €8 (about the same in £ ) as my PC is XP and the lappy is Vista but doesn't have a CF slot (my main camera is CF) and just for the record the netbook is Windows7 and I haven't even looked at it.
 
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