Opinions on Cam Corder wanted

dmgwalsh

dmgwalsh

Straight Pool Fanatic
Silver Member
I want to get a Cam Corder that I can use to tape pool. To use for stroke analysis as well as an occasional 2 hour straight pool match. I'd like to be able to turn the film into dvd. Anyone have any experience with this type of product. Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.
 
i am trying to find one that i can mount above my Gold Crown IV by about 4-5 feet, with a wide angle lens. that way i can see things better, how they look, what i should have done, how i messed up, etc, etc.

no luck finding one yet, though............:(

DCP
 
dmgwalsh said:
I want to get a Cam Corder that I can use to tape pool. To use for stroke analysis as well as an occasional 2 hour straight pool match. I'd like to be able to turn the film into dvd. Anyone have any experience with this type of product. Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.
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You want a digital video camera. You should be able to connect any kind with any computer. Once you do that, you can take any video file you have and burn it to DVD.
 
dmgwalsh said:
I want to get a Cam Corder that I can use to tape pool. To use for stroke analysis as well as an occasional 2 hour straight pool match. I'd like to be able to turn the film into dvd. Anyone have any experience with this type of product. Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.
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Getting anything but a digital camcorder would be a big mistake. Get one that records in a format, MPG 2 usually, that can be transferred directly to your computer and then to a CD/DVD without having to convert the recording/playing format. One with a larger hard disk which I believe is preferable to recording directly to disks. Otherwise you will be buying computer equipment to convert the tape to digital and then to the proper format for playing on your DVD.

I went through this when after some lessons I had tapes and wanted to watch them on my computer or tv. Using old adapters, the camera and a VCR are a pain in the rear.

I now use a JVC with a 30 mb hard disk. Works great and is small and easy to use. Plug in USB, and its just like having another hard disk with your recent session on it.

Hope this helps.

Mike
 
Anybody have any recommendations for a specific camera below $1k?
 
I use JVC GZ-MG50U. It great and the hard drive is large enough for hours of recording.
 
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I have a JVC Cybercam that uses mini DVs to record on. My battery died (will no longer hold the charge) about 3 years ago (bought in 12/00) and I never got a new battery. I got a new cam this past Dec. I was gonna sell the Cybercam at a yard sale. I want $50 plus shipping for it. PM me for more info if you are interested. I can send pics and willl ensure it's working properly. I DOES NOT come with a battery. (you can get one at Circut City online. I have the original mannual and battery charger though. To record to DVD you just hook it up to your CPU via firewire and record using your burning software.

Michelle
 
landshark77 said:
I have a JVC Cybercam that uses mini DVs to record on. My battery died (will no longer hold the charge) about 3 years ago (bought in 12/00) and I never got a new battery. I got a new cam this past Dec. I was gonna sell the Cybercam at a yard sale. I want $50 plus shipping for it. PM me for more info if you are interested. I can send pics and willl ensure it's working properly. I DOES NOT come with a battery. (you can get one at Circut City online. I have the original mannual and battery charger though. To record to DVD you just hook it up to your CPU via firewire and record using your burning software.

Michelle
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Michelle,
I'll take the Cybercam if dmgwalsh does not want it. I'll PM you. Thanks.
 
Deadon said:
I use JVC GZ-MZ50U. It great and the hard drive is large enough for hours of recording.
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Can you check the model number again? I can't find anything remotely close to this on Amazon... Perhaps you meant JVC GZ-MG50?

Russ
 
I use a Sony DCR SR300. It comes with a remote - not all cameras come with a remote. Plus it has a hi-speed feature - takes 240fps and is then played at regular 60fps (3 seconds of film played at 12 seconds). Very useful for studying your break mechanics. Then just get a tripod and your good to go.
 
Does anyone know of any camcorders that have the capability of being controlled directly form the PC? Zoom level, light level, etc? I want a camcorder that I can basically plug in, put on an elevated shelf pointing down at the table, and control completely through the USB/Firewire connection.

Do any of your camcorders allow this? It would be nice to see a preview on the computer screen before you start filming, ya know?

Russ
 
Russ Chewning said:
Does anyone know of any camcorders that have the capability of being controlled directly form the PC? Zoom level, light level, etc? I want a camcorder that I can basically plug in, put on an elevated shelf pointing down at the table, and control completely through the USB/Firewire connection.

Do any of your camcorders allow this? It would be nice to see a preview on the computer screen before you start filming, ya know?

Russ
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LOL
Dang Russ!
You're the AV guy.

Seriously, that would be cool.
 
BazookaJoe said:
LOL
Dang Russ!
You're the AV guy.

Seriously, that would be cool.
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Heh heh, well YEAH.. I could probably figure out how to build something like this, but it would cost a lot more than what a camcorder would cost. Sony, Minolta, etc.. They have the advantage of economies of scale. The thing is, that outside of very specialized fields like sports trainers, there's not a lot of people who would need the capability to film the exact same area for hours, outside of security firms, and security firms do not usually deal with higher resolution filming, because they film not just for a few hours, but for days...

If I had to guess, I'd think that low to mid end consumer products are not going to have this capability, as not a lot of non-professional types would need it. But who knows? This is the sort of feature that would be fairly easy to program, and the same software might be usable across a companies whole line of products..

Russ
 
dmgwalsh said:
I sent you a pm.
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DW,
I didn't get a PM. I hope you aren't suggesting an arm-wrestling match for rights to the camcorder (now a friendly game of straight pool could be in order).
 
Williebetmore said:
DW,
I didn't get a PM. I hope you aren't suggesting an arm-wrestling match for rights to the camcorder (now a friendly game of straight pool could be in order).
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Sorry. I meant I had sent the owner of the camcorder a pm.

Didn't you say that you would take it IF dmg doesn't?

By the way, I hear you played pretty sporty at the Maryland qualifier. I was able to eke out a 33 last night but that's about it.
 
dmgwalsh said:
Sorry. I meant I had sent the owner of the camcorder a pm.

Didn't you say that you would take it IF dmg doesn't?

By the way, I hear you played pretty sporty at the Maryland qualifier. I was able to eke out a 33 last night but that's about it.
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DMG,
If by "pretty sporty" you mean "abysmally, pathetically, like a 5-year old child" then the answer is yes. While I had a couple of good runs; overall my play was very poor compared with my usual game.

My excuse is that the tables had large pockets (I have NO idea how to play safe on these tables), and the cloth & rails were not like the ones on which I usually play. Since I'm a relative novice; I have NO ability to adjust to different equipment; and it was EXCEEDINGLY frustrating to miss position time after time on what would usually be for me an easy position play. Pocketing balls was not the main problem. I do believe that I could make some significant runs if I played on these tables for a week or so and adjusted (I ran a bunch of 30's and 40's; and a couple of 50's - MUCH easier than my home table).

P.S. - I expect to see you competing there next year!!! And bring that camcorder you "stole" from me.
 
i recently bought this:

http://www.theflip.com/

pros: it's a little over a hundred dollars but it's small and fits in your pocket and has everything you need to easily get your videos onto your computer or the web. (built in USB port, built in 1GB of memory for apprx. 60 mins of video, runs on 2 AA's) and really really easy to use.

cons: video quality is okay, good enough for pool since i videoed a few games, but it ain't great. sounds also "just okay". eats batteries rather quickly and you're going to need a USB extension cord. the built in is hard to plug in and you don't want to snap it off.

if you're looking for no frills and just want to video your stroke and stuff you can't beat it.
 
Russ Chewning said:
Can you check the model number again? I can't find anything remotely close to this on Amazon... Perhaps you meant JVC GZ-MG50?

Russ
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You are corrrect, it has been edited. Thats what I get for posting before coffee.:)

Mike
 
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