Need some help - mobile CCTV/DVR rig.

10/24/2015 | Me

[Chasaway]

I need some help.

I’m a private investigator. I’m trying to build a self-contained, 12-volt surveillance camera rig that I can set up in a vehicle. I want to be able to either run it off of the vehicle’s power or off of a battery pack. [I’ve already got the battery pack set up].

[Chasaway]

The idea is to be able to leave a vehicle unmanned, but still be able to obtain recordings of a subject's movements.

I want this rig to be portable; to be able to be moved from vehicle to vehicle or from place to place.

I’ve been using one for years, but the video is in a proprietary format that requires that I go through several very painful steps, using untold (and generally unbilled) hours to generate usable video for my clients.

I’d like to get to where I’m capturing the video on an SD card or HDD in a format that’s easier to transfer to media for my client.

I’d like a 4-channel system...to be able to hook up to from 1 to 4 different cameras at once.

I’d like to be able to be agnostic as to the cameras…in other words, I’d like to be able to hook up a handycam with terrific zoom, or a tilt/pan/zoom camera or just some fixed focal length CCTV cameras, depending on the case, the topography and the application. It may be that an RCA plug for the video in is the best way. I don't know.

My problem is that with the research I’ve done so far, many of the DVRs require a particular camera-to-DVR connection. That’s okay, if I can get wiring diagrams that’ll allow me to build the cabling that’ll let me do what I want.

I’d like to find a DVR with a smallish footprint (to put in a case of some type), that will run off of the battery pack (also installed in the case) that will accept various video inputs.

Audio is not an issue. I don’t use it. Matter of fact, if I picked up audio, I’d delete it.

All of that being said, FR is an amazing resource. Lots of folks with lots of knowledge…collective genius.

Here’s hoping that I can get some guidance as to gear/brands/rigs/wiring that’ll let me wind up with what I want.

[ULTIMATELY, I’m going to build a vehicle with 8 – 10 cameras, switches to choose which to record, TPZ capability, charging stations, monitors, etc. all built in. For now, I just want to build a terrific, portable unit that, if necessary, I can replicate.]

Any and all ideas are not only welcome, but intensely requested and hungered for.

Thankee…

C

[Auntie Mame]

http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/product/covert+rear+view+mirror+cam+with+recording+dvr.do?sortby=bestSellers&from=fn

[Bogey78O]

Honestly? Look for a local supply company that deals in surveillance. They can help you design precisely what you need though it may cost a pretty penny. Lots of options on the market today for mobile recording.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Also make sure whatever vehicle you put it into has 12v DC available when the key is out of the ignition switch. If it does not, it is not a big deal to switch the 12v power port to 'always on' status by moving the positive side of the circuit to a different power point...usually at the fuse box.

Or make your own wiring harness and access 12v+ by tapping a 12v constant circuit...something like the dome lights circuit. And don't forget to add a fuse!

[Covenantor]

Since you seem able to whip up you own cables you might look into using a Raspberry Pi-2. There are plenty of tried and tested user solutions to HD vid recording. Base Raspberry Pi-2 <$50 plus hd plug in camcorder plus power supply 5v IIRC and IR is possible.

The tiny boards can be stacked, so you might have 4 boards stacked in a cracker box pointed NESW giving 360 view.

One big advantage is that the whole board fits in an Altoid tin size enclosure so you can make your own enclosure to suit job requirements. Storage can be on micro sd cards, forgot max capacity. A cell phone type adapter for 12v can provide power or a battery pack. Wide latitude

But chances are more than a few people in the Raspberry Pi community have done all or part of what you need.

[Chasaway]

There definitely are a lot of options!

Problem is that most of the surveillance co’s carry static, installed units. The mobile units are mostly dashcam/back-up cams/close range cams without a stand-alone power pack.

I need to be able to switch from proprietary cameras to cameras with big zooms to tilt/pan/zoom cameras, depending on the individual case/topography. AND to be able to switch it from vehicle to vehicle easily, still maintaining its stealth.

So, what I was hoping for was some information that fits those requirements. It’ll probably be something designed by me, cobbling together pieces and parts from disparate systems.

Thanks for the response, though.

[Chasaway]

That’s an interesting idea.

I hadn’t really thought of starting that fundamental. I was hoping to find a DVR that would work...something that I could hang the required cameras, etc. off of.

However, you’ve got me thinking differently now. How involved/technical would a project like the one you generally suggested be?

I can figure out the cables, but starting all the way from scratch would be new to me.

Easy enough to figure out and/or Google the skills/specs required? For an amateur?

Thanks!

C

[Covenantor]

Ease of learning: for starters the Raspberry Pi was developed in the UK as a single micro board computer to teach elementary school kids. Been a wild success that escaped into the wild.

The operating system is on a micro memory chip. Video capability is built as well as io ports. You can find the specs on the raspberry pi home page. Basically the yhird party components that add versatility are plug and play with very small driver applets that are downloadable or supplied on chips.

Amazon has both starter books and kits with a variety of add ons. You can use your own monitor and keyboard to do the programming to use downloaded apps or do your own. If a ten year old can get started right out of the gate it must be easy as pie (groaner from the inventers but true)

Popular uses include media center controller, xbox interface, cctv surveillance such as on this example DIY page:

http://www.averagemanvsraspberrypi.com/2014/09/turn-raspberry-pi-into-cctv-security.html

There are many youtube videos sjowing projects that will give you a feel for size and versatility of this little board. It could give you the capability to reconfigure cluster Pi-s and or enclosures and mounts best suited for your job needs. Consider the tiny size of the hd cams used on quad copters as being available to you for on board chip storage or streaming video via wi-fi where you are.

Here’s the mothership url, gateway to forums and user groups. The community is open and very willing to help.

https://www.raspberrypi.org/

Key is to use the newest generation Rasberry Pi 2 which has a faster cpu as it’s chief advantage among other bennies.

Hope this helps.

[Chasaway]

It helps a lot!

After reading your post last night, I did a lot of reading/study on the Pi 2. Looks like a lot of fun. I’m still not convinced getting various composite video input to work is going to be doable. There is conflicting info on it. I’ll keep looking at that.

But, if I can get the video in problem worked out, it looks like I can stack a few of these and network them so they’re saving the video files on a single hard drive/sd card/whatever.

And it is small! I’ll need to work out a battery pack/inverter rig so it’ll be independent of any other power source. But that looks doable, too.

So, thanks a lot for the idea. Even if I can’t/don’t do the camera thingy, I’m going to get me a Pi 2 to play around with and learn about.

It’s just going to keep getting more and more flexible as it matures and people come with ideas, gear and apps for it.

C

[Covenantor]

Enjoy and have fun!

[Chasaway]

Thanks, Auntie!

I went and looked at their stuff. Thanks for replying.

The problem with dashcam/backup cams, etc. is their limited focal lengths. I don’t need something that’ll capture video at feet away. I need to be able to capture video of subjects as much as 1/4 to 1/2 mile away.

There aren’t many CCTV units that come with cameras with that capability. I don’t know of any, off the top of my head.

I need to start with a DVR like theirs, maybe. But I’ve got to be able to hang cameras off of it that have a zoom/stability capability way, WAY beyond the typical camera designed for a CCTV system.

Thus, the original question...if there’s a way to hook non-proprietary cameras onto an existing DVR. I kind of think I’m going to have to re-work various wiring/connectors and even then I don’t know if it’ll work.

Thanks for answering!

C

[Auntie Mame]

Ah! Didn’t read your original post closely enough.

Here’s a thought: Go search the USPTO (Patent Office) for patents using key words and see what others have been up to. I’d suggest searching the abstracts.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html

Disclaimer: This is only suggested to give you ideas, not to steal anyone’s patent.

[Chasaway]

LOL!

That’s a terrific idea! Thanks!