Digital Still Camera as video feed (i.e. for reverse camera, etc)

**meatwad** · 01-26-2005, 04:25 PM

I am an admitted noob to the carputer world but with many ideas rolling around upstairs. In thinking about what I would like to see in my system I started thinking about how to acquire imagry in and around the car. I have been busy searching and reading these hallowed boards for anyone who has attempted what I am thinking of, but have come up empty so I apologize right now if this ground has been covered.
Most of the solutions I have seen regarding video coming INTO a car computer system revolve around NTSC or PAL video. In the case of NTSC this means 29.97fps, 480i video. What I started considering was how to get a higher resolution into the system, either for capture or for live viewing. So I FURTHER got to thinking, "Why use a video standard in the first place?". With digital still cameras as inexpensive as they are with MUCH higher resolutions (instead of 640x480, 2048x1536 is possible) why not?. The trade-off would of course be the lack of smooth motion, but is that really nessecary?
What I am thinking is that the proper digi-cam controlled by its USB connection to the computer, could take pictures of events in near-realtime. The increased resolution would make it much easier to identify license plates, people's faces, and so on. It would be fun to capture my friends' wild driving and it could serve as a running log of things that happen in and around the vehicle.
I know of at least one software package out there that will do a single camera like this. It is written for Mac and designed for stop-motion and time-lapse projects but could work in this scenario. I am not a programmer in any capacity but see this as do-able. Am I crazy? Anyone else think of this? Speak up! :-D

Boinx Software's iStopMotion

**DarquePervert** · 01-26-2005, 05:02 PM

The fastest digital still camera I've seen can capture about 3 images every 2 seconds. That leaves more than half a second for something or someone to get behind your ride.

Besides, composite-out cameras are a lot cheaper than all but the crappiest digital still cameras.

**meatwad** · 01-26-2005, 05:50 PM

OK, good point. Perhaps then a digital still camera as an addendum to the main system. I am thinking mounted forward and perhaps triggered...

The other thing that I started considering was lenses. Digital cameras don't typically have 120 degree wide-angle lenses.

What's in my mind currently:

Interior mounted cameras:

Forward facing, under the rearview like a cop car has, only less obtrusive.
A-pillar, driver side, facing into the cabin, wide-angle like "Taxicab Confessions"
Driver's side dashboard, facing up and out of the driver-side window, getting someone approaching the driver's side door.

Exterior mounted:

Rear-view, wide angle wired to reverse lights in the keyhole for the trunk, like plenty of normal installs.

All of them would have the capability to record as well as view live. I think if I stay limited to video or a video/still mix I could have a very unique system here. Unless I get real crazy, I don't think that this is impossible. Am I right?