Any Info on Rocket Conversion of Aiptek Cameras

Similarly, has anyone been able to hack any of the new CVS disposable digital video recorders? They are also available as PureDigital USB cameras for around $100.

"Mike Hellmund" wrote in news:HE%hh.1833$ snipped-for-privacy@bignews8.bellsouth.net:

also:

There was an article about hacking them for rocket cameras in this falls issue of MAKE magazine.

Loitering around while the family shopped, I did an imagineering design review looking these over on the rack and got about this far:

- Break apart at the hinges to get the lcd folded in closer (assuming the lcd needed to be open for the gadgets to work). A bit concerned of just how much cable/flexboard between the main body & lcd we'd get to work with. May end up splicing in a jumper cable but would need to open one up to know. Left it there...

- Lens view probably be pointing out radially and redirecting with prisms/mirrors although having the camera hanging out viewing rearward seemed possible (relatively slim profiles, still not sure what to do with the LCD. Left it there...

- Access to the buttons. The ample recording time makes feasible turning the gadget on externally, stuffing it into the payload bay, sealing things up and launching. Was trading that method off against simply poking at the buttons with long sticks through access holes versus opening up the gadget and remote the necessary switches. I guess if I were to do this alot and have several cameras, the latter would be cool but the former would get one flying quicker. Left it there...

- Waaay out there. Use other lens components mounted externally and run them into the recorder via quick disconnects and pack the recorder like an upscaled egg. Left it there...

- Internal mounting - Was leaning towards molded foam packing.

- Got to the part about thinking which rocket I've got laying around which could carry the gadget with the least mods. That's about it...

I do like it's capacity and price as a starting point.

Happy Holidays, Mike...

Andy

I don't think any of the video cameras require the LCD door to be open to record.

I avoided the mirror by pointing the camera directly down the side of the rocket. I wasn't thinking about it when I picked the camera (a Polaroid Studio 4), but the shape of it made it easier to mount this way. At least one of the Aiptek models I've seen has the same basic shape.

I use the "start it and then put it in the payload section" method. My camera records up to 20 minutes on a 1GB SD card (actually longer since the image is basically static while sitting on the pad). I had some problem making sure I didn't accidently turn it off while loading it in the rocket. And I couldn't see the LED on the front that shows it's working while it was on the rocket and the rocket was on the launch pad. Then, after recovering the rocket after its last flight, I discovered that I can see the LED if I remove the whole payload section from the rocket and look for the LED. So now I have a better way to make sure the camera is running before I leave the rocket at the pad.

There are some "sports camcorders" - real camcorders, not the toy-like cameras we're talking about here - which have the lens on a cable. They're expensive, but probably would work well.

I used some pillow-type foam around the camera. Nothing fancy.

More info, including photos and videos at:

-- Roger