T&T: Video Monitor System was: Re: Helm Station Vacumn Gauge

[Albin43SDtr]

'Lo all,

>I would be shocked if the resolution of these cheap devices would be
>high enough to read your gauges.  Plus consider the glare and lighting issues.

Surprisingly, these cameras work quite well. I tried one on the 
Celestial, and finally bought another camera just for the purpose of 
watching the engine room. The cameras I use are wireless 900 MHz 
ones, but there are newer/possibly better ones that work on higher 
frequencies.

The main purpose of the camera/monitor setup was as a rear view 
mirror. I tried it in the engine room and found that it would show 
the entire engine room when placed in one corner. There was 
sufficient light from the six (I think) LEDs to sufficiently light up 
the engine room at night to see most of it. To show gauges, just 
place them at a fairly close distance. One thing I noted when I tried 
the cameras I originally bought (turned out to be from two different 
manufacturers) was that the focal lengths varied, for a rear view, 
you want one lens, for close up, a different one. The cameras I use 
are 12 V DC, while the monitor is 14 V DC, so I have a Radio Shack 
converter that works perfectly. The system is wireless, so there is 
no problem moving cameras or monitors around. I wrote it up a long 
time ago...it should be in the archives, should anyone be interested.

The cameras used as bumper cams on NASCAR cars are similar, with 
better resolution, of course, but the "objects may be closer than 
they look" aspect is about the same.

YMMV.


Take care and be safe.

Wayne
M/V Celestial
Albin43 Sundeck