Night Vision Camera for SM

TDStapes

New Member
I am looking to get a decent camera mounted in our theater for our SM to have a view of the stage during black outs. We currently run a full digital/network video distribution system do I want to stay away from something that only generates an analog signal. We currently operate solely over NDI and would be adapting whatever camera to work with NDI so the fewer converters and in line boxes to accomplish this the better. We can go analog if necessary but trying to avoid. Any suggestions? Thanks
 
Take a look at "Blue Iris" software you can run a free demo.. compatible with many ip cameras and will auto config with many of them.
I run 18 cameras at one Veterinary facility and 6 at another. Mixed camera types. I have used a lot of the "Amcrest" line for economical cameras both fixed and pan tilt.
For just a few cams, it will run on some pretty modest hardware. For a bunch you need a fast processor and a pretty fair amount of memory if you also record for security purposes.
I have some on wifi, but most on cat5e for reliability.
 
I have a Flir Digimerge C234BC ($35 on Amazon) on my first electric and a R-Tech CA-IR140-HD (no longer available) on my catwalk over the house. Both are cheap analog cameras with a long RCA cables running to an old TV. Neither puts out amazing images but for less than $100 we can see everything happening in the dark. Whether the grand is open or closed.

Tips:
-Whatever you buy, pay close attention to the zoom ability and the claimed range.
-Try to mount it closer if you can because those tiny LED's are not that powerful.
-Adding the second camera backstage doubled the amount of IR light on stage which really helped improve the image on the farther away house mounted cam. You can also buy just IR emitters which would help your long distance image too.
 
Camera that will do what you want: $99, tops.
Camera that will do what you want *and has NDI*: $6-700 and up (if as FM notes, you can find one at all).
 
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I made a quick search, and I don't find a night vision camera with NDI. You'll probably end up using a converter for NDI, but there are some reasonably priced ones that run on PoE.
 
I found that if you use a large IR emitter you can use just about any of the cheaper cameras as they all have decent IR sensitivity.
 
I found that if you use a large IR emitter you can use just about any of the cheaper cameras as they all have decent IR sensitivity.
In general that's true, but cameras upscale enough to have NDI onboard are upscale enough to have IR cut filters, and might...

I'm wondering if, for the intended use, just a $50 Amcrest security camera with MP4 over IP won't be fine; you're not gonna be taking it on the production switcher. :)
 
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