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Monitoring hidden tracks - video?


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Hello

 

I have a big (26ft x 10ft) exhibition layout. It's 4ft high to track level and has a relatively high backscene which extends across the ends.

 

My fiddle yard operators sit outside the layout at the back of the fiddle yard and therefore cannot easily monitor the train once it's on the scenic section.

 

There have been suggestions of a mirror at both ends so that the two operators can track their trains but I'm not keen on that idea

 

Is there a cheap video method that could enable the operators at the back to monitor trains on the scenic front?

 

Thanks for any comments

 

 

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Baby monitor video cameras ?

USB video cameras ?

Security (CCTV) Cameras?

 

All have fairly low price points over here.  If you look on your local "used" site, you may be able to pick up a cheap baby monitor.  We had one on the ship for donkey's years on the main shaft to see when it had stopped turning.  Funny, they (the radio operators) got all snotty about us using 3w portable radios, but never clued in that we had a TV camera broadcasting 24/7 as to what the shaft was doing !

 

James

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21 minutes ago, peach james said:

Baby monitor video cameras ?

USB video cameras ?

Security (CCTV) Cameras?

 

James

 

James

 

Thanks for that, but as you may know I am no techy.

 

So taking this product as a starting point

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wireless-Wifi-Night-Vision-HD-Camera-Video-Baby-Monitor-Home-Security-Pet-Dog-UK/392320370135?hash=item5b581dc5d7:g:zGQAAOSwqB5cwYq1

 

Do I understand things correctly?  Does this link wirelessly to a mobile phone via wi-fi?  Therefore does the exhibition venue need to have wi-fi?  What happens if the venue doesn't have wi-fi?   

 

Regards

 

Paul

Edited by TEAMYAKIMA
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Back in the days of Maplins, you could pick up a quite cheaply a spy camera  that was built into a USB stick.

 

When plugged into the USB port it would activate on a motion sensor. Whether that would show live feed or just record I don't know, but an option  worth looking at perhaps. No need for Wi-fi. Just a USB extension to a laptop.

 

I always wondered how these would work in practice. Leave the laptop running in the room in a sting operation on the  cleaner, nanny, carer, shop worker etc. Perhaps good for Union reps meeting managers and vice versa or even investigative journalists.

 

Andy

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Whatever you do, if you want a reliable solution, do not use a WiFi camera at an exhibition. Something wired will work, wireless dips in and out.

 

A search on Amazon for 2ch CCTV produces a number of viable options.  Tho you might want something with more channels and addable camera, sadly nowadays it is often worth having an extra pair of eyes on the front of the layout.

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10 minutes ago, Marcus-Jay said:

Whatever you do, if you want a reliable solution, do not use a WiFi camera at an exhibition. Something wired will work, wireless dips in and out.

 

A search on Amazon for 2ch CCTV produces a number of viable options.  Tho you might want something with more channels and addable camera, sadly nowadays it is often worth having an extra pair of eyes on the front of the layout.

 

It's not a question of security per se it's just knowing that your train is still moving so with two operators - one at each end - they just need to know that things are OK on the scenic front which they cannot see.

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Thanks to all who have commented. 

 

As I have said - I am no techy - I need a camera approx. 7-8 ft away from some kind of monitor and it should be capable of live streaming for at least 9 hours - the length of an exhibition day ( 9.00-18.00).

 

And the big issue seems to be how the camera and monitor are linked - it appears not by wi-fi, so I guess a wire of some kind and it's not clear to me if these baby cameras can be linked by wire and also the camera needs to stream constantly and not be motion activated,

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5 hours ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

 

Do I understand things correctly?  Does this link wirelessly to a mobile phone via wi-fi?  Therefore does the exhibition venue need to have wi-fi?  What happens if the venue doesn't have wi-fi?   

 

Don't rely on a venue having usable wifi. If it doesn't, or you are placed somewhere out of range, you'll be stuffed.

You can configure wifi on something like a Raspberry PI, or even take your own access point, but since you've already mentioned you're not into techy stuff, then this is not for you. Either would be extra items you would need to take with you & set up...or worse, they are likely to get forgotten.

A wire-connected camera seems like a much better option.

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I've been reading elsewhere about wifi problems at shows, with some control!ers using wifi + wifi from phones and tablets you rapidly run out of channels causing connection failures all round..

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  • 2 weeks later...

Car reversing system arrived - with VERY scant instructions, in fact virtually none!

 

Monitor has three cables coming out of it. Yellow - video, red - power but no mention of what the white one might be and no cable supplied to go in it.

 

IMG_20191211_071112.jpg.d02fd1da8c8ac1d0e157eeaed5c78139.jpg

 

Then there are these mystery very short red wires coming out at both ends of the black video link cable with yellow connectors .………...

 

IMG_20191211_074308.jpg.b94108a12160c459af7fcf599cfd6e30.jpg

 

I have contacted the seller but nothing back so far.

 

 

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