Nicola Zonca

She wants to connect 20 (twenty) cameras to record the same image at 

Any chance to connect so many cameras to a comptuer?

Did someone already moved some step in this direction?

I've got a request from a video artist.
She wants to connect 20 (twenty) cameras to record the same image at  
same time from different perspectives.

Any chance to connect so many cameras to a comptuer?
Did someone already moved some step in this direction?

many-many-cameras

recording? she could put a tape in each camera and record with all of 

if she needs live video feeds in, she might consider using a matrix 

router and/or a multiplexer. some video routers can even be 

recording? she could put a tape in each camera and record with all of  
them.

if she needs live video feeds in, she might consider using a matrix  
router and/or a multiplexer. some video routers can even be  
controlled by max via RS232 serial.


I agree. I've written a patch that controls Knox video routers (serial 

control), it will switch at 30fps, but you need to have all inputs 

synchronized first, so you have to send the video through a TBC or 

frame sync first. That's alot of gear, and is pricey, but it works. 

I've successfully switched between 8 cameras quickly, creating a 

real-time bullet-time effect. Great for live shows.

I agree.  I've written a patch that controls Knox video routers (serial 
control), it will switch at 30fps, but you need to have all inputs 
synchronized first, so you have to send the video through a TBC or 
frame sync first.  That's alot of gear, and is pricey, but it works.  
I've successfully switched between 8 cameras quickly, creating a 
real-time bullet-time effect.  Great for live shows.

> I've got a request from a video artist.

> She wants to connect 20 (twenty) cameras to record the same image 

> at same time from different perspectives.

> Any chance to connect so many cameras to a comptuer?

multiple computers with synchronized recording via ot/udp or netsend/ 

multiple dv cameras with lanc remote control and then match up the 

time code later (as jonathan mentions), perhaps something like 20 dvd- 

or better, sync'able DVR's which are also RS-232 controllable, 

preferably eith central timecode generator to give each deck the same 

if one were to push IIDC to its ~theoretical~ limits, you might have 

4 Firewire 400 PCI cards, each giving you a maximum of 3-4 unibrain 

firei cameras per card, so a max total of 16 cameras on one computer 

- it would be neat to composite all the different angles into one 

tiled movie at high resolution. there is a good chance that the OS 

or the PCI bus will not be happy about opening so many IIDC drivers 

there are 'multiplexer' devices and 'multichannel dvr's designed to 

record many cameras at once in the surveillance industry

the frame rate and resolution, because this security stuff often 

lacks in this area. also look for how easy to export or transcode 

the movies into something useful for an artist.

> I've got a request from a video artist.
> She wants to connect 20 (twenty) cameras to record the same image  
> at same time from different perspectives.
>
> Any chance to connect so many cameras to a comptuer?

multiple computers with synchronized recording via ot/udp or netsend/ 
recieve would be one way.

multiple dv cameras with lanc remote control and then match up the  
time code later (as jonathan mentions), perhaps something like 20 dvd- 
recorders as the medium would be better.

or better, sync'able DVR's which are also RS-232 controllable,  
preferably eith central timecode generator to give each deck the same  
timecode.   check out:

if one were to push IIDC to its ~theoretical~ limits, you might have  
something like:
4 Firewire 400 PCI cards, each giving you a maximum of 3-4 unibrain  
firei cameras per card, so a max total of 16 cameras on one computer  
- it would be neat to composite all the different angles into one  
tiled movie at high resolution.  there is a good chance that the OS  
or the PCI bus will not be happy about opening so many IIDC drivers  
at once.

there are 'multiplexer' devices and 'multichannel dvr's  designed to  
record many cameras at once in the surveillance industry
such as http://www.cctvdynamics.com/ -- but watch out for limits on  
the frame rate and resolution, because this security stuff often  
lacks in this area.   also look for how easy to export or transcode  
the movies into something useful for an artist.

http://www.vrhotwires.com/InexpensivePanoramicVideo.html

this guy managed to get 6 fire-i board cameras working at the same 

time on single computer. that sounds promising.

it seems he was using imac g4 for this, probably meaning that the 

same setup could be working with mac mini.

that could be quite "cheap" way to get something like this working.

this guy managed to get 6 fire-i board cameras working at the same  
time on single computer. that sounds promising.

  it seems he was using imac g4 for this, probably meaning that the  
same setup could be working with mac mini.

20, or 23, or 53: many network camera's (like the axis ones) could be a 

I even think you could trigger those externally to take one frame and 

have them upload it to your computer via ftp, each with their own 

not very cheap either, and don't know if you get up to pal 

much cheaper is to get a strip of film, put it in a tube, make a 

and expose: hundreds of sych frames in high resolution and soft focus..

(the first method used by tim mcmillan in the eighties)

-------------------------------------------

"The mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible"

20, or 23, or 53: many network camera's (like the axis ones) could be a 
solution.

I even think you could trigger those externally to take one frame and 
have them upload it to your computer via ftp, each with their own 
filename, neatly in the same directory

not very cheap either, and don't know if you get up to pal 
resolution....

much cheaper is to get a strip of film, put it in a tube, make a 
pinhole per frame,
and expose: hundreds of sych frames in high resolution and soft focus..
(the first method used by tim mcmillan in the eighties)

                         Joost Rekveld
-----------    http://www.lumen.nu/rekveld

"The mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible"
(Oscar Wilde)

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many many cameras.