In your opinion, who makes the best train camera? Best image? Least electrical interference? Best size for HO?
I’m curious as to how someone would know the answer to such a question without actually having tried all the available cameras in all sorts of installations and in all kinds of layouts. Layouts with flurorescent lights, incandescent lights, DCC or DCC, etc. The list is almost endless, and I doubt if one person could provide a definite answer. You’ll no doubt get replies from some who say theirs is great - but compared to what?
Not a question that has a realisitic answer I’m afraid.
Bob Boudreau
I got mine from www.wirelessmicrocolorcam.com and I’ve been happy with it. They also have a DCC power supply board. In addition, they will re-configure and re-wire things for a nominal $15 charge, including return shipping.
I have mine in an HO subway car. I needed a number of wiring changes to physically fit the camera and power supply into the car, because the cabling and plugs were just too big and in the wrong places.
I asked a simular question a little over a year ago. I got some very good replies.
Looking for train camera reviews
Bob are you cranky all the time? Just curious. All your posts seem a bit dismal.
I suspect the orignal poster wanted some opinions rather than one person with an exstensive knowledge of all small form factor cameras. So without further random ramblings.
I recently picked up a low cost wireless mini camera and I mounted it on a flat car as someone else had suggested. Bit disppointed in the quality overall. But spoke to some people with a similar setup and it’s very dependent on enviroment. For example. When I was testing the unit I noticed that when the TV was on the signal looked grainy. I turned it off and it looked better. I suspect power applied to the track also had something to do with it.
I have seen some pretty nice mini cam video’s on the net so I know it can look good it’s just a matter of messing with it.
Anyway just my two cents.
I found that the two most important factors are available light and, believe it or not, the temperature of the camera module itself. Light is pretty obvious. I’ve added interior LEDs to my subways, and I have LED headlights on the camera car, but I still don’t get anything like “daylight” conditions.
When I did the first run of the subway train camera with the shell on, I noticed that the picture deteriorated as time went on, so that it was almost useless after about 10 minutes. I confirmed with an astronomer colleague of mine that these charge-coupled device, or CCD, cameras are quite heat-sensitive. I removed some windows from the car, and took out an interior light bulb, which made a big difference.
These cameras use a wireless pickup. The third “fixable” problem with picture quality is radio-frequency (RF) transmission between the camera and the receiver. There seem to be a few spots on my layout where I get a burst of noise in the picture every time I pass by.
One thing which is not a problem is power pickup. Using the DCC power supply, I get the same performance as with a battery. When I did use a battery, I found I got a few hours out of one 9-volt alkaline Duracell.
Also, these cameras do have a “focus” capability like a film camera. You can change the focal distance by rotating the round ring on the front. I set mine about a foot in front of the camera, which gave me the best effect.
Well the original poster asked which was the BEST. Can you or anyone else actually give an answer? If he wanted to know what the best car, refrigerator, TV, etc., one could look up tests in Consumer Reports or other sources. The market for mini video cameras is so small that there isn’t a test available.
So how would you recommend which is the best? I have one, but it’s the only one that I’ve ever seen, so I don’t feel qualified to say whether its the best or worst.
I do get teed off at people who ask questions that cannot be answered. A little thought beforehand could possible result in a better phrased query.
How high is up?
Bob Boudreau