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As a experiment I attempted to record a slow sporting
action, outside at daytime, using a Laptop
computer and a Fire-i small camera.
(Since I want to do some processing on the recording.)
Nothing but trouble!
The display of the laptop displayed nothing!
It was washed out totally, even put it into a box
not even the cursor was visible.
The little camera performance was around 7 from 10.
The recording was done by Vegas 4.0.
1. Is there any good way to use Laptops outside?
2. How does the military manage to use Laptops outside?
Thanks for any ideas.

"Dr. Pastor" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bDv0c.15580$(E-Mail Removed) hlink.net...
> As a experiment I attempted to record a slow sporting
> action, outside at daytime, using a Laptop
> computer and a Fire-i small camera.
> (Since I want to do some processing on the recording.)
> Nothing but trouble!
> The display of the laptop displayed nothing!
> It was washed out totally, even put it into a box
> not even the cursor was visible.
> The little camera performance was around 7 from 10.
> The recording was done by Vegas 4.0.
> 1. Is there any good way to use Laptops outside?
> 2. How does the military manage to use Laptops outside?
> Thanks for any ideas.

I've used my laptop to record direct-to-disk in outdoor situations. First,
I would never dream of using the laptop to monitor video in any
circumstance -- the gamma will be way off, and the resolution is far too
low. When I did multi-camera shoots, I had proper monitors (which,
themselves, had to be hooded because of the bright ambient light). Next, I
wouldn't use a program like Vegas to capture a live shoot. A capture-only
program (I use Scenealyzer Live) is much less likely to hang, and doesn't
load the CPU as much as a full editor. Used in this way, I'm able to
capture live video with reasonable reliability.


>
>

>As a experiment I attempted to record a slow sporting
>action, outside at daytime, using a Laptop
>computer and a Fire-i small camera.
>(Since I want to do some processing on the recording.)
>Nothing but trouble!
>The display of the laptop displayed nothing!
>It was washed out totally, even put it into a box
>not even the cursor was visible.
>The little camera performance was around 7 from 10.
>The recording was done by Vegas 4.0.
>1. Is there any good way to use Laptops outside?
>2. How does the military manage to use Laptops outside?
>Thanks for any ideas.
>
>
1. Only in deep shade or at night except for:
2. Have you ever wondered why military equipment is much, much more expensive
than consumer toys? Answers: So it will actually do what its supposed to do.
Everywhere. All the time. But production runs are very, very small for military
gear, which drives prices even higher.
webpa

On 05 Mar 2004 21:27:57 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (WEBPA) wrote:

>>As a experiment I attempted to record a slow sporting
>>action, outside at daytime, using a Laptop
>>computer and a Fire-i small camera.
>>(Since I want to do some processing on the recording.)
>>Nothing but trouble!
>>The display of the laptop displayed nothing!
>>It was washed out totally, even put it into a box
>>not even the cursor was visible.
>>The little camera performance was around 7 from 10.
>>The recording was done by Vegas 4.0.
>>1. Is there any good way to use Laptops outside?
>>2. How does the military manage to use Laptops outside?
>>Thanks for any ideas.
>>
>>
>1. Only in deep shade or at night except for:
>2. Have you ever wondered why military equipment is much, much more expensive
>than consumer toys? Answers: So it will actually do what its supposed to do.
>Everywhere. All the time. But production runs are very, very small for military
>gear, which drives prices even higher.
>webpa

Correct. I might recommend using a small lcd display for your outdoor
monitor. Something you might get for a use in a minivan??
These I've noticed have a much brighter display than most laptops.
You could also build a hood for it as well. Try using some black HDPE
sheeting. You can get it at a plastic supply house and it can be
shaped using heat.(Try a heat strip or use a tacking iron to soften
the areas to be bent.)
Use a video card in the laptop that has a video out for analog(s-video
or rca composite)
You can make a bracket to mountit on the camera or off onthe side of
the dolly or tripod.
You need to have a decent capture card as well in order to stream the
video well and minimise frame drop etc...
Combat gear is indeed tough well built stuff.(I was in when they first
started testing portable computerized range finding and targeting
systems and was amazed how nearly indestructable the portables were.
bullet/bomb proof cases, epoxy circuit boards etc...)
The price tag is of course out of our range for the best, but today
much of yesterdays tech is now available.
I was looking at a kevlar shock for laptop the other day. It was a bit
pricey but having a bullet proof case could come in handy.