# Projecting a live feed



## Jonser76 (Jan 17, 2011)

Hi,

I am in the beginning phases of creating a one man show. I want to the show to have lots of media options, and one of the things I want to do is to be able to have a camcorder/video camera on stage. One idea was to be on the floor telling a story using dolls or little army men, and have the camera right there capturing the story which is projected as it is happening onto a screen for the audience to watch. Sort of a micro world being interpreted in a macro way. I am looking for a camera to buy that can perform this function, can anyone tell me if there are cameras that will do that and what I should look for when I shop? Any advice or direction would be helpful. I have been looking for a while and Best Buy is pretty much useless.

Thanks.


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## metti (Jan 17, 2011)

Pretty much any camera can output video to a media server, production switcher, or directly to a projector. You need to determine what the projector's resolution is going to be and then, from there, you will know what resolution the camera needs to be. Beyond that, think about what kind of lighting there will be. Does the camera need to handle low light well? How close to the action will the camera be? This will determine what sort of lens is going to be needed. Aesthetically, does it need to be small? Should it be larger and professional looking? These are just a few of the many questions you should be asking yourself. On a related note, if you want "the show to have lots of media options" you should really look at bringing a media/projection designer on board if possible. This person could potentially be responsible for the lighting or scenic design too if you can't afford to hire a whole additional designer and they will actually know who to do all of this stuff.


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## ruinexplorer (Jan 18, 2011)

Jonser76, welcome to the Booth.

Not all consumer camcorders have the ability to broadcast a live feed. They are set up to record or playback, and in playback function they can send a signal out to your projector. There are other models that will allow broadcast, but only while the camera is in record mode, otherwise the power saving function will turn off the camcorder. Another option that you have is CCTV cameras, which only broadcast as they are most often used in the security world. Of course, depending on your budget, the ideal setting is to actually get yourself a broadcast quality camera. 

As metti pointed out, something to consider is the size of the camera so that it is not distracting. Generally speaking, for IMag (Image Magnification which you are describing), the camera is out of sight of the audience's perspective of the performing space. This often requires a separate operator. Since you want this to be a one man show, you will need to consider a much smaller profile camera that will not distract your audience and could potentially be hidden in a set piece.

In any case, you shouldn't need any other gear between the camera and the projector as long as the projector is able to process the signal coming out of the camera. Most often, you will be getting a composite signal out of the camera, and at most you would only need a cable adapter (possibly changing from BNC to RCA). If you want to switch between the live image and a playback image, then a production switcher is preferred over switching inputs at the projector.


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## Jonser76 (Jan 18, 2011)

This has all been great advice. I guess I just need to know what kind of camera to buy. Some say all cameras should be able to, but others say, only some can, it's less about the visibility or profile of the camera because I plan on interacting with the camera and bringing it right out on stage with me. It's not about trying to be secretive about camera placement. It should have a pretty wide angle or be able to get and mount a wide angle lens on it, but can someone at least point me in direction ie, actual make and model that they pretty reasonably sure can do what I want? Or will I pretty much have to call the manufacturer.


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## Cadmium6855 (Jan 18, 2011)

This may not be in your budget but I use an edirol out to a bank of monitors and a mixer, the camera is a cannon XF100, we just use the standard 1/8" to RCA plug that into the edirol and convert it to bnc for long runs.


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## ruinexplorer (Jan 18, 2011)

Well, let's get more information on what you need. You say that you want to bring it out and put it in place during your show, so you probably want something that will focus easily. Autofocus can cause headaches if it trys to pick up different focal planes during the performance. However, if your dolls/army men are in a play area similar to a puppet stage with a backdrop fairly close to the performing objects, the autofocus may end up working for you. If you don't mind spending a little time with the focus, you could easily just watch the screen as you manually focus the lens on your "talent".

What kind of budget do you have? Are you planning on switching between inputs (camera and other playback)? Do you need widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3)? Do you already own a projector? If so, what kind (may not make a difference).


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## metti (Jan 18, 2011)

Since you mention looking at Best Buy, I am assuming that you are looking at cameras that fall into the less than $1k range. Is this an accurate assumption. Will you need an HD camera to look good with your chosen projector or will an SD camera suffice. I personally own and use Sony PD170 and HVRZ7U cameras along with some misc mid-end CCTV security cameras for my work and I have been happy with them. I know you "need to know what kind of camera to buy" but we really can't tell you this unless you meet us halfway. Otherwise, I would say that for a good camera that can and should be visible and can output a nice HD image, the Sony HDC1500R would be a good choice. IIRC, MSRP on those is $90k.


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## museav (Jan 21, 2011)

You mentioned wanting to project the image but don't seem concerned about the projector, which leads me to assume that you plan to use projectors the venues provide. That then brings up the question of what signals those projection systems will accept and where you would connect to them. Support of DV/FireWire, HDMI, SDI, etc. is likely to be rather limited in the venues either by the availability of such inputs or by the cabling distances involved. Conversely, VGA/RGBHV and analog component video may be more common for the projection systems but are less common for camera outputs. So unless you also invest in scalers or format converters or use cameras that provide a VGA/RGBHV or component output, that probably makes composite video with a 4:3 format and 480i resolution your most likely common denominator between camera and projector.

Since you mentioned looking at BestBuy, you might want to verify that anything you purchase has a warranty that covers the intended use. Some consumer product warranties specifically limit coverage to consumer/residential use and exclude any commercial use. You might also want to verify how any camcorders you look at function as a camera. Some may require recording media to be loaded and to be recording or at least in recording mode in order to provide a video signal out.

A camera head, CCU and cable system like these, Learn about Panasonic's Single CCD Color Cameras, might be an interesting option. Probably a bit more expensive, especially with the longer cable versions, but very flexible for POV type work. A packaged camera like this, Sony Product Detail Page XC555, could also allow for some creative use.


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