Home pool room camera setup questions...

[Soflasnapper]

I'm exploring getting a video camera (or two, to ensure no blockages of seeing shots) in my home pool table area.

The idea is to stream their output wirelessly to a dvr setup of some kind, for instant replays on questionable hits, and to archive out the 'greatest hits and bloopers' shots for later replay. I'd put the dvr as an input to the big plasma screen in that room, and maybe see if I could get a blue tooth output to view on my phone without disturbing the big game in progress.

Anyone seen or done a setup like this? The cameras themselves are easily obtained anywhere, although I don't know if some brands are thought better for whatever reason. The dvrs for such applications seem to be the security system types, and many are equipped to take multiple video camera streams and record them simultaneously. I imagine they probably support recording out to cd or dvd media for more permanent archiving, but I don't know.

So, any experience with this kind of video security setup would be pertinent. Advice or suggestions from your own experience, or tips to a website that specializes in this, would be most welcome.

[1Time]

http://forum.digital-digest.com/
http://www.thedvforum.com/dv-forum/
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/

[Soflasnapper]

Thanks for directing me to those links, 1Time!

There's been 80 views of the original post, and just this one reply, so I guess this isn't something that's very common, even if having a home table isn't uncommon.

I've been able to find a local retail outlet for computer surveillance gear, and it looks like a Linksys camera and their software solution, using their broadband router as a basis, will do the job. Their software can run on any computer, take and process up to 8 camera inputs, and use about 30 gig for a 5-hour session at 30 frames per second video capture (broadcast quality, suitable for slo-motion replays).

I'd love to have an overhead view of the table as one camera placement, but it would have to be hung in the middle of the standard light fixture over the table, and be as low as the bottom of the light shades. Evidently, at a 38 inch height as required, it would only show about a 4-1/2 foot SQUARE area's image (the middle third of the table), not the whole table, so that's of doubtful use.

The other question is whether to go wireless, or hard-wire the cameras to the mixer. The consultant said that the wireless band will suffer dropouts and interference, and has recommended the hard-wired option. If that's what I decide, I'll let them do the install and run the wires in a professional way.