I need a camcorder to stream HD like a webcam. What can I get ?

[jfmonod]

Hi.

This is a little involved so bear with me. I am working on an Augmented Reality project. What I am currently doing is taking 3D models made in 3DS Max or similar and viewing them in a live video stream via a Microsoft lifeCam Studio 1080 p HD webcam on my laptop. If you turn the camera around it's like you are looking "through" your screen at whatever 3D scene you have made. My application for this is pre-viewing buildings onsite before they are built. (I'm an architect)

Now I need to scale this up for live viewing by a small crowd. The main issue is field of view. My webcam's isn't wide enough to capture a building. I need a 140° wide angle lens on a camcorder that can stream HD live like a webcam via a Directshow compatible driver. I then need to be able to plug this into my laptop via USB or IEEE 1394 and output live to a 50 or 60" screen in HD. I was hoping to be able to use a Sony VG-10 with the interchangeable lenses, but I don't know if that'll work. Any suggestions would be a great help.

Thanks,

JF

[aedipuss]

why not use a screen capturing program and skip the camera?

[jfmonod]

Not sure I follow. What you see on the screen is the real world viewed through the camera. The augmented reality software overlays a computer generated 3d object in the view. So if you bought an empty lot for example and wanted a house on it, you would be able to look through the screen and see and walk around your virtual house in the real world before it gets built. So the camera is important.

[edDV]

I fail to understand how a webcam delivers 3D anything.

An HDV cam streams 2D MPeg2 HD to Justin, Wirecast, etc.

[jagabo]

I don't know if this is wide enough:
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/DIYMakingAVeryWideAngleWebcamOnTheCheap.aspx

[jfmonod]

this video might explain a little better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=9FxlP5nUqIM#t=47s

Browse to the beginning to see the animation being put together in 3DS Max. Then the scene with the table is seen through a webcam. That's what you see on your screen. The guys hand comes into the view with a target marker and the 3D object "pops" into the view on the marker. The animation then runs and you can see the thing driving around. This is not just a camera matched animation. You can orbit the webcam around the marker and watch the scene from all points of view. Now just imagine that instead of a 6 inch car on a kitchen table, this was a house on a full sized lot.

jagabo: that's cool. And that's the webcam I currently have so even better : ) I'll give that a shot and see what i get. Thanks.

[jagabo]

If the adapter doesn't work or is just too much of a kludge I suspect you're going to have to get something like a Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle and run analog video or HDMI from the camcorder to the capture device. An HDV camcorder might work.

[edDV]

...
The guys hand comes into the view with a target marker and the 3D object "pops" into the view on the marker. The animation then runs and you can see the thing driving around. This is not just a camera matched animation. You can orbit the webcam around the marker and watch the scene from all points of view. Now just imagine that instead of a 6 inch car on a kitchen table, this was a house on a full sized lot.

OK, I get it. The main info the animation software gets from the camera is the marker square position and orientation. It must first lock location on the marker, then can overlay the animation and apply offsets to the marker location+orientation. Presumably the program derives z depth from the marker size + parallax distortion of the lens. For example
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax

JVC makes HDV camcorders with interchangeable Fujinon or Canon lenses (1/2" or 1/3" bayonet mount TV lenses). The camera position could be moved using a jib. HDV MPeg2 streamed over IEEE-1394 can be seen by DirectShow*.
http://pro.jvc.com/pro/attributes/HDTV/desc/prohd_differences_new.html
This one streams over IEEE-1394 or SDI and has interchanable lenses. These can be rented in large cities. You could rent one to test the lens zoom range needed.
http://pro.jvc.com/prof/attributes/features.jsp?model_id=MDL101851

Alternate as Jagabo suggests is a Black Magic DeckLink or Intensity Pro that can take in uncompressed analog or HDMI from analog component, an AVCHD camcorder or a DSLR. The interface driver to the animation program needs to be worked out. Lens options for a DSLR are greater but remoting lens control from a jib is more complicated. The BM DeckLink can also accept uncompressed SDI video/audio from a JVC GY-HM700U, or other Pro SDI camcorders from Sony or Panasonic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_digital_interface

Another option may be remote control HD security cams that are available with wide pan/tilt/zoom ranges. For example
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/mkt-government/mkt-governmentcourtrooms/product-BRC300/
http://www.fullcompass.com/category/Cameras-Remote-Controled-With-Pan-Tilt.html


*There is a wider range of discontinued JVC HDV 720p camcorders if you shop the used or rental market.
http://www.google.com/#q=jvc+hdv+720p+cameras&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tb...w=1023&bih=826
http://www.rythercamera.com/catalog/product_info.php?csv=sh&products_id=30629&

[jfmonod]

Cool. That's a pretty good range of options that should keep me busy for a while.

Meantime, has anyone got anything to say about this ?

http://www.epiphan.com/products/dvi-frame-grabbers/dvi2usb-solo/

If this thing will allow me to make a DSLR with Live preview Directshow compatible, I'm all for it.