What would you do with this camera?
 

I have an old DV camera, a JVC GR-DVM90U. It barely operates. The tape mechanism makes weird noises and will not record to tape without ejecting and reinserting numerous times. The picture is not that good at all. I'm not sure what to do with it. I was thinking about making it a webcam/security cam, but it only runs off the battery, there is no AC adapter port. Any other ideas?

hiya, why not use it for one last "money shot" drop if from a great height, run over it in a car?

Russ

NOt heavy enough to tie a hundred feet of nylon line on, and use for an anchor, so it sounds like an EXCELENT paperweight.

Yeah, or you could do the geeky thing, take it apart and poke around inside.

Could always do both, one last money shot, and then take it apart (what's left) and poke around inside...

I was thinking about doing something like that, but what are the odds that the tape will survive?

The AC adapter for that camera is a plate that fits in the battery slot (with a cord that plugs into the side of the charger). I don't know if it would be worth it, but you might be able to get one on eBay.

I like the car idea. What about one of those waterballoon launchers? That might have a better chance of survival.

yeah the tape might get damaged or crushed, you could take it apart and put the actual tape in a new tape housing

Russ

if you go down this route you'll have to show us the shot! :)

Play engineer
 

"If it ain't broken, take it appart and fix it"... so goes the engineer's motto. Oh well, since it's broken, it doesn't really fit into this; you can apply rule number two: if it IS broken, take it appart, etc.

How about a race car parachute and drop it out of a hot air balloon. You might get some good bomb cam footage out of it.

I've been thinking about it, and why not use it to get all of the shots that you never would think about putting your "good cam" through. Don't actually try to destroy the cam, just put it in dangerous situations to get great shots... until inevitably the cam is in a fatal situation. Here are some random ideas for shots:

1. Build a little frame and mount it to the bumper of your car and go driving... maybe offroad
2. Any of the shot situations off of "Dirty Jobs" (dirty, dusty, wet shots)
3. If you've can get some fire safety supervision (or just don't burn down anything) there are a myriad of possibilities. Extreme close-ups of fire or things burning
4. Try using an aquarium turned upside-down to get underwater shots. It's a little cold here, but maybe you have access to an indoor pool.
5. See how many helium balloons it takes to "fly" your camera like a kite

Anyway, these are just a few ideas. Take what you like, if any, and leave the rest.

I've been thinking about this one... does anybody know if a ziplock bag will keep the water out? That way, I could go even deeper... Oh man, this could be fun...

It would seem like a quality ziplock bag should keep the water out, but I would test it out first, with something that wont get ruined if it gets wet.

I don't see why a ziploc woudn't work, but to get a decent image make sure the bag is pulled tight across the lens. If you're really daring, and the cam accepts screw in filters, you could try screwing on a filter to the front of the cam and then trimming out the part of the ziploc that would be in front of the lens.

Also, you could always re-enforce the zip top with duck tape. I know it's used for all kinds of things, but it was originally invented for the armed forced to drop packages that had to stay dry. That's actually why it's called "Duck Tape." The soldiers said the water just rolled off the tape, "like water off a ducks back."

Let me know how it goes...