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Resolved Question

Portable DVD Player as HD Camcorder External Montior

Sep 17, 2014 11:22PM PDT

Hello,

I want to buy a cheap portable DVD player (7 or 9 inch) which I can use as an external monitor for my Full HD Panasonic camcorder (with AV out socket). This is for displaying a real time display of footage 'as it is being shot'. this is so I can check manual focusing on a bigger display. Can anyone give me a suggestion that they have tried and tested?

Thanks you for your help in advance,

Peter

Discussion is locked

pjdsimmons has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer
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Clarification Request
How could that work?
Sep 18, 2014 1:34AM PDT

OK, the camcorder is HD. All portable DVD players to date have used far less than HD so how could I focus using a 480i display when the HD camcorder is 720p or 1080?
Bob

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Trust me - It works
Sep 18, 2014 2:38AM PDT

The picture is clear but not up to HD standard. The Panasonic has a focussing aid in the form of a halo around the object when in focus. So it is not a situation where poor definition is a problem!

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Thanks for the update.
Sep 18, 2014 2:53AM PDT
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wow...
Sep 18, 2014 8:41AM PDT

Bob,
Is the good reason you are referring to the $27 price tag?!!!!
Does it screen really work as an external monitor... I cant believe it.
Thanks,
Peter

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I agree that monitor
Sep 18, 2014 10:30AM PDT

Bob linked us to is cool... It does not have a battery, so some sort of 12 volt DC power supply is needed. In a vehicle, one would normally tap off a power line somewhere, probably linked to the back-up lights so it turns on automatically when the vehicle is put into reverse. A standalone 12 volt battery might be a little cumbersome.

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It's a part used in many things.
Sep 19, 2014 7:31AM PDT

We've used similar for DVRs that were out there and the client wanted a cheap solution. There are too many +12V sources to be had so I thought I'd share a common solution.
Bob

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hi bob
Sep 18, 2014 6:13AM PDT

Hi Bob,
The problem isn't the resolution of the camera - it is the tiny built in screen I am supposed to use to focus the camera manually. I use the highlight featire the camera offers to focus... but getting a good focus seems to allude me still once in while.
Thanks,
Peter

Best Answer

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NextBase SDV49
Sep 18, 2014 1:20AM PDT

I use the NextBase SDV49 DVD player. It is designed for in car use but it has an A/V input. The screen is 8.5" diagonal and I use it as a monitor to my Panasonic HC-V750. The unit has rechargeable batteries or 12v power supply, a SD card reader and a USB port (both input only) It is supplied with an A/V lead which terminates in three RCA plugs.

A warning. You will need to buy the Panasonic version of the A/V lead for the camera. There are two A/V leads on the market, one for Sony and the other for Panasonic. The difference is that the plug that fits the A/V Out in the camera is wired differently for each make of camera. I got mine from Maplins Electronics (equivalent to Radio Shack)
You can also use the HDMI port into a HD monitor but they tend to be quite expensive.

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Thank you!
Sep 18, 2014 7:00AM PDT

Terfyn,
Thank you for your answer. That is exactly what I wanted to hear. I have the same camera so it's great to hear you have tested this and it works. Did you consider getting the 7 inch version. (Tight budget!) Ichecked on amazon and it seems to have the same Av in/out socket. Also I am in Spain - do you know if that lead can be ordered from Maplin online?
Thank you so much for your help.
Peter

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Maplin cable
Sep 18, 2014 9:10AM PDT
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Yes This is the cable
Sep 18, 2014 4:07PM PDT

This is the correct cable. As the NextBase comes with an A/V cable of its own, you need a RCA female to female connector block to connect the RCA ends of the two cables together. It does have the advantage of giving you about 5mtr of cable to move the monitor around without extension cables to be bought.

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getting there...
Sep 19, 2014 1:49AM PDT
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Yes
Sep 19, 2014 3:53AM PDT

That is the one.

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brilliant thanks
Sep 19, 2014 4:36AM PDT

brilliant thanks. I am ready to splash the cash.....

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Answer
Re: DVD-player
Sep 17, 2014 11:28PM PDT

The first thing you would have to do is to find a portable DVD-player with an AV-in socket. Seems kind of a contradiction. The portable DVD-player is used to play DVD's, for example in a car. Not much AV-cables in a car, so AV-in is not the first thing I expect in such players.

What did the sales person in the audio/video-shop say when your asked to see a few portable DVD-players with an AV-in socket?

Kees

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Hi kees
Sep 18, 2014 6:23AM PDT

Hi
Thanks for your help. Most of the shop assistants don't even understand what I am trying to do! And since i am not exactly sure what i am looking for the conversations are a little strained. And there don't seem to be too many players with Av in sockets - so finding one some has actually hooked up and used hasn't been easy - so far.
Peter

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Answer
According to Amazon...
Sep 18, 2014 7:30AM PDT

the only NextBase DVD player I could find is ~$400.
http://www.amazon.com/Nextbase-Dual-Portable-DVD-Players/dp/B00GFGQBO2

I could not find a part number, so I don't know if it is the same to which is referred elsewhere in this thread.I've been using a Sony portable DVD player for years - when the DVD playback is not used, the battery time is awesome. It is especially useful when the camera is far away (like on a camera crane) making the LCD screen too far away to be useful. I've ended up with a makeshift table or funky mount in order to make the external monitor us more practical.

Everyone's comments related to "it is standard def only" are well founded, but the fact is the concept works in practice.

When the camera is on a tripod, the external monitor use gets a little "problematic". It gets worse if you need to mount the "external monitor" to the camera. No mounting threads and the unit is quite heavy because of the DVD player machinery.

Mounting to a tripod may work using a desk
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/823646-REG/Tripad_TR549_Tripod_Mountable_Workspace_with.html
I have not yet found a tablet mount that I think can effectively deal with the different thickness.

So.....

What I did find is that on camera-mounting may be a better idea... For less money, less weight, mounting thread on the bottom and viewing in high definition, there may be value in at least investigating the gear the pros use...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/858209-REG/elvid_cm7_sml_7_on_camera_field.html
I'm in a Sony environment and many of these use the same batteries used by my gear. Some have a proprietary battery, some can use a Canon camcorder battery plate - I have not seen any that use a Panny battery plate, but neither does the portable DVD player, so you gain no advantage.

This link might help to see other possible candidates
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/On-Camera-Monitors/ci/1984/N/4028759510

Most current consumer grade camcorders don't have an accessory shoe so you get to add one
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/918053-REG/vello_cb_510_dual_shoe_brackt.html for the accessory shoe and for the mount
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/818219-REG/Vello_cs_bh_1_Multi_Function_Ballhead_with_Cold.html

The additional advantage to the bracket is the additional accessory shoe - one for the monitor, one for a video light or external mic (if your camcorder has a mic jack) or a base station for a wireless mic (again, if your camcorder has a mic input) or even mounting an audio recorder like a Zoom H1 if needed.