The following is the video taken by the DPCFilms CableCam v2.1 at the 2007 Spanky Beaver’s Rail Jam in Sacramento, California. This one-of-a-kind wakeboard/wakeskate event took place in an Olympic size pool where all different kind of sliders (wakeboard term for rails) were set up. The event coordinator Al Marchiniak and all the riders were kind enough to let me put my cablecam to the test.

RESOURCES

The following is a list of useful links that I discovered while researching and building the DPCFilms CableCam. I’ve listed them here hoping that they will help you in your quest to explore the possibilities and build your very own Cable Cam.

I also encourage you to join our small, but growing community at CableCam.org/forum to learn more, get help, and share your experiences in this exciting world of CableCams.

CableCam Websites

Forums/Threads

• CableCam.org – started by a fellow indie cablecamer
• DVInfo Dolly/Track/Cable Forum
• Lego Cable Cam
• Dual-Cable Cable Cam – This cable cam is designed to run on two parallel cables.
• http://hbsboard.com/index.php/topic,2264.0.html – The jpeg and video links are dead.
• Aleksander Steffen’s Cable Cam – Aleksander’s design evolves from a single-cable to a dual-cable design.
• http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/index.php?showtopic=19046&hl=cable+cam
• http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=40251
• http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=79680
• http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=58990 -
• http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=79321 – Looks like this was shot from a zip line with a human riding down it.
• http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=106481 – Zip line with a human
• http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=54443
• http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=29790 – Use of gyros to stabilize a cable cam – incomplete
• http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=76948 – Andy Graham’s Cable cam for an XL1 – smooth video!
• http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=89448 – In search of motorized Cable Cam
• http://dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=59081

Professional Websites

• Spydercam – This cable cam is insane! Used in a lot of block buster features like Spiderman, Superman, Mission Impossible, etc..
• Skycam – A flying Steadicam® — a broadcast quality robotic camera, suspended from a cable-driven, computerized transport system.
• Garrett Brown – FlyCam or FlyCam – Wire-borne, Point-to-Point, 80 mph Stabilized Tracking Camera System
• Super Fly Cam – Another Garrett Brown invention.. SuperFlyCam is the world’s lightest, safest, most economical 35mm point-to-point, cable suspended camera system.
• Aerial Video Systems -
• Filmotechnic – A few different designs including one that looks similar to the cablecam used in the NFL (not cablecam related, but check out their Mercedes ML55 chase car!)

Personal Websites

• Steve Larsen – Vancouver Grip – This is a serious Cable Cam – 10+ feet in length and uses bike rims. Check out the following photo galleries for close up shots: Dungeon Siege > elf_falls
• Dungeon Siege > Becher Bay
• Dungeon Siege > Robert Burnaby Park
• Crew Pics
• Brandon Kahler – Lego Cable Cam – This cable cam is built entirely out of LEGOs, has a wireless video feed, is motorized, and has a motorized turret.
• Léonard Chevalier – Bignoz Cable Cam – The website is a French website, but I used google translate to convert it to English.

Set Up / Rigging

Ropes

• Seattle Marine – 1/4″ Amsteel Blue ( SKU: SAM872016) – NOTE: For an extra $17 per end Seattle Marine will weave and thimble the ends of the rope for you.

Straps

• Websites http://www.slacklineexpress.com/

Wireless Video

Transmitters/Receivers

• Matco Security Camera (2.4 GHZ Wireless Video Solutions)
• Range Video
• Check this out! I originally found the Range Video receiver / transmitter during my initial research and then a few weeks later someone posted up the Flex Cam link on DVXUser. Well these look like the same units to me and there’s a $495 difference..! Is it just me or is this crazy?. $595 Flex Cam version vs. $100 Range Video version

Gyros:

Heading hold camera mount

Misc.

Battery Related

• niMh Battery FAQ
• Li-Ion Battery FAQ

Specials Thanks To:

• Rich (Bee Gee Hobby) – Rich was the first RC Professional that I approached with my concept and he got me pointed in the right direction. Thanks to his advice I ended up using a Cordless Drill motor to power my CableCam.
• Jim Newton (Tech Shop) -
• Jim Smentowski (The Robot Market Place) – Jim was instrumental in getting me dialed in with the right speed controller and allowing me to replace the original servo on trigger-finger controller I rigged. He also offered up great advice on DC Motors and more!
• Brian Smith (HobbyTown USA) – Brian offered up tons of advice and guidance on the RC controller and receiver.