Equipment Considerations and Special Situations

 For GeoVISION™ Options, Attachments, and Add On Items

GeoVISION Home

 

Measuring and Recording the Camera Depth

Verbal or Visual Depth Recording

  • Footage is marked on all GeoVISION™ Jr system cables.  One can record the camera depth on a VCR tape by speaking into a microphone. 
  • Most users who produce video tapes of their borehole work prefer to have the depth record on the screen, and their customers appreciate this service as well. The optional On Screen Camera Depth Display (OSD) can be used with any of the GeoVISION™ Jr configurations. It will place the camera’s depth in feet or meters in any corner or centered on the video screen and will appear on the recorded video. The depth indicator may also be turned off.  The footage counter encoder-wheel with clamp assembly and the OSD control box are part of the OSD attachment.

For more information, refer to the GeoVISION™ website: http://www.geovision.org/jrosd.htm

 

Cable Reel and Winch

Manual or Power Winch Operation

  • All GeoVISION™ systems can be manually lowered and raised with a hand crank.
  • The Motor Drive Option is available on the heavy-duty systems to power assist the winch. It has a speed & direction control unit and its own power supply. The motor drive provides for a smoother video while lowering the camera. It allows a single operator to concentrate on observing the image on the screen and operating the controls. It is also easier to clean the cable as it is raised when using the power winch. The motorized winch becomes one of the most valuable options when the camera is regularly sent to depths of greater than 650 feet (200 meters).

            For more information, refer to the GeoVISION™ website: http://www.geovision.org.com/motordrivereel.htm 

 

View in all Directions

Manual Camera Head Tilting or Motorized Pan-tilt Attachment

In small boreholes, viewing straight down is usually adequate. As the borehole size increases the number of occurrences when side viewing is helpful increases.

  • The manual camera tilting attachment is supplied with all GeoVISION™ Jr systems. It allows the operator to pull on the power cable to tilt the camera head up or down when used in conjunction with a pipe string. The camera can be rotated allowing the operator to see in every direction including up. This method with a user-supplied pipe is effective to 300 feet and sometimes workable to 500 feet. 
  • With the Motorized Pan-Tilt option the GeoVISION™ Jr. camera head can be tilted from down to almost straight up and rotated 360 degrees by remote control, to a depth of 1000 ft. You can look where you want, even up in 4 inch or larger boreholes; and see everything in one pass down the borehole. As a general rule, the larger and deeper the borehole, the more advantageous the Pan-Tilt attachment becomes.  In the large and deep boreholes, this attachment is the best time saver available.

            For more information, refer to the GeoVISION™ website: http://www.www.geovision.org/pantilt.htm

 

Viewing and Recording the Information

TV, LCD, Hat mounted, or Combo

Many users own monitors and VCRs prior to purchasing a GeoVISION™ system. Therefore, we sell all monitors as separate items. Boreholes and voids may be viewed with many different types of monitors that are compatible with GeoVISION™ systems.

The monitor options are:

  • Conventional TV – Any TV monitor with audio video jacks using the NTSC standard will work with GeoVISION™ systems. This is the standard used in North America, Japan and many other places.
  • LCD Monitors - These are very light and compact and allow viewing by more than one person at the same time. If portability is important, an LCD monitor should be the first choice. A 5.6-inch LCD monitor is available as an option with the GeoVISION™ system.
  • Hat mounted monitors – GeoVISION™ offers both a black and white and a color monitor for viewing. These miniature-hands free monitors are ideal for bright, sunny days when operator mobility is important. These are the smallest monitors available. For more information, refer to our website; http://www.www.geovision.org/hatmountdisplay.htm 
  • VCR - any NTSC standard VCR will work with the GeoVISION™ system.
  • VCR TV Combination – The combo provides a convenient, low cost method of viewing the borehole and recording at the same time.  VCR TV combinations are widely available at most electronics retailers at prices form $110 to $210 depending on size, features, and retailer.   Marks Products can supply this item to customers who need to pay for the system using only one bill.
  • Converting the GeoVISION™  NTSC signal  to PAL or SECAM - GeoVISION™ users in counties that use either PAL or SECAM,  who want to be able to play the tapes on local systems, may get a converter, or a converting VCR that can play either.

For more information, refer to our website: http://www.geovision.org/ntsc.htm 

 

Ultra Low Light and Supplemental Lighting

LED’s alone, Ultra Low Light Camera, or Dive Lights

  • All GeoVISION™ Jr Systems have LED lights intended for the common boreholes less than 12 inches in diameter.  An Ultra Low Light camera, supplemental lighting, or both will improve the viewing of larger diameter boreholes, mines, caves, and other voids.
  • The GeoVISION™ Ultra Low Light Camera is the most light sensitive borehole camera available anywhere. If a black and white image is acceptable, this camera is one of the best options. It may be interchanged with the color camera when using the GeoVISION™ Pan-Tilt system.

            For more information, refer to the GeoVISION™ website: http://www.geovision.org/lowlight.htm

 

Supplemental Dive Lights

Dive lights are available in three formats - flashlight, battery canister, or 120 or 240-volt commercial surface power.  They are attached to GeoVISION™ camera system with a user supplied pipe clamp or equivalent device.

  • The least expensive are flashlights that are designed for underwater use. Most dive shops stock one or more types of these dive lights. One of the smaller dive lights is available for Marks Products. The GeoVISION™ micro has a dual dive light bracket,
  • Battery Canister dive lights are available in two formats; the best choice for most borehole situations is one with a light head connected to a canister by a cable. These can vary in price from approximately $250 to $1000.
  • Commercial 120 Volt Dive Light - If one has access to 120 or 240-volt electricity at the well or borehole, the commercial dive light may be the best option, if the depth is not great and plenty of light is needed. This method requires an underwater power cord of sufficient length.  This underwater power cord should be tethered to the GeoVISION™ cable and to the pipe string if one is being used. This system may require a winch or some other method to lower the underwater cord if the depth is greater than about 75 feet.
  • If you need to illuminate very large diameter boreholes, mines, caves, and other large voids, the battery canister or commercial dive lights will be the best choice.
  • When the GeoVISION™ Ultra Low Light Camera is used in combination with the battery canister or the commercial dive light, the resulting images will be the best of any system available for viewing and recording very large underwater voids. 

            For more information, refer to our website: GeoVISION™ website: http://www.geovision.org/divelight.htm

 

Power Source

Battery, Car, Inverter, Generator, or Commercial Power

The basic GeoVISION™ borehole camera systems can be operated from either 12 volts DC or commercial power with 120 volt or 240 volt; however, if additional equipment such as a VCR additional monitor, power tools and some GeoVISION™ options are used, additional power sources should be considered.  The power supply included with all GeoVISION™ units does not include a power source such a battery pack or generator.

 

The power source options are:

  • 12-Vollt Battery - The GeoVISION™ Econo configuration can be connected directly to a portable 12-volt battery or to a 12-volt electrical system of a car or truck using the lighter adaptor or jumper cables.
  • 12-Volt Battery - The GeoVISION™ Heavy Duty configuration requires120 or 240 volts to operate. This power may come from an inverter connected to a 12-volt battery.
  • Vehicle - An automobile or truck with a 12-volt electrical system connected using the lighter adaptor or jumper cables.  The GeoVISION™ Heavy Duty configuration requires an inverter in this situation. The vehicle engine may need to be run at least part of the time when the inverter is being used. An inverter is available as a GeoVISION™ option.
  • Generator
  • Commercial power either 120 volt or 240 volt

            See the specifications page of our website at http://www.geovision.org/comparison.htm

 

Refining the Information for Presentation

Video only, Video with Text, or Digital Presentation

Capturing the down-hole GeoVISION™ video image in real time on a personal computer

  • Some users of GeoVISION™™ may wish to view the down-hole video image on a notebook, laptop, or personal computer or convert their downhole video to DVD later.
  • Video capture equipment available from many electronic and computer retailers will allow the analog video signal from GeoVISION™™ camera systems to be converted to digital or captured, viewed, and saved on your personal computer.

For more information, refer to the GeoVISION™ website: http://www.geovision.org/videocapture.htm

Placing text and other information on the video

  • You may add information from your computer directly to the video with the Model 5000A, RS-232/Video overlay unit (RVO) $595 plus shipping from Outland Technology, Inc.
  • You may add text directly to the video by using a keyboard with Model 5100A, Video Typewriter from Overland Tech $595 plus shipping from Outland Technology, Inc.

For more information, refer to the GeoVISION™ website: http://www.geovision.org/addtext.htm

 

Please call us for help in building your custom borehole camera system to meet your specific needs.

800-255-1353 - Toll free from US

Phone 804-741-4274 -- Fax:  866-871-9646

Email: john@geovision.org  or wilsonjml@msn.com

 

Marks Products, Inc.

Home of GeoVISION™

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