AfterDawn: News

Disposable Video Cameras?

I'm sure most people who read this news article will have used a disposable camera at some point before. They are useful because generally they are cheap, and allow you to take a certain amount of photographs which you can then get developed, but the camera cannot be used again. Would you have ever thought some company would attempt to do the very same with a digital camcorder? That's exactly what Pure Digital Technologies Inc. has developed.

The 5.5 ounce, MP3 player sized disposable camcorder can record about 20 minutes of footage. You hold it vertically to record a video properly. You can see what you are recording through a 1.5 inch colour screen. It also has three buttons, a start/stop record button, a play button and a delete button if you are not happy with the recording you have made. CVS Corp. stores will sell the $29.99 device and will process it for $12.99 and return a DVD.



According to Grant Pill, the director of photography and imaging at CVS, the disposable camcorder is ideal for those who don't want to spend hundreds on a camera with lots of complicated controls. He acknowledged that the camcorder's recording quality will not be near as high as some profession camcorder models, but will have VHS-like quality. Now the question remains whether consumers are willing to spend $29.99 and then the cost of processing for 20 minutes of audio and video.

Source:
ABC News

Written by: James Delahunty @ 9 Jun 2005 21:31

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• 27 comments

• ken_919

  I wouldn't want to spend all of that money just for 20 minutes of video. I don't think that many people will buy these video cameras.

  9.6.2005 21:38 #1

• mikey_ray

  to be honest if it works someone can hack it
  and we would only buy it once and then us techno geeks --would figure out how to keep it at home and transfer to pc it will be our by then--so 30 dollars for a camcorder im there
  
  cause im sure they use existing technology

  9.6.2005 22:16 #2

• BobL

  I hope that even though they call it a "disposable" video camera, that after they process it, they re-use some of the components. Seems a waste to throw away perfectly good 1.5" LCD displays, and the memory (I'm assuming it is FLASH based recording). They could easily re-manufacture those parts into "new" cameras.

  10.6.2005 04:30 #3

• slacker1

  it seems more like you are renting the camera as you have to return it to CVS so we are talking 43 bucks to rent a camera and make 20 mins of footage

  10.6.2005 08:31 #4

• KingPep

  as Mikey Ray said "I Hope somebody Hacks this System" & teachs them, not to be so Greedy.
  I for one, can not see this taking off!!!!!

  10.6.2005 10:44 #5

• scalper66

  i donno i go to house parties all the time and dont wna bring a real camera so this would be fun
  

  10.6.2005 16:07 #6

• syntheti

  would be worth gettin if it was a little cheaper

  10.6.2005 17:58 #7

• Mr_Del

  People will be dumb enough to buy it. The purchase cost should include the processing. It will just be a matter of time before someone finds a way to hack it so you can D/L from it and reuse it yourself.
  
  -Del

  10.6.2005 18:34 #8

• macburner

  What a Frickin waste, Throwing out a perfactly good LCD and CCD! I hope that company goes out of buisness selfish wastfull pigs! DO NOT BUY IT, MAKE THEM GO BANKRUPT!

  11.6.2005 10:28 #9

• Mr_Del

  @ macburner
  
  This article is ver vauge. The camera is reused after the information is tranfered to a tape or disk. The price is way to high thouhg. The purcahse price should include the processing price. Then you should get some of your money back when you turn the camera back in.
  
  -Del

  11.6.2005 11:36 #10

• macburner

  Oh.

  11.6.2005 15:01 #11

• hijacker

  30 buck for this thing yeah right.Stupid invention.Won't happen just like disposable cell phones, where are they at.Just more garbage to put in the land fills.

  11.6.2005 15:58 #12

• Xmonkey29

  wow make more garbage thx
  

  11.6.2005 18:04 #13

• Klezmorim

  National Public Radio did a piece on these things last week. It was pointed out that CVS won't make money on the units until they've been rented a couple of times and they're designed to be rented five times before they're scrapped. Wouldn't YOU love to be Renter #5 and get a ratty, dinged up box that'd been knocked about by the four previous customers!
  
  I think the concept has merit. Any number of times I've wished for a video cam, but didn't want to spend the $$ or worry about hauling a bulky unit around.
  
  As others have said, though, the price of this "dispo" is NOT right.

  13.6.2005 09:18 #14

• ericg8

  You idiots just don't get it. Do a little research before running at the mouth.
  
  Disposible means - one time use, you don't get it back. $43 gets you a 20 min. recording.
  
  There are lots of uses. I for one am not going to lug a $1000 video camera to some event in a third-world country. Got something to film in a risky situation or caustic environment? Anything around sand, sea water, extreme conditions, this would be great. Skydiving, boating, horseback riding, mountain climbing all come to mind. Keep one in your trunk for documenting an accident. Keep one in your office for documenting things. Film the contents of your home for insurance, including footage of your expensive video camera. Send one to school with a child on the last day of school. The consumer and commercial applications are astounding. Sign me up for a few!!

  15.6.2005 12:53 #15

• Klezmorim

  "You idiots just don't get it. Do a little research before running at the mouth.
  
  Disposible means - one time use, you don't get it back. $43 gets you a 20 min. recording."
  
  Geez, ericg8, are you always so friendly?
  
  I think most of us *do* "get it": it's a single-use vid-cam that has its place for special situations; but few of us think $43 for 20 minutes of low-def video is a good deal. For the price of a couple of these you can get a digital camcorder on Ebay that you only have to pay for ONCE.
  
  Oh, by the way, I *did* my research before I ever read the Afterdawn posting. This little one-timer doesn't even have zoom.
  
  We "get it" - we're just not "going for it."

  16.6.2005 04:27 #16

• ericg8

  To be honest, I was holding back. NOte that previous posters referred to would-be consumers as "dumb", the inventors as "selfish wastfull pigs" and "GREEDY". So you see, I'm just keeping in the spirit of previous posts.
  
  Most such posters elected to focus on the word "disposable". How conveniently PC. Bunch'a SUV-driving super-consumers, quick to point their chubby little fingers at others without any actual thought or effort on their part.
  
  Try using the word "expendible" instead. And, I think you might be surprised how many environmentally friendly applications there would be for this. For example, various companies could send out these cameras instead of sending a person for all kinds of observation and documentation requirements.
  
  Consumers and businesses would benefit tremendously.
  
  And, as anyone with two brain cells to rub together would realize, the cameras do get reused.

  16.6.2005 05:09 #17

• mikey_ray

  well eric if you no anything about editing or video files and such-you would see that this is not a good idea cause after you dfrop of the camera to get developed or put on a dvd that is called editing encoding,decrypting etc...
  
  so if they can take the files off and then erase and send it to sell again--i bet you that i can buy it once--open it figure out the file system they use decode it and erase and put it back together--and just keep the camera for me --and maybe rent it tout to other people--ill be the proud owner of a new 20 min camera and also will have a new business of renting out my new camera for other people disposable use--and i can edit encode decrypt their info to dvd and get more business---
  
  your right eric i want a few so i can start a home based business

  17.6.2005 02:57 #18

• ericg8

  well then, you should be in favor of this offering. Perhaps you could use the profit from your business to purchase spelling lessons.

  17.6.2005 14:48 #19

• Mr_Del

  I have been finding sites that claim this camera has already been hacked (not surprised). Unable to verify this or find how it is done.
  
  Good ol ericg8. We never said you get the camera back. We merely said it is recycled and sold again. The same thing is done with those disposable 35MM cameras. They get recycled a number of times before they are tossed.
  
  -Del

  17.6.2005 15:37 #20

• cappyx

  N.F.W. 43bucks in 10 uses buys a nice camcorder! And at VHS quality? What we need is for companies to give us the camcorder free and make thier profits off the media. Kinda like inkjet printers.

  19.6.2005 02:04 #21

• ID10TDUH

  I have ten of these, they are great. I got them by going through the CVS dunpster, The people at CVS are throwing them away after downloading them. Why buy them, when you can get them for no cost.

  19.6.2005 17:07 #22

• mikey_ray

  ericg8= ERIC GRADE 8
  (Newbie)= you no natha,nuthin,zip,zilch
  hows that for spelling
  
  b4 you curse on others make sure you dont need them
  to help you in the future with stuff
  
  you have been clocked as an offender any more and you will be ousted by all---
  
  j/k
  i mistype once in a while
  

  21.6.2005 20:25 #23

• ericg8

  I know more than to piss all over others for the courage and open-mindedness to develop new ideas and carry them through to the marketplace.
  
  Sure, it's easy to sit back and come up with reasons why it won't work, or plan how you are going to exploit the technology. But what have you done lately to further mankind?
  
  As for "cursing others", I guess you are above reproach on that. I'm sure most people here are well-intentioned and intelligent. You are obviously an anomaly. Feel free to put that in my permenant file as well.

  22.6.2005 12:05 #24

• allen455

  You are all ideots! Unlike most of you, I don,t have more than about $45 worth of money to spend on movies, unlike some of you! I'm am going to buy one, hack it, and get on with my life!!!

  2.7.2005 19:53 #25

• allen455

  You are all ideots! Unlike most of you, I don,t have more than about $45 worth of money to spend on movies, unlike some of you! I'm am going to buy one, hack it, and get on with my life!!!
  

  2.7.2005 19:54 #26

• mikey_ray

  "You are all ideots! Unlike most of you, I don,t have more than about $45 worth of money to spend on movies, unlike some of you! I'm am going to buy one, hack it, and get on with my life!!!'
  
  well if you could hack then you wouldnt need any money to get movies so if you think about it your the idioet --newbie
  
  
  
  

  5.7.2005 19:27 #27