Digital Video Audio
I am looking for an underwater digital video/audio camera that can be monitored above the surface. Any ideas?
What is your budget?
How deep does the camera need to go?
Audio too? Really?
What king of water? Pool, fresh, ocean?
There are some consumer security/surveillance cameras that are waterproof and designed to be used in pools for security/safety. They don't go too deep. With your favorite browser and search engine, look for "waterproof security camera".
If you are not in a pool environment (or if the pool has dark sides/bottom), there may be a lighting issue if you get deeper than about 30 feet.
For salt water/ocean gear, you probably need to custom build a housing based on a camcorder housing - keeping it water-tight will be a challenge. A traditional mic is not too useful - but an underwater audio transducer made to be a mic should help. Your best bet would be to contact a full service dive shop. Using a camcorder for the video should work, but the built-in mic won't get audio in the water if the housing is in the way.
Whatever you do, all the cabling would need to be waterproof. This includes the video, power and audio feeds most likely in a neat waterproof jacket so it looks like a single cable (but the ends break out to the various connectors/jacks you need). You probably also should run a good sized cable so the AV/power cables are not the "support"...
Connecting to a monitor is easy enough - but connecting to a computer would require a analog/digital converter. I think a Canopus ADVC55 might do what you need (if the computer has a firewire port).
A look at what is currently available on eBay
 Belkin PureAV S-Video & Digital Optical Audio Cable Kit US $18.24 
|
 JVC VXHD150G 16.3FT Gold HDMI Digital Audio/Video Cable US $27.99
|
 PCI Express Digital Surveillance 8 Channel Video Audio US $50.91
|
Items recently purchased from this site
Panasonic AG-MX70 8 Input Digital Audio / Video Mixer, FAIRLIGHT DREAM DIGITAL AUDIO VIDEO EDITING CONSOLE, Panasonic AG-MX70 Digital Video/Audio FX Switcher board Mixer Professional, Kramer VS-88HC 8x8 Component Video and Digital Audio Matrix Switcher NEW, PD2F0M1 VV DIGITAL VIDEO and AUDIO ANALOG BROADCAST SYSTEM 3000 BASEBAND ROUTER, PD2F0M1 CV DIGITAL FIBRE OPTIC VIDEO and AUDIO BROADCAST 3000 BASEBAND ROUTER, LEITCH Digital video/audio Clean Switch switcher, PESA Cougar 32x32 SDI Video and Digital Audio Router w/ 2 RCP-TP remote panels, Kramer VS88HC 8x8 Component Video & Digital Audio Matrix Switcher, SIERRA VIDEO SYSTEMS 32x32 SDI & 32x32 DIGITAL AUDIO ROUTERS WITH 6 REM PANELS, JS-RTA16-D1 Luxory Digital Audio Video Recorder DVR+DVD, Grass Valley Triton 32x32 SDI Digital Video w/Stereo Audio Router & 5 XY Panels, Atlona AT-COMP-88M 8x8 Component Video w/ Analog and Digital Audio Matrix Switch, 8 X 8 Component Video + Digital / Analog Audio Matrix, 8x8 8:8 Component RCA Video Digital Analog Audio Matrix Switch Switcher SB-5588, Mutec MC-3.2 SD/HD Video &Digital Audio Sync Mstr Clock, Avocent Digital Products Hmiqdhdd-001 Interface Module F/dvi-d Video Usb Audio, Kramer VS-44HC 4x4 Component Video/Digital Audio Matrix Switcher, DIGITAL WATCHDOG DWMAXII8250 8ch Video and 2ch Audio Stand 250gb, Mutec MC-3.1 SD Video & Digital Audio Sync Mstr Clock , Kramer VS-42HC 4x2 Component Video/Digital Audio Matrix Switcher, VIDEOTEK VTM-203 Waveform Vector Audio/Video (Analog Digital SDI AES) Monitor, 16CH Video 1CH Audio Fiber Digital Optical Transmitter and Receiver Kit, GE SECURITY SYMDEC 16 PLUS 4 DVR-16 CHANNEL 4 AUDIO INPUT DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDER, AJA D10CEA SDI Video & Audio Digital /Analog Transcoder, 4x4 (4:4) Component Video + Digital Analog Audio Matrix Switch Switcher SB-5644, March Networks 4300 16 Channel High End DVR Audio/Video Recorder ccTV Security, Broadcom BCM97405 digital video/audio SoC cable, satellite and IP set-top box, Gefen GTB-HDFST-444 HDMI Switch - 4 x HDMI Type A Digital Audio/Video In, 4 x, Leitch Panacea P-16x16S 16x16 Serial Digital Video Router SDI plus 16x16 Audio, ATEN VS1808T 8-port Cat5 HARD DRIVE Digital video/Audio Distribution Unit, Key Digital KD-MSVA4X4 Component Video w/ Audio Matrix Switcher 4in x 4out, Motion Analysis VP320 / 488 Video 3D Camera Digital Processor VCR Audio RCA, ISO 16CH Channel CCTV Digital Audio Video Security DVR Security System+16*Camera, IR004 16CH Channel CCTV Digital Audio Video Security DVR Security System+Camera, CRESTRON DM-TX-200 DIGITAL MEDIA AUDIO VIDEO HDMI VGA TRANSMITTER DIGITALMEDIA, Numark Virtual Vinyl Digital Vinyl System for mixing Audio and Video ! NEW !, Panasonic WJ-MX30 Digital a/v Audio / Video mixer **FAST SHIPPING**, 1GHz 1x5 (1:5) Component Video + Digital Analog Audio Splitter Amplifier SB-3730, Atlona AT-COMP-44M 4x4 Component Video w/ Stereo and Digital Audio Matrix Switch, Aten Vancryst Vm0404h Hdmi Switch 4 X Hdmi Type A Digital Audio/video In, 4 X, PIONEER ELITE AUDIO VIDEO MULTI CHANNEL RECEIVER DIGITAL STEREO VSX 82TXS, Data Video MP 6000 Professional DVD Recorder / Burner - Audio - Analog Digital, JVC CR-4400U 3/4" Umatic Portapack VHS Recorder Analog Digital Video Audio Sound, quantity 5= CISCO DMP-4305G-5.0-K9 =Digital Media Player=(4400g )VIDEO,TV,AUDIO , 2-channel Video Audio Mixer W/Speical Digital Effect, 2-channel Video Audio Mixer W/Speical Digital Effect, Professional Video Audio Mixer With Chroma Key PIP Digital Transitional Effect, Professional Video/Audio Digital Effect Mixer Picture-In-Picture Chroma Key, New Numark Virtual Vinyl Pro DJ Digital Audio/Video Interface Full Warranty, DIGITAL WATCHDOG DWMAX250 Standalone 4ch Video and 1ch Audio,, Siig Hdmi Splitter 2 X Hdmi Digital Audio/video In, 4 X Hdmi Digital Audio/video, Technobox, Aplied Systems, Digital Video/Audio Module H73, 8CH Video Audio Digital Optical Transmitter Receiver, 1x8 (1:8) Component RCA Video + Digital Analog Audio Splitter Booster Amplifier, Atlona AT-COMP-42M 4x2 Component Video w/ Analog and Digital Audio Matrix Switch, AMX MAX MAX-AVM Audio Video Module Digital Music Server, Digital Surveillance System 16 Channel Video / Audio , Digital Surveillance System 16 Channel Video/Audio, 4CH Digital Video Audio Standalone DVR Recorder For Car, Pioneer VSX D850S 660 watt Receiver Dolby Digital Home Theater Audio Video , Zoom Q3HD Handy Video Recorder Handheld Portable Digital COMPLETE AUDIO BUNDLE, 4x2 4:2 Component Video + Digital Analog Optical Audio Matrix Switcher Splitter, 1x8 1:8 Composite S-Video + Analog or Digital Audio Splitter Amplifier SB-3737SV, 8CH Video 1CH Audio Digital Optical Transmitter and Receiver Kit ST FC, Gefen - EXT-HD-DSMP Digital Audio Video Player, Gefen Gtb-hdfst-148-blk Hdmi Splitter 1 X Hdmi Type A Digital Audio/video In, 8, TV DVD Audio/Video HDMI to 3G-SDI Converter AdapterHDMI Digital 1080P, Neopro Avalon 8x4 Component Video Switch-Matrix, SPDIF-TosLink Digital Audio, Gefen Ext-tv-mfs Multi Video Switch 2 X Hdmi Type A Digital Audio/video In, 1 X, WiFi H.264 4CH Video Audio Network Digital Video Server, Cat5 Component/composite Video/digital Audio SB-6950T, Zoom Q3HD Handy Video Recorder Handheld Portable Digital AUDIO ESSENTIALS BUNDLE, WiFi H.264 4CH Video Audio Digital Network Video Server Support iPhone View, 1:9 1x9 COMPONENT VIDEO ANALOG DIGITAL AUDIO AMPLIFIER, StarTech.com Cat5 VGA Digital Signage Receiver with RS232 & Audio - Video/ DSRXL, Harman Kardon AVR 7000 5.1 Channel 100 W Dolby Digital/DTS Audio/Video Receiver, 4CH H.264 Video Audio Digital Network Video Server RS-485 Support IPhone View, Digital Video&Audio 8CH CCTV DVR System+4x Sony Camera 4x Coms Camera+500GB HDD, 4CH Video Audio Digital Optical Transmitter Receiver, 1CH Data Digital 4CH Video 1CH Audio Optical Transmitter and Receiver Kit, Audio Authority 1154B HDTV Component Video with Digital Stereo Audio Selector, Zoom Q3HD Audio Video Digital Recorder + Hard Case, Iogear (GW3DHDKIT) Wireless 3D Digital Kit GW3DHDKIT - wireless video/audio e..., Rane Digital Audio Video Alignment Delay AVA 22d wtih Power Supply, OLYMPUS LS-20M LS20M HD AUDIO VIDEO PCM DIGITAL RECORDER 1080P MOVIES WITH SOUND, SONY AV DIGITAL AUDIO VIDEO CONTROL CENTER SURROUND SYSTEM AMP RECEIVER REMOTE +, Zoom Q3HD Portable HD Audio Video Digital Recorder, Zoom Q3HD Q3 HD Portable Audio Video Digital Recorder FREE NEXT DAY AIR!, Zoom Q3HD Q3 HD Portable Audio Video Digital Recorder, Iogear WIRELESS 3D DIGITAL KIT PERP AUDIO/VIDEO STREAMINGUP TO 100FT, 4 Camera CF DVR Digital Audio Video Recorder Cam CCTV , IOGEAR GW3DHDKIT WIRELESS 3D DIGITAL KIT AUDIO/VIDEO STREAMING UP TO 100FT, IOGEAR Wireless 3D Digital Kit GW3DHDKIT - wireless video/audio extender...,