I have been dreaming about converting this CCTV camera into a portable recording device for years and finally want to start this project.
I am a beginner inventor who has built and designed a lot of things, mostly mechanical (3D printed, CNCd, gears...), and my knowledge for electronics is limited.

This project can be broken down into 2main challenges:

1/ Supplying power to the camera unit. The label says to only use 24V AC power and I wonder if it can be supplied with a portable battery instead.
There are power banks that may be able to supply that, or I could use serial 9V batteries if the power would be enough to run it for long enough.

2/ Gathering the video data from the Video output, and converting and recording the video feed.

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So far here is what I have been able to achieve:

I used electric wiring and a 24V power adapter plugged into an outlet, a cable to convert the video feed to RCA, plugged the RCA cable on my TV, and was able to see an image, confirming that the camera does work and captures the kind of images I am trying to capture (natively).

It was extremely cumbersome, because the cables were too short to point the camera at anything interesting, I was worried about electric shock the whole time (the wires were screwed to the adapter with screws and part of them was bare).
I have a Roxio video capture card that I plugged into the TV to record the output onto a Mac, but the capture card couldn't see the video feed (although the TV was displaying it). I am wondering if the frame-rate was below what the capture card was designed to accept or another issue.

Using it indoors and having to be near a wall outlet, and having to be near a TV that is also outlet dependent, and having to power a laptop with a capture card, and having to connect the camera to power and to the TV and the TV to power and to the computer and the computer to power was way too many cables and complications to record vintage images natively and make use of these CS-mount lenses.

I feel like I could easily plug it to this kind of device, as far as recording the video output goes, however I'm not sure if the video stream would have to be converted beforehand.

My first question has to do with power supply, because if the power cannot be supplied to this device in a way that is safe and portable, I will have to use it indoors near an outlet (still an option, but less fun).

 

Interesting challenge indeed.. First, the 24 volt AC only power requirement tells me that there is a transformer inside the camera. Reading the "CCD" legend on the side tells me there is no vidicon tube to deal with. That is a plus.
So now the concern is reduced to power source and connection to the video output. Neither of those are very difficult.
First, delivering 24 volts AC with a six watt capability ( 0.4 amps) will require a transformer that will not be very expensive, and a cord to bring the power to the camera terminals. 24 volt isolated power fro a transformer is not considered any shock hazard at all. The cable can be inexpensive. In fact, the less expensive speaker cable could be adequate. So a safe power supply is not a problem. the 24 volt transformer/adapter should remain close to the mains power connection point.
The cable to connect the BNC video connection to either a VCR or a TV will require more than an inexpensive audio shielded cable. The technical description is a "composite video" cable. I have used "RG58 cable for shorter video connections. For longer video connections stranded center cable such as RG59 will be better.
If the picture could be displayed on a regular TV , then the scan rate and the synchronization signals are standard, or adequately close to standard.

 

Seems interesting to play around a bit with but today I would just junkbox the old analog camera and use a cheap IPCAM with a digital encoded output that can be seen directly on a computer.

 

I am writing this post on a far more portable and more capable video recorder.

 

I did locate exactly the cable needed to bring both the power feed and the video output cable together to the camera. Made by the Colman Cable Company: Type 99511 cable. RG59 on one side and 18/2 (red & black) on the other half. With a stranded cor and copper braid shield on the RG59 for good flexibility. It would be used to power an antenna mounted amplifier in fringe area TV regions.
As for using a cheap junk IP camera that must be used with a NOT CHEAP computer and complex software, consider that the camera only has a short, and fragile, cord, made with an inferior grade of #28 wire inside. And if you want to use a better lens with the camera, too bad, because there is no way to attach a good lens to the plastic case. And if you want to share it with a friend, well, they need to have the software on a computer with a good monitor and also a good internet connection. And if the IP camera develops a problem, just buy another one because they will be obsolete in a few months, anyway.
That old "ELMO" camera will last a very long time,as they were built to keep on working for many years.

 

IPCAM digital encoding and decoding software is generic, standard and built in just about any digital device with a display today. You don't need special software or hardware just to record for most commodity digital CCTV cameras (including most cellphones) but today you will need extra hardware and software to use that old "ELMO" NTSC analog camera on modern equipment. I still have some old analog CCTV gear but it's only for show (too lazy to remove the old stuff when replaced with all digital) outside the house and at work, the analog system is 'theater' to stop stupid thieves because they see the monitor at the door with a video of them being stupid looking in on some random storage room.

https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/...r-regular-security-camera.160970/post-1406697


So much better than the old analog cameras.

 

The TS already has the VCR , camera, and various devices to view the images. And the HUGE advantage is not needing any computer technology to use it. You are welcome to each new fad as they pass by. The older stuff was certainly built to last. And just try putting an actual GOOD Quality LENS ON THAT PLASTIC CAMERA!!

 

THIS is NOT the same post that I commented on recently. Similar topic, though.