Anyone using a Helmet Camera?

[RSA210]

Anyone have any experience with these helmet cameras?I was checking out www.helmetcamera.com and think I might give it a try.They seem to be pretty reasonable after you purchase the camera.It would seem to be a great tool for practice.You could get your riding buddy to follow you and see what kind of idiot you really look like while riding.Also great for recruiting new riders.Hey,we could all be video "Stars" like EGO!!!!!! Any feedback would be cool. ?

[blue_beast_wins]

Theres a better one on eatmydirt.com.au, in the archives.

[YAMAKAZE]

I bought a helmet cam, and found out that my video camera was not compatable after they said it was. Now I'm looking for a relatively inexpensive recorder to use with it...So far no luck after checking with several stores...Nobody is carrying anything with a video input jack....

Gonna keep looking....

Bonzai ?

[John_Lorenz]

yamakaze

Check with raceinace in the 250 forum he has a buisness action adventure cameras

helmetcam@hotmail.com

Homepage http://actionadventurecameras.com

Hope it helps

['00_in_Calgary]

"Nobody is carrying anything with a video input jack."

ya have to watch with the new cameras... the video out jack/mini-plug often doubles as the input jack as well. I use a Canon ZR10 and the A/V input abilities are not described in the owners manual.

I have a camera from these guys.

http://www.customvideocameras.com/

and have been abusing it for a couple of years with no grief at all.

[mike_dean]

I've had a helmet cam for a couple years, I use a TRV87 Sony Hi-8, and it works great. Mike

[sirthumpalot]

I have the helmetcamera.com camera and I'm very happy with it. Excellent picture quality and great customer service! The camera goes in an aluminum case with a replaceable plexy lense so it's very well protected. And that velcro stuff they give you is some serious sh*t, it's definitely not going to fall off on its own! I have the Sony TRV-240 camera and as mentioned earlier, the output dongle doubles as the input dongle. Yamakazie make sure you hooked it up right, yours may be the same way. The video camera will likely have to be in VCR mode set to record from the analog input. The helmet camera should work with any video camera that takes an NTSC analog input.

Anyway I highly recommend the helmetcamera.com package. Get the entire package, it's worth it.

My only other suggestion is to get as small a camcorder as you can. Mine is a digital 8mm and it's not large, but anything bigger would be too much to carry in a fanny bag because it bumps on the gas tank (wear it in the front so you don't hurt your back if you fall).

A second idea (a friend actually did this), get a mini-dv or other similar sized camera and just tape the whole damn thing to your helmet. I can't believe he did that, one roost rock and it's a goner, but he did it

!

[RSA210]

Thanks Guys,Great feedback and suggestions.Sirthumpalot I just picked up a Sony Digital 8 TRV340.The fanny pack in front is a good idea.Hopefully the weather here in Michigan will hold up long enough to let me try this set-up out.BTW Sirthump,do you have any preference for camera mounting location? (left,right or top) Can't wait this is too Cool!!

[racinace]

EGO: Thanks for the plug.

We do offer a complete kit and as I told everyone at the West Coast Ride In last month I will give a good discount to TT members. email us for details: We are currently the only ones out here that have developed a single button remote with a LED status indicator. It works off of the LANC port of any camcorder. Push the button one time and it will turn on your camcorder and start recording. Push it again and it will stop and power down the unit. Great for sitting on the line at the start of a race or while taking a break. Keeps that expensive camcorder clean too. (no need to open the fanny pack anymore!)

RSA210: Mount the camera on the left side. If your camera has a protective housing like ours, you can use your non-throttle hand / finger to wipe it clean during your ride.

Hope this helps

[Jim_Patterson]

I have a helmet cam and it works great. The color and clarity is very good. I cut a slit out of the helmet visor then used velcro and tie straps to hold it in place. Try to get a lipstick camera with a 70 degree viewing angle, and 300 to 400 lines of resolution. Try it a few times so you can adjust it up or down to get the subject in the middle of the picture when you head in in the normal riding position. Even in whoops there is very little movement, I guess our suspension, legs, and head work to steady everything ,

As far as cameras go I have a Sony and Canon that work well. I us the Canon mini dv because it's tough, small, and not that expensive. To see if your video camera will work, check the controls that you use to control tape playback. If any say record or have a red dot on them it should work. A cheap powered mike is available that I mounted inside the front of my helmet. Make sure it isn't in line with the air vent or you'll get terrible wind noise. The bike sounds register very good. Radio Shack has a cheap 8 AA battery holder that will power the camera and microphone. Use 1200 or better yet 1600 ma nickle metal hydride rechargeable batteries They will power the system for hours and last a long time. Put the camera and batteries in a fanny pack but place it in front of you where you can get to it easily. The best way to control it is with a LANC controller from Keene Electronics (Great Brittian), or a new unit in the US, I don't remember the name. that seems better built for the same price or less.

[Fryboy]

So where are all of the videos you guys are taking?? I wouldn't mind seeing some of them as I am sure a bunch of others wouldn't either.

It would be good advertisement on quality of movie made with your recommended camera.

Hope to see some soon ! ?

Fryboy

P.S. Racinace.... I think I have approval for a X-Mas purchase Talk to you in about a month or two.

[RonO]

I have the helmetcamera.com version. It works really well, when I get a chance to use it. The camera I use is a Sony TRV17 Digital camcorder. I can take the camcorder home plug it into the firewire port on my pc and start creating videos. Real easy. I have a couple video's from the camcorder on my site. (Some aren't great, I was trying to get the helmet cam adjusted at the time.) I'll try to get some more video this weekend.

http://rono.homeip.net

Ron

?

[RSA210]

MAN,I need to get a faster connection.I gotta lose the phone line I got the WVA file but all the rest takes SSSSSOOOOOOOO LONG to download,I'm out of the loop ?

RONO-was the WVA file taken with the helmet cam?

[RonO]

The first wmv is not with the helmetcam. It's a video of my brother goofin off with his quad. The last set of videos are the newer helmet cam going over a small jump. Yea, they are a little big. I guess I'll need to re-endcode with a better compressor.

[sirthumpalot]

RSA210, I stick it on the left of my helmet and it works great. As mentioned you can wipe the lense with your thumb after you get roosted or cross some water, etc.. You'll have to play with the angle a little. I find that when I ride MX I'm looking up a lot and when riding offroad I tend to look down more. The camera has a really good field of view so it shouldn't be too hard to get it right. I recommend taking a quick 5 minute test then reviewing the video to check the angle before heading out for a long day of movie shooting, otherwise you may have a great video of the sky or your front fender when you get home. Also if the power switch on your camera is like mine (rotates with green button in the middle) then you're going to want to put some tape on that after you turn it on. Otherwise the first bump you hit will turn the camcorder off. Tape works great though! Also hide the mic out of the wind! Last ride I put it behind my back (cliped to the fanny bag strap) and there was zero wind noise, but lots of 426 noise! It sounds like a lawn mower on my TV..hehe..

I've never tried racinace's kit but the features he mentions sound nice, such as the remote control. I wonder if most cameras come with a LANC connector? I'll have to check mine... racinace do you sell the remote control separately? ?

[LOOPOUT]

what do you guys carry your cameras in... i have a fanny pack & take the Cannon Zr25 in it But on hard landings i get a glitch in the video....

do you guys you a backpack with foam???

['00_in_Calgary]

I carry mine in a backpack. I use a Canon ZR10 so that should be similar to what you're using... and yep I know the glitch you're talking about.

Try repositioning the camera in the fanny pack. My thoughts this morning are that the glitch can be caused by the g-forces of the landing pulling the tape off the recording head and thus the signal can't get to the tape. Try turning the camera upside down from it's current position and take a few jumps. That might fix it.

As well, it could be the camera cable being pulled out of the camera slightly, so tape it into place. The same goes for the battery. Canon has a fairly loose battery holder... maybe it's jittering and not providing the appropriate voltage.

Of course these are just points of discussion as we haven't seen the type of glitch ?

Neil

[sirthumpalot]

I don't get the glitch. I try to surround the camera with bubble wrap in a fanny bag which I wear on my front side, but I have ridden without the bubble wrap. Maybe it's just a trait of that particular camera model? Maybe also try moving the camera to a location less likely to get bounced around?

[LOOPOUT]

well my buddy sells foam sooo i am looking for a suitable backpack then gonna make a custom case to carry it it...

I need to get some videos uploaded...

[racinace]

Sirthumpalot: We do sell the remote separately. On sale now for $99. Once you ride with one you will never go back to riding without one. A lot like a steering stabilizer.

As for the fanny pack we are currently having one custom made with foam insert cut specifically for the camera. Until that is ready we are using a fanny pack from North face. We cut and stuff with foam prior to sending it out. Works very well. I rarely get glitches...even when I crash hard. I think it has to do with the way the camera is packed and how tightly you wear your fanny pack. (the tighter the better)

RSA210: Thanks for the email. I sent you a message this morning.