What sort of helmet cam are people using?

[Tom]

This is getting interesting. I just tried running the camera off a Garmin car-charger, which both runs and charges our car-GPS. The results were a bit inconclusive. If the camera is off, I cannot switch it on. If the camera is already on and I plug it in (even with it already recording) it seems to run through the startup-sequence and turns on the two lasers. I did manage to have it record while plugged in, but whether it's running on the battery - which may or may not be charging - or external power, I can't really tell.

 

[johnnysneds]

See if you can measure resistance across pins 4 and X and let me know the value?

You'll know if it's charging if you have a red LED illuminated at the rear.

 

[Frank Smith690]

Ya I use the Contour HD with GPS, it's amazing when you pull up all the GPS data.

 

[KTMphil]

Ya I use the Contour HD with GPS, it's amazing when you pull up all the GPS data.

Frank --what is the gps data file type/ extension? .dgb/ .gpx? does the track data load straight into Garmin software (Mapsource/ Basecamp)?

 

[LivinLOS]

What kind of battery life is a Contour putting in with the GPS enabled ??

 

[Lightemup]

Where locally can I find the Drift, the GoPro and the Contour?

I lost my point and shoot camera in my crash (looted from panniers) so will need a new camera before going back to work soon and would instead pickup a helmet cam for those "shooting at pirates"- footage.
I will need to go out to get one within the next two days.

GoPro is available in Panthip Plaza at Fast Corner and one more shop, I think I saw.

Anywhere to go for the Contour and the Drift?

 

[LivinLOS]

The drift was shown to be at one of the big cameras I think... If its the same newer model it wasnt bad pricing either.. like 10k b here v 270 USD online and you might get VAT back too.

 

[Tom]

Anywhere to go for the Contour and the Drift?

I have seen a Drift at a local BigCamera shop here in Phuket (see bottom of page 1 in this thread). I don't think Contour is available locally.

Edit: Duh, that was posted already!

 

[Tom]

See if you can measure resistance across pins 4 and X and let me know the value?

I have tried measuring it (bloody finicky work too, had to tape sewing needles to the end of the probes), but I keep getting open loop on those two pins, which shouldn't be right. I'm trying to see if I have something with a female mini-usb connector, where I can measure it as it comes out of there.

 

[johnnysneds]

See if you can measure resistance across pins 4 and X and let me know the value?

I have tried measuring it (bloody finicky work too, had to tape sewing needles to the end of the probes), but I keep getting open loop on those two pins, which shouldn't be right. I'm trying to see if I have something with a female mini-usb connector, where I can measure it as it comes out of there.

You should be able to do it with the needles taped to the probes.

1 +5V 5 volts DC
2 data not connected / float
3 data not connected / float
X GND connected to pin 4 (GND) with 17.3K ohm resistor
4 GND ground

 

[Lightemup]

The drift was shown to be at one of the big cameras I think... If its the same newer model it wasnt bad pricing either.. like 10k b here v 270 USD online and you might get VAT back too.

I found the Drift HD170 Stealth at Big Camera in Airport Plaza here in Chiang Mai. Same pricing 9900bt.

Also a camera shop in Panthip Plaza near nightmarket has the GoPro Hero1 and 2.
Price GoPro Hero 1 is 9000 baht, GoPro Hero 2 is 13000 baht.

Impression of the Drift is that it is LARGE, but light and the screen and the wireless remote is pretty neat. I played around a bit with it and the only thing that made me hold back and wait until I have researched a bit more, was the fact that it is only a 5mp camera for pictures, where the Go Pro 2 is a 11mp camera.
Edited: Add to that , that after some research, the Drift HD170 Stealth is an older version of the Drift series, makes me lean even more towards the GoPro 2. It isnt even featured on their site anymore www.driftinnovation.com

Im partial to the GoPro 2 as it has a phenomenal support community and comes with mounts that can be placed on my bump helmet I bring for work.

I will make a decision tomorrow where I will go grab one of them.

 

[LivinLOS]

Great support yeah.. But its a bit of a toaster design wise beside the easier to headmount Contour.

 

[Tom]

You should be able to do it with the needles taped to the probes.

It is very difficult to measure it, simply because the pins are so friggin' small. I've tried with two different meters, but I cannot get a conclusive reading. I did get something around 17-18K a couple of times, so maybe what you posted previously is correct.
I just tried the Garmin charger again with the camera; like before I can't turn the camera on when it's plugged in, or start recording if I plug it in when it's already on. If I plug it in while it's recording, the lasers as well as the battery light come on, but when the lasers turn off, so does the battery-light. Whatever the resistance in this charger is, it's not what we're looking for.
I was thinking of just ordering the Contour car-charger - I've seen it as low as 16 USD at http://www.bhphotovideo.com - but the shipping is almost 50 USD :eek1 !

 

[Tom]

What kind of battery life is a Contour putting in with the GPS enabled ??

In the interest of science - and because I didn't have anything better to do this morning - I ran a little experiment. I left the camera, fully charged, recording in my garden until the battery gave up. The settings used were 720P at 30 FPS, high bitrate and with the GPS set to capture once per second (max. is two). When you set the parameters for the camera in StoryTeller, Contours software for their cameras, it tells you what to expect from the battery and this was medium battery life expectancy. If you set it to 1080P, it turns to shortest. On the standard 1050 mAh battery I got 2 hours and 16 minutes of video.

 

[Tom]

Frank --what is the gps data file type/ extension? .dgb/ .gpx? does the track data load straight into Garmin software (Mapsource/ Basecamp)?

Not Frank here, but I'll answer just the same; you can export .gpx-files from Contours software. I haven't yet tried to import them into anything else.

 

[johnnysneds]

Just received the car charger for my Contour and it operates whilst plugged in an charging.

Ive checked the pinouts.

Pins 1 and 4 are jumped together for power (Note pin 4 is n/c in mini USB b cables normally) and Pin 5 for Earth, thats all there is too it. The power is stepped down from 12V to 5V at 1amp. I dont have a mini USB cable with pin 4 connected to try it out but im pretty sure this is all there is too it.

 

[Tom]

Just received the car charger for my Contour...

Me too :G. I just arrived back at work and an American colleague of mine brought one for me. It's the 2900-model charger you got, right? Now I'll just have to cut a hole in the back plate on the camera to make it work with it closed. But, that's 5 weeks away...
Any progress on the external microphone modification?

 

[Frank Smith690]

As the urge in me to get a new gadget grows bigger after seeing Max's vids, I thought I'd ask here who uses what camera and the pro' and con's of each one.
I know that there are tons of forums that deal with this on the web, but as I'm planning on using it here under these conditions you guys are using them, I thought this might be as good a place as any other.
I've used a helmet cam/ remote cam thingie myself, but thats going back to 2005 technology and running them in Iraq for shooting people stuff and we've come along way since.

As I see it there are basically two top contenders:
GoPro Hero HD
And ContourHD or whatever their top model is called at the moment.

Any input on them would be appreciated.

Max what are you using?

I think the Contour GPS is a great camera, I use it.. And you can buy Nokia phone batteries for it. But as we just found out. If you buy aftermarket Nokia batteries you need to use a little 1 mm spacer to push the battery down. As Nokia batterys are just a tad shorter than the Contour battery. But by far the contour is much easier to use and I think the picture quality on the contour is much better regardless...

 

[esspressolungo]

I've been using the Go Pro Hero for quiet a while now, almost since the beginning they came out, the old model was crap with only 3 mega pixels, when they switched to HD, this little thing became a winner. I have done diving with the camera and took great underwater photos and videos, then I mounted it on several places on my bike while off road riding, mostly recording in 720, I really can't complain about any of the features of this camera, the battery last forever, if you turn it off after your session is finished, I recorded 16 GB of footage with the battery without problems. Having installed the back screen is a nice feature, but actually not very necessary, it is good, when you want to readjust the height or angle you shoot from, so you have an idea where you are. The only downside I can think of is the microphone on the Go Pro, since it is in a plastic case that is shock proof and water proof, the sound is somehow not very satisfying, if you need better sound you have to choose the open back cover, the sound will improve immediately, but not recommended if it's very dusty, it will mess up the camera at the end. All in all I've been more then satisfied with this little gem and most certain I would buy another one, if it got stolen... this is just my very own opinion