What do you guys use or suggest?
What do you guys use or suggest?
Rick Benazic
All Star Sheet Metal inc.
ITS Honda prelude #06
I got a GoPro for a gift and quickly discovered it really needs the "backpack" video screen for aiming. It sounds silly but it's annoying to have to monkey with it, then not get what you want. The bonus of this option is that you can get them - and parts - at Circuit City, Target, etc.
K
I've tried a few including the good ole fashoned type, Contour and GoPro Hereo2. My suggestion is the GoPro with either an I/O Port cage mount or RAM mount (on window or where ever).
Forget the backpack. There will be a new addition coming soon. Aiming if not that difficult without the screen. It's a wide screen so you'll be fine.
Dave Gran
Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing
^ +1
Demetrius Mossaidis aka 'Mickey' #12 ITA NESCCA
'92 Honda Civic Si
STFU and "Then write a letter. www.crbscca.com"
2013 ITA NARRC Champion and I have not raced since.
Race-Keeper! Why settle for just video when you can scare the crap out of your self by knowing how fast you were really going when you hit the gravel trap!
Bill Stevens - Mbr # 103106
BnS Racing www.bnsracing.net
92 ITA Saturn
83 ITB Shelby Dodge Charger
Sponsors - Race-Keeper Data/Video Aquisition Systems www.race-keeper.com
Simpson Performance Products - simpsonraceproducts.com
Hero2. Easy. Looking forward to the live streaming soon to come. Waiting for a way to sync two Hero's.
Chris Raffaelli
NER 24FP
OG Racing has it here . $300 for the camera system is worth it.
Dave Gran
Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing
I use a Replay XD. It shoots at 480p, but they do have a Replay 1080XD. There's one button for On and one button for Off, it vibrates after it turns on just in case you can't see the recording light. This makes it really easy for a one man band to do it yourself. Otherwise, a crew member won't need any special instructions, just to know what button to press before you leave grid, and what to press when you come back. It costs $180 and is awesome. Comes with an SD card and the computer adapter, you can also use a USB adapter if you want to transfer files using that. It is also charged by the USB port.
My dad and I used a GoPro camera in our Formula cars and it was a bit annoying (my dad could never master the button sequence in order to start the recording). I can't be too against a GoPro though, it still works after hitting a burm at 85mph.
http://www.youtube.com/user/StevenFV19/videos has video from both cameras. The ITA car has a Replay XD, the FV has the GoPro wide angle.
Hope this helps,
Steven
1989 ITA Honda Civic Si
Washington D.C. Region
Can't tell you the number of times we forgot to start the video camera at the start of a session! Automatic is the way to go! Needs to be so easy, the car can do it. This past weekend, I put a SD card in before the first session, and never touched it until after the last race. Can't get much more driver proof than that.
Bill Stevens - Mbr # 103106
BnS Racing www.bnsracing.net
92 ITA Saturn
83 ITB Shelby Dodge Charger
Sponsors - Race-Keeper Data/Video Aquisition Systems www.race-keeper.com
Simpson Performance Products - simpsonraceproducts.com
many better options than GoPro... pros and cons for all options though.
Chris Rallo "the kid"
-- "wrenching and racing" -- "will race for food!" -- "Onward and Upward"
I tend to agree with Chris, but with a few caveats:
The go pro is nice for a few reasons:
1. Indestructible
2. Waterproof (we use them surfing, snorkling, and snowboarding)
3. Lightweight
4. Different recording options....up to SUPER high quality....like we were on the speed channel or something
5. Now has rechargable batteries
The main con.....it's not user friendly. I know it's push the front button, then push the top button....but it messes up sometimes. Also, if you ever want to change something.....it's a pain.
Speaking of change something....can you make it record files over 4 gb yet?
I think if I didn't need it for getting wet, I'd go with a contour hd. seems easier.
-Vick
I am very happy with my Sony CX110 in conjunction with a Traqmate HD. Buy from amazon a separate wide angle lens for it, a 32 gig sd (8 hours of recording) and an extended capacity battery
The CX110 is $469 [ame]http://www.amazon.com/Sony-HDR-CX110-High-Definition-Handycam-Camcorder/dp/B0031RGKZI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1339541707&sr =1-1&keywords=cx110[/ame]
It would seem the newer CX210 would also work fine for $328 but ask Traqmate if it works with their system.
http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/sto.../R#accessories
I had the Contour HD, worked with their tech guys, returned it. Was not at all happy.
Dave Gran
Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing
Hero2 all the way
I have a Contour and a GoProHero2, both ~$300. Pros and cons to each.
RaceKeeper and its ilk are many steps up and ~$2K. Of course, you get TONS more data, info, images, etc.
The $300 cameras are really cool toys. I put them on my mountain bike and other stuff. The $2K stuff is a real data/video system.
Dave, I'm very curious - can you share what your issues were with the Contour? Thanks...
i've been using a chasecam til recently. it was replaced by an hd smarty cam that cam with my aim mxl pista data system.
they are both great.
if you want to try the chasecam let me know. its not in the car right now.
Rob Bodle
Rob Bodle Images, LLC
RBI Competition
2007 ARRC Three hour "not a real" Enduro ITO Co-Champion.
2009 ARRC ITO Champion.
2009 ARRC Enduro Pole Winner
2010 ARRC ITO Champion(car owner for Cliff Brown)
2011 ARRC ITO Champion
Having the camera mount inside of the car, for the life of me I could not get the image quality to be respective. I attemted many different settings, received assistance and suggestions from Contour (they were helpful on the forum), but in the end it just wasn't acceptable. I spoke with them wondering if I had received a defective unit explaining that I was also going to do a review of the camera on my website. They said they'd look into it and get back to me after inspecting the camera. I followed up with them more than once and never heard back from them. I have sample coverage and the various settings that I attempted. One of the very few products that I've ever sent back.Dave, I'm very curious - can you share what your issues were with the Contour? Thanks...
The GoPro just works, although I did quickly replace the suction cup camera mount it comes with. I'm also super curious to see what the actual streaming capablity of the upcoming application will be. Don't have high expectations but could be super cool for family / friends, as well as an "in-car coach".
Dave Gran
Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing
I've had the best luck with the ContourHD, of all. Just got my wife one, so she doesn't have to wait for me not to use mine. Still can have occasional glitches, but it's been by far the most robust thing I've tried.
Not interested in the GoPro - garbage aero, ironic since the owner races a formula car.
I also really like the cheap spycams - you can have lots of fun putting them in WRONG places.
Here's a recent vid; bottom left window is a Contour:
https://vimeo.com/43870573
Never had a problem with quality on the Contour; I agree, you MUST'VE gotten a bad unit...
I use the contour HD. Original 720 version. My only complaint is that I like mounting it on the bottom spoiler of the car and the lens has become pitted making a somewhat foggy video. I need to stop being lazy and just get a new lens! I honestly love them, super easy to use and because of the rotating lens you can mount them anywhere anyhow you want. those lazer beams make it easy to make sure it is aimed correctly as well. In the wreck I just had it was knocked off the car and did stop recording BUT it still works perfectly
Stephen
Now I fully admit this is the most boring video ever, but that wasn't the point. What I was attempting to do originally is test the quality of the video using various settings on the Contour camera, then review the results at home. My hope was to use this camera in racing and for my car testing articles. I only posted it to YouTube (not public yet) so that they could help troubleshoot. Even when I viewed it from the Contour directly to my HD T.V., it was the same basic quality. The sound issues are also strange and VERY annoying.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6qR5qHkPEU&feature=g-upl[/ame]
Vaughan, you're video isn't looking outside of a window which impacts things.
Last edited by gran racing; 06-13-2012 at 06:08 PM.
Dave Gran
Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing
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