The Drift HD170 is the latest and greatest camera from Drift Innovation, the company who previously brought us the X170. This time around Drift Innovation’s camera is packing full HD 1080p video! Other upgrades include a lithium ion battery pack as opposed to AA batteries and support for up to 32GB SDHC Cards.

Read Below for a full review of this awesome new camera from Drift Innovation.

Highlights of the Drift HD170

• The HD170 delivers full 1080p HD quality video and 5MP photographs
• Functions can be controlled by a wireless RF remote control
• A 1.5″ screen helps you to line up the perfect shot and to show off your video right away
• Memory expansion up to 32Gb on an SDHC card
• Wide angle lens of 127° in 1080p and170° in 720p & WVGA
• All the mounts that you need are provided, plus it has a metal 8mm mount
• HDTV component out cable included

• What You Get
• The Drift HD170
  • Pros
  • Cons
• Drift HD170 Documentation
• Codec Settings
• Sample Video Clips
• Image Gallery
  
• Recording Capacity
• Battery Time
• Warranty and Support
• Summary and Recommendation
• Pricing
• About HelmetCameraCentral.com
• Review Change Log

Included in the box, you will find the following:

• HD170 Action Camera
• Remote Control
• Handlebar Grip
• Goggle Mount
• Head Strap
• Helmet Grip
• Universal Clip
• Velcro Strap
• Component Cable for playing back on HDTV
• USB Cable for downloading to your computer
• Lithium-ion Battery Pack
• Quick Guide to get you started
• Industrial strength sticky pads
• Industrial strength velcro adhesive pad

One of the first features that you’ll notice when taking your new HD170 out of the box is the 1.5″ screen. We found that having a screen on the camera itself is a seriously useful function to have for two main reasons; firstly you can line up the best angle when mounting the camera so that you don’t get home after a long day out expecting to see brilliant videos only to find that you have been filming blue sky all day. Secondly, and more importantly is watching your videos on the screen straight after you’ve come off the slope, track, or water with your mates!

On the front of the camera it’s easy to see how wide the 170º lens is. With previous narrower angle cameras it was difficult to gain perspective of the speed that you were going because the lens only saw the track in front of you. With 170º field of view you won’t only see the what’s in front of you but also the scenery around you or any other sports people around you. This truly puts the speed in perspective and is the way forward for point-of-view cameras. The rear of the camera houses the back hatch which, when opened exposes the USB slot for downloadingvideos to your computer and charging the battery. The component output allows you to play your videos straight onto your HDTV. The SD card slot accepts SD and SDHC cards up to a maximum of 32Gb. You will also find a door which houses the lithium-ion battery pack.

On the underside of the HD170 there is a built-in steel quarter inch thread (8mm thread) which is the standard thread on most cameras. Having this thread on the camera opens up a world of opportunities for mounting as you can attach it to suction mounts and roll bar mounts. However you don’t really need to look further then your HD170 box for all the mounts that you might need.
The mount adapter inserts into the quarter inch thread securely. This adapter is a quick release adapter which is used to attach the camera to each of the mounting options in the box.

The handlebar mount fits onto handlebars of motorcycles, bicycles and mountain bikes. There is a rubber pad on the inside of the mount to keep it steady and it can be tightened into place with the lock-screw. The helmet mount is designed to fit onto a helmet or smooth surface such as a bikes fairing. To fasten this on there are some industrial strength adhesive pads provided. There is no need to doubt the strength of these sticky pads, just make sure that you have them in the correct place before sticking them down as it’s really tough to remove but you don’t have to worry about your paint.

The goggle mount is a simple but really easy mount to use. Simply put your goggles strap into mount and you’re ready to go. The headstrap can also be used together with the goggle mount whenever you don’t have a helmet with you.

So what if you want to mount the camera on it’s side or upside down? No worries as the lens rotates 180º from one side to the other. This gives you the flexibility to mount the camera on either side of your helmet and on top while still being able to have an upright image by simply twisting the lens around. There are breaks at the main positions that will hold the lens steady once you have found the angle that you want.

One of our favorite parts of the HD170 kit is the radio frequency wireless remote control. It comes with a strap to put it around your wrist, on handlebars or wherever else you may want it. The buttons are large enough to be used with any ski or bike gloves on and it couldn’t be simpler; the only two buttons are start and stop; this way you won’t confuse yourself half way through a ski run. Because it works radio frequency (as opposed to infra-red) it doesn’t need line-of-sight to operate which just make life all that much easier. The remote will work up to three meters (10 feet) from the camera.

Just in case you’ve managed to read this far down the review without being able to understand English, you would be pleased to know that the instruction manual and the cameras menus are multilingual. The manual with six languages already on it and the language on the camera can be changed easily in the menu settings.

Choose between:
– English
– Spanish
– French
– Italian
– German, or
– Portuguese

Pros

The first thing we noticed about the HD 170 is it’s build quality. It seems more solid and well built than it’s predecessor. They layout and design is pretty much identical otherwise. The screen is still there with all the same controls, making it easy to adjust settings and review footage. We said it in the review for the X170 as well, but the screen really does make things that much easier.

The most outstanding feature about the HD170 is without a doubt it’s video quality. It is incredibly high quality! Colors are well saturated, details are nice and sharp, and the contrast is nice and high. This is clearly a huge step up from the X170, there’s just no comparison. It shoots video at full 1080p (1920×1080), and it shows. I hooked this badboy up to my 50 inch plasma via the included component cables and it simply blew me away! 720p footage also looked very good. Rolling shutter, an effect often plaguing cameras with CMOS sensors, is kept to a minimum. Rolling shutter is the effect you may have seen that causing things to look wobbly and elastic when there’s a lot of motion in a video. The video format is h.264 compressed .mov files so it should be very easy to work with.

Another pro is the battery. Where as we could rarely get 2 hours out of the X170 with AA batteries, the HD170’s 1100mAh battery pack lasted just over 4 hours! Not only that but we’ve heard that Drift Innovation will be releasing a 1700mAh battery sometime in the future, so you could be looking at some serious battery life.

Audio quality is also much improved over it’s predecessor and we really like the fact that it has an external microphone jack, which can be very handy when trying to capture great audio, especially in a high wind situation.

Having an LCD screen is an absolute life saver. It makes it a dream to change menu settings and camera functions it also enables to set up your mounts correctly without trial and error and to review your footage on the spot, without needing a computer or external monitor.

Cons
Like the X170 before it, one issue with the Drift HD170 is it’s size. It’s a little on the large size, and while it does look pretty bulky in pictures, it’s not quite as big as it looks (it’s pretty thin). Drift Innovation claims it’s because of the added screen size, which is understandable, but it still seems like it could have been a bit smaller. However it’s pretty light, so it’s bulk is in volume, not weight.

It would be nice if the HD170 was able to record 60FPS in 720p, it really is a neat feature and the competition does include it. 60FPS footage can be turned in to some sweet slow-mo. It’s definitely not a deal breakter though.

The only other issue we have with the camera is the fact that the remote is not waterproof. Which isn’t a huge deal considering the competition doesn’t even have a remote to begin with. Still, it would be nice to be able to take the remote anywhere you can take the camera.

A quick start guide is included with the HD170.
Download a PDF Version of the manual here

Video format: h.264 MOV Files

Frames per second: 30 fps

Video resolution: 1080p (1920×1080) 720p (1280×720) or WVGA (720×480)

Fixed Gear Bike, Drift HD170 from Drift Innovation on Vimeo.

Paragliding Drift HD170 from Drift Innovation on Vimeo.

The Drift HD170 is SD/SDHC compatible. You can expect to record around 15 minutes for every gigabyte of storage space on your memory card.

The HD170 runs on a new 1100mAh battery which can provide more than 4 hours of record time under the right conditions.

The Drift HD170 has a 1 year manufacturers warranty

We can’t recommend the HD170 enough, build quality, video quality, waterproof, remote control, it has it all! This is absolutely one of the best helmet cams available on the market today. Video quality is un-matched.

If you’re looking for a camera that records in stunning HD, has an LCD screen and a remote, and has amazing battery life, look no further. The Drift HD170 is a clear winner and we have no qualms recommending it anyone.

Helmet Cam Central Price: $329.99 ( Order Here – In-Stock )

Click Here for Live Chat
We are available toll-free at 888-409-4408 to answer your questions.
Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business, Two Brothers Video. Helmet Camera Central is a resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Since 2005, we have reviewed numerous helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Our reviews focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. Since we use helmet camera systems in addition to selling them, our reviews result from actual day-to-day experiences with the products. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are our top priority. Rest assured, the helmet camera systems that we recommend and sell at HelmetCameraCentral.com were chosen for good reason: they rock! There are many systems out there, but the ones we recommend provide exceptional quality and services for the best return on your investment.

We are also here to answer your questions and help you choose a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, you can find it at HelmetCameraCentral.com. And if our recommended systems do not fit your needs, we will put you in contact with the right vendor to find the best solution.

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2010 Tachyon XC Product Review

1. Introduction
2. What’s Included
3. Key Camera Features
4. Camera Performance
5. Sample Video
6. Conclusion
7. Pricing
8. About HelmetCameraCentral.com
9. About The Author
10. Changelog

The 2010 Tachyon XC is an inexpensive helmet camera that is well constructed and waterproof to over 30’. It uses the same CMOS chip as its little brother the XC Micro, making the video and audio performance is pretty much the same as the Micro version. There are other similarities, so a lot of the comments in this review are the same for the XC Micro. The main difference between the XC and the XC Micro, is that the XC offers a lot more features that you will read about later on in the review. Like its little brother, the XC is built for extreme conditions, and could be used in a variety of sports where rain, snow, water, and mud are a factor. This camera is particularly popular with the paintball crowd. Tachyon offers Lens Armor to protect the camera lens from a paintball impact, and other flying objects. No other manufacturer offers this type of feature for their camera. The manual for the XC is only available on Tachyon’s website, so you can either read it on-line, or download it to your computer. The XC’s primary competitors in its price range are the GoPro Wide, the Oregon Scientific ACT3K, and the Epic Action Cam. The XC records video in AVI format, and can accept up to a 32GB SD Card. It is slightly larger than the XC Micro, and runs on (2) AA batteries. It comes with a nice selection of mounts that allow you to secure the camera to the top or side of your helmet, or to other mounts that use a ¼-20 thread (i.e. tripod). Its CMOS chip boasts low light performance, though it is configured to shoot best during a sunny day. As you will read, I think you will realize that the XC is the best in its class (along with the Micro version).

Tachyon XC Tachyon XC Micro

Camera Remote Control Various Mounts USB Cable TV Cable 3M Dual Lock Fasteners Lens Armor (Cover)

The camera measures 4” L x 2” W x 2.5” H, and weighs 4.4 oz (without batteries). It has a 90 degree field of view, which is far superior to its competition. The Tachyon XC is a “point and shoot” type of camera, and is very easy to operate. It has (3) buttons on the top, one for power on/off, one for start/stop recording, and one for menu functions. The camera incorporates audio cues to convey different modes of operation, and has an LED on the front to visually convey recording modes (Red – Recording, Green – Standby). It can accept up to a 32GB memory card, where its competition can only accepts up to 4GB. This allows you to record up to 8 hrs of video if you max out the card (1hr/4GB). The XC shoots in four different video resolution modes at 30 frames per second, and has an on-board microphone. It is very well built and incorporates a patented shock-proof battery cartridge design, which helps to prevent loss of video (sometimes an issue with other cameras). The camera can also operate deeper underwater than most of its competitors. You can connect the camera to your computer using the USB cable to download video, or you can pop out the flash card and plug it directly into your computer using an adapter (not included). The camera also comes with a TV interface cable so you can watch your video on the big screen. If you are interested in being creative, the XC comes with the ability to shoot time lapse photography. For those of you who live across the Atlantic and use PAL versus NTSC, the camera supports both formats. When you buy the camera, make sure you pick up an SD Card and some batteries, which are not included.

Menu Functions: Set Video Recording Mode (S, H, M, L) Set Video or Time Lapse Mode Set NTSC or PAL Set Day and Time (Military Time) Set Privacy Mode LCD Display: Video Mode (S, H, M, L) Recording Time  – Flashing Icon when Recording NTSC or PAL Mode Record or Time Lapse Mode SD Card Status (blinks when full) Privacy Mode Battery Charge Status

Special Features:

Video Modes:

• Superior – 640 x 480 VGA, 30 fps
• High – 640 x 480 VGA, compressed, 30 fps
• Medium – 320 x 240 QVGA, 30 fps
• Low – 320 x 240 QVGA, compressed, 30 fps
• You can get longer recording times with lower resolutions, but you sacrifice video quality.

Privacy Mode:

This function is set through the MENU. If you want to make your recordings, both video and still, in “secret”, you will not want your camera beeping or showing any LED indicators. There is an icon on the LCD that designates this mode.

Time Lapse:

This function is set through the MENU. One photo will be taken every two seconds. The number that you see displayed on the LCD will be the number of photos remaining until your memory card is full. There is an icon on the LCD that designates this mode.

Auto Save:

After you have been recording for 30 minutes, your camera will pause for five seconds to auto save your video footage to your memory card

Audio Cues:

There are a variety of audio cues which advise: Power-Up/Down, Recording Mode, Stand-by Mode.

Remote:

The remote uses a “line of site” IR technology to control the camera recording function. It is very simple to operate, having only a Start/Stop Recording Button. It would be nice if there was an LED on the remote to visually communicate when the camera is in “record” mode, but there is an LED on the front of the camera. The Remote “works” up to 20 feet away from  the camera. The working distance might be lower if you have interference from the sun shining into the sensor on the front of the camera. The remote is NOT waterproof, so you will need to protect it when working around environments where there is an exposure to water. The Remote requires AAA batteries for operation.

Available Accessory:

Tachyon offers an optional Green Power Pack (GPP) that can be used to plug your camera into a wall socket or into your car’s lighter adaptor. This will give you unlimited power when plugged in. When the GPP is unplugged and fully charged, you will also get one hour of power.  So the GPP is also, in effect, a rechargeable battery cartridge, and not just an adaptor.

Lens Armor (Cover)

This cover goes over the front of the camera to protect the lens from flying objects, and during storage or transport. If the lens gets damaged, usually the whole camera has to be replaced. This is the first camera I have reviewed where the manufacturer provides this important feature.

Test Environment:

1. Hand pans with the camera on different types of outdoor scenery  - color performance test – sunny day
2. Driving around the neighborhood in my car – general performance test – sunny day
3. Riding my bike around the neighborhood – general performance test – sunny day
4. Hand pan at dusk around the neighborhood– low light test
5. Shooting video in the rain – Waterproof Test

Resolution

The Tachyon XC can shoot in a variety of resolution modes. The video looked very good at the “superior” setting. The video in fact looked better than some of the higher priced cameras like the Drift X170. If you want more recording time, you can accomplish this by reducing the video quality in the MENU (trade-off). Picture clarity was pretty good too, which means the camera has a good lens. As mentioned in my review of the XC Micro, there may be some people who may not consider this camera because it is not HD, but HD cameras cost around $300, and you need a state-of-the-art computer to edit HD video files due to their size.  I personally like standard definition, and I think the video shot with this camera looks pretty good on your computer or uploaded on YouTube.

Field of View (FOV):

The FOV for this camera is 90 degrees, which is close to what the human eye sees. It is much better than its competitors, which I feel are too narrow. With the XC, you capture a reasonable amount of the surrounding action in a shot.

Color

The Tachyon XC did pretty very in this area. Blues were really blue, and all of the other colors were well saturated. Colors were more pronounced in brighter lighting conditions, but this is typical with all CMOS based cameras.

Low Light

Like every other CMOS helmet camera, the XC is specifically tuned for shooting in sunlight. The camera did pretty well in transitioning between light and dark shooting conditions. CMOS cameras typically struggle in low light settings, but the XC and the Micro version did very well in my low light tests. In fact, they both outperformed the higher end Contour HD that I tested a few months ago.

Alignment

All the cameras in this price range use the same camera alignment technique. You have to use your eyeball to line up the camera mounting and shoot some test footage to verify its position. Once you get it set, you are good to go.

Audio

The XC records mono audio on one channel, like the Micro version. If you want a stereo affect, you will need to use editing software to duplicate the channel. The microphone is internal to the unit, and as with all waterproof cameras, its performance is muted. The only way to improve the audio performance is to open up the camera’s back door, but that will expose the camera’s internal components to the environment. I tested the audio performance with the back door closed and with it open, with me speaking toward the camera at distances of 1, 2, and 3 feet. With the back door closed, the audio performance was really poor. It picked up some ambient sound, but you could not hear any speech. With the back door open, the audio performance drastically improved. Besides ambient sound, you could hear my speech with reasonable clarity at all three test distances. Lastly, low frequency sounds, such as engines, and underwater sounds tend to come through better than others when the door is closed.

Battery

The XC incorporates an auto-save feature. In a situation where the camera senses batteries are running low, it will stop the recording, save the current video footage, and then shut off. You can use alkaline or lithium AA batteries for the camera, but the manufacturer recommends lithium because they are lighter, and provide longer operational times. Alkaline batteries die quickly in cold weather, so you should only use lithium batteries under these conditions. The manufacturer advises not to use rechargeable batteries because they will not fit into the battery tray, their voltage ratings are irregular and can “fry” the camera, and they do not work properly with the auto-save feature risking the potential loss of video footage. Name-Brand Alkaline Batteries will give you around 2:45 (Energizer); 3:10(Duracell) hours of recording time. Energizer Lithium/Ultimate Lithium Batteries will give you up to 10 hours of recording time.

Mount

The camera comes with a nice selection of mount options. You can mount it to the top or side of your helmet and it includes a mount with a ¼-20 thread. This allows you to attach the camera to a tripod, or to a suction type mount used on a windshield or car body panel, or to some other type of rigid mount for a motorcycle or ATV.

Waterproof

The camera is rated for 30’. There is a YouTube link in this article where someone is using the camera while scuba diving, which is pretty cool. For my test, there was a storm front moving through my neighborhood over the weekend, so I set the camera out in the rain and let it record for 5 minutes. There were no issues with the recording.

Remote

I tested the remote on an overcast day (no sun interference) at 5’, 10’, 15’, and 20’. The remote worked fine every time up to 5’ and 10’. Once I got to 15’, the performance was inconsistent. At  20’ I was unable to activate the camera after several attempts. As it pertains to audio cues from the camera, the neighborhood was quiet that day, and I was able to hear the audio cues at 15’. Based on my tests, I would say the Remote works consistently up to 10’ from the camera.

Warranty

The camera comes with a standard 90 day limited warranty from date of purchase, which is typical for all cameras in this price range.

Feature		XC		Epic		ACT3K
Price		$149.99		$149.99		129.95
Max Resolution		640 x 480, 30FPS		640 x 480, 30FPS		640 x 480, 30FPS
Max SD Card (GB)		32		4		4
Batteries		(2) AA		(2) AAA		(2) AA
Battery Life		Up to 10 hours		2 hours		2 hours
Water Proof		To 30’		To 20’		To 10’
Field of View (Degrees)		90		45		48
LCD – Monitor recording time		Yes		Yes		Yes
Dimensions		4”L x 2”D x2.5”H		2.7”L x 1.3” Wide		4.25”L x 1.75”D x 2”H
File Format		AVI		AVI		AVI
Shock Proof		Yes		Questionable		Yes
Mounting Hardware		Nice Selection		Adequate		Nice Selection
Remote Control		Yes		No		No

Promo Video (A compilation of user’s video clips)

http://www.youtube.com/user/TachyonXC?feature=pyv&ad=4346904184&kw=airsoft#p/u/0/M2TLFjSew0o

RC Indoor Car Racing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QauIvLrS4hg

Underwater Spear Fishing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckJHxgm_1jQ

Road Bike Footage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TBthFvwyu4

Snowboarding:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4CtabPeoGA

The XC Camera is a little larger than its competitors, but it has a more robust design and construction. The camera is built to operate in extreme conditions and is shock resistant. It can accept up to a 32GB flash card, which its competition cannot match. The video performance was pretty good regarding resolution, clarity, smoothness, and color (same as Micro version). The field of view is far superior to the ACT3K and the Epic, along with its waterproof rating. The GoPro’s resolution is not as good as the XC, and the GoPro’s FOV at 170 degrees shows image distortion. The Tachyon XC is very easy to operate, and provides audio cues regarding its operation. For $150, you get a great camera for the money. The manufacturer includes ¼-20 mount so you can attach it to a tri-pod and some other type of camera mounts. The camera is now shipping with Lens Armor to protect the lens while in storage, transit, or in the field. Based on video performance, I think the XC and its little brother are the best helmet cameras in their class. In closing, the Tachyon XC shoots nice looking video, and if you like bells and whistles, this is the camera for you.

Manufacturer’s Comments about the camera:

• If you are not going to use the camera for long period of time, always remove the batteries from the camera. Also, store the camera in a cool, dry place with the back door open
• When selecting an SD Card, only purchase a Class 6 or better to ensure a fast encoder rate (smoother video)
• After using the camera in a salt water environment, always rinse it off since salt water is a corrosive.

Check out the manual for the Tachyon XC

Also check out the Tachyon XC website

Helmet Camera Central Price: $149.99 ( Now Shipping )

Click Here for Live Chat
We are available toll-free at 888-409-4408 to answer your questions.
Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Mike Stoll has been using helmet cameras for over six years in a variety of outdoor sports including caving, whitewater rafting, and downhill racing to mention a few. He has also written articles relating to helmet cameras for VideoMaker, Canoe & Kayak, and Paddling Life.

Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business. Helmet Camera Central is a resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Since 2005, we have reviewed numerous helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Our reviews focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. Since we use helmet camera systems in addition to selling them, our reviews result from actual day-to-day experiences with the products. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are our top priority. Rest assured, the helmet camera systems that we recommend and sell at HelmetCameraCentral.com were chosen for good reason: they rock! There are many systems out there, but the ones we recommend provide exceptional quality and services for the best return on your investment.

We are also here to answer your questions and help you choose a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, you can find it at HelmetCameraCentral.com. And if our recommended systems do not fit your needs, we will put you in contact with the right vendor to find the best solution.

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Tachyon XC Micro Product Review

1. Introduction
2. What’s Included
3. Key Camera Features
4. Camera Performance and Comparison
5. Sample Video
6. Conclusion
7. Pricing
8. About HelmetCameraCentral.com
9. About The Author
10. Changelog

The Tachyon XC Micro is an entry level helmet camera that is well constructed and waterproof to over 30’. It is built for extreme conditions, and could be used in a variety of sports where rain, snow, water, and mud are a factor. The manual for the XC Micro is only available on-line, so you’ll need to download it to learn how to operate the camera. Its primary competitors in its price range are the Oregon Scientific ACT3K, and the Epic Action Cam. The XC Micro records video in AVI format, and can accept up to a 32GB Micro SD Card. It is relatively compact and runs on (2) AAA batteries. It comes with a universal mount that allows you to secure the camera to the top or side of your helmet. Its CMOS chip boasts low light performance, though it is configured to shoot best during a sunny day. As you will read, I think you will realize that the XC Micro is the best in its class.

Camera Mount USB Cable TV Cable 3M Velcro Strip for Mounting

As mentioned, the camera is relatively small measuring 3.7”L x 1.4”D x 1.5”H. It has a 90 degree field of view, which is far superior to its competition. The XC Micro is a “point and shoot” type of camera, and is very easy to operate. It has one button on top of the camera to start and stop recording, and incorporates audio cues to convey different modes of operation. It can accept up to a 32GB memory card, where its competition can only accepts up to 4GB. This allows you to record up to 8 hrs of video if you max out the card (1hr/4GB). The XC Micro shoots in standard definition at 30 frames per second, and has an on-board microphone. It is very sturdy and shock resistant, and the camera can operate deeper underwater than its competitors. You can connect the camera to your computer using the USB cable to download video, or you can pop out the flash card and plug it directly into your computer using an adapter (not included). The camera also comes with a TV interface cable so you can watch your video on the big screen. If you are interested in being creative, the XC Micro comes with the ability to shoot time lapse photography. For those of you who live across the pond and use PAL versus NTSC, the camera supports both formats. When you buy the camera, make sure you pick up a Micro SD Card and AAA batteries, which are not included.

Camera Operation:

• There is a small LED just above your start/stop button. When you push the button to record, the unit with give you an audio cue, and the LED light will turn red.
• When you are in Time-Lapse Photo mode, this light will flash red – green – red – green.
• When your Micro SD Card is full, it will flash green (short pulses).
• If there is no Micro SD Card in your camera, or if there is an error with the card, it will flash green (long pulses).
• After you have been recording for 30 minutes, your camera will pause for five seconds to auto save your video footageto your memory card

Test Environment:

1. Hand pans with the camera on different types of flowers  - color performance test – sunny day
2. Driving around the neighborhood in my car – general performance test – sunny day
3. Riding my bike around the neighborhood – general performance test – sunny day
4. Hand pan at dusk around the neighborhood– low light test
5. Shooting footage in my basement with supplemental lighting – low light test
6. Spraying camera with a garden hose – waterproof test

Resolution

The Tachyon shoots in standard resolution. The video looked pretty good, and better than some of the higher end competitors priced at $200. Picture clarity was pretty good too, which means the camera has a good lens. There may be some people who may not consider this camera because it is not HD, but I would mention HD cameras cost around $300, and you need a state-of-the-art computer to edit HD video files due to their size.  I personally like standard definition, and I think the video shot with this camera looks pretty good on your computer or uploaded on YouTube.

Field of View (FOV):

The FOV for this camera is 90 degrees, which is close to what the human eye sees. It is much better than its competitors, which I feel are too narrow. With the XC Micro, you capture a reasonable amount of the surrounding action in a shot. There may be some instances where it would be nice to have a FOV around 120 degrees, but I think 90 degrees will fit most helmet camera shooting events.

Color

Fortunately, I reviewed this camera around spring, and had a chance to evaluate the camera’s color performance by shooting flowers. The camera did a great job in this area, with all the colors being well saturated, bright, and vivid.

Low Light

Like every other CMOS helmet camera, the XC Micro is specifically tuned for shooting in sunlight. The camera did pretty well in transitioning between light and dark shooting conditions. CMOS cameras typically struggle in low light settings, and I was anxious to see how well the XC Micro would perform. I shot some test video in my neighborhood around dusk, and the camera still performed quite well. I also tested the camera in my basement using supplemental lighting. The manufacturer boasts the camera’s low light performance, and I have to agree with them. The XC Micro performs well in low light, and actually outperformed the higher end Contour HD that I tested a few months ago.

Alignment

All the cameras in this price range use the same camera alignment technique. You have to use your eyeball to line up the camera mounting and shoot some test footage to verify its position. Once you get it set, you are good to go. This technique is a bit more cumbersome that some of the higher end cameras that use lasers or an LCD screen for alignment, but then again, they cost $200 more.

Audio

The XC Micro records mono audio on one channel. If you want a stereo affect, you will need to use editing software to duplicate the channel. The microphone is internal to the unit, and as with all waterproof cameras, its performance is muted. The only way to improve the audio performance is to open up the camera’s back door, but that will expose the camera’s internal components to the environment. I tested the audio performance with the back door closed and with it open, with me speaking toward the camera at distances of 1, 2, and 3 feet. With the back door closed, the audio performance was really poor. It picked up some ambient sound, but you could not hear any speech. With the back door open, the audio performance drastically improved. Besides ambient sound, you could hear my speech with reasonable clarity at all three test distances.

Battery

The XC Micro incorporates an auto-save feature. In a situation where the camera senses batteries are running low, it will stop the recording, save the current video footage, and then shut off. You can use alkaline or lithium AAA batteries, but the manufacturer recommends lithium because they are lighter, and can provide up to four hours of operation. Alkaline batteries only provide one hour of operation in a warm environment (5 minutes in a cold environment). The manufacturer advises not to use rechargeable batteries because they will not fit into the battery tray, their voltage ratings are irregular and can “fry” the camera, and they do not work properly with the auto-save feature risking the potential loss of video footage.

Mount

The camera comes with a universal mount that allows you to mount it to the top or side of your helmet. As long as your helmet has a smooth surface, it works fine. If your helmet has irregular surfaces, you may find it challenging to mount the camera properly. There are no other mounts available for this camera, unlike the Oregon Scientific ACT3K, which includes a variety of mounts with its camera. The other gripe I have with most helmet cam manufacturers is that they do not offer a mount that includes a ¼-20 thread. If they did, you could use the camera with a multitude of camera mounts (bar, vacuum, tripod, etc).

Waterproof

The camera is rated for 30’, and based on its design and construction, I can believe it. My waterproof test included turning my garden hose on the camera while it was recording. Needless to say, it performed flawlessly.

Warranty

The camera comes with a standard 90 day limited warranty from date of purchase, which is typical for all cameras in this price range.

Feature		XC Micro		Epic		ACT3K
Price		$129.99		$149.99		129.95
Max Resolution		640 x 480, 30FPS		640 x 480, 30FPS		640 x 480, 30FPS
Max SD Card (GB)		32		4		4
Batteries		(2) AAA		(2) AAA		(2) AA
Water Proof		To 30’		To 20’		To 10’
Field of View (Degrees)		90		45		48
LCD – Monitor recording time		No		Yes		Yes
Dimensions		3.7”L x 1.4”D x 1.5”H		2.7”L x 1.3” Wide		4.25”L x 1.75”D x 2”H
File Format		AVI		AVI		AVI
Shock Proof		Yes		Questionable		Yes
Mounting Hardware		Adequate		Adequate		Nice Selection

• The universal mount that comes with the camera is adequate. It would be nice if Tachyon offered a mount with a ¼-20 thread to expand the camera’s mounting capabilities.
• Some of the competitors include a simple LCD display to show recording time. This might be a nice feature to add in the future. Adding this feature, though, may impact its waterproof performance. None of the competitors can match the XC Micro’s performance in this area. Also, if you know the capacity of your memory card and have a watch, you can track the recording time yourself.
• It would like to see the LED indicator light moved from the top of the camera to the front. This would allow an observer to advise the videographer if the camera is in record mode.
• I would like to see the camera come with a lens cap. This is another gripe I have with most manufacturers. Protecting the lens from damage is very important, and I have yet to see a helmet camera manufacturer provide a lens cap.

• Camera mounted to Remote Control Plane
• Time Lapse Photography Example
• Motorcycle Run – Low Light
• Jet Ski

The XC Micro is slightly heavier than its competitors, but it has a more robust design and construction. The camera is built to operate in extreme conditions and is shock resistant. It can accept up to a 32GB flash card, which its competition cannot touch. The video performance was pretty good regarding resolution, clarity, smoothness, and color. The field of view is far superior to the ACT3K and the Epic, along with its waterproof rating. The camera is very easy to operate, and provides audio cues regarding its operation. For $130, you get a great little camera for the money. I watched video shot with the ACT3K and the Epic on YouTube, and the XC Micro video quality is much better. Based on video performance, I think the XC Micro is the best helmet camera in its class. If you search YouTube for XC Micro footage, there are pages and pages of video footage, which says a lot about the camera’s popularity and acceptance.

Manufacturer’s Comments about the camera:

• If you are not going to use the camera for long period of time, always remove the batteries from the camera. Also, store the camera in a cool, dry place with the back door open
• When selecting a Micro SD Card, only purchase a Class 6 or better to ensure a fast encoder rate (smoother video)
• After using the camera in a salt water environment, always rinse it off since salt water is corrosive

Check out the manual for the Tachyon XC Micro

Also check out the Tachyon XC website

Helmet Camera Central Price: $129.99 ( Now Shipping )

Click Here for Live Chat
We are available toll-free at 888-409-4408 to answer your questions.
Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Mike Stoll has been using helmet cameras for over six years in a variety of outdoor sports including caving, whitewater rafting, and downhill racing to mention a few. He has also written articles relating to helmet cameras for VideoMaker, Canoe & Kayak, and Paddling Life.

Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business. Helmet Camera Central is a resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Since 2005, we have reviewed numerous helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Our reviews focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. Since we use helmet camera systems in addition to selling them, our reviews result from actual day-to-day experiences with the products. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are our top priority. Rest assured, the helmet camera systems that we recommend and sell at HelmetCameraCentral.com were chosen for good reason: they rock! There are many systems out there, but the ones we recommend provide exceptional quality and services for the best return on your investment.

We are also here to answer your questions and help you choose a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, you can find it at HelmetCameraCentral.com. And if our recommended systems do not fit your needs, we will put you in contact with the right vendor to find the best solution.

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Hoyttech – MSR-200 Product Review

1. Introduction
2. What’s Included
3. Key Camera Features
4. Camera Performance
5. Comparison
6. Sample Video
7. Conclusion
8. Pricing
9. About HelmetCameraCentral.com
10. About The Author – Mike Stoll
11. Changelog

I have been using point-of-view (POV) cameras for over five years, and this is the first one I have seen that was designed specifically for the Motorsport industry. It uses a unique vacuum cup mount that allows you to attach it to any smooth, non-porous surface including windshields, dashboards, hoods, etc. Hoyttech also sells a mount, which allows you to secure the camera to a roll bar or motorcycle frame. The camera includes a variety of video modes to select from including standard or high definition.

MSR-200 High Definition MotorSports Camera with Built-In Mic Suction Cup Mount 3-Point Mounting Bracket Wired Start/Stop REC Remote Control (1 meter) Remote Control Extension Cable (2 meters) Cigarette Lighter Power Adapter Quick-Swap Internal Li-Ion Battery AC Power Adapter/Charger A/V Out Cable (Playback videos thru your TV) USB Cable User Manual 2GB SD Card ArcSoft Software for easy YouTube uploads

The camera is relatively small. It measures out at 100mm x 69mm x 25mm. It includes a 2X zoom, allowing you to adjust the focus for an ideally framed shot. This is a nice feature over most other POV’s that only have a fixed focal length. The lens provides a 110 degree wide angle field of view, allowing you to capture a lot of the action, without the distortion often seen with other POV’s with wider fields of view. The camera can shoot at 60 frames per second (fps), which is great for when you want to add a slow motion effect. Video shot at 60 fps will look a lot smoother in slow motion than video shot at 30 fps. The kit includes a 3 foot cabled remote so you can start and stop recording at the touch of a button. This is much more convenient and safer than having to lean over to a windshield mounted camera and operate it via its onboard controls. The camera ships with a suction mount that allows you to position the camera in a variety of locations and positions. If you do decide to mount the camera on the outside of a car using the vacuum mount, make sure you tether it just in case the vacuum loses its seal. The mounting bracket for the camera has several threaded mounting holes, so you can attach it to a tripod or variety of other camera mounts. The camera can accept up to a 32GB SD Card, providing you with up to 12 hours of HD footage, and over 24 hrs of standard definition footage.

The camera includes a 2.4” TFT LCD screen, which is a very nice size for framing a shot or watching video playback. The screen quality is sharp with good color resolution. The rubberized cover does a nice job in protecting the camera from everyday bumps and dings, and also protects the camera from the elements including rain, mud, and snow. Besides shooting video, you can take high quality JPEG pictures. The difference between this camera and other POV’s, is that the Hoyttech can shoot pictures at either 3MP, 5MP, or 8MP, where most other POV’s are limited to only 5MP. When you are ready to edit or upload your video (H.264 format), you can move it over to the computer via the built-in USB connector, or pop out the SD card and plug it into a computer port. The camera includes a feature where you can connect it to your TV to playback video or view pictures. The camera comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides 1.25 hours of HD recording time, and two hours of WVGA recording time. The battery is located in the front compartment of the camera and can be swapped out very quickly. The camera comes with a variety of charging accessories including an AC Charger, Cigarette Lighter Adapter, and a USB connector for a computer. If the camera is mounted on the outside of a car, or on a motorcycle, there is a chance the lens could be hit by flying rocks, bugs, and other debris. With this camera, you can replace the external lens should it get damaged. This feature is typically not available on other types of POV’s. If for some reason the camera develops a mechanical problem, it is covered by a 12 month warranty by the manufacturer.

Camcorder Mode: In this mode, you can adjust the white balance to compensate for different lighting conditions; change the video resolution from standard to high definition; select from one of three shooting modes (color, black and white, and sepia – old movie); and if you are shooting in very low light conditions, the camera offers a “night mode”.

Setup Mode: In this mode, you can elect to have a histogram displayed on the LCD screen to help evaluate lighting and exposure; select auto power on/off (none, 1 minute, or 5 minute); select NTSC or Pal; select video format; reset the camera to original default settings, select a display language (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian); select either 50 or 60 Hz frequency, and set the time and date.

This camera provides a lot of cool menu driven features that most POV’s in its price range do not offer, allowing the user to tweak the performance parameters to help guarantee a great shot.

When mounting a camera inside a vehicle, behind the driver and facing out the front window, the view outside the car can get over exposed. This camera offers the ability to adjust the exposure to help eliminate the video from looking “washed-out”. This is another great feature typically not found on other POV’s.

Video Modes and Performance:

• 1280×720 (HD) @ 30fps – 20 minutes recording time per Gigabyte of memory (SD Card)
• 854×480 (WVGA) @ 60fps – 48 minutes recording time per Gigabyte of memory (SD Card)
• 320×240 (QVGA) @ 30fps – 190 minutes recording time per Gigabyte of memory (SD Card)

The primary competition for the Hoyttech MSR-200, is the VholdR Contour HD 1080, and the GoPro HD Motorsport. All are within $30.00 of each other, and also record in HD. The Contour HD 1080 and GoPro HD Motorsport can be used either as a helmet camera or a Motorsport camera, where as the Hoyttech MSR-200 can be used as a Motorsport camera or a pocket camcorder.

Comparative Camera Performance

Test Conditions:

1. Test Condition #1: I mounted the camera to the windshield of my Hyundai Sonata, with the camera pointed back at me and pointed out the front windshield. I recorded video between 5:00 – 7:30 P.M. on overcast and sunny days.
2. Test Condition #2: I attached the camera onto the hood of my car, pointing back at the front driver and passenger area. I made sure I tethered the camera incase the vacuum seal broke.
3. Test Condition #3: Since there were no rainy days during this evaluation period, I tested the camera’s weather resistance by attaching it to the hood of my car and showering it with water from my garden hose.

Results:

• Video Resolution: The Hoyttech MSR-200 performed very well in this category, and has three different resolution settings. The Contour HD (4 resolution settings) and the GoPro HD (3 resolution settings) performed slightly better regarding resolution and image sharpness.
• Exposure: The ability to modify the exposure setting helps you avoid having video looked “washed out” in unique lighting situations. The Hoyttech allows you to manually tweak the exposure setting from +2 to –2, and Contour HD allows you to tweak the setting between +4 to –4. The GoPro HD does not provide this feature. The Hoyttech and Contour HD performed better than the GoPro HD in unusual lighting conditions. I would mention that all of these cameras use a CMOS imager, which are energy efficient, but do not perform well in low light conditions. To get the best results, all of these cameras should be used during the day in plenty of light.
• Zoom: The Hoyttech includes a 2X lens, which helps you frame a shot using the built-in LCD monitor. This is a very nice feature, which the other two cameras do not offer. The zoom and LCD also allows you to effectively use the Hoyttech like a pocket camcorder.
• Wide Angle/Distortion: The GoPro HD was a 170 degree field of view, which I consider an extreme wide angle. The camera captures a huge amount of area around the video subject, but there is also a noticeable amount if image distortion. The Contour HD and the Hoyttech MSR-200 both have wide fields of view between 110 and 135 degrees, which still capture a lot of the surrounding area, but with much less image distortion. Depending on the type of shot you want to capture, some people like extreme wide angles, while others do not.
• Configuration: The GoPro HD allows you to configure some of its camera settings, but it is very limited. The Hoyttech MSR-200 allows you to configure a variety of shooting parameters affecting lighting, video appearance (Color, B&W, Sepia), and very low light conditions. This can all be done on the camera via the built-in LCD screen and function keys, which is very convenient. The Contour HD allows you to configure a significant amount of camera settings, but your camera must be connected to a computer.
• Audio Performance: All of these cameras have muted audio performance because of their designs. They all have some type of cover to protect the microphone from water, or to reduce wind noise. These cameras are really designed to only pick up ambient sound, not dialog. No matter which camera you are using, if you want to pick up dialog, the subject must be within 2 feet of the camera. The Hoyttech MSR-200 records MONO audio, but on both the left and right channels. This is a nice feature, because most of the competing POV’s only record Mono on one channel, which means you have to use video editing software to duplicate a channel to get a “stereo” sound. When I played back the Hoyttech video segments on my computer, I heard a high-pitched noise in the background. It was faint, but noticeable. Hoyttech knows of the problem, and is investigating the situation. One type of audio test included mounting the cameras on a stationary tripod and without any type of waterproof case. This eliminated the affects of wind noise and the muting affect of a case. Based on this test, the GoPro HD had the best “raw” audio performance, followed by the Contour HD, with the Hoyttech coming in third.
• Road/Wind Noise: External Mounting – If you expose any of these cameras to speeds over 20 miles per hour, the wind noise makes the audio unusable in my opinion. Internal Mounting – Once you reach highway speeds, the road and traffic noise also makes the audio from any of the cameras unusable. All of the cameras performed the same under these test conditions.
• Water Resistant/Proof: The Contour HD and the Hoyttech MSR-200 are both splash, rain, and snow resistant. Hoyttech does not offer a waterproof case for their camera, but you can purchase a $40 waterproof case for the Contour HD if you want to shoot underwater. The GoPro HD is not water resistant, but a waterproof case is included with the camera kit, which is very nice. The Hoyttech did very well when I tested it using my garden hose to simulate rain.
• Alignment: The Hoyttech includes an LCD screen, which is great for aligning a shot, and for playing back video. Neither the Contour HD, nor the GoPro HD have this feature. The Contour HD uses onboard lasers to help with alignment, and GoPro HD relies on your eyeball and its very wide 170 degree field of view to ensure your subject is in the shot. Needless to say, I preferred the Hoyttech’s LCD screen for aligning my shots versus the methods offered by the other two cameras.
• Suction Mount: Suction mounts only work on smooth surfaces like windshields, or body panels. I could not get them to stick on my “textured” dashboard. The Contour HD suction mount seems a little light. It works fine for mounting the camera to the inside windshield of the car, but I would be apprehensive about mounting it to the outside of the car. The suction mounts for the Hoyttech MSR-200 and GoPro HD are much more robust, and performed well in all applications. I really liked the Hoyttech’s mount flexibility and adhesion strength. It also did a great job isolating the car vibration from the camera resulting in the video looking very stable. You could position the camera to point out through the windshield, or back into the driving cabin. Hoyttech says their mount has been used at speeds in excess of 150 mph (Wow!).

• In a shooting condition where you have the camera mounted on the windshield pointing back at you, it would be nice if the camera had an LED on the front to visually indicate when the camera was in standby mode or when it was recording.
• Since the camera has an LCD to view video playback, it would be nice if the camera also had a speaker so you could hear the audio.

Regarding the three, the Contour HD 1080 wins on raw video and audio performance, and the Hoyttech wins on features, such as the LCD monitor, suction mount, weather resistance, and the ability to configure various camera settings. The Hoyttech MSR-200 was easy to operate and change various camera settings. The video segments had good color and looked “smooth” at both 30 and 60 fps. When using it in a car, I really liked using remote control cable to stop and start the recording function. Neither the Contour HD nor the GoPro HD offer a remote control feature for recording. The on-board microphone did a reasonable job picking up the dialog inside the car, and the suction mount firmly held the camera in place whether it was mounted on the windshield or the hood. I liked the weatherproof rubberized casing, though the rubber is a little tacky and has a tendency to attract fuzz and dust. The replaceable front lens is a great feature considering the camera’s primary application in the motorsport industry. The camera comes with software that helps transfer the video to your computer and then upload it to YouTube. Based on my evaluation of this product, and how it compares to other POV’s with similar features, the MSR-200 is a very good value for the price and very well designed for Motorsport. For more information about this camera, you can visit:

Helmet Camera Central Price: $299.99 ( Now Shipping )

Click Here for Live Chat
We are available toll-free at 888-409-4408 to answer your questions.
Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Mike Stoll has been using helmet cameras for over six years in a variety of outdoor sports including caving, whitewater rafting, and downhill racing to mention a few. He has also written articles relating to helmet cameras for VideoMaker, Canoe & Kayak, and Paddling Life.

Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business. Helmet Camera Central is a resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Since 2005, we have reviewed numerous helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Our reviews focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. Since we use helmet camera systems in addition to selling them, our reviews result from actual day-to-day experiences with the products. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are our top priority. Rest assured, the helmet camera systems that we recommend and sell at HelmetCameraCentral.com were chosen for good reason: they rock! There are many systems out there, but the ones we recommend provide exceptional quality and services for the best return on your investment.

We are also here to answer your questions and help you choose a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, you can find it at HelmetCameraCentral.com. And if our recommended systems do not fit your needs, we will put you in contact with the right vendor to find the best solution.

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Some highlights of the Liquid Image Video Scuba Mask HD320 :

• This is the worlds only swim mask that has an integrated waterproof digital still and HD video camera
• The 5 MP camera can operate to a depth of 115′, making it ideal for use when scuba diving, free diving, or snorkeling
• Video Mode – 30 FPS @ 720p HD
• Image Resolution – 5.0MP CMOS Sensor 2560×1920
• Light attachments available for deeper dives
• Record all your underwater adventures!

• What You Get
• The Liquid Image Under Water Video Mask
  • Pros
  • Cons
• Liquid Image Documentation
• Codec Settings
• Sample Video Clips, RAW and Unaltered
• Recording Capacity
• Battery Time
• Warranty and Support
• Software
• Summary and Recommendation
• Pricing
• About HelmetCameraCentral.com
• Review Change Log

• USB Cable
• User Manual
• Carrying Case
• ArcSoft Photo Impression Software
• ArcSoft Video Impression Software
• 4 AAA Energizer Lithium Batteries
• Silicone Grease

One of the first things you notice when you inspect the Liquid Image Video Scuba Mask HD320 is the streamlined design of the unit. The dive mask is a hybrid, combining 720p HD video capabilities and 5 megapixel camera with a sleek dive mask made of very solid composite materials with a flashy metal-flake blue paint job. The lenses are made of high quality tempered glass and have a cross hair in the center of each – helping you to frame in your video and photos. There are two compartments on either side of the mask, both double sealed and accessible via threaded caps, which  house the 4 AAA lithium batteries which power the unit. You can expect battery run time of over 2 hours with high quality batteries.

Highlights of the Drift X170

• The X170 delivers DVD quality video and 5Mp photographs
• Functions can be controlled by a wireless RF remote control
• A 1.5″ screen helps you to line up the perfect shot and to show off your video right away
• Memory expansion up to 8Gb on SD card
• With a wide angle lens of 170º you will get all the action in your shot
• All the mounts that you need are provided, plus it has a metal 8mm mount
• The price tag for all of this is incredible!

• What You Get
• The Drift X170
  • Pros
  • Cons
• Drift X170 Documentation
• Codec Settings
• Sample Video Clips, RAW and Unaltered
• Sample Video Frame Grabs
• Recording Capacity
• Battery Time
• Warranty and Support
• Summary and Recommendation
• Pricing
• About HelmetCameraCentral.com
• Review Change Log

Included in the box, you will find the following:

• X170 Action Camera
• Remote Control
• Handlebar Grip
• Goggle Mount
• Head Strap
• Helmet Grip
• Universal Clip
• Velcro Strap
• AV Cable for playing back TV
• USB Cable for downloading to your computer
• 2x AA “Try-Out” Batteries which will last approx 30mins
• Quick Guide to get you started
• Industrial strength sticky pads
• Industrial strength velcro adhesive pad

Pros

One of the first features that you’ll notice when taking your new X170 out of the box is the 1.5″ screen. We found that having a screen on the camera itself is a seriously useful function to have for two main reasons; firstly you can line up the best angle when mounting the camera so that you don’t get home after a long day out expecting to see brilliant videos only to find that you have been filming blue sky all day. Secondly, and more importantly is watching your videos on the screen straight after you’ve come off the slope, track, or water with your mates!

On the front of the camera it’s easy to see how wide the 170º lens is. With previous narrower angle cameras it was difficult to gain perspective of the speed that you were going because the lens only saw the track in front of you. With 170º field of view you won’t only see the what’s in front of you but also the scenery around you or any other sports people around you. This truly puts the speed in perspective and is the way forward for point-of-view cameras.

The rear of the camera houses the back hatch which, when opened exposes the USB slot for downloading videos to your computer. The AV output allows you to play your videos straight onto your TV. The SD card slot accepts SD and HCSD cards up to a maximum of 8Gb. You will also find a door which holds two AA batteries. In your box you’ll find a set of two try-me batteries to get you going.
Charging a helmet camera with AA batteries may seem a little backwards these days as some new cameras are being charged with rechargeable lith-ion batteries. But considering all extreme sports are outdoors would you like batteries that can be quickly replaced or to have to find a wall socket to recharge your battery? We prefer to simply carry a spare set of batteries if we’re heading out for a long time, the guys at Drift Innovation seem to have thought this one though and have delivered the best solution for us.

On the underside of the X170 there is a built-in steel quarter inch thread (8mm thread) which is the standard thread on most cameras. Having this thread on the camera opens up a world of opportunities for mounting as you can attach it to suction mounts and roll bar mounts. However you don’t really need to look further then your X170 box for all the mounts that you might need.
The mount adapter inserts into the quarter inch thread securely. This adapter is a quick release adapter which is used to attach the camera to each of the mounting options in the box.

The handlebar mount fits onto handlebars of motorbikes, push bikes and mountain bikes. There is a rubber pad on the inside of the mount to keep it steady and it can be tightened into place with the lock-screw.
The helmet mount is designed to fit onto a helmet or smooth surface such as a bikes fairing. To fasten this on there are some industrial strength adhesive pads provided. There is no need to doubt the strength of these sticky pads, just make sure that you have them in the correct place before sticking them down as it’s really touch to remove but don’t worry about your paintwork – we’ve tested it a couple times on different paintworks and helmets to make sure that it won’t pull off your paint.
The goggle mount is a simple but really easy mount to use. Simply put your goggles strap into mount and you’re ready to go. The headstrap can also be used together with the goggle mount whenever you don’t have a helmet with you.

So what if you want to mount the camera on it’s side or upside down? No worries as the lens rotates 180º from one side to the other. This gives you the flexibility to mount the camera on either side of your helmet and on top while still being able to have an upright image by simply twisting the lens around. There are breaks at the main positions that will hold the lens steady once you have found the angle that you want.

One of our favorite parts of the X170 kit is the radio frequency wireless remote control. It comes with a strap to put it around your wrist, on handlebars or wherever else you may want it. The buttons are large enough to be used with any ski or bike gloves on and it couldn’t be simpler; the only two buttons are start and stop; this way you won’t confuse yourself half way through a ski run. Because it works radio frequency (as opposed to infra-red) it doesn’t need line-of-sight to operate which just make life all that much easier. The remote will work up to three meters (10 feet) from the camera.

Just in case you’ve managed to read this far down the review without being able to understand English, you would be pleased to know that the instruction manual and the cameras menus are multilingual. The manual with six languages already on it and the language on the camera can be changed easily in the menu settings. Choose between:
– English
– Spanish
– French
– Italian
– German, or
– Portuguese

Cons
One issue with the Drift x170 is it’s size. It’s a little on the large size, and while it does look pretty bulky in pictures, it’s not quite as big as it looks. Drift Innovation claims it’s because of the added screen size, which is understandable, but it still seems like it could have been a bit smaller. However it only weighs in at 128 grams, so it’s bulk is in volume, not weight.

Video quality is good but not amazing, but for a budget priced camera it’s really quite good. With all these HD cameras out there today it’s got it’s work cut out for it, but really makes up for it in price, ease of use, included mounts and LCD screen. The microphone is also a little sensitive, resulting in wind noise that kicks in at slightly lower speeds than the competitors.

A quick start guide is included with the x170.
Download a PDF Version of the manual here

Video format: MP4 or MJPEG AVI (user selectable)

Frames per second: 30 fps

Video format: 4:3 or 16:9 (user selectable)

Video resolution: 720 x 480

Download a sample RAW video clip from the X170 (11MB)

The Drift X170 is SD/SDHC compatible (includes 2GB). You can expect to record around 1 hour for every gigabyte of storage space on your memory card.

The x170 runs on two AA batteries, lithium ion batteries are highly recommended.

Battery Life=4 hours with lithium-ion batteries or 2-3 hours with rechargeable batteries

The Drift X170 has a 1 year manufacturers warranty

Extremely ruggedized, good image quality and brilliant value for money! The X170 Action Camera comes highly recommended by the specialists in this field. If you’re looking for a complete system on a budget this is definitely the camera for you!

Helmet Cam Central Price: $199.99 ( Order Here – In-Stock )

Click Here for Live Chat
We are available toll-free at 888-409-4408 to answer your questions.
Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business, Two Brothers Video. Helmet Camera Central is a resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Since 2005, we have reviewed numerous helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Our reviews focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. Since we use helmet camera systems in addition to selling them, our reviews result from actual day-to-day experiences with the products. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are our top priority. Rest assured, the helmet camera systems that we recommend and sell at HelmetCameraCentral.com were chosen for good reason: they rock! There are many systems out there, but the ones we recommend provide exceptional quality and services for the best return on your investment.

We are also here to answer your questions and help you choose a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, you can find it at HelmetCameraCentral.com. And if our recommended systems do not fit your needs, we will put you in contact with the right vendor to find the best solution.

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Hot on the heals of their ContourHD release, VholdR quickly comes to market with a premium version that supports full 1080p HD resolutions. Record life-like, full resolution, 1080p HD video on your head and share it online in seconds with VholdR’s new ContourHD1080p^TM, the world’s first full 1080p HD wearable camcorder that allows you to shoot AND easily share high-definition video. At just $329.99, the ContourHD 1080p was designed with the needs of outdoor enthusiasts in mind. This durable camera provides amazing video clarity (choose between a plethora of high definition or high action video modes), ease of use, and a host of mounting options and accessories. VholdR continues their successful ContourHD series with the same form factor, and a increased level of video quality of prosumers and consumers alike.

Highlights of the ContourHD 1080p:

• Full HD – 1080p (1920×1080) @ 30 fps
• Tall HD – 960p (1280×960) @ 30 fps
• Action HD – 720p (1280×720) @ 60 fps
• Contour HD – 720p (1280×720) @ 30fps
• Fast SD – WVGA (848×480) @ 60fps
• 135-degree wide angle lens
• 5 Megapixel Sensor
• Internal microphone (Adjustable)
• Quicktime H.264 MOV with AAC Audio
• MicroSD/SDHC up to 16GB (2GB included) – Up to 8 Hours of HD video
• Rechargable Lithium Ion Battery – Up to 3 hours per charge
• iPod(USB) Charge Compatible
• Adjustable Contrast, Light Metering, Exposure and Mic Sensitivity
• Fits VholdR TRail^TM mount system
• Easy Edit^TM and Share software
• Read the full review with sample video after the jump!

• What You Get
• The ContourHD1080p

  
  

  • Pros
  • Cons
• ContourHD1080p Documentation
• Codec Settings
• Sample Video Clips, RAW and Unaltered
• Sample Video Frame Grabs
• Recording Capacity
• Battery Time
• Warranty and Support
• Software
• Summary and Recommendation
• Pricing
• About HelmetCameraCentral.com
• Review Change Log

Included in the box, you will find the following:

• VholdR ContourHD 1080p wearable camcorder
• MicroSD card (2GB)
• Goggle mount
• Flat surface mount
• Rechargeable battery (up to 3 hrs)
• USB cable
• Quick start guide

Pros

This was the obvious next step in helmet cam technology and boy does it look nice. The improved 1080p video at a smooth 30 frames per second will please even the most demanding videophiles, as will the amazing color rendition, excellent exposure, and great contrast. The variety of video modes provided allows the consumer to capture video at frame sizes and rates to fit their needs. The 720p (1280 x 720) @ 60 fps is an absolute dream to watch when played back in slow motion! It features four HD settings (1080p, 960p, and two at 720p) with two frame rates (30fps and 60fps) and four configurable settings (metering, contrast, exposure, and microphone sensitivity). But most importantly, the ContourHD software will share your adventures in “Lifelike” 1080p video to VholdR.com.

The all new image censor and video processing chipset focuses on motion and color so that the watcher has a like-like experience during viewing. The resulting HD footage is a true pleasure to watch whether it’s in it’s native video state – or viewed online at VholdR.com. Another new addition to the mix is the abiltity to adjust Contrast levels, Light Metering, Exposure and Microphone Sensitivity. The settings can be easily adjusted when the ContourHD 1080p is connected to your PC or MAC via the USB cable using the included Easy Edit software. In addition to powerful video settings and enhanced color saturation, the ContourHD1080p is also equipped with a 135-degree fisheye lens to record the entire scene without over-distorting the video. The overall video quality in the ContourHD 1080p has AGAIN improved significantly.

So that users have a wealth of video to choose from, the ContourHD has an internal microSD memory card that easily stores up to eight hours of HD footage and is compatible with up to 16GB memory cards. The ContourHD1080p also features an upgraded microphone that records all of the action, without the wind noise due to its ability to adjust the microphone sensitivity.

VholdR not only designed the ContourHD1080p to capture exceptional quality video, they also designed the camcorder for ease of use. The camera features a single, oversized record button, which you can slide forward to begin recording and slide back to stop. A rotating 192-degree lens and two lasers help users accurately align shots. Users simply rotate the lens until the lasers are lined up horizontally.

Capture HD video anywhere and from any angle with this versatile camcorder. The ContourHD1080p is compatible with VholdR’s TRail^TM Mounts, which provide a variety of options, including mounts for goggles, handlebars, helmets, and vehicles. Included with the camera are the helmet mount and goggle strap mount. The helmet mount is super versatile and can be attached to most helmets and hard surfaces. The goggle strap mount provides cool point of view and is very convienent to use.

With all of these features, users might expect a delicate or cumbersome camcorder. However, the revolutionary Contour HD is light (4oz, 116g), compact, and durable. The camcorder’s water-resistant body is made of anodized aluminum and rigorously tested to withstand dirt, dust, mud, and snow. Additionally, the ContourHD1080p is impact, shock, and vibration resistant, and the all-in-one design of the Contour HD means that users don’t have to fumble with multiple wires.

The audio has also been greatly improved on this model. Wind noise is minimal and you can hear most ambient sounds. For those of you ninjas hoping to record without making a sound, you’re in luck. If you start the camera up with the switch set to record, there will be no beeps confirming power up, recording, stopping etc.

Another cool upgrade from the VholdR is the car charger. This handy little device can charge your ContourHD1080p off of any 12 volt power source while recording. Paired with an 8 or 16 GB card, you could record some serious footage!

The ContourHD1080p makes it as easy to share videos as it does to record them. Thanks to VholdR’s Easy Edit^TM software (PC and Mac compatible) users can easily edit, upload, and share their videos with friends, family, and the world.

Cons
The VholdR Contour HD wearable camcorder is equipped with numerous features and upgrades to ensure that outdoor enthusiasts and adventure-seekers capture the best footage in HD. However, there are some limitations. As with most camcorders, battery life is an issue; the ContourHD1080p is no exception. The largercamcorder features a rechargeable lithium ion battery and testing revealed that the Contour HD only had approximately two hours of battery life. To avoid missing any shot, backup batteries are a great idea.

While the ability to capture 60 frames per second is exciting, it isn’t particularly useful for distributing video footage because YouTube and DVDs do not support 60 frames per second. VholdR’s video sharing portal will support 60 frames per second. For those not using of VholdR’s sharing portal, a potential solution is to stretch out sections of the video to 30 frames per second resulting in super smooth slow mo.

A quick start guide is included with the ContourHD1080p.
Download a PDF Version of the guide (COMING SOON).

The ContourHD 1080p uses a highly used codec called H.264 – also referred to as MP4, MPEG-4, or iPod Video. The audio codec is AAC. Both of these “codecs” are very portable and can be easily edited in any of todays off the shelf (or free) video editing tools.

The basic codec settings for the VholdR ContourHD 1080p are as follows:

• Full HD – 1080p (1920×1080) @ 30 fps @ 15min/GB @ 110 deg FOV
• Tall HD – 960p (1280×960) @ 30 fps @ 15min/GB @ 135 deg FOV
• Action HD – 720p (1280×720) @ 60 fps @ 15min/GB@ 135 deg FOV
• Contour HD – 720p (1280×720) @ 30fps @ 30min/GB@ 135 deg FOV
• Fast SD – WVGA (848×480) @ 60fps @ 60min/GB @ 110 deg FOV

• Coming Soon

     

Coming Soon

The VholdR ContourHD 1080p is microSD/SDHC compatible (includes 2GB) and supports up to 16gb capacity cards. You can expect the following recording times:

• Full HD – 1080p @ 30 fps = 4 Hours
• Tall HD – 960p @ 30 fps = 4 Hours on 16GB microSDHC
• Action HD – 720p @ 60 fps = 4 Hours on 16GB microSDHC
• Contour HD – 720p @ 30fps = 8 Hours on 16GB microSDHC
• Fast SD – WVGA @ 60fps = 16 Hours on 16GB microSDHC

The VholdR ContourHD1080p runs on a rechargeable lithium ion battery and can record up to 3 hours.

Twenty20 offers a 180-day warranty, ensuring that the CountourHD 1080p is free from workmanship and materials defects. Helmet Camera Central is here to assist with any issues that may arise with any products that have been purchased from us.

The VholdR ContourHD1080p comes with Easy Edit software, which allows you to easily edit their footage and upload it to the Web with a single click. It also allows configuration of a variety of camera settings as well. Although not required, the included Easy Edit software takes the work out of publishing your high definition adventures online. Use the USB cable to connect your ContourHD, select “Import,” and you can have your videos downloaded to your computer, added to the folder of your choice, and ready to be played on your computer in a matter of minutes. Using the Easy Edit software, your videos play in a widescreen or full screen format with controls to stop, start, and fast-forward to find your favorite parts. To clip out unwanted segments, find the best part of your video, select the “Set Start” button at the beginning of the clip, the “Set Stop” button at the end, and wrap it up with the “Finish” button. When you have clipped your videos, you can enter the title, date, tags, description, and epic location of your video. Publishing your videos to the web is free and easy using the Easy Edit software. It publishes your videos to the free VholdR.com website using a single click…”Share.” Even if you drop your internet connection in the middle of the upload, the Easy Edit software will remember where you left off and continue from the same spot. Now your videos will play on VholdR.com next to a beautiful map and be searchable by fellow enthusiasts.
*Note: HD Video requires a quality graphics card to play smoothly

The VholdR ContourHD1080p is a very nice piece of technology. It looks good, and so does the resulting video footage. The level of video quality coming from this device puts the Flip and many camcorders to shame! As the world’s first wearable all-in-one 1080p HD camcorder that allows you to film and share on the web, the ContourHD1080p is again breaking new ground. It is lightweight, yet rugged enough to withstand the elements while capturing exceptional quality video, regardless of the angle. The included Easy Edit software makes editing and sharing videos easier than ever. The ContourHD1080p is recommended for outdoor enthusiasts interested in capturing adventures in HD and sharing them with the world.

Helmet Camera Central Price: $329.99 ( Now Shipping )

Click Here for Live Chat
We are available toll-free at 888-409-4408 to answer your questions.
Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business, Two Brothers Video. Helmet Camera Central is a resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Since 2005, we have reviewed numerous helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Our reviews focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. Since we use helmet camera systems in addition to selling them, our reviews result from actual day-to-day experiences with the products. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are our top priority. Rest assured, the helmet camera systems that we recommend and sell at HelmetCameraCentral.com were chosen for good reason: they rock! There are many systems out there, but the ones we recommend provide exceptional quality and services for the best return on your investment.

We are also here to answer your questions and help you choose a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, you can find it at HelmetCameraCentral.com. And if our recommended systems do not fit your needs, we will put you in contact with the right vendor to find the best solution.

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Update: The GoPro HD series is officially available for sale over at the Shop

GoPro, makers of the infamous Hero Wide line of cameras announced some astonishing news at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Show this week. This Fall, they will be releasing the GoPro HD Wide, the world’s first full high definition 1080p helmet camera! Yes, that’s right, 1080p (1920 x 1080 resolution) on a freak’n helmet cam, how awesome is that? What’s even more awesome is that the camera will retail for $299, quite possibly placing it among the world’s most affordable 1080P high definition camcorder of any sort.

The overall visual appearance of the high definition GoPro HD Wide is pretty much the same – but the insides of the GoPro HD are very different and the specs tell the full story! The GoPro HD still has the killer 170 degree wide angle lens and will have three recording resolutions: 1080p (1980 x 1080), 960p (1280×960, so it’s similar to 720p but at 4:3 ratio), and 720p (1280 x 720). What’s even better is the camera can record 720p at double speed 60 FPS for buttery smooth high-def slow motion deliciousness. Here are the full video specs with bitrates, please note bitrates may change in final production version:

• 1080P 1980×1080 30 fps @12 Mbps
• 960P 1280×960, 30 fps @ 10 Mbps
• 720P 1280×720, 30 fps @ 7.5 Mbps
• 720P 1280×720, 60 fps @ 15 Mbps

• Sample videos and more specs after the jump!

Update: The GoPro HD series is officially available for sale over at the Shop

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• Choosing a Helmet Camera For Yamaha ATVs, Dirt Bikes, Motorcross Gear, and ATVing | Slr Camera
• Get $20 off a GoPro HeroHD or ContourHD Helmet Camera
• ContourHD 1080p by VholdR – Full HD Helmet Camera | The-bestsellers.com : the most popular items updated hourly.
• Going wide: Wide angle for the 5DMrkII | Your complete Internet Guide to digital cameras, reviews and news

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Record HD video on your head and share it online in seconds with VholdR’s new ContourHD^TM, the world’s first HD wearable camcorder. At just under $250, the Contour HD was designed with the needs of outdoor enthusiasts in mind. This durable camera provides amazing video clarity (choose between high definition or high action), ease of use, and a host of mounting options and accessories.

Highlights of the ContourHD:

• HD (1280 x 720) at 30 fps SD (Actual 29.97)
• SD (858 x 480) at 60 fps (Actual 59.960)
• 135-degree wide angle lens
• MicroSD/SDHC up to 16GB (2GB included)
• Internal microphone
• Fits VholdR TRail^TM mount system
• Easy Edit^TM software
• Quick Start guide
• Read the full review after the jump!

• What You Get
• The ContourHD

  
  

  • Pros
  • Cons
• ContourHD Documentation
• Codec Settings
• Sample Video Clips, RAW and Unaltered
• Sample Video Frame Grabs
• Recording Capacity
• Battery Time
• Warranty and Support
• Software
• Summary and Recommendation
• Pricing
• About HelmetCameraCentral.com
• Review Change Log

Included in the box, you will find the following:

• VholdR Contour HD wearable camcorder
• MicroSD card (2GB)
• Goggle mount
• Flat surface mount
• Rechargeable battery (up to 2 hrs)
• USB cable
• Quick start guide

Pros

This was the obvious next step in helmet cam technology and boy does it look nice. The 720p video at a smooth 30 frames per second will please even the most demanding videophiles, as will the amazing color rendition, excellent exposure, and great contrast.

An Improved image sensor and video processor ensure that colors are as rich and vibrant on video as they are in real life. In addition to powerful video settings and enhanced color saturation, the ContourHD is also equipped with a 135-degree fisheye lens to record the entire scene without over-distorting the video. The color quality in the Contour HD has improved significantly.

The standard definition mode on the ContourHD is really cool! It is actually just cropped from the full frame size so the field of view is 90 degrees, the same as the original VholdR. The video is still wide screen, with a resolution of 848×480, which surpasses most other helmet cams in the market. The best part about SD mode is the fact that it records at 60 FPS, which makes for an incredibly smooth video. It looks very different and it’s really quite hard to describe what the sensation.

So that users have a wealth of video to choose from, the Contou rHD has an internal microSD memory card that easily stores up to eight hours of HD footage and is compatible with up to 16GB memory cards. The ContourHD also features an upgraded microphone that records all of the action, without the wind noise.

VholdR not only designed the ContourHD to capture exceptional quality video, they also designed the camcorder for ease of use. The camera features a single, oversized record button, which you can slide forward to begin recording and slide back to stop. A rotating 192-degree lens and two lasers help users accurately align shots. Users simply rotate the lens until the lasers are lined up horizontally.

Capture HD video anywhere and from any angle with this versatile camcorder. The ContourHD is compatible with VholdR’s TRail^TM Mounts, which provide a variety of options, including mounts for goggles, handlebars, helmets, and vehicles. Included with the camera are the helmet mount and goggle strap mount. The helmet mount is super versatile and can be attached to most helmets and hard surfaces. The goggle strap mount provides cool point of view and is very convienent to use.

With all of these features, users might expect a delicate or cumbersome camcorder. However, the revolutionary Contour HD is light (4oz, 116g), compact, and durable. The camcorder’s water-resistant body is made of anodized aluminum and rigorously tested to withstand dirt, dust, mud, and snow. Additionally, the ContourHD is impact, shock, and vibration resistant, and the all-in-one design of the Contour HD means that users don’t have to fumble with multiple wires.

The audio has also been greatly improved on this model. Wind noise is minimal and you can hear most ambient sounds. For those of you ninjas hoping to record without making a sound, you’re in luck. If you start the camera up with the switch set to record, there will be no beeps confirming power up, recording, stopping etc.

Another cool upgrade from the VholdR is the car charger. This handy little device can charge your ContourHD off of any 12 volt power source while recording. Paired with an 8 or 16 GB card, you could record some serious footage!

The ContourHD makes it as easy to share videos as it does to record them. Thanks to VholdR’s Easy Edit^TM software (PC and Mac compatible) users can easily edit, upload, and share their videos with friends, family, and the world.

Cons
The VholdR Contour HD wearable camcorder is equipped with numerous features and upgrades to ensure that outdoor enthusiasts and adventure-seekers capture the best footage in HD. However, there are some limitations. As with most camcorders, battery life is an issue; the ContourHD is no exception. While the camcorder features a rechargeable lithium ion battery, testing revealed that the Contour HD only had approximately two hours of battery life. To avoid missing any shot, backup batteries are a great idea. Take advantage of Helmet Camera Central’s 25% off spring accessory sale and order backup batteries with your pre-order today.

While the ability to capture 60 frames per second is exciting, it isn’t particularly useful for distributing video footage because YouTube and DVDs do not support 60 frames per second. VholdR’s video sharing portal will support 60 frames per second. For those not using of VholdR’s sharing portal, a potential solution is to stretch out sections of the video to 30 frames per second resulting in super smooth slow mo.

A quick start guide is included with the ContourHD.
Download a PDF Version of the guide here

The basic codec settings for the VholdR Contour HD are as follows:

High definition video: h.264 1280 x 720 @ 29.970 fps

High action video: h.264 848 x 480 @ 59.960 fps

• Testing the ContourHD in the snow High Def / {94MB}
• Testing the Contour HD in the snow Standard Def / {100MB}

   

The VholdR Contour HD is microSD/SDHC compatible (includes 2GB). You can expect the following recording times:
High definition: 30 min/GB
High action: 60 min/GB

The VholdR ContourHD runs on a rechargeable lithium ion battery and can record up to two hours.

Twenty20 offers a 180-day warranty, ensuring that the Countour HD is free from workmanship and materials defects. Helmet Camera Central is here to assist with any issues that may arise with any products that have been purchased from us.

The VholdR ContourHD comes with Easy Edit software, which allows you to easily edit their footage and upload it to the Web with a single click.

The VholdR Contour HD is nothing short of extraordinary. As the world’s first wearable all-in-one HD camcorder, the ContourHD is lightweight, yet rugged enough to withstand the elements while capturing exceptional quality video, regardless of the angle. The included Easy Edit software makes editing and sharing videos easier than ever. The ContourHD is recommended for outdoor enthusiasts interested in capturing adventures in HD and sharing them with the world.

Contour HD Unboxing:

Helmet Cam Central Price: $Discontinued ( Order the Contour HD 1080p instead Here – In-Stock )

Click Here for Live Chat
We are available toll-free at 888-409-4408 to answer your questions.
Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business, Two Brothers Video. Helmet Camera Central is a resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Since 2005, we have reviewed numerous helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Our reviews focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. Since we use helmet camera systems in addition to selling them, our reviews result from actual day-to-day experiences with the products. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are our top priority. Rest assured, the helmet camera systems that we recommend and sell at HelmetCameraCentral.com were chosen for good reason: they rock! There are many systems out there, but the ones we recommend provide exceptional quality and services for the best return on your investment.

We are also here to answer your questions and help you choose a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, you can find it at HelmetCameraCentral.com. And if our recommended systems do not fit your needs, we will put you in contact with the right vendor to find the best solution.

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In addition, VIO has also released the POV.1.5M which includes the POV DC Power Adapter for you vehicular POV users.

Some highlights of the VIO) POV.1.5:

• New shorter camera head with tethered cable
• Built in LCD screen on recording unit to view live video and review video
• 98 Field of View Wide Angle Lens with Infinite Focus
• DivX MPEG4 AVI Compression, 1GB at 720×480@30fps = 40 Minutes
• 24P and 30P Progressive video ready, up to 720×480
• SDHC card storage up to 8GB (6 Hours), USB 2.0 connectivity, and Analog video/audio output
• No digital to analog conversion – digital from camera to compression
• Wireless remote – start/stop record and nice TAG feature
• 4 AA batteries powers the recording unit and camera
• 1 cable from recording unit to camera
• Waterproof in-line microphone integrated into camera cable
• Lightweight (About 1 lb (375 grams) with batteries and camera) and power efficient
• Includes POV Manager software to quickly edit and post to web

1. Pre-Review Information
   • Digital vs Analog
   • Fully Integrated vs Pieced Together
2. Full POV.1.5 Review
   • The PDF Manual for the POV.1.5
   • The Manufacturer
   • Branding and Packging
   • What You Get
   • The Recording Unit
   • The Camera
   • Video Quality
   • MPEG4 Codec Settings
   • Sample Video Clips, RAW and Unaltered
   • Sample Video Frame Grabs
   • Recording Modes
   • Recording Capacity
   • Battery Time
   • The Cable
   • The Connectors
   • The Microphone
   • The Wireless Remote Control
   • Overall Usability
   • Warranty and Support
   • POV Manager Software
   • Summary and Recommendation
   • Pricing
   • About HelmetCameraCentral.com
   • Review Change Log

Pre-Review Information

Full POV.1.5 Review

The PDF Manual for the POV.1.5
First off, we recommend downloading and taking a peak at the actual POV.1.5 manual. There’s lots of good information and pictures in the PDF version of the POV.1.5 manual. It’s a great companion to this review as well. Download the full manual here.

Branding and Packaging

The retail packaging for the POV.1.5 is the best to date for any commerical helmet cam system. The box it comes in is professionally designed and will look good in a glass case next to digital sporting equipment such as GPS units, rifle scopes, avalanche transceivers and hands-free radios. When you pick up the box the contents feel solid and there’s no rattling or open space inside the package. Open the box, and slide out the streamlined carrying case which contains everything you need to start filming. There is no packing material, or plastic bags – just the carrying, recording unit, camera, wireless remote, SD card, batteries, quick start guide, software CD, and some basic camera mounting options.

What You Get
The Case is about the same size as a CD carrying case and has handle on it as well. Inside the zippered case is everything you need to get going: Camera, Recording Unit, Wireless Remote, Digital Camera Cable, 4 AA Batteries, 4GB SDHC Card, USB Cable, A/V output cable, Quick Start guide, CD containing Manual & POV Manager software, and star mount kit.

The CD case doubles as the Quickstart Guide. It’s not obvious to the spastic first time POV.1.5 user that you should open the CD case for instructions on how to hook things up. I was a bit excited when opening the product (to say the least) and proceeded to hook up the camera wrong, and struggle with putting the batteries in. Here’s a bit of advice – READ THE QUICK START GUIDE first! Even better – download the manual here and read it before you do anything! It would be nice of VIO to include a printed, yet compact version of the full manual in the packaging.

The Recording Unit
The POV.1.5 has successfully replaced the aging Camcorder solution with a durable, attractive, waterproof, USA engineered, digital video recorder (DVR). This is not vaporware, it is here, and it’s real, and yes – it’s made in China. Also, keep in mind that several military requirements went into the design of this unit. Alright, let’s get into the details.

The recording unit is 6.5″ Long by 2.5″ Wide by 1.5″ High and weighs just under 1 LB. The shape is a welcome change from the traditoinal short and fat approach to recording units. The unit sits well in the hand, slides easily into stuffed backpacks, and integrates well with military vests and police belts.

The durability of this unit is apparent when you start using it. It feels very solid, especially compared to the many consumer bsed DVRs and camcorders out there. Dropping this should not be an issue and there are no internal moving parts such as hard drives, etc. It would be difficult to crack the casing, smash a button, or break the screen.

One of the exciting features of this system is that it’s rated “Waterproof” not “water resistant” – right out of the box. To test this, I connected the camera, turned it on, started recording, and dropped the whole system in the lake in about 2 feet of water. I was able to see the LCD screen laying on the bottom, recording, and existing happily along side the camera! When I pulled it out of the water I shook it off, and wiped the lens on the camera with my t-shirt and we were good to go. This bodes well for wakeboarders, windsurfers, kiteboarders, kayakers, fisherman, and more!

The waterproof specifications state that the camera head and the recording unit is submersible 1m (3ft). So, if you are going scuba diving and taking the recording unit deeper than 3ft, then you will still need a high-end pelican case for the recording unit. For the rest of us, we can slide the POV.1.5 recording unit into a backpack/hippack and go whitewater kayaking! No silicone sealant, pelican cases, etc.

NOTE: VIO has a blurb on their site asking users to NOT remove the camera lens as it might compromise the waterproof integrity of the camera. There is not much documentation from VIO on the do’s and don’ts of water use. I’m sure people will find ways to get water inside this unit – I’m thinking iPod in the washing machine. It will be interesting to see how VIO responds when that starts happening.

The LCD has great color and is very bright (adjustable). What a joy to have quick, easy access to what the external camera is seeing! Repeat, what a joy to have quick, easy access to review previously recorded clips. The POV1 comes with a clear adhesive protective covering for the LCD screen as well to reduce scratching. The LCD screen shows live video from the external camera, and also allows playback/delete of existing clips on the unit. Additional information on the LCD shows: Unit Status, Record Mode, Available Recording Time, Battery Status, and Keylock mode.

The user interface is very easy to use and informative. When holding the unit in your hand, your thumb is the tool of choice to interact with the simple buttons and user interface. The settings menu lets you configure the Remote, Speaker volume, MIC level, Time and Date, Framte Rate, Video Resolution, Video Quality (compression level), Record Mode, Loop Record Time, LCD Sleep Timeout, Power Off Timeout (includes Never), Display Brightness, and Analog Video Output Type (NTSC/PAL for hooking up to a TV). There is an LED in the upper left of the unit that shows status: Orange=Booting Up (2 seconds for boot up), Green=Standby, Flashing Red=Recording, Flashing Orange=Warning/Alert Condition.

Overall, the user interface is pretty is easy, it works and gets the job done. The good news is the POV.1.5 has updateable firmware. This is great since new user interface features can be delivered via firmware upgrades. Manufacturers such as Archos and Sony can update firmwares, but they don’t care about Helmet Cam users (and never update their firmwares)! I would imagine that VIO will be listening to us for our enhancement requests. Read the Nice To Have’s section for some of my thoughts on UI improvements and new features.

There are two “hatches” on the POV.1.5, one is for battery access and the other for SD Card, USB, A/V Out, and a secondary MIC input. Both have a strong water proof seal setup with a unique interlocking rubber gasket system.

The battery hatch has a unique “wing level” system. At first glance the wings appear they would unlock and then “pop” the battery hatch off for you. This is NOT the case. Just lightly pop the wings out, which is easy (no prying nec. Then, you remove the battery hatch manually, which is not that easy. The interlocking rubber gasket system actually creates a locking seal, so it takes a bit of practice to remove the battery hatch. I have found the easiest way is to get a fingernail under the “red arrow” in the picture and pry up. My softy computer fingers struggled a bit — a mountain man or a good military woman with some real hands will probably just fling the hatch without even thinking. The batteries go in quite firmly as well, which in turn requires additional finger nail force to remove. A nice to have here would be the trusty ribbon strip that folds underneath. They may have scrapped that idea for fear the ribbon would occasionally get pinched between the waterproof seal and make in susceptible to water intrusion. I’ve been using some Duracell rechargable AA’s, and they are even tighter fitting than regular AA’s. Tight is good so that the batteries don’t jiggle around, but in cold weather it will be more of a challenge when hands are cold – but definitely doable.

The SD Card hatch is easier since it has the small turn screw with a little loop handle. Unscrew it and pull firmly out. Inside you find a stanard SD card slot with the push & click lock mechanism. The SD card is easy to put in, but takes a little practice to get out. It’s hard to say how often the SD card will be changed in the field – most likely will depend on your activity. Overall, the hatches are well designed and durable – no weak hinges or cheap plastic here.

Note: The downloadable manual has walk-throughs for all of the various features – recommended reading.

The Camera
The POV.1.5 has a completely redesigned camera head that is new to VIO. The camera still has the same focal length and image sensor as the POV.1, however the camera head is now bright orange and the LVDS cable is now tethered to the camera head. This means no more bent or broken pins, at least on the camera head side. The new camera head is also quite a bit shorter due to the lack of mounting hardware for the cable. The camera head uses a CMOS sensor as opposed to CCD. CMOS technology has been around for awhile, but only recently has it appeared in the video marketplace. Example, several Sony video cameras now use CMOS sensors, especially their High-Definition model and Twenty20 helmet cams have been CMOS since 2006. Initially, getting a killer image out of a CMOS sensor has been tricky. Two key benefits of CMOS are: Much lower power consumption (read longer run times) and it handles direct sunlight much better (no streaking).

The lens on the POV.1.5 ships standard with a wide angle 98 degree horizontal field of view (110 degree diagonal). A few good links on FOV and Focal Length: Go here for more on Field of View and Go here for an interactive Focal Length demonstration over at Canon’s website. The Lens is removeable, but do not take the lens off just for fun it. It’s always good to keep the factory seal!

My experience with this camera is this: Great color, Low power consumption, great wide angle and excellent response to varied lighting conditions. One of the struggles we have always had with helmet cams is filming outdoors during sporting activities. Traditional CCD based helmet cams have a hard time dealing with lighting conditions that rapidly change from bright to dark. The POV.1.5 handled these situations very well. Straight shots at the shot showed NO streaking or power banding. Swinging the camera from dark to light and back to dark was handled smoothly, instead of the classic jumpy white balance adjustments that come out of traditional helmet cams. My guess is that there is some programmed algorithmic logic to handle the white balance in such a smooth fashion. More kudos to VIO.

Here are the specs on the imaging sensor: Advanced CMOS sensor, Electronic Global Shutter, Dynamic Range of 75dB to 110dB, 5 lux color (Sub 0.1 lux monochrome sensor), and a 32 Bit MIPS processor with 12 bit imaging. I have not seen inside the camera housing, but the electronics inside must be doing some advanced image processing on the fly to deal with the general “jumping through hoops” nessecary to make CMOS images look good. I say this because the images coming out of the POV.1.5 look good! Overall, the images are sharp and the color is good. With a LUX rating of 5 this camera is not designed for nighttime stealth missions. Traditional helmet cameras have LUX ratings < 1. Lux ratings this low reflect the Security Camera roots of helmet cams. I’m actually pleased to see a helmet camera that has been designed with normal day light use in mind. The LUX rating on the POV.1.5 again sends the clear message that this system has been engineered from the ground up to meet the requirements of the helmet cam community. VIO has not forgotten about the low light either – they have a night vision camera head in the works for their military customers.

Video Quality
I’m going to lay it right out there. DVD Frame Size? YES. DVD Quality? Pretty darn close. Better than the other DVR’s on the market today? Definitely. The video quality of this unit is great, but when delving into the quality frame by frame there are more compression artifacts than you would find on a “dvd”. Will the average video watcher complain about the quality – no way. Would a video phile pick it apart? Sure. It appears that engineers and manufacturers are still doing the delicate dance between cost, performance, storage, and energy consumption. There are links to downloadable RAW POV.1.5 Video clips just following this section – You decide.

Here is my experience: Filmed some footage, brought it home, dragged the clips into Sony DVD Architect, clicked Burn, brought into the home theatre, put it up on the big screen using my 800 x 600 LCD projector and… It looked great! Nice sharpness, great colors, and good motion. You will be very pleased with the overall quality of the video that comes out of this unit. Take a look at the raw mpeg4 sample video clips and the raw frame gallery below to see for yourself.

The POV.1.5 is quite flexible when it comes to video settings. There are several frame sizes to choose from: 720×480, 720×400, 640×480 (default), 360×240, 360×200, or 320×240. Again, big Kudos to VIO for FINALLY providing us with a true 720 x 480 NTSC compatible frame size for video editing! Frame rates are also configurable: 30, 25, 24, or 15. There are 3 compression settings: High, medium, low. The manual states: “A high setting produces a sharper more accurate image, but takes more space on the memory card. A low setting saves space but sacrifices color accuracy and detail.” Personally, I’ve been using the POV1 at 720×480 @ 30fps in High quality mode. One of the nicest video quality features of the POV.1. is that everything is Progressive Frame video. I went into detail on this in the “Analog vs Digital” section above. This greatly contributes to the overall video quality.

MPEG4 Video Codec Specifications
To see the video compression codec details for the POV.1.5 configured in 720×480 @ 30fps in High Quality mode, click on the last image in the Frame Grab gallery below to see a screenshot from the GSpot Codec Appliance. The basic codec settings for the POV.1.5 when recording in 720×480 @ 30fps in High Quality mode are as follows:

• Video: MPEG4 @ 720×480 @ 30 fps @ 3113 kbps using the industry standard XviD Codec
• Video Codec Download for PC and Macs: http://www.xvidmovies.com/codec/
• Audio: MPEG-1 Layer 2, 32000Hz, 64kb/s, Monophonic

Actual Raw MPEG4 Video Clips from the POV.1.5
( Please let us know if these links stop working, Thanks. )

• Water and Sun, RAW POV1 Video Clip / 17MB
• Snow and Sun, RAW POV1 Video Clip / 25MB
• Highspeed Motorcycle Racing at Track, RAW POV1 Video Clip / 22MB / Courtesy of CAL-SportBike & TrackXperience

Actual Video Clips from the POV.1.5 Compressed via YouTube

Actual Raw MPEG4 Frame Grabs from the POV.1, and Codec Settings

Recording Modes
The POV.1.5. has two different recording modes, both of which are configurable via the Settings menu. The first mode is the standard Start & Stop recording mode. In this mode you press REC and it starts recording, press STOP and it stops.
The second recording mode is new and quite interesting. It’s called Loop Record mode. The Loop Record mode is definitely ground breaking in that it’s ALWAYS recording, so you will never miss that crazy moment – unless of course you forget to TAG it! I’m not going to get into it in much more detail, but here is the description from the manual: “Loop mode allows you to save a video segment of a pre-defined duration by hitting the TAG soft key on the POV.1.5 Recorder or the REC/TAG button on the remote control. Loop mode makes it easy to leave the POV.1 in recording mode all day, and just save the best hour or two’s worth of video on the SD card. In Loop record mode the POV.1.5 records a continuous loop of video clips that are all of the same duration. For example, if the POV.1.5 is set to record 3 minute loops, it will record a series of 3 minute loops for as long as the unit is in Loop record mode. Then, when something happens that you want to save you simply press TAG or REC/TAG to save that loop.”

Recording Capacity
The POV.1.5 comes standard with a 4GB SDHC Card and is able to use up to a 8GB SDHC card. Here are some examples of recording times based on different frame sizes, rates, and quality settings just to give you an idea:

Most people are used to getting a maximum of 1 hour of video on a DV tape, so squeezing up to 6 hours of DVD quality video on a 8GB SD card is fantastic! As of fall of 2009, SD card prices for a 8GB SDHC card are around $40 each. Remember, you can use them in your digital still camera and a SD based handheld video camera too! The POV.1.5 is currently limited to 8GB SD cards – so don’t go buying the 16GB+ cards just yet.
One of the major downsides of Camcorder DV tapes is that 1 hour of footage requires 1 full hour to transfer to a computer for editing (not to mention 12GB of disk space). With the POV.1.5, 60 minutes of video footage requires about 4 minutes to transfer to a PC using a 50X speed SD card (7.8MB per second). Also, the overall storage savings on your hard drive is significant. DVD quality MPEG4 footage uses about 1.5GB per hour.

Battery Time
The POV.1.5 uses 4 AA batteries to power both the recording unit and the camera.VIO chose AA batteries for a few reasons: they’re inexpensive, and the military specifically requested AA batteries. I’m quite pleased with the choice of AA’s. The POV.1.5 will free us from expensive & proprietary lead-acid, nimh, and lition-ion batteries that a variety of older helmet cam systems use. You will not have to mail order batteries for the POV.1.5 anytime soon, that’s for sure.

As with most digital devices, the POV.1 is good at eating up batteries. First thing you should do is set the LCD timeout to 15 seconds as this will save a ton of battery juice right out of the gate. A fresh set of middle of the road akaline batteries will record for about 6-7 hours (with LCD timeout set). Keep in mind that is RECORD time, not just idling, which would last longer. We highly recommend rechargeable AA’s for the POV.1. A 2500 maH set of rechareable Energizers will run the POV.1.5 for up to 10 hours! Note: The POV1 by default will not automatically shutoff, so if you leave it on it will run the batteries down for sure! Also, there is a configurable auto shutoff setting in the preferences menu.

The Cable
Notice how I said, “The Cable” and not “The Cables”. That’s right, the POV.1.5 has only ONE cable! The cable is about 5 feet long and both ends have male connectors. The cable itself is a little on the stiff end, but the more I use it – the softer it is. In talking with VIO, the cable needed to be a little stiffer to protect the integrity of the LDVS based digital pathways contained within. This cable is unique in that it has been specifically engineered for the POV1. The cable provides a fully digital pathway between the recording unit and the camera imaging sensor. VIO calls this cable the “LDVS Cable”, rightly so, since it is based on the widely used LDVS Standard. Low-voltage differential signaling, or LVDS, is used behind the scenes in many high-speed data transfer protocols such as FireWire, Serial ATA, SCSI, and more. This digital cable contributes significantly to the overall great image quality in the POV1.5. It is my understanding that engineering and manufacturing this cable has been costly. I would suggest to VIO that they open up their LDVS implementation to other vendors in hopes that wide scale adoption will drive down costs!

The Connectors
The connections on any helmet cam system are critical. The POV.1 had a cable with threaded connectors one both ends, on the 1.5, the camera head is tehtered. They are connected and disconnected often, and generally take a beating. In the case of the POV.1.5 they also need to be waterpoof. The connectors on the POV.1.5 are stainless steel, threaded, durable, and waterproof. These are burly connectors for sure. The cable connections are “keyed” in a way that it makes it very difficult to misalign the pins. That being said – BE REALLY CAREFUL WHEN CONNECTING THE CABLE! The male pins inside the end the camera cable have 8 fragile pins. It is possible to hose the pins up royally, and the cable is expensive. Before connecting, take a good look at the male pins to ensure they are intact, and look at the keyed alignment system. You can’t push the connector together until the keys are lined up. Once the cable is connected and seated, screw the threads down until tight. Once you do this, it’s easy as cake. I would suggest being patient and not rushing this step.

The Microphone
A durable & waterproof microphone has been embedded approximately in the middle of the cable. A simple “blow on the mic” wind test has confirmed that this microphone will do what most mics do in the wind – it will static out. Adjusting the MIC level to its lowest setting reduced the wind noise significantly. If the microphone is in a backpack or hippack wind noise should be minimized, and in those situations I would suggest increasing MIC level to pickup ambient sound better.

The Wireless Remote Control
The Wireless Remote Control is a major step forward, and a few steps back as well. I really like the wireless approach since it eliminates cable clutter and allows the remote to be mounted in a variety of locations. The remote works within “close proximity” to the POV.1.5. I found that if the POV.1 is out in the open you can get 6ft, but if you place the POV.1.5 in a backpack you might get 3ft. The remote can also be configured to operate on different channels. This will allow multiple POV1’s to operate in close proximity to each other. If you wanted to, you could leave the POV1’s all on the same channel and start/stop record multiple units with one remote.

This remote took a few steps backwards in terms of usability. For starters, you cannot power the POV1 on and off using the remote. The power on/off feature has been standard in the LANC protocol for years. If you are really concerned about conserving battery time, then you need to be powering the unit off when you are in between filming sessions. The second step back, is that the communication between the remote and POV.1.5 is one-way. The remote can talk to the POV1, but not vice-versa. So, the only way to know if the POV.1 is recording when you press REC is to listen for the BEEP that comes out of the POV1. Granted, the beep on the POV.1.5 can be turned up pretty loud – I’m used to looking down at my LANC remote and seeing a flashing Red light when recording. If you place the POV.1.5 in a backpack where the unit is not visible you will have to listen for the BEEP when starting and stopping recording. Also, the LED on the remote does light up, but only when you press the buttons. To provide myself with some comfort, I quickly got in the habit of pressing and holding the REC/TAG button for multiple seconds just to make sure that the signal got through.

VIO acknowledged the usability issues with the remote and they are aware of what the ideal remote feature set is. In the end it came down to cost and engineering. The wireless remote requirement was apparently more critical to the overall usability design, than have it tethered to a cable. I’m assuming the POV.2  will most likely have a bi-directional wireless remote.

Usability
On a scale of 1 to 10, the POV.1.5 gets a 7. For the most part usability on this systems rocks: Cable clutter has been reduced to one wire, live camera video can be viewed on the unit with ease, easy playback & review of recorded clips, simple user interface, good ergonomic design, easy & fast transfer of video to computers, and slides in & out of packs easily. The POV.1 lost 3 points in the following areas: Battery hatch is tricky to open & the batteries are hard to pry out (- 0.5 point), Lack of Power On/Off from Wireless Remote (- 1 point), and Lack of visual feedback & unit status on Wireless Remote (- 1.5 points).

Warranty & Support
VIO provides a 1 year manufacturers warranty on the whole system, plus a 30 day money back guarantee. They are doing a great job backing this product up. Their tech support and overall customer service have been great. Warranty issues start with contacting your dealer and/or VIO to get a Return Merchandise Authorization. The customer is responsible for shipping the unit back for warranty work, and VIO will pay return shipping the same way it was sent. So, if you send it back next day air, they will repair and return via next day air. If you crash and smash the unit – you are out of luck.

POV Manager Software and Video Sharing
Something completely new in the helmet cam space is the included POV Manager software. The software is a rudimentary video editor specifically designed to interact with the POV1 via USB, save & edit clips, and click a button to upload & share them on the internet with friends. It’s a good idea and plays off of the whole viral video marketing approach. The product is pretty version 1.0, but functional. Perhaps more detail in another review at another time.

In Summary
The video quality of this unit is great, and when coupled with the overall usability, good recording capacity, out of the box waterproof status, major reduction in cable clutter, built-in LCD, and durability – it makes for a superb wearable video system. This is the successor to the first helmet cam / wearable video product to get it all right for the consumer market. While the video quality and functionality of the unit are the same as the POV.1, the new camera head and mounts really increase usability. It’s just like a camcorder, you buy a box at the store, take it home, and it works!  Helmet Camera Central highly recommends the POV.1.5 from VIO.

Pricing

Helmet Cam Central Price:
$529.95 + Free 4GB SDHC Card +  Free Shipping.
Visit The Shop @ HelmetCameraCentral.com to order one up today.
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Please contact us directly to discuss quantity discounts.

Some history on us, the blog, and The Shop.In the Fall of 2005, Helmet Camera Central was born as a result of our helmet cam experiences from our video consulting business Two Brothers Video. Helmet Camera Central is a simple resource designed to help people find objective and pertinent information about helmet camera systems. Over the past few years we have tried to review helmet camera systems with an unbiased and objective point of view. Generally, we focus on the functional and usability aspects of helmet camera systems. We have run the gamut of helmet cam systems and know what works and what does not.

The type of reviews we produce are a by-product of our day to day experiences with helmet cam systems. Ease of use, reliability, and quality are at the top of our priority list. The helmet camera systems that we chose to Recommend and Sell at The Shop were chosen for a very good reason: They rock! If a review seems biased, it is only because we strongly feel that particular product is worthy of our bias! There are quite a few systems out there, and the ones we recommend generally provide the most elegant solution and the best return for your investment.

We are always here to answer your questions and help you purchase a helmet camera system that meets your needs. If one of our recommended systems is a fit for you, we hope you will find that The Shop is a trusted storefront to supply your helmet cam equipment. If our recommended systems do not fit your needs we will not hesitate to put you in contact with the right vendor to find a solution.

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