Got some helmet cam footage of YOUR commute?

magnatom · May 2007

Des,

I just used some of the velcro straps through one of the vents in my helmet. It's not perfect (it does slip) but it generally holds it in place. Maybe I should use this as an excuse to get a new helmet with better placed vents [:)].

Aladdin,

I would say it is slightly better than VHS, except for the jitter that is introduced because of the encoding used (and the shutter). For my purposes (safety etc) it is more than adequate.

Descp · May 2007

Thanks magnatom

I 'll persevere with the helmet kit, and maybe do a few mods. Quality is VGA , and is actually quite good, although its light levels can take a while to adjust.

Greenbank · May 2007

Top driving from this police car this afternoon:-

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

Better quality (3MB WMV file):

http://www.greenbank.org/misc/interesting_stop.wmv

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Coochcp · May 2007

That's unbelieveable, what the (*&^ was he doing?

www.bhf.org.uk/sponsor/g

Greenbank · May 2007

Dunno. If I'd have stopped to ask him I'd have probably been arrested for some obscure offence such as "Daring to question authority."

What you can't see is that as I went past he looked a little nervous. I pointed to the camera on top of my h*lm*t, wagged my finger at him and waved goodbye with a frown.

So. Mr Police Driver of car "MBD" (the ID tag on the roof and side) on Westminster Bridge at exactly 1:30pm this afternoon (15th May 2007).

You numpty.

(Allegedly)

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

magnatom · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Greenbank

Dunno. If I'd have stopped to ask him I'd have probably been arrested for some obscure offence such as "Daring to question authority."

What you can't see is that as I went past he looked a little nervous. I pointed to the camera on top of my h*lm*t, wagged my finger at him and waved goodbye with a frown.

So. Mr Police Driver of car "MBD" (the ID tag on the roof and side) on Westminster Bridge at exactly 1:30pm this afternoon (15th May 2007).

You numpty.

(Allegedly)

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Greenbank, that really was terrible!!![:0]

I would seriously consider contacting the police to complain about this driving, pointing them to the youtube web site. That was unacceptable, dangerous and almost aggressive driving from the plod. We need to get the message across to companies and organisations like the police, that this is just not acceptable!
I would report it, but then I am a little bit of an activist![:)]

Sh4rkybloke · May 2007

Certainly report it - crossing the solid white line (a no no), stopping on double red lines (a bigger no no) and yet didn't seem to be responding to any emergency call (i.e. no blues on).

Terrible driving.

Nothing in life is foolproof, fools are ingenious

Greenbank · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sh4rkybloke

Certainly report it - crossing the solid white line (a no no), stopping on double red lines (a bigger no no) and yet didn't seem to be responding to any emergency call (i.e. no blues on).
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

People pick up on the strangest things.

I'm sure he can justify his reasons for crossing a solid white line and stopping on a double red. The police are allowed to do this if they have good reason, even without the sirens and lights going.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Garybee · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Greenbank

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Sh4rkybloke

Certainly report it - crossing the solid white line (a no no), stopping on double red lines (a bigger no no) and yet didn't seem to be responding to any emergency call (i.e. no blues on).
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

People pick up on the strangest things.

I'm sure he can justify his reasons for crossing a solid white line and stopping on a double red. The police are allowed to do this if they have good reason, even without the sirens and lights going.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They are not allowed to ignore the rights of way of other road users though, emergency or not.

Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

Charlotte_Newbie · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Greenbank

Top driving from this police car this afternoon:-

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

Better quality (3MB WMV file):

http://www.greenbank.org/misc/interesting_stop.wmv

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Did you film that with the ATC-2000 camera?.....as the 3MB WMV file looks amazing![:D]

Greenbank · May 2007

Yup, ACT-2000 on highest resolution (640x480) and 30 fps.

My 35 minute commute creates a 1.2GB file.

YouTube really does mangle the quality.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Sh4rkybloke · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Greenbank

People pick up on the strangest things.

I'm sure he can justify his reasons for crossing a solid white line and stopping on a double red. The police are allowed to do this if they have good reason, even without the sirens and lights going.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I wasn't suggesting that this was the only reason for reporting it, just that it was even more of a stupid move given that he/she was breaking the law on 2 separate counts too (along with failing to drive with due care etc.). No siren required, but I would have thought the blues would have at least been required to show that there was 'good reason' for 'ignoring' the solid and the double reds.

Either way it was sh*t driving and he/she should be better trained before being allowed on the road in a police car!

Nothing in life is foolproof, fools are ingenious

Archcp · May 2007

Right, after months of dithering, and in a frenzy of consumer therapy this week (grief can be pretty expensive...[:(]), I've done it. I've ordered an ATC2000, plus 2Gb card. It'll probably be Monday before I get it, by which time I'll probably have crashed the model helicopter that arrived today to bits.

So prepare to be bombarded with extremely dull short commuting videos![;)]

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

magnatom · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Arch

Right, after months of dithering, and in a frenzy of consumer therapy this week (grief can be pretty expensive...[:(]), I've done it. I've ordered an ATC2000, plus 2Gb card. It'll probably be Monday before I get it, by which time I'll probably have crashed the model helicopter that arrived today to bits.

So prepare to be bombarded with extremely dull short commuting videos![;)]

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good stuff![:D] Another cyborg has been assimilated!![;)]

Greenbank · May 2007

Good work, they're fantastic. Get some good rechargable batteries as it does eat through them (you get about 3 hours from a pair of 2700mAh NiMH AA batteries). I put a new set of batteries in every evening (whilst the other set are in the charger).

You'll spend the first couple of weeks tirelessly watching each and every second of your commute over and over again, and getting nothing done at work. It settles down after that and you only go looking for any numpty-ish behaviour if you had anything happen. A couple of times now I've just deleted the footage once I've got home since I knew there was nothing of interest on there.

I did get to shout "Lemmings!" at all of the people coming out of Putney Bridge station today, they just walk across the road without looking as they can't hear a bus coming so they assume the road is clear. Hopefully I'll have got some of their reactions on video.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

BentMikey · May 2007

Can you please get an airzound and then film? So cruel, so wrong, and yet I'll bet that would be leglessly funny.

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

Greenbank · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BentMikey

Can you please get an airzound and then film? So cruel, so wrong, and yet I'll bet that would be leglessly funny.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You read my mind Mr Mikey. It is the next purchase for my commuting bike.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Charlotte_Newbie · May 2007

id love to know what is the best make of 2GB to use for the ATC2000, & wheres the cheapest place to buy it from?[:D]

also has anyone bought the camera off ebay?. as whats the best price for it on web please?.

Thanks![;)]

TimothyO · May 2007

I've been using a SanDisk Ultra II SD 2GB which I bought from play.com for œ14.99. I'm not going to claim this is the cheapest card, and place to buy it from, but I doubt you'll find it that much cheaper, and Play include P&P in their prices, so it's a pretty good deal.

I've been using it for a few months now, and it seems rock solid, unlike the slightly cheaper play.com branded card which I first tried, and which turned out to be very very unreliable with the ATC2K. To be fair, no one ever claimed that card would work with the video camera, and it's been fine used for other, less demanding, purposes.

<hr noshade size="1">
Yes, actually it is Rocket Science.

Archcp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Greenbank

Good work, they're fantastic. Get some good rechargable batteries as it does eat through them (you get about 3 hours from a pair of 2700mAh NiMH AA batteries). I put a new set of batteries in every evening (whilst the other set are in the charger).

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yeah, I'm planning to do that... Annoyingly, I standarized all my bike lights on AAAs and bought a set and charger, but then have just bought two things that need AAs. Quick question: (apologies if you read this in my helicopter thread, but I might catch more people asking here as well...) The transmitter of the helicopter takes 6 AAs, and the instructions say not to use rechargeables. Is there likely to be a reason for this. Is it to do with the transitter also being the charger for the little battery in the chopper? Or just con by the battery manufacurers...?

Not arrived yet. Will check with porters at lunchtime. Sooo excited!

And of course, if I can attach it securely to my other helmet, you can all look forward (?) to... Horse Helmet Cam!

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Garybee · May 2007

It's purely down to the voltage of rechargeable AA cells being lower than that of Alkaline cells. It will almost certainly not effect the transmitter but could cause problems when it comes to charging the chopper's battery. It isn't going to do any harm if it doesn't work though so don't worry about trying.

Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

Archcp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Garybee

It's purely down to the voltage of rechargeable AA cells being lower than that of Alkaline cells. It will almost certainly not effect the transmitter but could cause problems when it comes to charging the chopper's battery. It isn't going to do any harm if it doesn't work though so don't worry about trying.

Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.
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Cheers!

Well, it's here. Now, if I can just battle my way into the packaging...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Archcp · May 2007

Why oh why oh why in these days of Health and Safety Gorn Maaad do they package stuff in plastic blister pack so tough it threatens to defeat even a Swiss Army knife, and you run the risk if severing a major artery just getting it open?[:(!]

Well, it works - just managed to film a quick pan round the office as a test.[:)] Will take it home and do all the fitting stuff tonight and should have a commute film for tomorrow.... BTW I bought a 2Gb card at the same time as the camera and it was œ15.95, so about œ15 seems to be a reasonable price...

Oh, and I got mine from ShinyShack.com and discovered, in with the invoice in a plastic bag, a handful of boiled sweets! Call me easy to please, but I'm a happy customer....

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

BentMikey · May 2007

Ah, cyclists and the ever present hunger....

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

Archcp · May 2007

Obviously, I'll play about with positions (oooh, matron!) but has anyone particularly found any benefit in having the camera in the middle on top of the helmet, or worn on one side? I suppose if it's on one side, it'll tend to drag the helmet over... And I'm a very frequent over-the-shoulder checker, so am I better just mounting it on the bars? The beauty of the head of course, is the ability to pan while riding in a straight line...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Descp · May 2007

Got a bag of cola bottle with mine from Firebox.com !

Greenbank · May 2007

Right on top of the h*lm*t for me. You'll need to angle it slightly up (when looking at it in the mirror) as your head will be pointing slightly down when on the bike.

Mount it, go for test ride, examine footage, adjust slightly.

Lather, rinse and repeat until it is pointing in the right direction.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

magnatom · May 2007

I'm a camera on the left hand side kinda guy. The way it sits on my helmet means it points slightly to the right so it gets good coverage of the road. I also have it angled up probably about 5 degrees. I got this angle right through trial and error.

It does weigh down one side of my head slightly, however, so long as my helmet is nice and tight I don't really notice it. The heaviest part of the camera is the batteries.

I like having the ability to point it where I am looking, although if I stop to 'have a word' with someone, I need to remember to tilt my head down slightly to get their face in because of the camera tilt. I suppose this makes me look a little shy [:I][:p].

Archcp · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Greenbank

Right on top of the h*lm*t for me. You'll need to angle it slightly up (when looking at it in the mirror) as your head will be pointing slightly down when on the bike.

Mount it, go for test ride, examine footage, adjust slightly.

Lather, rinse and repeat until it is pointing in the right direction.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Cheers. First experimental use this morning confirms what you say - I did check in the mirror and it looked right (odd![;)]but correct...), but sure enough, the footage is bit too much of the tarmac in front of my front wheel. I won't bore you with it - apart from anything else, I was quite early and there was bugger all traffic...

And it was trickier to fit to the helmet solidly than I thought it would be. The flat plate and the rubberised patch are all very well, but there isn't actually a flat area on top of my helmet for it to grip on. I've sort of wedged it so that the mounting plate is jammed at an angle in one of the vents, and the camera adjusted to try and get it straight. Even so, I got a bit of a tilt on the film - I think as it's just to one side of centre, it pulled the helmet over a little on my head.

And I had trouble working out the best way to use the velcro strap I guess it should double back through the buckle end, but to do that I seem to need to cover up the grippy patch - I've ended up with it going over the camera as well, which helps to hold it steady, but I have to move it to get the camera off,so I'm less likely to be able to recreate the camera position exactly every time. Maybe I'm just not seeing something vital... I guess it's trial and error, like you say, and getting used to what 'correct' looks like. It might be useful to see pictures of how some of you guys have yours mounted? I might try handlebar mounting it for the next test.

Anyone any idea, before I spend hours googling, if it's possible to get spare mounting plates? It would be so much easier if I could swap between the velcro strap and the rubber strap without rethreading the whole thing. Actually, I know a guy with a lathe and all that sort of stuff, so he might be able to make me a custom one...

Also, and this is just a matter of pride: It looked like I was going so slowly! It looked like I was crawling along. Now, I'm no racer I know, but I think I was going at my normal pace, which is OK, and it just looked so slow on film... Has this happened to anyone else, or am I actually the slowest cyclist I know...[:0] I suppose if I'd remembered to fit the cycle computer this morning I'd be better able to tell, but I can be a bear of very little brain in the morning.

As evidenced by getting halfway in and realising I'd left the card reader at home. Never mind. It's not a long film, I'll use the USB cable. Except, I'd left that at home too...[:I] Lucky it's only 5 minutes away.[:)]

So... one more question. The cable that connects the camera to the USB port - the one with the ickle dinky plug at the camera end. Is that going to be exclusive? I have a similar (well, to me, looks the same) cable for my Canon digital camera, and the one that connects the card reader to the PC is the same as well. Would there be any harm in just using, say, the Canon lead for the ATC? Or is the USB1.1 bit to do with the cable...? Sorry. Bit of a dimwit with techie stuff...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

magnatom · May 2007

Arch I will post a pic of my attachment later (oo-er!), but yes it is fiddly. I use one of the velcro straps which just about does the job. Occasionally it moves down the helmet and I need to wedge it back in place, but generally its fine. I think the way you fix it will depend greatly on the design of the helmet!

And yes it does make you look like you are going slowly! I go through a tunnel which has a steep drop in it. I hit 30mph at the bottom, but on the camera it looks like I am trundling along. Just be sure when you place video on youtube to speed it up a little.....[;)].

I think the connector at the back of the camera is is a normal USB mini connector so you should be fine using your other cables. So long as they fit they should be fine. However, I always use a card reader, so I haven't tested it.

Got some helmet cam footage of YOUR commute?

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