POV Helmet Cams from Dirtvideo

The VIO POV 1.5 sports helmet camera is an integrated unit that sits at the higher end of the helmet cam market in terms of price. Given that there are plenty of cheaper options out there why did I buy one of these helmet cams and more importantly why should you buy one from me instead of one of the cheaper helmet cameras?

Like anything else the reason is simple. The more money you spend on a helmet cam the better the image and sound, the easier it is to setup and use and the more durable the product is. Contact me for competitive $NZ price. Visit our home page and video page for examples of footage we have taken with a POV1.5. for more reasons to buy one.

The POV 1.5 comes pre-loaded with the firmware upgrade that allows you to use up to an 8GB Sd card and comes with its own 4GB SD card. The 4GB card will hold almost 3 hours of footage on the highest quality settings.

The other great thing about these units is that they are powered by 4 AA batteries. After three hours you just slip in another card and 4 more rechargables if you need to and carry on filming.

The POV 1.5 is a great way to capture your action footage for a wide range of sports or activities. Mount the camera on your helmet, in your car. Take it parachuting, skiing, kyaking, or skateboarding. Use the footage as a training or analysis resource.

Purchase via Bank Transfer.

Packs include:

• POV.1.5 recorder with LCD display
• Wide Angle camera head 110 degrees
• LVDS Cable
• POV Manager software
• Wireless Remote Control
• 4GB SDHC Card
• USB cable
• Analog A/V cable
• Quick Start Guide
• Carrying Case
• Double-Hook and Loop Mount
• Star Mount

Features:

• High-quality wearable video camera records with 720 x 480 resolution at 30fps
• Ergonomic user interface design enables single-handed operation and hands-free video capture
• Modular mounting system provides camera stability while attached to helmets or other high impact gear
• Components are shock-resistant, water-resistant and dustproof for use in the most hazardous environment
• For NZ conditions get the Nuke proof mount.
  

More Technical stuff (PDF file)  User Guide

Pictures and a sample of the accessories available for the POV 1.5

The Unit:

	Nuke Proof mount (recommended)			Tubular rail mount
	C Clamp			Mount kit
	Wide flange mount			Ultra clamp
	Roll bar mount			Universal mount
	Adjustable goggle strap			Adjustable headstrap mount
	Replacement Camera head

The sample videos in the lower panel were created using a combination of the VIO POV 1.5 and a Panasonic handy cam

Go to the Home page and all Video page to watch longer versions of some of these movies.

FAQ

How much recording time do I get on the 4GB card?

Video yield rates for the 4GB card are:

Highest Quality Setting (720x480, 30fps, high quality): approximately 3 hours

Lowest Quality Setting (320x240, 15fps, low quality): approximately 30 hrs

What is the largest card size I can use?

8GB (6Hours

How long will the batteries last?

This depends a lot on the type of batteries you use. A good set of Ni-MH rechargeable batteries will
last approximately 4-5 hours and a good set of Lithium Ion batteries will last approximately 10 hours.

Does the POV shoot in widescreen?

You can select the 720*400 resolution which will record in widescreen

Is a wide angle or telphoto lens available?

The POV1.5 comes standard with a 2.97mm wide angle lens, which gives an effective field of view of 110 degrees.

Is the POV1.5 waterproof?

The POV1.5 camera is waterproof to 1m (including the recording unit). There is also a waterproof bag available that is rated to 3m.

Do I need a video camera to record onto?

No, the POV1.5 is a complete system that comes with it's own recording device that records the video onto an SD memory card.

Does the POV1.5 record audio?

Yes, the POV1.5 has a microphone embedded into the cable that joins the helmet camera to the recording unit. It has been specially designed to cut-out wind noise and you can adjust the sensitvity to suit your use (i.e for motorsports, reduce the microphone sensitivity). There is also an external microphone input (3.5mm jack) so you can hook up your own microphone - great for hooking up to intercom systems.

Can I watch my videos back on the POV1.5?

Yes, the POV1.5 has a colour screen which you can play your videos on straight away. When you get home you can also hook the POV1.5 up to your television with the supplied AV cable and watch the videos on your TV.

A few Helmet Cam tips and tricks:

• If you are anything like me when you go riding the last thing you actually think about is making sure that the cam is actually pointed in the direction required to get the bike in front of you in shot.
• Experiment with your cam before you go riding and mark some mounting points on your helmet or bike so you don't have to experiment on the day.
• The mic on the POV is very sensitive-I tape the cable to my helmet so that it sits low on the back of the helmet-at the nape of my neck and for good measure tape over the mic itself to cut down on wind noise.
• Experiment with the sound settings to get the bike noise right.
• Make sure that your batteries are charged and you have spares and spare recording media.
• When you are out riding stop every so often and get someone to check that the camera lens is free of dirt,sand, and or water.
• Carry some duct tape and cable ties in case the mount comes loose.
• Match your mount position to the riding conditions-putting the camera on the top of your helmet when ploughing through a pine plantation is an invitation to get it knocked off. No matter how robust these units are they will only take so many hits.
• The lower the mounting position the faster it looks as if you are moving.
• Edit your video and be ruthless about what you keep.
• Units like the POV compress the video using the DVix codec. If your PC struggles to edit your video covert it to another format prior to editing. I convert the files to mpegs.
  
• External microphone level- I have this set in the midrange (5) as the mic is very sensitive. I tape it to the back of my helmet and have the mic at the nape of my neck and  covered with duct tape it still picks up any (my) speech and bike noise ok.Depending on what you want you will need to play with this.
• I have the video settings on the highest quality setting and a resolution of 720x480-I still have the recorder screen on high
• The polycarbonate screens for the nukeproof mount are not very scratch resistant so you need to be careful cleaning them. I am investigating silicon sprays and getting extra screens from my optician.
• The kits come with a USB cable and AV cables so hooking the unit into your TV or computer for playback and downloading are simple. The PC will pick it up as another drive..
  
• Depending on what you are going to store the footage in you might need to get some more SD cards. The unit will take an 8gig card that would give you almost 6 hours of filming at the highest quality settings. I am not sure if the batteries would last quite that long.

Sample videos made by us and others using the VIO POV 1.5: