My cheap eBay camera test on my Ducati M1000

[Twisted]

I seen a Creative Vado HD camera for $50 new on eBay so I thought why the hell not and got one. Today I tested it out with the velcro in the helmet trick to see how it went. It just needs tilting up a bit. I used one of my older helmets so it is not the camera that looks a little cloudy it is actually the visor on the helmet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y41QE258dD8&context=C3529cbdADOEgsToPDskLeP85uzZyGbKVjgn9s9yEi

[ghostrider_23]

Nice camera and worth the $50 beans for it. Can you post a link to the seller you bought it from please?

[mister]

Yeah, link to seller.

Good first effort. And with a cam in helmet you can give voice commentary as you ride 

Michael

[Twisted]

Seems the seller has I got mine from has sold out. But if you search they are still around for a similar price from other sellers -

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Creative-2nd-Gen-Vado-HD-Pocket-Video-Camera-4GB-Black-Bundle-/260922732372?pt=Camcorders_Professional_Video_Cameras&hash=item3cc034ef54

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CREATIVE-VADO-VIDEO-CAM-HD-2ND-GEN-4GB-BLACK-GLOSS-/270725834730?pt=Camcorders_Professional_Video_Cameras&hash=item3f088467ea

I think the 4gig I got is being superseded by the newer 8gig hence why they're so cheap.

[ghostrider_23]

How did you rig that up in your helmet 

Pics please

[Twisted]

Similar to this guy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl9tFnEuew0&feature=related

[mister]

The exhaust sounds good through the camera too.

So, did you ride all the way out to Lake Manchester or turn around at the T, or turn right at the T?

Michael

[Twisted]

The exhaust sounds good through the camera too.

So, did you ride all the way out to Lake Manchester or turn around at the T, or turn right at the T?

Michael

Turned around at the T. It turns into dirt road both ways at the intersection, no fun. I am amazed actually how quiet the bike sounds through the camera. It is a bit of an aural assault with the clutch rattling, the belts whirring and exhaust.

[mister]

The exhaust sounds good through the camera too.

So, did you ride all the way out to Lake Manchester or turn around at the T, or turn right at the T?

Michael

Turned around at the T. It turns into dirt road both ways at the intersection, no fun. I am amazed actually how quiet the bike sounds through the camera. It is a bit of an aural assault with the clutch rattling, the belts whirring and exhaust.

Gotta watch that last bend before the T. Used to be marked as 60. NO bloody way is that a 60 corner.

If you turn right at the T is Used to be dirt just about all the way. But now it's mostly bitumen. Either way, the run out there is a nice one. Some steep hills, sharp bends, little traffic. Yeah.

I thought the new clutch was Supposed to be more quiet?

Michael

[Twisted]

Gotta watch that last bend before the T. Used to be marked as 60. NO bloody way is that a 60 corner.


I thought the new clutch was Supposed to be more quiet?

Michael

Yeh a few of them can creep up on you on that road. One is totally blind with trees branches that almost smack your helmet as you go around it. I think the one you mentioned is still marked as 60. But it a nice quiet run out there and it what, 2 minutes from the city? If you ever do a run over Nebo be careful there. Corners are marked way to fast. Some of the residents have made their own signs to slow people down.

And as for the clutch, it is much quieter. Lets say it has gone from a jackhammer to a nice little tamborine. You heard the old clutch. It was freakin loud!
Here it is all pretty.

[Twisted]

This is how I would really want my videos to be like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OjrdQIRrRE&feature=player_embedded

This captures almost perfectly what is like to be on a Ducati Monster. The sound on the video is what you hear on the bike. It is like a small V8. Most videos don't capture the bassy notes of the exhaust. I may just have to bite the bullet and buy a Go Pro.

@ Mister - Maybe I can have a turn of yours when we go on a ride next. I am unsure how it will turn out as you see the monster in the above video has a clear windscreen. I blacked mine out for that extra cool factor so I am unsure how the field of view will be blocked. Is his sitting higher than you usually have yours set up or is it my imagination?

[mister]

@Twisted Not sure if these give you a good enough idea on my set up. But the base basically sits as far forward on the tank as is possible...







On the GS it sits a little further back. But the tank design on the hornet doesn't allow it.

I had the screen on the 900 when I did this video with the Old camera http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07cf4qo7OSI - and here's a close up of how the camera was sitting on that run (seems to be a red Ducati next to me )



If I could have, by being higher on the tank it would have looked Over the screen and not through it.

Michael

[Twisted]

Ok what is the difference between the HD hero 2 and the HD hero 960 cameras? 

[Electrojake]

Ok what is the difference between the HD hero 2 and the HD hero 960 cameras? 

The "compare" sheet is here...
http://gopro.com/product-comparison-hd-hero2-hd-hero-cameras/
-Ej-

[mister]

Mine is the normal 1080 HD not the 960.

Michael

[Twisted]

So the 960 means it goes up to 960p instead of 1080. That was easy. The 960 is what the guy was using in that vid on the Monster. Even in 360p it looks great.

[Fruitbat]

The resolution it is filmed in does not mean you will get a good youtube video

[mister]

The resolution it is filmed in does not mean you will get a good youtube video

That's right.

Twisted, It ALWAYS looks good on your system in raw format - 960 or 1080. What changes it is... the final compiled resolution and the reduction youtube puts on it.

For instance... I can compile a 10 miniute vid into 50 meg, 130meg, 200 meg or 500+meg. With the 500 meg size being the full 1080  HD one. YT will then reduce that one to create the 360p 480p, 720p 1080p sizes. The 50 meg one will look bad, the 130 size will be DVD Quality (which is Standard Def - filmed in HD compiled into SD). YT then reduces that down as it turns it into a Flash version for the web.

My internet connection has a lot of trouble uploading. It can sometimes take me a dozen attempts to upload a 130meg file. Trying to upload a 500meg HD one is not ever going to happen until I can change providers.

These sizes are compiling into WMV format. Otherwise a ten minute video compiled into mp4 would be an even bigger file. Same with AVI,  MOV and so on. So I choose WMV to give me a more manageable compiled file size. In so doing there is some loss from original before YT gets it, they then reduce it some more and more loss.

[Electrojake]

Twisted,
I'll give you fair warning...
If you start taking an interest in making your own videos, editing them and putting them up on the web, you stand the chance of getting addicted.
It gets quite involved and the things you can do with some cheap (even free) editing software is amazing.

Check out this link to some free editing software (as an example)...
http://gopro.com/3d-cineform-studio-software-download/

Note: If you ever plan to use a fixed camera mounted to the bike and a microphone in your helmet, there are much better choices than the GoPro system (IMHO).
It's bitter cold & snowing here and I can't ride, so take another vid and narrate it. Show us your stuff bro. 
-Ej-

[mister]

Oh yeah, you want voice too, while riding?

Okay. I've got a digital voice recorder with mic. Have done some tests but haven't yet put it to use in the field on a ride ride. But my around town rides have worked a treat.

You met Terry, on the blue 900 hornet? He has got himself a nice new setup now. I think the camera is called a Drift Stealth. And this his his first video done with it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL637sIRLqE

If you do use a separate voice recorder you need to sync the voice over with the footage. To you need to create a Visual Cue and an audible cue. In the movies they use a Slate (clapboard) but we won't have that. So... if you are away from the camera you can CLAP your hands together so the footage Sees the clap while the mic pics up the sound. Match the two together in Post and you're good to go. Otherwise, if you have a set up like Terry's camera, maybe Tap the handlebars while saying Tap.

Tap Tap while saying Tap Tap and you can sync the visual and audio together. 

Michael