Neat - everything is AVI and JPEG, and easy to download across the USB cable and view right away in firefox/etc. Wow, it's VERY obvious that I'll need the 1Gb memory card to take the size/length of videos I expect to take. The internal 32Mb fills up so quickly! :eek: Now...where the heck will I store 1Gb videos? I still use a lot of machines with 2 to 6 Gb drives.

BTW 1GB SD cards are super cheap. 1GB cards can be had for $20 these days.

Try NewEgg.com or supermediastore.com. I use both. Supermediastore has a 30 day satisfaction guarantee, newegg has a better selection but will charge 15% restock if you have to return the card.

I'm thinking of wrapping mine in clingwrap to waterproof it.

One interesting thing is that the CCD readout/scan rate is so slow that bumps have the effect of "squashing" the image vertically. Fortunately it isn't blurry on the bumps, but rather the vertical scale changes slightly because the camera is pointed at slightly different angles during the scan of each row as it moves up and down with the bumps. The video is much clearer than I expected, in that way. I had expected to lose a lot to blurring. When I get the 1 Gb memory card we'll see how much of the scenery on the horizon is visible at max resolution. I also need to wedge some foam between the front and back of the camera and the bike frame so it doesn't wiggle on the narrow mount so much.

ItsJustMe,

I have to agree with you that I'm suspicious about the Tony Hawk cam having autofocus. Autofocus pretty much disappears as a feature on hybrid cameras once you get down to the $150 price range.

Both CMOS and CCD sensors are being used in low end digital video these days. Such as surveillance, cellphone and automobile applications. These are also used in the hybrid digital/still cameras, and the sensor assemblies at this end of the market mostly come from OmniVision and Zoran. I think the better ones from manufacturers such as Sony and Panasonic are CCD. My experience is that the best CMOS sensor is as good as the cheap CCD. For over a year now, OmniVision and Zoran have included image stabilization in their latest "camera on chips". The stabilization can be turned on and off.

I've read how it works, and although it may amount to the same as what you described, it doesn't sound like it. My understanding is that it identifies and tracks pixels at certain points of the screen, such as in the corners, and decides if the movement of those points corresponds to unwanted shake or wanted panning. In this mode it uses only part of the 640x480 area of the sensor used for video, and shifts into the remainder of that 640x480 area as needed to keep the identified pixels positioned the same within the smaller recorded area.

I'm willing to bet the ATC-1000 has a CMOS sensor, but it doesn't affect the provision of image stabilization. As I mentioned before, there are already hybrid digital still/video cameras on the market for near the price of the ATC. They have up to 5Mp sensors, image stabilization, MP3 players, remote controls, 2.5" screens, 640x480 at 30fps, video-in ports, speakers and more. For $130-150. By comparison, the ATC, which lacks all these features and has an msrp of $120, is overpriced, and so should be able to add autofocus, 30fps and stabilization within the same price. Even if it takes a more powerful cpu and faster bus, which the hybrids I cited obviously already have.

The storage consumption issue is a problem in the sense that if you video a 1hr commute, you'll need 2 memory cards instead of one, and switch them. Plus twice the hard drive storage, upload time, larger files to edit. It's not just the price of the cards. Likely the next ATC will be 30fps, and will take 2Mb cards, because the latest hybrids do, and they use the same components.

bkrownd,

The plastic wrap sounds like a fine idea. I attached my ATC to my helmet, so there's far less vibration. Putting it on the bike would be far less hassle, but I need to be able to point it at license plates, departing motorists, and at motorists screaming at me from inside their cars.

I take it you're not recording at 640x480 until you get the memory card. How clear is your video of distant objects when the camera's not moving? Mine is not as sharp as I was hoping/expecting. It's good enough, but objects at about 10' are sharper. Maybe I'll fiddle with it and see if the focus can be adjusted. I know the cheap cmos lens/sensor assemblies used in things like this usually have a focus adjustment.

I'm willing to bet the ATC-1000 has a CMOS sensor, but it doesn't affect the provision of image stabilization. As I mentioned before, there are already hybrid digital still/video cameras on the market for near the price of the ATC. They have up to 5Mp sensors, image stabilization, MP3 players, remote controls, 2.5" screens, 640x480 at 30fps, video-in ports, speakers and more. For $130-150. By comparison, the ATC, which lacks all these features and has an msrp of $120, is overpriced, and so should be able to add autofocus, 30fps and stabilization within the same price. Even if it takes a more powerful cpu and faster bus, which the hybrids I cited obviously already have.

CMOS, IIRC. How do those other cameras compare in weight, shape, size, and power consumption? One of the main selling points of this thing is that its light, compact, durable and simple. If you add more FPS or pixels or gizmos, then you need faster electronics and more storage, and the power consumption goes way up, requiring heavier batteries to keep the same useful lifetime.

I got about 3 minutes of video of my commute this morning using the medium resolution setting, before the internal 32Mb was full. Objects were clear to at least 100 feet (guessing), but I didn't get any good horizon in the image to look at. Light level is also a big factor - it was overcast, and the image brightness level and contrast and color distinctions changed as the amount of glowing overcast sky in the image changed. Full resolution on a clear day will show the horizon details best. I'm going to try some still shots around the summit tomorrow morning at dawn.

The best source of information on the Internet about the hybrid still/digital cameras is a forum on the Steves Digicams website.
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_forum.php?id=92
This is a whole class of camera that, despite models from both first and second-tier camera manufacturers, is virtually unknown and unappreciated in North America. People think a camera should be basically a still camera, or a camcorder, and anything that does both doesn't register. And if it costs less than $200, and/or has an integrated mp3 player, then it must be a toy. The ATC uses the same technology as the hybrids, but with far fewer features. Yet it's in the same price ballpark.

Some of the hybrids are no larger than the ATC and the Tony Hawk. Their layout is not as conducive to this sort of use. (But if you carry a camera to record interesting sights along the way, the hybrids are far better than the ATC.) The most commonly used battery in hybrids these days is the NP-60, and the hybrids will run from 1-2 hours on one charge. That's with the screen operating, which the ATC doesn't even have. The NP-60 is smaller than the ATC's battery tray, and is a very common battery. A few hybrids use AA's or AAA's.

The hybrids do not come with mounting systems as does the ATC. Only the ones with video-in ports can be used with an external bullet or spycam. Except the Samsung Miniket Sports models, which come with their own bullet cams. But it's in an entirely different price bracket. Pretty well all the models put out in the last year have digital image stabilization and 640x480 at 30fps.

The ATC's automatic adjustment to light levels can be annoying, but it's better than having the camera alternate between being too dark and being blown out.

I tried using a helmet-mounted spycam with my hybrid, but the experiment basically was a failure, as described here:
http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=70986&forum_id=92
That's what taught me that for commuting, you want the whole camera in one unit, even if you sacrifice features and quality.

For the guy asking where that Tony Hawk helmet cam is abtainable in Canada I found about about this while looking for digicams on http://www.tigerdirect.ca and search undre HELMETS. You will find it. There is a sale on right now till the end of the month (05/31/06) where there is a rebate andI think the camera after rebate is $74.99 CDN. If you're in T.O there are two (possiblely three) store fronts. One in Markham, Ont. and the other in Etobikoe or Mississauga. That store ships to all of Canada. I've ordered from them before and thier stock comes in from the USA to Canada but you don't pay duty/customs at all. Just the shipping cost. Some stuff on that site is good and good bargining power to use on Futureshop, Best Buy, and Walmart. I've successfully price matched with Tiger's prices at Best Buy and Wally's before.

BTW that motorbike crash was messed up. Looked like the drivers wheel blew out or something. That lady helping the biker out sure looked good tho. :eek: :D :o


Zero_Enigma

I posted some captures from my commute video in a thread. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=198346