VHoldr Contour HD Camera

[Sid Lambert]

I split this off from the In-flight Self Portrait thread.

The video I shot was using the VholdR Contour HD (Not the 1080p Contour) http://vholdr.com/contourhd/helmetcam

The camera shoots 720p HD video in a single compact system. I did open the device right out of the box (Don't tell my wife) and add an external mic jack because as we all know you can't hear anything in an RV without getting a ton of wind noise. I now have a small mic from Radio Shack that I stick inside my headset earpiece so the camera hears what I hear when I plug the mic in.

The camera is easy to use. You turn on the main power and then it has a magnetic slide to start and stop recording. The lens rotates 270 degrees so you can mount it practically anywhere. I think it shoots 135 degree in HD mode and 90 in SD mode. I assume they just ignore the data to the side but I have not used SD mode yet.

The mount I used for the outside video is the mount that comes with the device. I did not use their adhesive as it failed on my headset while sitting on the ramp. I used regular 3M outdoor mounting tape available from the RV isle as Home Depot.

All-in-all it's a neat camera that seems pretty tough and shoots good video without the need to install a video system with a bunch of wires and complexity.

Below is a picture of the mount. Sorry, there is no magic. Just tape and an airplane.

[BJUST]

Hey Sid,

I like this camera. Can you send me the details for adding the external mic jack?

Thanks,
Bayne
RV-9A N910BJ
bjust@cox.net

[mannanj]

Originally Posted by BJUST

Hey Sid,

I like this camera. Can you send me the details for adding the external mic jack?

Thanks,
Bayne
RV-9A N910BJ
bjust@cox.net

Ditto! Tnx.

[N200PF]

Sid I just bought the vholdr ContourHD 1080P a few weeks ago and realized the ONLY limiter to this cam was the fact that we couldn't have in-cockpit audio! ...looks like you've solved that!!!

Would you be willing to share how you did the mod? Did you use some kind of resister to control the gain/volume level of the incoming audio?

Thanks Sid! VERY WELL DONE!

- Peter

[Sid Lambert]

OK, to add an external mic is fairly easy as long as you are comfortable voiding the warranty.

Again, you will void the warranty if you do this.

Remove all the screws from the lower case. Slide the case off.

Position the lens to it far most counter clockwise position and remove the screw holding the lens cover on. Unscrew the lens cover.

Unscrew the remaining screws holding the body together. Separate the case halves.

Unsolidier the existing internal mic.

Drill a hole the exact size of your external mic lead in the front left side of your camera. Drill through the internal shell as well as the external cover.

Slide the external mic lead through the case and soldier the leads to the board. Put some more hot glue on to keep the leads from moving. The center lead should be the hot or out contact.

Reassemble the camera.

Take the existing mic and solder on new leads to the male portion of the connector.

I found this tutorial after I modified mine...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Q9gKT3d90

Good luck. If you built an airplane this should be a piece of cake though.

[N200PF]

Hey thanks Sid!!! This is GREAT!!!

...and thanks for the clarification on voiding the warranty! I read that on vholdr web site but for what this camera costs, it's worth the risk for me! (...a few tanks of gas through the RV!)

I'll keep you posted on how we do in the opertaing room!

- Peter

[Pat Hatch]

For those interested in an external mic jack for this camera, there have been many suggestions for this on their forum and the official response follows:

Sorry but we will not be able to make a unit with an external audio input for this version. It is certainly on the chart for the next unit down the line though!

Thanks,
---
-Nate

support@vholdr.com

[ArVeeNiner]

It's a little too early for me to buy one of these but some of you can take advantage of the $80 off deal.

Use coupon code "contourh" at amazon.com for an $80 discount dropping the price to $169.99.

http://www.fatwallet.com/top-deals/c...met-hd-camera/

[Motocam360]

Our system offers an external head set patch cable. The MotoCam Shockbox is capable of recording 4 camera angles at once and fully controllable from inside the cockpit.





Let me know if you have any questions?

Tim
http://www.MotoCam360.com

[petehowell]

Did some surgery on Peter F's 1080p last night to enable external audio. No clue why he trusted me. Maybe the late nights with the new baby have made him "logic challeneged"

Took about an hour and turned out pretty nice!




Video after the latest Snopocalypse clears out of the upper midwest!