anyone want to see a test of a camera mount I'm working on?

The sound on the video is horrible, but I have a solution for that. I'm dropping a mic in the engine bay.

Video @ Google Video
Video @ YouTube

 

WOW! Can I get an mpeg of that? and a pict of the camera and your setup?

 

Got the AVI file. So lets see the mount

 

Loved the video. Where did you mount the camera? Your video looks a lot like a test I did with the camera mounted to the windshield below the mirror.

 

Can we see the mount? (thats my of the vid as may want to try something like this soon)

 

That looks to be about grill high, am I right?

 

I'd say tow hook mount

 

It is a tow hook mount. I'm working to see if I might be able to find a way to (on a small scale) produce the mount/camera setup. I will have my prototype with me at MOTD2006 and I'll be running some video while I'm down there too. I should have my laptop and some video editting software with me too so I can get video of others and give them a DVD copy (come on newegg, ship my stuff).

In the past month or so I've been coming up with ideas I was doing some searching and I was really surpised that nobody on NAM had thought of the idea (or at least nobody posted about it).

 

I am curious if there is any sort of protection for these types of things for the camera (from rocks and stuff). It seems if a rock hit the lense at 40MPH, it would certainly ruin it.

 

Great idea and great video! Thanks a bunch for sharing not only the video but the secret.

I wonder if the idea would pass a track day tech inspection...

 

Actually I will be showing such a mount at the Dragon for the VacuCams. I shot a promo video for m7 with it using my development VacuCam Pro systems and the video is amazing. The tow hook location is very low which offers excellent foreground esp with a wide angle lens and it's an extremely stable location.

Are you mounting a full size camcorder there or a small camera like a VacuCam??

Richard

 

I'm using a small (and not very expensive) bullet cam. The camera is also enclosed in a "weatherproof" shell so it will provide some protection. Given the size of the camera there isn't too great of a chance or something hitting it and doing any damage.

 

Can we see some pics please!? And how are you going to run that mic? I can't wait!

-Cody

 

I'll post more info after I get back from the dragon in 2 weeks. I want to test it some more and work out any more kinks that might be in the system before I reveal too much.

 

What a great setup. Somebody, please do a video of the Dragon using one of these!!!

 

Here's a still shot from the M7 video. The view is from the Tow Hook mount I developed.


This is off the door like I normally do with my VacuCams


Once my parts come back from the machinist, over the next few days, I'll post some pix of my mount.

Richard

 

As if crooked still shots weren't annoying enough, now we have to deal with crooked video too?

 

But it's artistic! Seriously, when you see the video, you will say HOLY CoW. But of course I'm teasing you cause I won't be showing this video before the Dragon. After that, maybe it can be shared.

Richard

 

I figured I don't have the time or money to try and go at this as a business so I'm going to post all my details in the next couple days. I'll give a breakdown of what I did to make the mount as well as the cost for each component part. That way anyone who wants one can make one up themselves.

 

Thanks that'd be great

 

In the meantime, my Tow Hook design was very well received at the Dragon. I tested it on a painted tow hook, and no issues about marring or damaging the paint. I'm going to begin manufacturing it, and it should be available within the next two months.

Here's a picture of it mounted at the Dragon. It clamps and screws onto your existing tow hook. Each one is machined from Delrin to perfectly fit the tow hook. Will hold any small camera with a 1/4-20. It won't come with a ball mount, so it's compatible only for my VacuCam 1B and Deluxe customers.

The mounted camera is my VacuCam Pro model.

 

How much of a pain is it to route the A/V cables from the camera on the tow hook to the recorder somewhere inside the car?

 

It's pretty painless.

15 seconds:: Attach Tow Hook Mount
10 seconds:: Attach camera on 1/4-20 thread
5 seconds:: plug in power, video, audio cable
5 seconds:: run cable around car
5 seconds:: pull off strip of tape
10 seconds:: apply to car and run other end through window

Less than 1 minute , unless you like using Peanut Oil on your trim and the tape won't stick

 

Thanks, that's the pic I was hoping to see.

 

Dang! Nice Richard.