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Drift HD helmet cam review
What a difference a year makes, yeah? 13 months ago, we were giving Drift Innovation's latest helmet cam (the HD170) a run through the gauntlet, and now, we're giving that unit's proper successor the same treatment. The simply-named Drift HD action camera is largely the same type of device, albeit one that's 25 percent shorter (this one's just four inches long) and offers a replaceable lens. Moreover, there's a waterproof casing that's on the way, though said shell wasn't ready during our testing phase. The company managed to include a 300-degree rotating lens (complete with a 170-degree field of view) and a couple of capture options: 1080p/30fps and 720p/60fps. The concept should be well-ingrained into the head of technophiles by this point: if you're looking for a camera to mount upside your noggin' (or on your vehicle of choice), this is what you're after. But is the new and improved Drift HD capable of taking on the GoPros of the world while justifying its $369 asking price? Read on. %Gallery-130072%
Drift Innovation unveils compact Drift HD, still up for your extreme antics (video)
Fan of recording extreme death-defying stunts, yet find your current helmet cam just too darn unwieldy? Drift's creatively named Drift HD might fit the bill, as the firm's managed to cram the 170-degree field of view rotatable lens / LCD combo from the HD170, into a 25 percent smaller package. The nine megapixel 1080p shooter also features a bevy of redesigned mounts, a replaceable lens and support for 32GB microSD cards, allowing it to keep chuggin' where lesser cameras would have otherwise called it quits. Connectivity junkies will also swoon at the inclusion of micro-HDMI and a 2.5mm microphone input. We weren't exactly smitten with the HD170, but this $369 makeover might be enough to change our minds. If you're dying to find out for yourself, the Drift HD will be available August 31st, but do us a favor and keep your eyes on the snow -- we wouldn't want you to end up like this guy.
Tachyon launches OPS and OPS HD helmet cameras, not as durable but way more tiny
We can't say we've ever been particularly impressed by the video quality delivered by the Tachyon line of helmet cameras, but they're a good choice for those who need a recorder that can take one heck of a beating -- if you don't mind some extra bulk. That fat has been banished in the new, slimmer OPS line which will be available in two flavors: a $90 VGA base unit and a slightly higher-end HD (720p) one for $140. If you're keeping track that's the same as the earlier XC and XC HD models, but these aren't waterproof like those. The SD model is less than an inch wide and 2.252-inches long, while the HD model looks to be roughly $0.25 longer. Each camera is square in profile, meaning it can be rotated in four orientations on its mount, or flipped around backward. And yes, just like the XC cameras, Tachyon will be releasing a range of mounts for all your extreme endeavors, including shotguns, picatinny rails, and one that looks like an overgrown tie clip. It should be perfect for when things get fancy down at the range. %Gallery-123043%
ContourGPS helmet cam review [updated]
Helmet cameras have now achieved the pinnacle of HD recording: 1080p. If you have the cash, a head, and a pastime worth filming you have a few choices for full HD extreme POV recording. So what's a little lid-mounted recorder to do for its next trick? If you're Contour it's to add a positional sensor and the letters G, P, and S to your product and create the ContourGPS. It lets you not only record your extreme antics but also how fast you were going when you were partaking in them, plus a lot of other information. And, more promisingly, there's a suite of hardware updates here, some paving the way to letting you use your smartphone as a viewfinder. But how does this $350 piece of helmet jewelry perform on the ice? Keep on reading for some video evidence. %Gallery-115036%
Drift Innovation HD170 helmet cam review
What's this, another way to capture for posterity the extremeness of our helmet-requiring pastimes? Yes indeed, a new player has entered the increasingly crowded POV/action/helmet camera market, the Drift Innovation HD170, offering 1080p recording in a durable case that stands poised to take on GoPro's HD Hero and VHoldr's ContourHD 1080p. However, the built-in color LCD here lets you do something you just can't do on either of those two: check your footage on the camera itself. Does this make up for some of the cam's other shortcomings? Read on to find out. %Gallery-98176%
Audi Cam lets you watch the entire repair from your mechanic's point of view
Need to get a critical tune-up, but don't trust the factory techs not to Ferris Bueller your ride? If you live in the UK and drive an Audi, you'll have technology on your side. Following a successful pilot program, the German manufacturer's outfitting each Audi Centre in Britain with helmet cameras and two-way radios to let customers monitor the entire job. While this sounds fantastic from a consumer standpoint, you'll see mechanics and IT professionals in the audience sadly shaking their heads -- if you've ever had to explain a technical product to an Average Joe who thinks they know better than yourself, you'll understand there are certain disadvantages to this idea. PR after the break.
Oregon Scientific ATC9K HD Action Camera does 1080p underwater (video)
Another action cam joins the 1080p fold. Oregon Scientific, maker of many a fine weather station and the odd helmet cam, has released details on its ATC9K Action Camera. It'll do 1080p video, five megapixel photos, is waterproof to 20 meters, comes with an IR remote, and even has an integrated G meter so that you can see just how big a knock your head took on that last ill-advised endo. GPS is an option too, so you can mark your gnarliest adventures on Google Maps, but there's no mention of price despite the thing set to start shipping here in just a few days. An early unboxing video waits for you after the break, as well as a demo clip that uses extreme angles to make you extremely nauseous. Curiously, all of the demonstrations we've seen have had their audio replaced by awful music, leading us to guess this cam has either a poor microphone or simply has none at all. %Gallery-96974%
Drift Innovation helmet cam shoots 1080p, sports a rotating lens and built-in LCD
Drift Innovation's HD170 is far from the "world's first" HD helmet cam -- heck, it's not even the first that does 1080p -- but we'll admit it's an attractive proposition on paper thanks to a tiny 1.5-inch color LCD and built-in speaker. While those let you verify your death-defying stunts were captured appropriately, an adjustable lens promises more freedom in the way you attach it, too, and at $329, the rest of the specs (30fps, H.264 compression, 5 megapixel stills, 1110 mAh battery, up to 32GB SDHC card) are more or less competitive with the other elephants in the room. Though we certainly can't recommend it without getting some hands-on time first, Drift's got some video samples after the break if you'd like to see how well the POV cam handles the open road and some skydiving Gs.
