Will the helmet cameras from helmetcamera.com work with the A1?

Thanks!

I know nothing about their cameras but .... I doubt it, since the A1 doesnt have an A/V-in port.

Is there any way to use a helmet cam with the A1?

dude it will work fine just use the composite cable that came with the cam to adapt to the helmet cam composite out and then set the camcorder to play and use rec control to record what the helmet cam is outputting. works for me just fine

The Sony HC1 does not have composite in and I was assuming that was the case for the A1 also. If the A1 did have composite-in, then obviously there would be no problem.

Although, if you were to input composite all you would get is SD resolution, so why not use a (much) cheaper SD handycam - a TRV70 or similar?

Checking out my A1, I only see that it has Component (not composite) out and A/V out. I don't see Component In, Composite In (or out for that matter), nor A/V in.

Checking out my A1, I only see that it has Component (not composite) out and A/V out. I don't see Component In, Composite In (or out for that matter), nor A/V in.

I don't see it either. There is also no option in the standard set as stated above.

I bought a helmetcamera from that site. Very nice quality product but I don't think you'd get much benefit out of an HDV capture anyway. Best to get any single chip DV camera to use as the record deck. Get a really small one, and you'll be set. Preferable one with the A/V inputs and a to d conversions.

Highly recommend them...

guys you need to know your camera better than this... the a/v out doubles as av in in play mode when you goto rec control in the menu. he has a small bullet cam with a video feed composite. use the cable that came with the cam and attach it to this along with any audio feeds. set camcorder to play then goto menu and goto rec control by know you should already see the bullet cameras image on your hc1 screen then hit record....mabye a1 does not have composite like hc1..huh that would be weird... i don't get the 1 at all then... hc1 and a beachtek work great plus you can always use the beachtek for something else when the cam gets olds and you throw it away

personally i have had some of the best helmet cams and they are not super impressive... i rather use a very small mini dv camcorder because the lense is a boat load better as is the picture

guys you need to know your camera better than this... the a/v out doubles as av in in play mode when you goto rec control in the menu.

Have you done this with this camera?

If you have managed to record from an external camera, that would be interesting, for two reasons. The jack label says "A/V OUT" and not "A/V IN/OUT". The manual's only mention of recording from an external source is to use a Firewire device, so in short, recording analog video is not in the manual that I can find. In fact, the manual says on p93 that the camera can't record from an external device using the A/V connector.

I've just tried recording a composite signal on my HC1 using the REC-CTRL menu item. ...... no dice.

And the manual says "you cannot record pictures fom any jack other than the I.LINK jack".

What am I missing here?

I would love to purchase a helmet cam for my brother but he is a MAC user...any ideas?

So, you are looking for INPUT to the A1 from another camera module such as a bullet cam? This isn't possible with the A1, no.
I wear the A1 and HC3 almost daily as a helmet cam, love wearing em as they're lightweight and easily balanced.

Cool. How do you exactly accomplish this... how do you mount the A1 to a helmet?

Cool. How do you exactly accomplish this... how do you mount the A1 to a helmet?

Same way I mount the V1/Z1, or any other camcorder of this type.
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=77973 has pictures.
Manfrotto quick plate releases it.

A little off topic, but I wanted to let you folks know what I have found as it is sort of on topic, but different subject matter. But it can be used to cover helmetcamming a HC1/HC3.

Same way I mount the V1/Z1, or any other camcorder of this type.
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=77973 has pictures.
Manfrotto quick plate releases it.
I now vow NEVER to pick a fight with DSE. Neck muscles alone can kick my butt! :D

There is some discussion about helmet cams in the mountain biking community. The guys that have been doing it are using cameras and not lipsticks. You get better resolution and OIS. Tradeoff is weight. Pete Fagerlin has about the best running currently using a Sony PC-1000. He and Mountain Bike Bill add a wide-angle for additional image smoothing. Here is a link to Pete's page http://www.petefagerlin.com/. Download his large Norway 06 video from the video gallery for a sample.

I am working on a project will probably use a Canon HV10. 1 lb and fits the same form-factor as the PC1000. It should work with this enclosure http://www.thinkhelmets.com/XJAKETprod.htm

Another resource, Mountain Bike Bill's http://www.mountainbikebill.com/HowToVideo.htm

Both Bill and Pete have some links to pieces to DIY on a mount and to a helmet mfgr for helmets for cameras (I think I recognize Douglas' helmet from one of them.)

you do not want an HV10 for any Xtreme sport or high vibration situation. It's been proven by at least 2 dozen Xtreme sports folk that you cannot, should not count on this camera.
Search Skydivingmovies.com for at least 10 uploads from bad HV10's. I've got bad ATV footage as well.

DSE, did you try the HC3 also? I would like to author in HDV and then downres to SD for what I am going to distribute. But that way I can also offer HD when the time is right. For awhile there, I was thinking the HC3 was 3 lbs. Looks not to bad at 1lb 3oz with battery and tape.

Ive got a lot of experience with the HC3, it's perfect for a lot of work and my helmet is configured to hold two of them for critical competition work.
I set them up so one has a very wide angle lens adaptor, and the other is simply set to wide.

Thanks Spot. That is where I will go then. Either Bill or Peter have links to mount hardware. About the same size as a GS500. According to the stats at B&H, the HC1 is not heavy at all. I will be shooting wide angle to help kill the 'noise'. I have to get a FS (full suspension) bike too.

The big risk is if you do have to 'use' your helmet, the camera can twist your neck. Won't do the camera much good either.

Check out Cookie Composites or Bonehead composites websites for protective boxes that will protect the camera in the case you dump it. I've had some exceptionally successful biffs where the camera isn't damaged at all.