Jon said ----Seems like they have a firmware issue with the cameras that may be able to be upgraded at some point hopefully.

It's part that but mostly people are buying the cheapest cards they can find and expecting them to be at spec especially the 32gb which are quite new.

16gb class6 is sweet-spot.

Cheers Rambo

ContourHD from VHoldR.com WAY better than the GoPro!

Craig said "ContourHD from VHoldR.com WAY better than the GoPro!"

Thanks for the info. I just took a look and ordered two of them. Should work perfectly with the project we are working on.

They're not waterproof though Jon. Not sure what you mean way better Craig.

Rambo

Rambo says "They're not waterproof though Jon. Not sure what you mean way better Craig."

They have housings available just like GoPro Waterproof Housing | Launch Helmet Cams

Cheers,
John

Just new, available on pre-order only. Let's know how they go fogging wise.

Rambo

Thanks Rambo,

I realise I'm sounding like a turncoat but I was really disappointed with the response from GoPro. They could have saved me a fair bit of time and money if they had simply given me the info I initially asked them for and I still have to wait and see if the camera will operate correctly.

The Vholdr cameras are in stock at VHoldR ContourHD 1080P Helmet Camera | Launch Helmet Cams

Cheers,
John

I was in the market recently for a small HD pov camera, and was really on the fence between the gopro and the contour. I finally settled on the go pro because of all the nice mounts available for it, it came with the waterproof housing, but most of all because it also took stills, and this is a biggy for me...I can change video resolutions in the field, and dont need to drag around a laptop which is needed for the contour. So far I have had no issues and I use a class 4 card.

Well, having shot with both, I found the colors to be more vibrant with the Contour, the user interface is much easier to deal with, and the aerodynamics of the enclosure to be far less troublesome at speed.

I'm much happier with the picture from the ContourHD than I am with the GoPro and if the camera lens ever comes into direct sunlight (pointed right at the sun), the image is far less impacted by that disturbing purple line that appears.

Further, the suction cup and mounting bracket for the GoPro is difficult is annoying.

Granted, I use them strictly for on car mounts and your use is probably different, but my experiences have been much better with the Contours.

Thanks for the info Craig. I will soon have both to test side by side (thats if I can get the GoPro to work) so it will be interesting to see the results. I would have to say looking at the two cameras that the Contour is more functional in its design. I'll let the forum know about my results.
Cheers,
John

Craig are you talking about the HD Gopro or the Std GoPro?
Never seen purple streaks from a CMOS sensor camera before, usually CCD cameras exhibit that.

THe black dot when pointed directly at the sun is eliminated now with the HD GoPro. if that's what you are referring too.

Cheers Rambo

I just got a GoPro HD, and can't get video to play on windows media player.
I kinda liked the black dot of the sun effect on my standard def go pro.
I chose the go pro because of fixed focus--I use it clamped to a rail in the cockpit of an aerobatic plane, and just 2 days ago used it on the headband under the headset, and it worked fine (Standard-def model). The HD model is a bit heavier, so I'll see about pulling Gs with it. I could get the HD video on my computer, but not onto sony's PMB program, but the standard def stuff would go right onto it with no problem, and windows Media player evidently can't handle MP4 files. I'm a computer idiot, so any suggestions would be welcome.
Thanks,
Shawn

Shawn,

That's right it won't play unless you have the right codec.

Download either VLC or Classic Media player both will play it fine and require less CPU to do so.

MPC - guliverkli | Get guliverkli at SourceForge.net
VLC - VLC media player - Open Source Multimedia Framework and Player

i really like the idea of these cameras, and wanted to get one as it is perfect for some shots in a doc i am shooting, BUT the footage i have seen (especially of bicycles, which is what i need) suffers from the rolling shutter effect horribly. i think the footage is unusable for anything but you tube...
can somebody convince me otherwise?

You have to remember Brian that most of the users of these cameras are inexperienced with cameras and editing/uploading etc. There are many excellent videos from these cameras both Contour and Gopro. Search vimeo for GoPro or Contour and you will see hundreds. They are designed for specific purpose and that do that well and at the price they are expendable if you put them in risky locations.

Cheers Rambo