Gary R.

Mine lasts about 25 minutes. Though I don't doubt SG_M3 to be safe I wouldn't count on it lasting longer than that VR. The Frankencharger takes 10 minutes to make, as long as you have a cig. lighter you are good to go. If you have an old laptop (like me) it can take a LOT longer to transfer, well over twenty minutes, and you won't be able to view it if the system is more than a few years old (and weak)..

mhm993

Long life battery and replacement cover are now available. Two hours record time.

arrivederci

Used the 720p (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...tion_720P.html) this weekend. It has 2 GB built in and I added an 8 GB card. The battery lasted more than an hour at 60 fps and I didn't have an issue with the card filling before the battery died. It would not last a day when you include grid time and the 'forgot to turn it off' time. It uses a mini-USB charger - I had a motorola cig lighter charger in the truck and it worked during the day. I ordered mine from amazon. Three observations to note before you buy.

1) definitely make Tony's reinforcement mod with this model. The threads on the camera body are plastic. I think the others are metal embedded in plastic.

2) My external mic picked up nothing. So I unplugged it on Day 2 and the sound was good. My car is relatively quiet so I picked up the sound from the cars around me, but no wind. Maybe I need a coach so I can drive faster and get some wind noise.

3) During race 2 it died mid-race. The battery was fine and I still haven't figured out what went wrong. I -think- the SD card slot doesn't actually lock it in. Even when it 'snaps' in, it can easily be pulled out. This isn't the way SD cards snap into my still cameras or laptop.

Using a frankencharger would eliminate one thing to think about on a race weekend. I'd also like to figure out a remote start button as it's nearly impossible to do with hans, helmet, belts, right side head restraint...etc.

Good luck....it is cheap but after one weekend, I think, works well.

Gary R.

No remote? I had to buy mine separately (another + to getting a "bundle") but with that velcro'd to the dash in a reachable place I can easily start/stop recording. On mine the remote won't turn the camera on/off though so I do have to remember to turn it on. I usually forget until staging and then ask a volunteer to "hit the red button". It's easy for me to see in my mirror when recording starts as "STOP" (or similar) appears on the LED..

TR6

I also have the remote velcroed to the dash so that it points at the camera. I can see the red record light in my rear view mirror (although sometimes it's hard to see in bright glare from the sun).

mglobe

Most often, if the camera shuts down mid-session, it's because the battery has vibrated loose of the contacts. If you shim the non-contact end of the battery with something (like a small piece of a business car folded over) so that the battery makes firm contact with the camera, you will solve this problem.

Even if you go with an extended battery, sooner or later you WILL forget to charge the camera, and you will end up missing a session. Ask me how I know. Same thing holds true for the memory. If you go with just enough memory for one weekend, sooner or later you WILL forget to download and clear your files from the previous outing, your card will fill up, and you will fail to record a session (or more).

Bottom line, wire the camera into your car with the Frankenstein charger, and buy a big memory card. Minimum of 16Gb, preferrably 32Gb.

schwank

My battery lasts an entire day including a 25 min practice, 20 min Qualy, and 25 min race, all at 720p 60fps. This is on a A-HD+.

Veloce Raptor

Thanks, everyone. I have ordered the 720p high speed HD unit for $109. I'll buy a memory card separately. Not sure if frankencharger will work in my car, since the coolant/oil press/oil temp gauge cluster I put in last year partly blocks the cigarette lighter. We'll see. Now....to find a proper rollbar mount!






Professional Racing and Driving Coach

Gary R.

IOPort, or then there is always IOPort...

APKhaos

IP Port + THIS = Nirvana
More details & pics HERE

Dave in Chicago

Sorry, late to the party...

I bought an A-HD+ at Walgreens on sale for $75. Must have been mid-July as it was days before the Brian Redman Challenge at Road America.

My 32GB video card cost more than the flippin' HD camcorder

mglobe

Dave,

Richard Jackson has a solution for how to hardwire a frankencharger in without a cigarette lighter. It's on my list of stuff to do to my car. We'll get you fixed up.

SG_M3

you can also pop out the cig lighter and zip tie it somewhere, I just put in a cig lighter back into my race car lol. Makes it easier to swap the traqmate around.

JClark

These jokes never get old.

Veloce Raptor

Thanks, everyone.






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