Macca

Looks pretty handy Doug. Main criticism would be battery life is essentially zero so needs to be full time harriers ( not an issue in itself) and it doesn't take 64 gb cards not that I recommend using them rather use a 16/32 gb rotating strategy to fail safe mass data storage loss should one go bad or the camera get nicked with the card I it. My only real observation is price. For the money you can get the Sony hDR av100s and the free iPhone app gives you the viewfinder. Battery will last 2 hrs and lots of mounts and cases. Walt uses one too so can comment. Downside is GPS is 1 Hz I believe on the Sony....

Macca

Once again nice find Jamie!

Sorry to hear about the screen Buba. You know how anxious I am fitting new screens to 993s. Good news is your guys should get it spot on first time this time around!

Here you go Graeme. Interesting concept. I think Porsche have stollen some of the Cayman tuners thunder with the GT4 (and subsequent GT4-RS should they choose to produce one). For the price of the GT4 in UK/US/other markets its hard to argue for a 3.8 BGM type car these days. The interesting thing is the PDK is being used in alot of the BG Motorsports projects now. Guards say they have a gearset on the way for the GT4 which will improve things transmission wise and that the GT4 needs a decent 40/60 Guards LSD (the factory one fitted is chocolate). The owner of BGM has a GT4 on the way for analysis. I think they will offer a power upgrade package along with LSD, PDK and race seat/harness and cage option for those that wish to go club racing with them. IMO throwing a V8 in there is a nice idea but a tough conversion. Folks been playing with that concept on the 911 for years with only RUF getting even close to a nice clean package...Hamiltons are not in that league IMO.

O2GO

Thanks Macca. Didn't you have issues with the poorly designed mount and vibrations in the mount effecting the audio?

Macca

Doug. Only on that one trip in Oakura. I used my KW engineering billet mount on that occasion. Its a beautiful bit of kit and connects to the roll cage. Only issue as I learnt was its WAY too stiff a mount for the likes of GoPro and Sony cameras weighing 80 grams. On my 240 gram alloy housing Smartycam HD2.0 the mount soaks up the vibration but with the 80 gram Sony it transmits it to the next weakest part (the plastic frame that uses a tripod screw adaptor). I reverted back to the Sony plastic/rubber cage mount for subsequent Northland run in April just as I had been using on road and track for around 12 months already and the issue dissapeared. On the Targa I brought the Sony to be used outside with the suction mount but ended up using it on the window with the waterproof case as the GoPro died on me (now resurrected). I left the stand alone base mount at home so had to use the water tight housing. It worked fine there but the sound wasnt as good.

The Sony is a good all rounder (strong points = sound and GPS) but the GoPro has the better lens and metering. The GoPro can be viewed through the iphone too (although there is a delay).

Right now if spending $400 NZD on a new in car camera system Id probably opt for the Hero 4 silver edition. Forget the remote control its battery dies long before the camera. Hardwire the GoPro and use the Wifi app for turning it on and off and setting the field of view. Lots of accessories available and lots of guys have them so easy to borrow stuff on tour (though be advised as I found out when borrowing a battery from Chris T that theyve changes the damn battery design between Hero 3 & 4!).

GoPro is more fiddly than Sony and the battery life isn't as good but its more universally used and the lens and metering is much better IMO. The Sony still wins on sound quality but the GoPro has improved in this respect and now there is less between them (you can use external mic with both).

The only thing that may be a show stopper for the GoPro is GPS. However you have that on your iPhone with your tracking app. If you are using GPS for speed overlays post production all I can tell you is that the Sony isnt good as the 1hz and latency mean the actual speed is around 1-2s ahead of the GPS speed which quite frankly is un acceptable on fast road and track where above 120kmph the latency becomes annoying and the resultant telemetrics useless.

O2GO

Thanks for all that explanation Macca.

I've been reading up on the Hero4 silver but looking through the accessories and reading up, how do you power it off your internal car electrics? Can you just use the micro sub to connect to a sub power otlet in the car?

They sure know how to charge for this stuff!

Macca

Yes Doug. Micro USB cable you can buy a longer one off ebay for a few bucks and straight into a 5W 12v Cig lighter USB adapator. There are a tonne of cheaper AM accessories for the GoPro which frankly are at least as well made as the official accessories.

gt38088

we haven't even sighted a gt4 yet but got all the mods planned ....
will definitely need a diff and gearset nice but trouble is its not just going to be one or two gears. may well need 4 or 5 once first and second are optimized. not gonna be cheap.

Macca

Graeme. Gotta love the yanks. They are onto it. It may need a new pinion as I suspect 1st will be fixed. That will be expensive so most will stack them closer from second. top end suffers but there isn't any track where +250 kph will be an issue in any case. If it were me I'd leave it stock and re pack the LSD once it's lost preload with Guards guts. Already got the modification T shirt. Not again thanks :-). Hopefully we'll see some teams run them GT4 cup. Owners will benefit from their learnings. Or teams will learn from owners ha ha like 991 GT3, they just announced GT3/RS engine will be in new Cup and Motorsport programme from this year. I think PAG have got the punters doing the testing like way back at the beginning!!

996tnz

Hi Doug. I had awful 'buzzy/rattly' sound problems with the Sony on Targa until I wedged a bit of paper between the camera and the holder housing. There's a mm or so of play in at least some housings that lets the camera resonate with the engine or the coarse chip. And of course it's right next to the microphones so dominates the sound track. Got a bit overzealous with the paper at one point and wondered if the lens would rip out before the camera would!

Why can car manufacturers test drive their vehicles under all conditions (well at least up to the 991 Carrera) to ensure near troublefree operation but camera manufacturers just let their customers do their real world testing instead? It's not like it would cost much petrol or freight to test cameras...

BTW, there is a new 4K 120/240fps Sony action cam out now. Maybe it even fits its housing properly.

Macca

Interesting you say this Walter. Reviewing my Targa footage I have the same buzzing I think. It was the waterproof housing onto the suction mount and I hadn't used that Set up before only the smaller frameless mount with the roll cage mount. Maybe there is a design issue there. I see they have a new updated model out. I don't need 2.7k or 4k tho just better battery life, easier to use features, sharper lens better handling of contrast etc lol!

gt38088

Thought about just a diff mod too but the trouble is gearing on 1 and 2 is just too high. Tests so far have quoted 2nd good for 83mph if that were geared down to 66mph that's 20% down. For top speed that's 300 down to 240 approx.

kiwi 911

Macca,

I see we (.....well me anyway) might get out money back on our 993 investestments.......Reasonal cars seem to be north of $100K AUD at the moment.........

http://www.classicthrottleshop.com/modernclassic10.html

http://www.carpoint.com.au/all-cars/...D-3408708&Cr=0

Macca

Not a single one for sale in private or trade advertisements in last few Porsche 911 World Magazines Paul which is very peculiar.

However have no fear. Whatever is happening elsewhere is not likely to affect the market here much price wise I promise :-(

Macca

But Paul. We can always send them over to Australia to sell. 104k AUD seems a bit strong for a 144k 1994 993. go the AUD!!!

Macca

Graeme. Yes agreed but maybe reduction needs to be closer 15% or else overdrive the 6th gear for cruising. That should give you everything you need for NZ tracks. Reality is 240 kph may even be enough?
Diff is a reasonable cost job (probably 3-4k parts and labour). Gear sets start to get up there with parts and labour. You could easily spend 8-10k getting new ratios in there. for NZ tracks there would be real benefit though IMO.