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I auto cross.
Cool right! 
I want videos of my each run for myself cuase, well casue its america and i want it i suppose.
What the best way of going about this.
A) buy digital camcorder and mount it and all that
B) get a beater laptop and run a webcam setup of something like that. (extermnal mike could be placed anywhere!)
Ideas?
Here is two more choices to concider:
C) all in one recorder like the Go-Pro Hero.
D) bullet cam and portable DVR device.
This was done using a $100 Sony digital camera (not camcorder), stuck to the roll bar with a muffler clamp and a 1/4" bolt. You can even see the camera strap in the rear-view shots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wxU4LTC2ng
G
honestly, this seems like a great solution: flip video
ive never used one, but it was mentioned in another thread. there are cheaper models, too. put a piece of lexan in front of it and mount it pretty much anywhere. i dont know about audio quality. can these take external mics? but for $100-200 it seems like a good solution.
GoPro Herocam. The suction cup mount included in the kit works really well and is easy to mount anywhere. $140 is pretty reasonable for an all-in-one unit.
This looks good too
http://www2.oregonscientific.com/shop/product.asp?cid=6&scid=14&pid=709
or for the real DIY
I used an Aiptek DV3100 that I bought on a whim.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&q=aiptek+DV3100&...
Then I added a wide angle lens to it:
http://www.amazon.com/CAM-2100-MagMount-Wide-Angle-Conversion-Regular/dp/B0002OIYG...
then I mounted it to a tripod head:
http://www.amazon.com/Giottos-MH1304-110C-Professional-Mini-Ball/dp/B000UOMGU8/ref...
which was bolted to the rail from a bicycle cargo rack:
http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_9990000080103311P?vName=Fitness%20&%2...
I just took the plastic rack off and bolted the tripod head on to it then clamped the other end to the headrest of the passenger seat.
This is one of the videos I created:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRkzPAz9aD4
Not bad, need to fix the microphone and make it easier to start/stop the camera. That and get a slightly better camera. I will say that the wide angle lens makes a huge difference and should be standard for anyone looking for an in-car video solution.
Good luck!
If you already have a digital cam that can do video clips, just get this: http://www.chasecam.com/mounts/suction/SM30
Thats what i have but i need to find something else because the gate guy at my local HPDE sessions wont allow me to mount my camera on the windshield/dashboard. Autocross ppl might be more lax.
Here's an early version of a camera mount I built. Once I reinforced the mounting points with some clear plastic (which you can get from electronics packaging) it held up well. Takes decent videos.
I followed the advice of a fellow member here and got a $40 Aiptek A-HD from eBay. They wrote about their setup here.
http://blog.scienceofslow.com/2008/08/my-video-setup.html
In addition, I installed an aux power outlet in my trunk and made a custom cable to provide power to the camera so I didn't have to rely on the battery. The camera has a metal threaded insert for mounting, but it's only as strong as the plastic camera body.. Which is to say not strong at all. So far twice people have knocked my camera and broken the plastic, so I made an aluminum housing to mount the camera in so it won't get broken any more.
Here's a sample:
I used a system similar to gameboyRMH's, but just bungee-corded the folded camera tripod to the headrest supports. My Sony digital camera has an MPEG mode, and they mostly came out quite well.
I also used a similar system using the headreasts. I took a ~14" piece of 1" tubing and drilled two hole in it that the legs of the headrest fit through. Then I drilled a hole at the other end and put the 1/4" bolt through it and through to the camera. I could adjust the angle buy reclining the seat. I also made this out of a $7 dent puller and some scrap aluminum:
Tom Heath wrote:GoPro Herocam. The suction cup mount included in the kit works really well and is easy to mount anywhere. $140 is pretty reasonable for an all-in-one unit.
Seriously. I was pretty amazed with that thing. And they're a GRM sponsor. Win. I paid $300+ for my video camera, had to "fabricate" a mount for it, and the video is all bouncy and crappy. I <3 the Herocam.
Herocam for the MFW.
I do not own one yet but I have access to one, awesome.
Heromcam vids from the Challenge. Hearing the "unintentional 4,500RPM rev. limiter" on the turd makes me sad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANLsRg_bW5Q&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohbSOTmTyMs&NR=1
I <3 teh mattstep:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdH8O3ckzCI&feature=channel_page
The best video I've had was a Sony TVR-280 (probably dirt cheap now) with a wide angle lens. When I uploaded my videos from my camera to my comp resolution was better than my Cannon ZR300 which is digital.
The Sony camera came out about 9 years ago.
I bolted it to my headrest with a home made mount, used a couple bolts, luggage strap (to dampen the vibrations) and rubber tubing (to dampen the vibrations).
One thing I'd like to add:
The lightweight Aiptek and their ilk (Flip, etc) are great for racing since they are cheap, they store their data on media cards and they are light enough that their lack of mass means less bracing is needed to get a decent steady shot.
The newer Aiptek HD camera's with a wide angle lens and external mic would kick major butt.
www.chasecam.com makes high quality stuff (used by F1 teams) that is tiny enough to fit almost anywhere.
If cost is more of a concern, it is hard to beat the Go Pro Hero WIDE. Inexpensive, easy to use, and good quality video. www.goprocamera.com
I did the camcorder thing for a while......until the camera was jettisoned from my vehicle at high speed!
Make sure you use a tether. And make sure it's anchored to something strong.
How well do suction cups really work? Do you have to constantly re-suction them? I never found one that worked. Even for GPS devices!
I use a mechanical rig that clamped onto my old cross brace on the Miata (before I removed it to install the roll bar. It had multiple adjustments and could easily take the abuse (it was once attached to a robot on an assembly line, but it was replaced with a new part).
I use Panasonic cameras GS-400 and GS-65 becasue I had them before I started doing a lot of in-car video. They have done a great job for 5 years now even surviving 4 hour enduro races.
But if I was starting fresh I would get the Go-Pro or something similar.
This is a mount that I made for in-car stuff when there is no roll bar. Some square tube, a couple U-bolts and a tripod head I had laying around.
Many racing orgainizations will not permit the use of suction cup mounts (even the chasecam which is very good). I have had this suction cup setup on a car up to 85MPH with no problem. The large one is 6" and the smaller ones are 3" and they have built-in pumps to draw a vacuum.
I used this setup and the in-car one along with a third camera on a tripod up on a hill beside the course to make some Auto-X videos for a friend. When I am just fooling around I use the large suction cup, the rod and mount on the inside of my windshield to get nice clear "going down the road scenery" videos.
I love my GoPro Motorsports Hero Wide. I have a couple videos on my blog.
The audio is pretty low. You can remove the waterproof seal to get more sound. I am still experimenting with mounting it in different places to see what works best.
This got me thinking about possible ways to record video for free to see how useful it is before actually investing in a full on setup. One of the most ubiquitous technologies to emerge in recent years has been the cameraphone which invariably has a video mode as well. Now off course the video quality of the cameraphone is dependant on the device, but newer devices usually have at least 2 megapixels and can use large memory cards to store virtually limitless video. Phones are built to withstand rougher use than a camera (they go through several types of drop tests) and being solid state they are less affected by vibration. I then decided to build my own in-car video setup using a cellphone.
In reply to wreinmicheal:
That is best canoe -ish post I've ever encountered.
You had me up to the link...
Do you already have a digital camera? Does it shoot video? If so, all you need is a tripod (walmart, borrow from a friend) - mount your camera, turn the tripod sideways, and strap it to your passenger seat. If your passenger seat has a removable headrest, even easier - pull the headrest off and reinstall it firmly with its bracket passing through the legs of the sideways tripod.
I am a big fan of the Hero camera! I have seen a few in use and watched some videos recorded on them and I was really impressed, especially at that price point. I plan on buying the HD version before this coming race season!
