V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

As far as I'm concern it works well, but the DivX output does give me problems. I'm not a computer expert so I have to find a way to convert these videos to be able to get pictures out of them and to publish them so everybody can read them. I have had some feed back from users that cannot read them properly.

I would still give it 4 stars because it makes nice videos not perfect understandable it's not an HD.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

It's truely amazing............

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

This camera is superior than others in having the lcd screen and small profile camera head, but don't be fooled into purchasing anything from V.I.O. or it may cost you.Price: costs a LOT more than the competitorsAccessories: you will need them and WOW will you have to pay top dollar to get them. [$] just for a mounting kit.Repairs: They don't do them. Something breaks, buy a new one.Firmware updates: You have to BUY them too!Professionalism: Ended up getting the wrong extension cord from their website because it was incorrectly labeled as compatible for my camera. Also took almost a week to get my email to customer service answered.Design flaws: POV1.0 Camera head opened under normal use. Head can be easily unscrewed when removing the a/v cable because it is not fixed closed. (it is threaded to open for no apparent reason and attached to where the a/v cable attaches. If camera head twists open, the fixed wiring will pull away from components and render the camera head useless. ([$] replacement part). No warning in the instruction manual and they do not repair or have refurbished parts. Customer service first said the product was used improperly. When I disputed this and it was clear that it opened while used as directed, the supervisor intervened and stated that the user tampered with the product and voided the warranty. This design flaw was fixed for the POV1.5 when they created the tethered head, but they claim this change was done to "make the camera easier to use" not because of a design flaw. Design Flaw #2: Camera will not stay secure in the mount on its own. I had to add tape around the body of the camera to secure it tighter in the mount so that it would stay fixed upright. Camera head would not stay upright on my helmet and video would be ruined because camera was shooting at a crooked angle.There are plenty of helmet cameras out on the market for half the price. For the price of VIO cameras, there should be much better customer service. This is not the case.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

great camara, easy to use, very easy to upload video and post....very satisfied!!

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

I haven't had a lot of time with the camera, but you don't need much to quickly make it work for you. The menu is pretty straight forward to navigate around; the options are simple and functional; the footage is great.

The viewing screen is only good for giving you an idea of whether your shot is in frame or not - not very high res or good quality - but that's all you need it for.

I think I would have preferred having the cable detatch at the camera end as well as at the recording unit, makes it a little more user-friendly in all situations. But the security of one less connection is also good.

Really needs a clip mount for the peak of a cap. Other universal mounts are ok, but I don't like having to put a sticker on my helmet for the star mount. I will be using this camera for several members of a ski team and interchangeability is important - permanent stickers don't allow for that. (And kids don't want it on thier helmet).

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

This is an update to a review I did after sending the unit back to the factory 2 previous times. I sent the camera in(a new replacement for previous)and found that everything on the right side of the view was haloed and out of focus. Got ANOTHER replacement camera and it appears to have been dropped, it has a dent and scuff mark on back of camera. Haven't had a chance to see how the image looks.
Also, when downloading the clips into editing software the timeline is reversed from typical video recording units which makes it difficult to integrate into the proper time line with video from other sources. Would be nice if you could have clips load in order of recording. Difficult to get audio level adjusted for various environments properly, either ends up too low or too high(distorted) If I had it to do over again I would probably get a hi def unit with a waterproof case from another manufacturer.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

The first problem i came across was the thread for the input cover broke before i even used it, so i would recommend filling the extra space around the thread with a epoxy filler (be careful not to overfill) which will stop this. I have fixed it and it now works great.

The second problem i have with this is the mounts are not that great for what i want. If you only want to use this camera in one car, or on one bike it will be great, however i need to quickly move all of my cameras between cars and get them mounted securely.

I would strongly recommend you get the lens shield if it will be used in an environment that the front glass can get scratched. I see it as cheap insurance for the camera.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

I bought the pov 1.5 to install in my aircraft. Let's me install camera in tail, but be able to view what I'm recording in the cockpit. Good video editing program included.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

I have been thinking about buying one of these for a long time and when I saw the special pricing I could not resist. To date, I have only used it a few time but the ease of use, the quality of the video and the fun that it lets me have is great. My plans are to get enough Good video so I can edit and watch it during the Cold Dark Winter (when I can not get out and night ride)while sitting on my trainer. It would be much better than STOOPID TV!! I look forward to posting some video and including it on my Photo Website. I had to contact the Customer service people at VIO and they were very responsive and helpful.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

The strength of this product is its ease of use. Takes about 10 minutes to learn and offers lots of functionality. Wish there was a focus feature though.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

I use this camera mainly for biking and as a dash-cam for my car. Video quality is not high-definition but is pretty good except in low light.
Camera lens is wide angle so mounting angle is not too critical.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

Great camera, but HD is missing...

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

Application: Shooting onboard footage of my aerobatic plane as it goes through its manouvres. The camera head was taped to a front wing strut and got an excellent face-on shot of the pilot and the background. The next round will be to attach the camera behind the pilot and get a forward-looking shot.Things that were great about it: I received the package in the mail at 4:00 p.m., flew the camera system at 6:00 p.m., and viewed/downloaded it to my computer at 8:00 p.m. It was as simple as that. I had no need to refer to the reference manual, which, by the way, is quickly accessible. The system is very intuitive and user-friendly!Things not so great:Picture quality is definitely as advertised: DVD quality. Too bad V.I.O. hasn't gone to HD.Also, unrelated to the product, but definitely related to B & H,[...]

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

Bought this unit 3 months ago, just sent it in for warranty repair for the 2nd time. [...] Same problems the 2nd go around. I keep getting "invalid clip" when recording and have missed some key video because of it. Also seem to be having what seems to be electronic ignition noise in the audio portions when recording in various vehicles. They changed the camera head and cable out, but it didn't solve the problems. Called and left a message and sent e-mail with questions and it took them a WEEK to get back to me. So far, not real impressed with the customer service or the product. Hope once the bugs are worked out that it will be a good product, but I don't intend to pay the $$$ to keep sending it back for the same problems. [...]

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

My first one was stolen so I had to replace it. Works like a charm !!

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

I bought this unit to film my hunts. I used it on a turkey hunt. It was awsome. I recieved it the night before the hunt, so I didn't have a lot of time to figure it out. It was easy to use, and right out of the box, I had it up and recording in no time. They even include batteries. The quick start manual tells you everything you need to know to get started. The images are crisp, and it perfroms well in low light situations, often associated with hunting. It is always pointed where you are looking. And the loop feture is awsome. When hunting there is more down time than action. So I would just let the recorder, record loops. Then when you had some action, all you have to do is press the tag button, and it saves the last loop, or two depending on your settings. The remote feature is also nice. I plan on using it for bow hunting in the future as well. Plus, POV's customer service is outstanding. I had a bad A/V cable. [...]. The only improvement I would suggest is that it have zoom capabilities, it's great for anything with in about 25 yards, after that, you loose detail. Since my primary use will be bowhuntng, that shouldn't be a problem. I Would definitly buy this product again!

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

The system overall is built well and easy to use. not having HD is the first drawback as there are other POV units that do for less.

The fact the unit is waterproof is nice but to me it stops there.

One put on my mac a watermark from DivX is in the bottom right corner and will not go away. the manufacturer of the unit said contact DivX, which I fell they should handle since that is the codec they went with. Non the less, contact the software company and get a voice mail of a promise someone will get with you in 48 hours.

For the price I would rather spend more money can get a professional unit or less and get a better resolution.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

The VIO-POV is impressive from the very first unzipping of the all-inclusive carry case. All the cables and accessories are neatly and cleverly packaged into a small carry case.

Plenty of options to customize your recording.
The tag feature is very unique and helpful on long rides, but takes some time to get a good feel for what is being recorded. (Make sure you press the Rec Button twice when starting TAG recording! First to start recording the loops, then a second time when you want to save a loop!)

Video quality is true DVD quality. I have had helmet cams in the past that claim DVD quality but did not measure up. VIO sticks to thier guns and delivers crisp, smooth visuals. Much better than expected!

Included mounting options are very versitile. The star mount with velcro base can be applied to your helmet, then moved anywhere on your clothing with the magnetic base. Also included is a Parallel tube mount. I would have liked to see the Perpendicular tube mount in the base kit, since I believe that would be more useful. I had a hard time finding a good option / angle to mount on my bike, the parallel mount didnt offer any practical angles. The perpendicular mount would be very handy.

I definately recommend the POV Pouch, I dont have one yet, but it would be nice to have the POV on a belt or backpack strap rather than in a pack or a pocket.

The only hickup in the system is not being able to see, on the remote, that the unit is recording. When using the remote you have to have faith that the unit did in fact recieve the Rec / Stop command. I ended up filming 30 minutes of up-hill struggle because it didnt recieve the stop command. And I missed a good portion of action packed downhill (this was because I didnt fully understand the tag recording), but still, If the remote light indicated It wasnt recording I would have been able to catch it.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

Durable camera with a tiny camera head that can be used to capture footage in tight situations. Concave lens is a huge plus for limited space environments. Only con is that I wish the camera had HD resolution.

Comments about V.I.O. POV.1.5 Digital Helmet Camera System:

This camera and recorder are built tough. The camera will be used in an industrial setting during all types of weather. I have mounted the camera to my hard hat. Go to the companies website for more accessories.