Bike cam help wanted

[thirdcrank]

A tad late if you have made your mind up but think about what you want to do with the footage. If you just want to corroborate your evidence in the event of a crash or similar, then any old image quality will do but if you hope to report bad driving successfully - and that may be a vain hope - then I'd say you want decent image quality.

[ukdodger]

Anyone have any problems installing the Roadhawk software? When I open the installation file a pop up box appears with an incrementing bar indicating that the software is being installed and then disappears. But that's it. Nothing else. No icon appears and no 'Run software' dialogue box appears. Tried fixing the registry and asking the seller but the registry is fine and seller doesnt know. Windows 7 home desktop.

[MikeF]

Anyone have any problems installing the Roadhawk software? When I open the installation file a pop up box appears with an incrementing bar indicating that the software is being installed and then disappears. But that's it. Nothing else. No icon appears and no 'Run software' dialogue box appears. Tried fixing the registry and asking the seller but the registry is fine and seller doesnt know. Windows 7 home desktop.

I've not used it but any help here?http://www.roadhawk.co.uk/Software-Installation

[landsurfer]

My concern with helmet mounted cameras or devices is the "Schumacher Syndrome".....
When you do hit your head the device goes ..... into your head.
Extremely tough Motorcycle helmets, that seems not to happen, ...
but ....
That lump of polystyrene on your head will not stop a device punching through it and into your skull ....
I believe.

[ukdodger]

Anyone have any problems installing the Roadhawk software? When I open the installation file a pop up box appears with an incrementing bar indicating that the software is being installed and then disappears. But that's it. Nothing else. No icon appears and no 'Run software' dialogue box appears. Tried fixing the registry and asking the seller but the registry is fine and seller doesnt know. Windows 7 home desktop.

I've not used it but any help here?http://www.roadhawk.co.uk/Software-Installation

Thanks. That's cracked it. I needed that Adobe air software. It's a bit clueless of the Roadhawk manufacturers that no refrence to that software comes with the item. In fact hardly ANY instructions comes with the item just a line saying to install the Roadhawk file. Cheers much appreciated.

[Graham]

No WIndows OS here. Only Ubuntu Linux.

Will that prevent me from using a Bike Cam ?

[mjr]

No WIndows OS here. Only Ubuntu Linux.

Will that prevent me from using a Bike Cam ?

Depends on the camera. Most of them appear as USB disks when plugged in, or you can remove the SD card and manipulate the files (often faster).

[MikeF]

No WIndows OS here. Only Ubuntu Linux.

Will that prevent me from using a Bike Cam ?

If it's a Roadhawk one it looks like it will.

[ukdodger]

The RoadHawk Ride seems to do everything you wanted - a) yes, b) yes, c) USB charging so you just need any charger that gives a standard USB output. For longer run times you can get a waterproof battery or a waterproof end cap with a standard USB connector at the other end to connect whatever power source you want to feed it. IIRC if you use external power the camera will automatically start recording when you switch on the power.

edited to add picture

Rick. Do you know if the 32GB card for the Roadhawk has to be the one they sell or will the Sandisk one work:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Androi ... Z&th=1#Ask

[RickH]

Rick. Do you know if the 32GB card for the Roadhawk has to be the one they sell or will the Sandisk one work:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SanDisk-Androi ... Z&th=1#Ask

I can't give a definitive answer - I don't have a Roadhawk - but I would be very surprised if you can't use any microSD card, provide it is fast enough.

A slow 16GB Sandisk card (that I happened to have spare) wouldn't record 1080 HD in my Garmin Virb, but a faster 64GB card was fine (& will record well over 6 hours of HD straight if i run the camera off an extras power source).

[Tizme]

My Roadhawk is an earlier model and that uses any micro card without problems. Mine is helmet mounted, which is okay, other than unless you attach the cable, attach that to a battery it will not last for my commute (60 minutes each way). That seems a bit restrictive for head movement, so I don't bother.
I think in the event of a crash mine would rip away from the helmet, so having it mounted there is not a real worry to me (as the chances are the object I have just come in to contact with will do the real damage).
I had lots of problems initially with battery life (as little as 25 minutes) and an awful job getting the company to take it back and exchange it (it was my fault, they kept telling me for not doing this or that, or the disk was corrupted etc.).
I then bought a very cheap second camera which I attached to my rack, rear-facing, so I could prove, in the event of an incident, that the driver had been too close, or trying to intimidate etc. Being cheap it didn't loop record and the battery was not great, so I rarely bother with that one, but for commuting I still use the roadhawk, I wait until I get to the busy A road before switching it on and that means it should last the whole ride.
I only ever use it for my commutes, as I am on the road very early in the morning or late in the evening, which in a way is stupid, as I proved (in the post on dealing with drivers) that an idiot can do something stupid at any time.
I never post any film on the net (I wouldn't even know how to and I don't care to learn ) but I keep the occasional incident on the computer in case I get a repeat and I can prove to the Police that it is a serial offender, or in the case of one particular driver after we had "words" who then decided he would teach me who was boss every time he passed and swerve towards me or cut me up! Unfortunately that was pre-camera days. Our paths have not crossed since (although he is a local builder) as I would love to record his antics and pass the video on to A&S Police

[ukdodger]

My Roadhawk is an earlier model and that uses any micro card without problems. Mine is helmet mounted, which is okay, other than unless you attach the cable, attach that to a battery it will not last for my commute (60 minutes each way). That seems a bit restrictive for head movement, so I don't bother.
I think in the event of a crash mine would rip away from the helmet, so having it mounted there is not a real worry to me (as the chances are the object I have just come in to contact with will do the real damage).
I had lots of problems initially with battery life (as little as 25 minutes) and an awful job getting the company to take it back and exchange it (it was my fault, they kept telling me for not doing this or that, or the disk was corrupted etc.).
I then bought a very cheap second camera which I attached to my rack, rear-facing, so I could prove, in the event of an incident, that the driver had been too close, or trying to intimidate etc. Being cheap it didn't loop record and the battery was not great, so I rarely bother with that one, but for commuting I still use the roadhawk, I wait until I get to the busy A road before switching it on and that means it should last the whole ride.
I only ever use it for my commutes, as I am on the road very early in the morning or late in the evening, which in a way is stupid, as I proved (in the post on dealing with drivers) that an idiot can do something stupid at any time.
I never post any film on the net (I wouldn't even know how to and I don't care to learn ) but I keep the occasional incident on the computer in case I get a repeat and I can prove to the Police that it is a serial offender, or in the case of one particular driver after we had "words" who then decided he would teach me who was boss every time he passed and swerve towards me or cut me up! Unfortunately that was pre-camera days. Our paths have not crossed since (although he is a local builder) as I would love to record his antics and pass the video on to A&S Police

Interesting. I did wonder about the battery claims. They say 1.5 hrs on HD which isnt long. I bought the extra battery pack which they say is good for 4-5 hrs. Problem is it's another thing to clamp on the bars and take off if you stop for tea. I dont plan on posting stuff either but I had a couple of close shaves recently (bus pulled out from a side road and a lorry overtook within inches. Scared the life out of me.) and video of them would have been handy if I'd gone to the Police. Most of my day rides are longer than five hours so just hope if an incident does occur it's within the five.

[Tizme]

My biggest disappointment with the Roadhawk is the battery life, which is a shame as other than that it is not a bad camera. As a lot of my commute is early in the morning (5am out of the house), the cold obviously has an impact on the duration of the battery in use. My reasons for buying have been explained before, but a precis is in my latest post on "self righteous cameramen".

I did wear it a while back on a favourite ride of mine (including Alfreds Tower - a 19% climb) and spent ages playing about with the resulting video, putting it to music etc, with gear ratios etc. to use as a winter turbo session. I still haven't finished it, I may one day, but I always seem to be looking after grandchildren at the moment to be able to spend time on the computer!

The main problem with headcam/barcam video is that it can never convey the terror/anger/frustration (add any other feeling that springs to mind after a life-threatening incident) that you felt at that moment.

I have reviewed footage of incidents where I seriously thought I was a goner and decided that anyone else looking at it would wonder what the problem was. As an example, riding home one evening a car pulled across the centre line towards me for no other reasons (that I could tell) other than to scare me (the driver thought it was hugely amusing), I nearly needed clean shorts . Looking at the video after it looks like a mild inconvenience, the fact that he was probably doing 60mph and swerved for no apparent reasons just does not come across. From considering sending it to the Police I sent it to the recycle bin!

[thirdcrank]

... I had a couple of close shaves recently (bus pulled out from a side road and a lorry overtook within inches. Scared the life out of me.) and video of them would have been handy if I'd gone to the Police. ....

These are a couple of situations where the typical helmet camera/ dash cam with a wide-angle lens does not necessarily provide convincing evidence for a prosecution. A vehicle pulling out from a side road will appear on playback to be much further away than was actually the case. Passing distances also tend to be distorted. For the same reason, vehicles seen in convex rear-view mirrors seem further away than they are, as the car handbooks warn.

Expert analysis should provide more accurate information, but first impressions count. If you doubt what I'm saying Martin Porter explains in his blog the effect of this on his private prosecution for dangerous driving.

(While I've been typing Tizme posted confirming what I'm saying

[ukdodger]

... I had a couple of close shaves recently (bus pulled out from a side road and a lorry overtook within inches. Scared the life out of me.) and video of them would have been handy if I'd gone to the Police. ....

These are a couple of situations where the typical helmet camera/ dash cam with a wide-angle lens does not necessarily provide convincing evidence for a prosecution. A vehicle pulling out from a side road will appear on playback to be much further away than was actually the case. Passing distances also tend to be distorted. For the same reason, vehicles seen in convex rear-view mirrors seem further away than they are, as the car handbooks warn.

Expert analysis should provide more accurate information, but first impressions count. If you doubt what I'm saying Martin Porter explains in his blog the effect of this on his private prosecution for dangerous driving.

(While I've been typing Tizme posted confirming what I'm saying

Now he tells me.

I see the point but even so rather some evidence than none.