ATC2K Sport Video Camera

Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:32 pm

My wife told me about this camera she's getting me for our anniversary. I was skeptical at first, a fully enclosed, waterproof, memory upgradeable video camera the size of a Red Bull can, for under $100...

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... id=6115681

So I did a little digging. Check out all the various videos that people have taken with this thing on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ATC2K

Underwater shots (the one mounted on a speargun is sweet), several with motorcycles, even one mounted on an R/C plane. It looks like it gets some funky vibration distortion on motorcycles, but it does a really good job of correcting IMHO. I'm going to order it tomorrow morning, I found a site that has them listed for $74, I'm going to find out if it's legit, and if I can get it delivered overnight on Saturday. If so I'll test it out on the track. At the very least, it's supposed to be rugged, so at least we can look back and figure out what went wrong

Update, here's a link with a really sweet perspective just behind the front wheel...

ZX9R · Post by **ZX9R** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:22 am

That is nice! Good find Tink!

Tinkerbell · Post by **Tinkerbell** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:08 am

Thanks!

Post by **DarcShadow** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:16 am

looks interesting. My only concern would be the 32Mb onboard memory, doesn't seem like very much, so then the question is what's the expandable memory cost?

digi · Post by **digi** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:21 am

I ordered one.

Secure Digital is cheap. I bought a 2gig card for 36 bucks in a hotel store in vegas.

Post by **dufremle** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:51 am

I think buy.com usually has a sale on the 2GB SD cards for $20 after rebate.

Aviconus · Post by **Aviconus** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 2:53 pm

looks pretty nice might have to add that to the XMAS list.

Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:27 pm

Here's a site that has them for $79.95:

http://www.weatherconnect.com/product.asp?itmky=882426

I wanted it by Monday for the track, and I found that Spy Supply carries them locally, so I paid a premium at $129. I was in a hurry so I just snagged a SD card from Best Buy for 39.99.

So far, I'm impressed. I'm about to throw the video up that I just took, a ride around the block

Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:55 pm

Alright, here's a test video going around the block. I know, I got the camera pointed down too much. I'll fix that later. You can still get a good idea of the quality. Suprisingly, the audio is better and less crackly when you're up to speed. Oh, and the video is better resolution, keep in mind YouTube knocks the quality down to make the videos smaller. Here's a link:

digi · Post by **digi** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:00 pm

That rocks!!!!

I can't wait until mine gets in!

Aviconus · Post by **Aviconus** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:37 pm

holy shiz. . .even on the lower res of you tube you can see every crack dayum.

Blizzard_1708 · Post by **Blizzard_1708** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:06 pm

You'll have to start posting more on U-tube because I just subscribed to your videos!

U-Turn · Post by **U-Turn** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:31 pm

Nice quality - good buy.
I'm a little dissapointed though.
I wanted to hear your new muffler, see the wheelies and stoppies and such.
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I've got to get one too.
How long will 2GB record?
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I'm going riding around a bit now.
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Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:01 pm

Well, I did cut quite a bit of the audio down, but it's definitely not a handicam in terms of sound quality. You can only do so much with a waterproof microphone in a $80 unit. I'll leave the videos raw on the track

As far as recording time, 2GB gives you 1hr 2mins at full quality, just under 2hrs for medium quality, and almost 6 hours at low quality. That's more than enough for what I plan.

I'm looking forward to playing with the underwater stuff too. The promo video they have on Oregon Scientific's website is a guy going down a waterslide. Gonna have to hit up Six Flags and get some coaster video!

Bird · Post by **Bird** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:46 pm

I'm really SURPRIZED at the video that came out of it. Looks like you guys may have found the answer to our prayers! I was all lined up for a $700 video system last Christmas and backed off at the last minute. This looks like something we can play with and throw away when it breaks.

Edmond_Dantes · Post by **Edmond_Dantes** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 8:44 am

Sweetness. I've got a different cam on my bike. How did you mount it?

Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 9:45 am

Edmond_Dantes wrote:Sweetness. I've got a different cam on my bike. How did you mount it?

It comes with three different sized straps velcro for wrist, velcro for over the shoulder), a rubber strap for mounting around a helmet, and the clip for those straps can also allow zip ties through it. So I just zip-tied that clip to the frame of my bike (just above the frame slider), and the camera slides into that and locks into place. Here are a couple of pics:

Edmond_Dantes · Post by **Edmond_Dantes** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:47 am

That beats the snot out of my jimmy rigged little camera.

Looks like I may have to invest in one.

digi · Post by **digi** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:50 pm

So, I got my camera.

I had two AWESOME rides this evening. Rides that would have totally stoked out anyone. Rides that made me feel good to be alive.

Unfortunately, the camera didn't get any of it. The first ride wasn't captured at all, and the second ride, was captured just a little past Ross Avenue. 4:37 on the clock.

The camera was pointed way high, and it shut itself off. I think my mounting needs some work. Looked like some vibration might have gotten it. I did have it on the front fork.

Back to the drawing board.

Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:46 pm

It's not the vibration, it's the heat. I found that out at the track today. I had mine mounted to the frame, which of course pulls heat from the engine. Where I had it was where hot air blows out the side of the fairing at speed. Essentially, the camera was getting cooked by 200+ degree heat. It would run fine for a 6-8 minutes, then shut itself off.

I turned on the camera in the car after track and it ran for for 45 minutes straight, and when I did my bike test the raw data was over 20 minutes, so I don't think it's the vibration. Your bike runs hot, and depending where you mounted it, it's probably getting a similar issue.

I'm going to find a place that's in the wind, and away from the heat to mount it next. Either that, or mount it with a 2-3" heat sink between it and the frame. I dunno yet, I'm thinking of some different ideas.

Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:02 pm

First time running the camera on the track

Bird · Post by **Bird** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:12 pm

GREAT vids, Don. Maybe we ALL need to get one of those!

What level were you running in at MSR, 3 or 4? The trips around the track on the first one had me leaning in my chair!!! ... GOD, I NEED TO GET BACK ON THE TRACK!

Firewa11 · Post by **Firewa11** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:32 pm

Bird325 wrote:GREAT vids, Don. Maybe we ALL need to get one of those! What level were you running in at MSR, 3 or 4? The trips around the track on the first one had me leaning in my chair!!! ... GOD, I NEED TO GET BACK ON THE TRACK!

I was running level 4, I passed some people, got passed by others, all in all a lot of fun!

digi · Post by **digi** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:52 pm

Awesome videos!

I must say that I am a bit disappointed in my camera at the moment... there is no freaking place to mount it. I broke my little strap clippy... not pleased. Fortunately, superglue should bring it back to life, but damn damn damn...

I could mount on the tank, except that my windscreen will block most of the nice visuals. The only place that I can see, is maybe under the nose, but I am not sure if I will bump it on my front fender or not. The camera really needs to be in front of the bike.

I even looked at the helmet mount... no go. I could mount on one of the handle bars, but I will lose grip, and the camera will turn.

I might try for the under the nose thing tomorrow if I can. It might require some careful cutting. I am not looking forward to doing that when I don't know if that will fix the issue.

This is what I get for riding something designed like the stealth fighter... no flat surfaces whatsoever to mount anything to.

Edmond_Dantes · Post by **Edmond_Dantes** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:23 pm

For what it's worth, I have mine rigged to look through the windscreen. It's attached to the handlebars so it looks through the turns. I'll try to cut some video small enough and put it on youtube.

Any suggestions for software to cut the video length?