Specifications

MotoComm RiderCam 30F $189.99
Ease of Operation:
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Video Quality:
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Audio Quality:
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Mounting Options:
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Features:
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Accessories:
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Value:
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Comment: Seriously flawed, even compared to non-HD cams
Sensor Size: 1.3 MP Resolution: VGA, QVGA Frame Rate: 30fps Focal Range: 6" to infinity Aperture: f/2.0 Field of View: 90°
Battery Charge Life: 2 hours (claimed) Card Type: Micro SD/SDHC (8GB maximum) Record Time: 4 hours on 8GB card (claimed)
Computer Compatibility
:
Listed only as PC and Mac Warranty
:
1 year
Included with camera: Handlebar mount, 24" rubber strap, 24" hook & loop strap, 12" hook & loop strap, flat-surface mount (can
be used with adhesive or straps), assorted adhesive pads, silicone grease (for waterproofing its rubber grommets), USB and ana
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log A/V cables, Li-Ion battery, AC charger
30 DECEMBER 2011
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MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS
is to say, save what has been recorded. For example, you might set
it to discard recorded footage after 30 seconds if you haven’t
hit the record button. This means that whenever you do hit record,
t
he saved file will include the 30 seconds of action prior to that
command, along with what follows.
Y
ou never know when something cool will happen unexpect-
edly. But, if you were recording the entire ride to ensure the
c
apture of such a choice moment—you’d have to wade through
a huge quantity of unwanted footage to find it later.
So, the V.I.O. gives you 20-20 hindsight you can actually use!
This feature alone may be worth its extra expense and hassle. We
don’t have room here for all the details, but you can download the
manual from V.I.O.’s website and read the section entitled,
“Understanding the POV.HD Video Record Methods.” Files are
saved with handy names that incorporate the date and time they
were recorded, along with tag-related information.
Sensor size is apparently not directly related to video quality, as
the V.I.O. gives away 3MP to the other HD units, yet has compa-
rable detail, clarity and color saturation; it’s most similar to the
GoPro, image-wise. Metering requires
some tweaking, and is a bit hyper-reac-
tive, briefly overcompensating for
shifts in scene brightness caused by
simply turning a little to the right or left;
up/down movement yields even more
of this because the sky is usually the
brightest part of the scene. (We double-
checked to make sure we weren’t using
spot metering, which can sometimes
produce this effect.)
Audio is quite good as long as speeds
are very low, but the cam’s mic is
extremely sensitive to wind noise,
which becomes a din above 25mph.
Because the V.I.O.’s mic is located at
the midpoint of its cam-to-recorder cable, it could conceivably be
secured out of the wind blast and perhaps even near the rider’s
mouth. However, in most cases it’d be far more practical to use a
lavaliere mic with a separate, longer cord. When we did so, we got
excellent voice and engine sound, with minimal wind noise. Note
that using the V.I.O.’s external mic jack requires removal of the
recorder’s end-hatch, seriously compromising its waterproofing.
Speaking of cords and practicality, the V.I.O. is profoundly
awkward to use, compared to the other cams here. While the sep-
arate recorder’s 2" (diagonal) LCD screen does provide the lone
viewfinder here that’s actually visible
to a rider during use, this is only true if
it’s mounted somewhere in the rider’s
field of vision, and it’s a big, heavy 10
oz. brick to find a home for. Stowing it
in a bag or using an accessory mount-
ing system doesn’t address the cable
routing issue, which can really compli-
cate the process of getting on and off
the bike, or putting on/taking off a hel-
met, since there’s no way to quickly
release the camera head from the
recorder. (But if both are mounted on
the bike, these problems vanish.)
We would definitely not want to con-
tend with this setup off-road; the cam-
era cord would be vulnerable to snagging, and we don’t like the
idea of having our helmet (and head!) tethered to wherever the
recorder is stored in the event of a spill (much more common off-
road). However, the V.I.O.’s heavy-gauge aluminum camera head,
thick cable and rugged plastic recorder look like they’d survive
very rough conditions. This is an impressive piece of equipment;
we’re just not crazy about it as a helmet-cam, and we’re dubious
about the cost of its (admittedly long) list of features.
V.I.O.—100 N. Front St., Marquette, MI 49855; 888-579-2267;
www.vio-pov.com
T
otal Score: 26
MotoComm Impressions:
Unfortunately, the most salient aspect of the MotoComm is its
severely limited mounting options. Even when compared to the
non-HD units we tested back in Round One, this cam falls short.
Product Comparison