Specifications

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DECEMBER 2011 31
During that first comparo, we wound up doing most of our test-
ing on dirtbike helmets because they afforded visor slots through
which we could thread those cams’ hook & loop straps (the only
v
iable mounting options for some of our contenders, which were
clearly designed for mountain-bikers, rather than motorcyclists).
H
owever, we couldn’t figure out a satisfactory way to mount
the MotoComm to a dirtbike visor using the hook & loop straps
i
t came with, and MotoComm doesn’t offer any mounting
accessories. We suppose there’s always duct tape…
We’d initially rejected the possibility of mounting the Moto-
Comm on a streetbike helmet because it comes with only a rigid
flat-surface mount, but we ended up using that with the supplied
small, adhesive-backed strips of hook & loop tape. This made for
a very precarious setup, and we fashioned a zip-tie tether (secured
to another camera’s mount) to catch it if it fell off. Surprisingly,
the tape held during a few quick rides to gather sample footage.
However, the adhesive peeled off of the helmet later that evening,
just from supporting the weight of the cam. (The surface had been
prepped with alcohol before application, just as with all the other
adhesive mounts.)
This serious problem with mounting makes the MotoComm’s
features and performance largely irrelevant, if you want the cam
on your helmet. True, purchasing a mount from elsewhere (e.g. the
elegantly designed suction-cup mount from RAM) that could
utilize the cam bracket’s 1/4" threaded hole might solve the mount-
ing dilemma, but that would push the cost of this setup very close
to the vastly superior alternatives here and that doesn’t strike us as
a reasonable option.
Nevertheless, here’s a summary of what the MotoComm
has to offer—if you’re going to mount it on a flat surface with
what comes in the box. (It does include more substantial dou-
ble-sided adhesive pads than what we used, but they’re useless
on curved surfaces like helmets which need a curved base-
plate.) Operation is very simple via a single external button to
arm and then start/stop recording, after a “battery on” switch
is flipped inside the screw-on rear hatch, where another switch
allows toggling between the two video settings (VGA and
QVGA). Size of the polycarbonate/aluminum camera body
is a little smaller than the Contour, and—aside from the
aforementioned flimsy mount—the cam and bracketry seem
fairly sturdy.
The signal beep that is supposed to confirm that recording has
started or stopped is virtually inaudible, even in a quiet room with-
out a helmet on, and is completely useless during operation on a
motorcycle. And, for reasons we don’t understand, upload speed
for transferring footage from the cam to a computer was extraor-
dinarily slow, despite the relatively small file sizes of these
non-HD recordings.
There’s no still-image function, this is the only camera here
without a replaceable battery, and the manufacturer website is the
least informative. Some of the other cams don’t come with mem-
ory cards, but—given the huge value discrepancy between the
MotoComm and the others—it seems like a glaring omission here.
As expected, this cam’s video quality is quite inferior to that of
the others in this group. Edges and details are blurry if the play-
back window is larger than about 5" (diagonal), and the narrow
FOV looks cramped. We certainly don’t fault the MotoComm for
this, since it’s not an HD cam. Its recordings compared favorably
to some footage saved from the earlier non-HD shootout, with
above-average color accuracy, metering and contrast. Sound qual-
ity, however, is atrocious, with nothing but wind noise audible
above 25 mph and only a faint, tinny reproduction of engine sounds
at lower speeds.
MotoComm—P.O. Box 445, Issaquah, WA 98027;
877-624-6869; www.motocomm.com
At the outset, we expected to end up recommending the costly
V.I.O. to serious videographers, who would consider its extensive
manual controls worth its much higher price. And we expected to
find the MotoComm a good choice for those seeking a cost-effec-
tive alternative to the current crop of higher tech cams. Neither of
these predictions proved correct. The V.I.O., for all its complex-
ity, is rendered quite impractical by its physical characteristics,
and it offers little performance advantage for the vast majority of
potential users. And the MotoComm, even with its low price, is
still a poor value, considering how terribly inferior it is to its HD
rivals in terms of recording quality, features and mounting hard-
ware. We might consider it a viable option at half its MSRP.
We had another erroneous expectation at the start, too. We
thought these manufacturers had such diverse takes on how to
build a helmet-cam that no single design would tower over the
others in its desirability, but “one” certainly does: the Drift HD170
Stealth and its smaller update, the HD. Even the slightly pricier
HD, with its integrated LCD screen, comes in a few bucks beneath
the GoPro with an accessory LCD BacPac—and the Drift is eas-
ier to use (menus, remote). Both Drifts have all the important
adjustments, video quality as good as any other cam here, and sim-
ple, effective mounting hardware—plus remotes! Granted, if you
want to address their relatively weak audio performance you’ll
have to spend another 20-35 bucks on an accessory microphone,
but at least the Drifts provide that choice. For an extra C-note or
so, the Drifts are far more versatile than the Liquid Image or Con-
tour—and we can’t emphasize enough how much we value that
integrated LCD screen.
Or, if you’re an off-roader that loves the idea of simply pulling
on some goggles to start recording, buy the Liquid Image. If
you’re looking for an economical HD helmet-cam and don’t mind
taking a few rides to get it aimed and setup just right, buy the
Contour. If you want lots of great mounting options without
spending additional money on accessories, buy the GoPro. But,
if you want the helmet-cam that excels in almost every dimension,
and you can accept that such a piece fetches a significantly higher
price (which we feel is still a great value), one of the HD Drifts
is the helmet-cam for you.
Parting Shots