The $350 ContourGPS sits among the many top-tier of consumer-friendly helmet cams, nevertheless it’s always posed one serious problem: you’re able to’t really tell where it’s pointing. Sure, it shoots a couple of wicked lasers out of front, however’s always a challenge to gauge the extents of its 135 degree lens. We knew there has been a secret trick in there waiting to be unleashed, which we got to play with at CES , and now here it’s. Contour has released its Connect View functionality for iOS , letting you view live footage from the camera right to your phone. Keep reading for our full impressions.
Hardware
The ContourGPS helmet camera has a GPS receiver in-built, as you’ve guessed. Interestingly, though, it also has Bluetooth functionality lurking within, disabled at the beginning but now unleashed with the discharge of an appropriate receiving app. The most recent camera firmware turns it on and, in the event you install the (free) app from Contour onto your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, that you would be able to pair both up.
But first you must install a little bit augmentation. Apple requires some certified hardware contained in the camera, so that you’ll should cough up $29.99 for the Connect View card. It slots in next to the battery and lets camera seek advice from phone (or PMP, or tablet). We’re told this won’t be necessary for the Android release that’s coming later, that’s mighty excellent news for synthetic humanoids.
Once the cardboard is installed and the firmware updated you’re able to pair. To glue you might want to hold the “hidden” button at the ContourGPS down, that’s located beneath the slider on top. This requires a healthy squeeze and, if done with enough vigor, will set the camera’s status light blinking blue. At that time you may pair it in your device and launch the app.
Testing
We were in the beginning having troubles getting the camera and our receiver (a fourth-gen iPod touch) to reliably connect, but a reboot of both devices quickly fixed that. Once paired all that’s required is a crushing of the hidden button and, a couple of seconds later, both are chatting with one another. The difficulty is that “button” is hard to locate and, even if located, difficult to press. a correct button would had been nice, because you’ll be using it an excellent amount.
The app itself offers a somewhat grainy but definitely workable image of what the camera is seeing, letting you line up definitely the right shot before you strap into whatever exotic adventure you’re about to partake. That’s handy, but much more so is the facility to tweak camera settings. Previously you should only change such things as resolution and exposure when the camera was tethered to a working laptop or computer. You can now quickly do it within the field. It is a huge breakthrough, and the app even helps the camera’s GPS get a lock.
While you start recording the camera automatically disconnects, so that you’ll should squeeze the button after every shot if you want to regulate positioning. Having to manually reconnect anytime is just a little a drag, but probably better than the battery drain you’d get by leaving Bluetooth constantly on.
Wrap-up
Contour Connect View isn’t exactly an ideal experience — the location of the button sucks, spending another $30 on a $350 helmet cam stings, and we’d really want to be capable to review recorded footage — but ultimately in the event you have already got the camera and the Apple hardware it is well worth the more cash. Knowing which way the camera is pointed is superb, but having the ability to change exposure settings without lugging along a laptop is a lifesaver, especially once we were chasing the setting sun and using this camera to seize footage for our 0 Tesla Roadster review 0 . So, yes, it’s definitely worth the money in case you’re on iOS, but we will be able to’t wait to attempt out the Android version.
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