This little gadget arrived this week and for it's size I'm very impressed with its video quality! It's about the size of a pack of old Wrigley's gum, records video, sound, and can do photos. Supposedly can also be used as a webcam but I haven't messed with that at all, I still am farting around with it, trying to remove the timestamp. There's a way to do it by inserting a .txt file in the directory when it's hooked to the computer, but it didn't work when I tried it.
It weighs next to nothing, so I'm going to put it up in the air. It's already set up to go flying in this, along with another rocket I have:
I just need a new battery and I will be flying it on this. My dad wants to try it on one of his R/C heli's
I'm also considering clipping it to the front of my Fiero for some driving videos, and bringing it on roller coasters, but the vibration might be too much for it to handle. Any other ideas?
Cool toy. Can you mount it at an angle inside the rocket? This would give it a downward look at take off, if you can do it.
I'll probably pick up a second camera without the memory card (the camera itself is el-cheapo, the micro-SD card is what made mine pricey) to crack open and modify. I've seen some of the R/C airplane folks have been able to get the lens outside of the plastic shell and put it on servos, so they can adjust the angle in flight. Eventually I'm going to do a scratch-build rocket specifically for carrying this camera, where I'll have it mounted permanently horizontal.
[This message has been edited by ShockWave (edited 03-25-2010).]
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01:14 PM
Patrick Member
Posts: 36516 From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Registered: Apr 99
I've got it fitted in another rocket, and if the weather cooperates I could be sending it, and the two-stager up with the GumCam this afternoon.
I had to make a special harness for the Super Nova Payloader so the payload section comes down upright for some horizon shots. I'm hoping the lines do not break, or the parachute does not shred again. Last time this rocket flew, the parachute shredded and it fell about 500', but took no damage.
Both rockets flew with the GumCam a couple of hours ago. The first video in the Super Nova Payloader came out nearly perfect, second was in Loadstar and it almost crashed because I used too long of a delay (rocket OK, parachute destroyed), and the third in the SNP had a good launch but the payload section got tangled and was upside down the entire descent. Will get the videos uploaded tonight, the quality on all of them was fairly decent.
Maybe for the next Loadstar flight I'll send it up under full power (C6-0/C6-7); neither of them went nearly as high as I wanted them to.
Both rockets flew with the GumCam a couple of hours ago. The first video in the Super Nova Payloader came out nearly perfect, second was in Loadstar and it almost crashed because I used too long of a delay (rocket OK, parachute destroyed), and the third in the SNP had a good launch but the payload section got tangled and was upside down the entire descent. Will get the videos uploaded tonight, the quality on all of them was fairly decent.
Maybe for the next Loadstar flight I'll send it up under full power (C6-0/C6-7); neither of them went nearly as high as I wanted them to.
I'm looking at sticking an Aerotech E15-7W composite motor in the Super Nova Payloader with the GumCam sometime this year. I've read they'll do about 1000' on those.
[This message has been edited by ShockWave (edited 03-30-2010).]
I used to be huge into model rocketry like 8 or so years ago. I had probably close to 30 rockets, most notably an Estes Commanche-3 and a Mean Machine (before they were re-designed t fit the 'E' motors...the biggest I could fit was a D12-7 if I recall correctly). The Commanche took a D12-0 booster stage, a C6-7 second stage and a C6-0 final stage. With that ridiculous propulsion system, I was able to hit almost half a mile ~2,500 feet as measured with one of those compass/angle finder thingies. They actually worked pretty well as long as you could still see the damn rocket, haha.
[This message has been edited by 1986 Fiero GT (edited 03-30-2010).]
I think I'm in the 30 rocket range as well but I haven't counted lately. I've seen Comanches for sale at ACE Hardware recently, the only thing keeping me from buying it is the fact i'll lose it right away. On this new field, however, I may have better luck (still used to small soccer fields, etc.)
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02:08 PM
1986 Fiero GT Member
Posts: 3383 From: Eden, NY USA Registered: Mar 2005
I think I'm in the 30 rocket range as well but I haven't counted lately. I've seen Comanches for sale at ACE Hardware recently, the only thing keeping me from buying it is the fact i'll lose it right away. On this new field, however, I may have better luck (still used to small soccer fields, etc.)
Exactly, haha. I think I got to launch it two or three times before it disappeared. I think I lost more rockets than I ever had at any given time.
Cool, we have some RCers here! I'm a surface nitro guy, I bash my faithful MT- and I've been building a fully working 4 stroke model of a 1/8 scale Iroc Camaro..
Cool rockets! And the quality isnt that bad either, especially for the size.
Does your video editing program have the ability to "flip" video? If so, you could use that function to correct those shots that ended up being upside down.
You'll be pleased to hear that your experiments have inspired me to get my own Gum Cam. I've been into shooting and editing video for the last 20 years, but there's been all kinds of things I wanted to shoot that would've been potentially damaging to my expensive camcorders. With the price of these Gum Cams being so low, that's not an issue any longer!
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03:20 AM
OKflyboy Member
Posts: 6607 From: Not too far from Mexico Registered: Nov 2004
Does your video editing program have the ability to "flip" video? If so, you could use that function to correct those shots that ended up being upside down.
You'll be pleased to hear that your experiments have inspired me to get my own Gum Cam. I've been into shooting and editing video for the last 20 years, but there's been all kinds of things I wanted to shoot that would've been potentially damaging to my expensive camcorders. With the price of these Gum Cams being so low, that's not an issue any longer!
Awesome! Let me know what you do with it, Im still trying to come up with more things to do with mine.
I can rotate the video in my software, but because it recorded mostly sky when upside-down I didn't bother with it. I didn't think about this until now, but when it rides in the SNP I need to also watch where its lens is pointing when I drop it in the payload tube; I had accidentally set it to point upward, looking at the parachute harness. If I set it looking away from the harness I should get more horizon/ground shots.
I haven't messed with it since the last launch. The only thing I could find on removing or correcting it was a .txt file that is added to the camera's directory when connected to the computer, but it did not work for me. http://www.rcgroups.com/for...thread.php?t=1167050
I also recently picked up some Estes E9-6 motors and I'll fire off the SNP with GumCam the next time I get a nice, calm day. These motors have a slower impulse, but longer burntime, so it should go a bit higher.
I don't have an exact number on the battery life, it records as long as the batteries are working (though it will save one video for every hour recorded), and it is charged by the USB port.
quote
Originally posted by jmbishop:
I got my gum cam a few days ago. I taped it to my front bumper and drove home from work with it.
I've noticed some skipping in your videos, mine didn't do it when I tested it.
Thanks for letting me know about the skipping; I thought it was normal for the camera. I will be contacting them again about it.
[This message has been edited by ShockWave (edited 04-26-2010).]
I've read that the brand/type of memory card used can make a difference with the skipped/dropped frames of video.
Just tested it with another Micro SD (Kingston brand) and it has not skipped. Will have to try and find another high-capacity micro SD for it. If I had known the card that came with it was going to be a problem I wouldn't have paid extra for the higher capacity card.
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01:30 AM
Patrick Member
Posts: 36516 From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Registered: Apr 99
Well problems aside, here's my next project with the GumCam... this will bolt onto the front license plate of my Fiero. If all works out I will be using it on the Dells Run.
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, or the way I think if you are not thinking what I am thinking. I think. 
