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Logo by Max Layne Photography
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Anyone that has participated in action sports of any type has always wanted to share the experience with friends, or at least prove that
they did what they claim they did. Oregon Scientific has made this possible by creating the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera, a camera
that has the ability to travel with the participant in a fairly comfortable way that doesn’t limit the user.
The ATC2K Action Helmet Camera is a sturdy camera the weigh roughly half of a pound and the whole kit includes several different
mounting options, most of which function as expected. Among these mounting options is the standard rubber strap to mount the
camera on the side of a helmet, a cloth strap with Velcro closures to mount on the top of a helmet through the air vents and a plastic
loop with tightening screws to mount to handlebars or frame. The last option is the most interesting, but it only fits a limited number of
models.
Setup for the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera is extremely simple. Once the user has chosen the method which they want to attach the
camera, they need to simply click the camera into place and lock the underbody ring. That is basically all that needs to be done and
users are ready to start recording. With a weight of half of a pound, users will feel a small amount of weight from the camera, but it isn’t
enough weight to cause any pain. However, after an extended period of time recording the camera will be noticeable by the user.
When it comes to any camera, resolution is fairly important, and the ATC2K is capable of producing some pretty impressive resolution
numbers. The default setting is a resolution of 640 x 480 at a full 30 fps (frames per second). There are also lower settings to conserve
storage space, 15 fps and 320 x 240 & 160 x 120 resolution. The unit comes equipped with 32 Megabytes of internal memory which
equates to a weak 52 seconds worth of footage at the highest setting. Users will want to make sure they pick up an SD card for more
space for recording. Oregon Scientific is selling a package where the camera comes pre-bundled with a 2 Gigabyte memory card,
which equals a little more an hour’s worth of film time on the highest settings.
Once the user is satisfied with the angle that the camera is mounted, it is ready to record all of the action the user is about to encounter.
Users will realize that they menu system is very intuitive and easy to follow. The LCD screen displays such information as the current
frame rate and resolution grid with an estimate of how much recording time remains on the memory card in minutes and seconds.
While the camera is filming, the time continues to drop in real time, which takes the guess work out of figuring out how much time
remains for recording. The onboard menu allows the user to change nearly every setting on the fly and delete segments of film that
didn’t work out from the system’s memory. The camera also includes a built-in microphone that can be shut off at any time through the
onboard option settings.
A large shutter button between the On/Off button and menu button performs the starting and stopping of the camera. This is one area
that some users may have a little bit of trouble. It is obvious that when Oregon Scientific created this, they did so very wisely by
programming each of the buttons with a two second delay so that action athletes won’t accidentally bump one of the buttons and power
off the camera or accidentally change the film settings. Unfortunately, the soft spongy buttons are very tough to activate without
removing the camera and pressing very firmly down on the button. Even worse is the fact that the fairly quiet beep that indicates the
starting and stopping of filming or changing of settings is nearly impossible to hear over the sounds of anything else in the general
area. Activating and stopping the unit with gloves on can also be a hassle, making the camera less than ideal in cooler weather.
The best thing about the camera is the fact that once the details are dialed in, the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera will impress users with
the footage that is far better than that of any other flash card video camera on the market today. The frame rate is very consistent and the
included mounts included are very sufficient for absorbing bumpy terrain. The end result is quality digital footage that can be instantly
transferred to the user’s favorite film editing program in standard AVI format; however, the package does not include software or driver
devices for anyone running a Windows program older than Windows XP.
The bottom line is that users are going to be impressed with the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera. The unit has a few issues that
hopefully Oregon Scientific will be able to iron out by the time they release their next camera, but it isn’t enough to stop action athletes
from checking this camera out. Another plus not mentioned before is that the unit is waterproof up to nine feet, so users won’t have to
worry about the camera, unless they are snorkeling. Also, the camera is very durable and will be able to handle a lot of tough handling,
which is great considering the audience this camera is aimed towards. Ultimately, the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera should be at the
top of every action athlete’s list, if for nothing other than to prove that they have done what they have claimed to have done.
they did what they claim they did. Oregon Scientific has made this possible by creating the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera, a camera
that has the ability to travel with the participant in a fairly comfortable way that doesn’t limit the user.
The ATC2K Action Helmet Camera is a sturdy camera the weigh roughly half of a pound and the whole kit includes several different
mounting options, most of which function as expected. Among these mounting options is the standard rubber strap to mount the
camera on the side of a helmet, a cloth strap with Velcro closures to mount on the top of a helmet through the air vents and a plastic
loop with tightening screws to mount to handlebars or frame. The last option is the most interesting, but it only fits a limited number of
models.
Setup for the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera is extremely simple. Once the user has chosen the method which they want to attach the
camera, they need to simply click the camera into place and lock the underbody ring. That is basically all that needs to be done and
users are ready to start recording. With a weight of half of a pound, users will feel a small amount of weight from the camera, but it isn’t
enough weight to cause any pain. However, after an extended period of time recording the camera will be noticeable by the user.
When it comes to any camera, resolution is fairly important, and the ATC2K is capable of producing some pretty impressive resolution
numbers. The default setting is a resolution of 640 x 480 at a full 30 fps (frames per second). There are also lower settings to conserve
storage space, 15 fps and 320 x 240 & 160 x 120 resolution. The unit comes equipped with 32 Megabytes of internal memory which
equates to a weak 52 seconds worth of footage at the highest setting. Users will want to make sure they pick up an SD card for more
space for recording. Oregon Scientific is selling a package where the camera comes pre-bundled with a 2 Gigabyte memory card,
which equals a little more an hour’s worth of film time on the highest settings.
Once the user is satisfied with the angle that the camera is mounted, it is ready to record all of the action the user is about to encounter.
Users will realize that they menu system is very intuitive and easy to follow. The LCD screen displays such information as the current
frame rate and resolution grid with an estimate of how much recording time remains on the memory card in minutes and seconds.
While the camera is filming, the time continues to drop in real time, which takes the guess work out of figuring out how much time
remains for recording. The onboard menu allows the user to change nearly every setting on the fly and delete segments of film that
didn’t work out from the system’s memory. The camera also includes a built-in microphone that can be shut off at any time through the
onboard option settings.
A large shutter button between the On/Off button and menu button performs the starting and stopping of the camera. This is one area
that some users may have a little bit of trouble. It is obvious that when Oregon Scientific created this, they did so very wisely by
programming each of the buttons with a two second delay so that action athletes won’t accidentally bump one of the buttons and power
off the camera or accidentally change the film settings. Unfortunately, the soft spongy buttons are very tough to activate without
removing the camera and pressing very firmly down on the button. Even worse is the fact that the fairly quiet beep that indicates the
starting and stopping of filming or changing of settings is nearly impossible to hear over the sounds of anything else in the general
area. Activating and stopping the unit with gloves on can also be a hassle, making the camera less than ideal in cooler weather.
The best thing about the camera is the fact that once the details are dialed in, the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera will impress users with
the footage that is far better than that of any other flash card video camera on the market today. The frame rate is very consistent and the
included mounts included are very sufficient for absorbing bumpy terrain. The end result is quality digital footage that can be instantly
transferred to the user’s favorite film editing program in standard AVI format; however, the package does not include software or driver
devices for anyone running a Windows program older than Windows XP.
The bottom line is that users are going to be impressed with the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera. The unit has a few issues that
hopefully Oregon Scientific will be able to iron out by the time they release their next camera, but it isn’t enough to stop action athletes
from checking this camera out. Another plus not mentioned before is that the unit is waterproof up to nine feet, so users won’t have to
worry about the camera, unless they are snorkeling. Also, the camera is very durable and will be able to handle a lot of tough handling,
which is great considering the audience this camera is aimed towards. Ultimately, the ATC2K Action Helmet Camera should be at the
top of every action athlete’s list, if for nothing other than to prove that they have done what they have claimed to have done.
| ATC2K Action Helmet Camera |
