Camera Mounting in the Coupe

[kcdedric]

So here's the deal, I'm too cheap to buy a GoPro because the sound quality is less than desirable and I figure my iPhone will suffice for now anyways.

I want a way to mount my iPhone that will give me a full cockpit view like this:

I've come up with this Ram Mount which would be suction cupped to the rear window and extend forward:

http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResu...5/Default.aspx

I'm not entirely sure it would work though. Just wondering if anyone else can give some insight or link me to a mount that will give me what I'm looking for. Not trying to reinvent the wheel on my own...

Thanks

[rsutoratosu]

I have the ram headrest mount.. let me dig up a pic, actually found the auction i bought it from..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAM-Headrest...#ht_1036wt_822

Because the ram mount is customize, you can get the headrest mount with an iphone holder like here

http://www.sportys.com/source/images/jQzoom/16243.jpg


I have mine hook up to a quick release that holds my contour and drift hd and it gives you the view that your looking for. Ill upload a sample video when I get home

[Loogey Clapp]

Just out of curiosity, is a set up like that going to focus on the dash or the road?

[kcdedric]

Originally Posted by rsutoratosu

I have the ram headrest mount.. let me dig up a pic, actually found the auction i bought it from..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RAM-Headrest...#ht_1036wt_822

Because the ram mount is customize, you can get the headrest mount with an iphone holder like here

http://www.sportys.com/source/images/jQzoom/16243.jpg


I have mine hook up to a quick release that holds my contour and drift hd and it gives you the view that your looking for. Ill upload a sample video when I get home

Just curious, how do you use a headrest mount? Perhaps your car has adjustable headrests...

Originally Posted by Loogey Clapp

Just out of curiosity, is a set up like that going to focus on the dash or the road?

Ideally, both. I'd like to see the road ahead and my shifts, body movement, etc.

[EenyBear]

I have the Ram suction cup. Typical Ram... superb quality.
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResu...5/Default.aspx
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResu...5/Default.aspx

I have one for the iPhone 4S. I put it under the front mirror when I need a GPS. Great for hands free too.
The iPhone 4S has 2 cameras so I just leave it up front, choose the camera pointing forward, and start filming. The video quality is amazing.

I suppose if I wanted cockpit view I could mount it to the back window.
I'll try it this morning and report back.

PS - I probably don't have to tell you but there are a couple of great FREE track apps that will give you the positional overlay like you see in the video above, including the GPS enabled track location as you drive, etc. etc. and with a WiFi dongle (eBay $30) you get a live feed of your speedo and lots of other gauges. I like the 4 lamda readouts as you accellerate and decellerate. Blah blah blah.

[kcdedric]

Originally Posted by EenyBear

I have the Ram suction cup. Typical Ram... superb quality.
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResu...5/Default.aspx
http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResu...5/Default.aspx

I have one for the iPhone 4S. I put it under the front mirror when I need a GPS. Great for hands free too.
The iPhone 4S has 2 cameras so I just leave it up front, choose the camera pointing forward, and start filming. The video quality is amazing.

I suppose if I wanted cockpit view I could mount it to the back window.
I'll try it this morning and report back.

PS - I probably don't have to tell you but there are a couple of great FREE track apps that will give you the positional overlay like you see in the video above, including the GPS enabled track location as you drive, etc. etc. and with a WiFi dongle (eBay $30) you get a live feed of your speedo and lots of other gauges. I like the 4 lamda readouts as you accellerate and decellerate. Blah blah blah.

That would be awesome if you could test it out! I'd really appreciate it.

[Kgolf31]

I used a standard GPS NAV mount for my Droid X2

Video:

With that being said, I'm going to buy a GoPro. I want more angles outside of the car and wider lens

[rsutoratosu]

View from the headrest ram mount


Headreset mount from ebay

[RADRACR]

Originally Posted by EenyBear

PS - I probably don't have to tell you but there are a couple of great FREE track apps that will give you the positional overlay like you see in the video above, including the GPS enabled track location as you drive, etc. etc. and with a WiFi dongle (eBay $30) you get a live feed of your speedo and lots of other gauges. I like the 4 lamda readouts as you accellerate and decellerate. Blah blah blah.

Please explain this in more detail.

Anyone have any bright ideas about securely mounting a DSLR back there?

[Kgolf31]

Originally Posted by aestheticstorm

Please explain this in more detail.

Anyone have any bright ideas about securely mounting a DSLR back there?

There are alot of 3 suction cup mounts that have a thread to attach a DSLR to it...but they are all fixed mounts.

Anything that pivots that's going to be secure is going to be 100+ in money.

[EenyBear]

Originally Posted by aestheticstorm

Please explain this in more detail.

iPhone apps and hardware I own:

Rev2 app - excellent quality OBD-ii, wifi based multi-gauge app with rapid swap-out... great graphics options, fast response, basic diagnostics but more fun just to watch all the dials "Track Day" function is GPS based... gauges are WiFi

BMW M Power Meter app - very cool free GPS-based real-time accelerometer, calc g-forces, distance, speed, etc.

BMWhat? app - good start on the WiFi version of some serious BMW-specific diagnostic software but still not much more than OBD-ii is available until a couple of tech issues get resolved. I'm monitoring the development....

Lapping Coach app - (this is the only one listed here I don't yet own) GPS based race-track mapper and data logger. Pretty cool to read about... haven't seen it "live" .

WiFi hardware - They all seem to cost around $60 now price plus shipping - you can spend more but they all seem to work the same:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wifi-WLAN-OB...item3a67bdd3df

Even if I didn't really care about monitoring intake temperature or rear-left lamda values or MAF rate.... it's still cool to watch my car talk to my phone.

Yeah... a little geeky... but cool at the same time.

Stuff I haven't tried but that have great reviews:

Harry's Lap Timer
http://www.gps-laptimer.de/Snapshots...hone%29.html#4

TrackMaster (for Android) .... may be the best
http://trackmaster.trackaroo.com/welcome

Cheers!

[RADRACR]

Originally Posted by EenyBear

The iPhone 4S has 2 cameras so I just leave it up front, choose the camera pointing forward, and start filming. The video quality is amazing.

The mount does not obstruct the camera's view?

The iPhone apps you listed don't appear to overlay graphics over live video? I found this app that does it. Am I missing something with the ones you listed?

[rsutoratosu]

It will not.. I used to use my iphone to record also. I just threw it on a tomtom gps dock and it doubles as a gps receiver when I'm not recording. The issue is when people call you, it switches recording off.. kind annoying

[kcdedric]

Originally Posted by rsutoratosu

It will not.. I used to use my iphone to record also. I just threw it on a tomtom gps dock and it doubles as a gps receiver when I'm not recording. The issue is when people call you, it switches recording off.. kind annoying

Dang, it's too bad I can't use my headrests as a mounting point because that's the perfect view I'm going for.

Eeny, did you ever get a chance to test the mount?

[EenyBear]

Originally Posted by kcdedric

Eeny, did you ever get a chance to test the mount?

Yes, the suction cup works great on the flat spot above the compartment door between the seats. Pretty much where you want it.

If looking at the cockpit is less important (road only), just attach the mount to the windshield and use the forward facing camera. The results are great!

I shot some video today from that "between the seats" position. The standard lens angle is not wide enough to capture the entire cockpit but you can see the road and the shift knob... not the entire cockpit and certainly not the gauges. Just like in KGOLF31's post above.

I think you would need some sort of wide angle to get the full effect you seek.
Fortunately, there are some pretty cool solutions.

Wide angle hardware for iPhone:

$1.00 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jelly-Lens-W...item3a7366f734

$75.00 - http://olloclip.com/

$99.00 with tripod mount - http://www.hdhatstore.com/iHat4-Appl...od-mounts.html

All of these have video reviews on YouTube.

Wide angle software for iPhone 4/4S:[/B]

FREE $0.00 - http://www.cydevice.com/Thread-Wide-...out-extra-lens

I have tested none of the above wide angle solutions but the $75 option seems like the one with the best optics that would still allow me to use my Ram mount ... I just offer this as a reference in case you want to experiment. The $1 option might be worth a try to see if the idea is worth pursuing. Hard to pass up $1 worth of entertainment.

Hope this is helpful.

[EenyBear]

Originally Posted by aestheticstorm

The mount does not obstruct the camera's view?

No, it clips on the edges and you never know it's there.

Originally Posted by aestheticstorm

The iPhone apps you listed don't appear to overlay graphics over live video? I found this app that does it. Am I missing something with the ones you listed?

Yeah, the one you found is more sophisticated and similar, I think, to the ones I listed at the end of my note.... the ones I do not own.

The Android app (not iOS available) is the one Top Gear uses in their show. It will be interesting to see the results from an iPhone app if you pursue this.

[kcdedric]

Originally Posted by EenyBear

Yes, the suction cup works great on the flat spot above the compartment door between the seats. Pretty much where you want it.

If looking at the cockpit is less important (road only), just attach the mount to the windshield and use the forward facing camera. The results are great!

I shot some video today from that "between the seats" position. The standard lens angle is not wide enough to capture the entire cockpit but you can see the road and the shift knob... not the entire cockpit and certainly not the gauges.

Definitely helpful! Thanks again.

Have you tried double tapping the screen before recording? I know it zooms it out a little.

[EenyBear]

Originally Posted by kcdedric

Have you tried double tapping the screen before recording? I know it zooms it out a little.

I did not know that! Still not quite the same as you would probably get with a wide angle lens. Worth another try through. Thanks!