bikecam experiment number 1

A test of a few new components today. The updated Mac, with Snow Leopard, Final Cut Studio and Logic Pro, for video and music editing, plus the zero cost camera mounting for my bike.

A couple of drawbacks with the bike mounting though...It works fine mechanically, but the plastic clip I used was for a rear reflector and is too small for the handlebars on my road bike, so I've had to clip it to my boingy mountain bike.

Not a problem for the route I've taken except the front fork suspension coupled with a small HD camera and no image stabilisation makes even a fairly flat road run look bouncy. I also set a wide angle for testing, which doesn't give quite the sensation of speed of a more telephoto view.

Still, its given me a chance to try the components and discover that I need to try a different camera for the handlebars and ideally to fix it to a bike without 30 cm of front fork suspension.

I'll try my little Lumix with the image stabilisation next. I think that should work better.

I'm also aware that the camera just points where the handlebars are aimed, so when I turned around at the edge of a field, it just gave me 30 degree angled pan. I can see why people spend money on steady-cams and similar.

But for now, in the true spirit of pioneering low cost bicycle attachments, you can watch me judder around a few little lanes at the edge of town under various video editing treatments and to a stuttery Beatles remix.

piper playing at the gates of dawn #iowfest

The Isle of Wight ferry was suitably hippified with plenty of tents and backpackers amongst an occasional yachting blazer, although we were a little ahead of the curve, judging by the amount of metal crash barriers which didn't seem to be serving a useful purpose.

And by the time we found Newport we decided that a special signal had been sent out the all of the traffic cones in the UK, causing them to congregate in this one spot. "the cone machine is coming down and we're gonna have a party"

With our local knowledge, we're currently looking out to sea away from the still gently simmering crowds. An Indian take-away and wine yesterday evening and we are set up well for the day.

Impressed that I've found a wifi hotspot, but things may start to go erratic after this as we enter the Gates of Dawn.


Proper site pictures later, after I've charged various devices and found the little connectybit.

all of your cones are belong to us.

(君達の基地は、全てCONESがいただいた。)

testing flip mino hd upload straight from camera to youtube

A geeky post today.

Seeing whether I can record video whilst on the road and upload it to youtube with a soundtrack using just bent coathangers and old chewing-gum.

And for something more inspired, here's Vermillion Lies rather good video using Barbie and Ken.