Hitachi HDSV01U HD Action Camera - £60

[kirky1298]

The side panel looks flat enough just under the KTM decal and you could tether it round the indicator if the crash bars don't work out .  

[pauljobr]

OK so I managed to get out yesterday and try out the new toy.

I have mine mounted above the dash on a custom bar that has my phone holder as well. Like Mr Nick I am using the handlebar mount.

SO my first impressions are mixed, the image quality is good but either the image stabilisation is pants or the detachable locking plate for the handlebar mount is loose as the image bounces a lot. I can hear something rattling above the wind noise so I am assuming it is the locking plate is slightly loose as the camera is rigid in its case.

So two clips, Film 1 is the B1115 from Hticham to Bildeston and Film 2 is leaving Orwells in Ipswich, in this one you can see the clarity of the image at slow speed.

So my next job is to check the mountings.

Film 1


Film 2

[Mr Nick]

I feel that the spring that lets you rotate the mount is the likely source of that vibration: it feels a touch soft. I had a look yesterday and I'm probably going to set it where I want it & try to lock it there but in a way that I can still undo it (so no glue...)

[Mr Nick]

It's an easy job - take out the screw beneath the removable mounting plate, lift out the spring then find a washer that fits over the centre shaft & pop the screw back on. Much more substantial mounting and you just loosen the screw to adjust it if needed.

I've used a bearing I had handy here:

[kirky1298]

Footage looks spot on Nick , a wee bit washed oot round the edges but 100% clear in the centre of the CMOS .
Just confirms what a good deal this wee camera is . Get a suction cup mount and mount it where I said , trust me .

[pauljobr]

It's an easy job - take out the screw beneath the removable mounting plate, lift out the spring then find a washer that fits over the centre shaft & pop the screw back on. Much more substantial mounting and you just loosen the screw to adjust it if needed.

Nice bit of work there Mr Nick, that's what I'll be doing with mine, unfortunately away for work for two weeks so have to wait until I get back.

[Stromtrooper james]

well I'm sold hopefully getting mine tonight I already have 4 place with 3pin ultimate add-on mounts so il be spoilt for where to mount it 1st

[Descolada]

This looks a lot like the GoPro cameras when it's in that waterproof box. I've always thought the GoPro is too big and expensive, but that's just me

... not, it's not just you  

[Mr Nick]

I bunked off early today as it was dryish and sunny (almost setting by the time I managed to escape) and quickly hauled Katie out. I took about 35 minutes worth of vid - I've uploaded about 6 minutes worth to give you some idea of how it's looking. I'm reasonably happy but I think it could do with a little more vibration insulation between the engine bars & camera so I'll maybe try some rubber or foam between the clamp & bar.

The lens on the case started to mist a little after a few minutes probably down to the fact it was heading for 2/3 degrees by then. It wasn't terminal in terms of watchability but it wasn't as sharp - you can see it starting to creep in on this clip.
I'll try to hold onto the next little silica gel pack I get & stick it in a space in the case if I go out in the cold again.
I've only used the editing software this once so that side of things probably needs a little work but here goes: watch out for the tit in the MG that didn't seem to know what the left lane was for...



Only seems to be 360p as well...

[pauljobr]

Nice bit of footage there Mr Nick, the mounting looks quite solid from the footage here, can't wait to get home and modify my mount as you did, only a week to go.

Only seems to be 360p as well...

Have you checked the settings, mine by default was set to setting 1 and definitely came out as 1080.

[Mr Nick]

It's not the camera settings that's at fault: it's the editing software & me not having used it before. I'll upload a better version of it later now I've figured the publishing settings out.

Just re-encoding the clip & it's the first time in a while I've seen all 6 processors running at 100%. I think I'll have to clean the fluff out of the heatsink going by the speed the fan is running at..... :angry-extinguishflame:

[Mr Nick]

Oh dear, went too far the other way: I just created a 6:35 minute clip that ended up 72gig....

Somewhere in the middle methinks.

[Mr Nick]

Here goes a second try: it's a bit bigger file at 200meg this time and it has 1080 and 720 available.


I've stuck a couple of layers of old inner tube around the bars before attaching the clamp to try damping the vibes - we'll see how that goes tomorrow.

[Mr Nick]

Another little clip: it was the end of the battery life & it's pretty short but it's just how it came from the camera - no editing or encoding. Just some water on the lens.... Battery life appears to be around 2 hours going by the combined length of today's clips - it's an SLB-10A battery which is easy & cheap to find on fleabay: I already have another 3 batteries and a mains/12v charger coming for just under £13.

I did notice that the spring clip release to remove the mounting plate from the bar mount got a bit gritty after being soaked today: I'll have a look at it when I've warmed up enough to go to the garage. It wasn't going to come out: it was actually harder to get it out at a stop so I popped it in the top box (battery was already flat by then anyway)