Camera mount for inflight video footage

TangoWhiskey

TangoWhiskey

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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Midlothian, TX
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3Green
I knew RAM made mounts for GPS's, etc., but I haven't ever seen anybody using THIS, which I think is a very cool, portable way to film video footage out the front window of approaches, clouds, etc.:

http://www.ram-mount.com/camera_mount/mount/aviation_mount.htm

Takes 3 parts to make the kit; total is $42.09. Not bad, for something related to flying!

rapb121c1.jpg
 
I just throw a tripod over the passenger seat and secure it with a bungy cord. Seems to work nicely:

 
He has several round mouse pads (from Staples, in his instance), sandwiched together with a piece of Masonite in the middle (you could use aluminum, I imagine). In the center, a bolt, threaded same as a tripod mount, to which the camera is attached. Whole magilla put together with the non-slip sides out (top and bottom), so it holds the camera and sits on the instrument panel without wiggling. Also, black non-slip side up does not reflect in windshield.

His videos are generally excellent, so I think the system is good.
 
I just put a 1/4 inch plywood with a strip of velcro on the bottom. I fasten my camcorder with another strip of velcro and plug in my intercom to cut out the airplane engine noise and it comes out like this.

 
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TangoWhiskey said:
I knew RAM made mounts for GPS's, etc., but I haven't ever seen anybody using THIS, which I think is a very cool, portable way to film video footage out the front window of approaches, clouds, etc.:

http://www.ram-mount.com/camera_mount/mount/aviation_mount.htm

Takes 3 parts to make the kit; total is $42.09. Not bad, for something related to flying!
Click to expand...

I tried a glareshield-type mount like that, but it actually amplified the vibrations from the engine and the video was worthless.

The easy way is to take a tripod (you do have a tripod, don't you?) and put two of the legs into the two front seat back pockets, and extend the third leg down to the rear seat. Works great. :yes:
 
flyingcheesehead said:
I tried a glareshield-type mount like that, but it actually amplified the vibrations from the engine and the video was worthless.

The easy way is to take a tripod (you do have a tripod, don't you?) and put two of the legs into the two front seat back pockets, and extend the third leg down to the rear seat. Works great. :yes:
Click to expand...


That there is a good idea. And I need to upgrade my video camera to one that has an external audio input... what would I need to tie in the back headset jack into the audio-in on the camera? Impedances are different, I imagine.
 
Troy, you really oughta watch Frank's video; elegant simplicity, I like that. Is there a compelling reason why you have no Real Player?
 
SCCutler said:
Troy, you really oughta watch Frank's video; elegant simplicity, I like that. Is there a compelling reason why you have no Real Player?
Click to expand...

Everytime I try it, it takes over my system. Too high of CPU usage, too much "other stuff", no control. I'm not the only one who thinks so, either. So I've just decided to stay away from it. Haven't had it installed in 5 years, and rarely find a feed I can't view, so it's not worth the hassle.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/31/realplayer_branded_badware/
http://jogin.com/weblog/archives/000504/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealPlayer#Criticism

Did you know...

In 2006 PC World Magazine named RealPlayer (of 1999) as #2 in its list of the 25 worst products of all time. In 2007, it placed RealPlayer (of 1996-2004) at #5 in its list of the 20 most annoying tech products. In 2008 StopBadware.org (a Google.com company) called RealPlayer "badware" due to failure to completely disclose software components it installs as well as leaves behind after being un-installed.
Click to expand...
 
Is it me or am I the only one who thinks the pic of that mount is photochoped?
 
TangoWhiskey said:
That there is a good idea. And I need to upgrade my video camera to one that has an external audio input... what would I need to tie in the back headset jack into the audio-in on the camera? Impedances are different, I imagine.
Click to expand...

Troy,

Again, I've found that the simple solution works best. I simply take my iPod ear buds and drop them in the ear cups of my headset and plug them into the mic port on the camera. That way you get all of the audio but you also get a bit of engine noise in the background which makes it seem much more realistic.

FWIW, I've been told by others (AdamZ I think) that not all earbuds make good microphones. The iPod ones do quite well though.

For a good example of how this comes out in the end, here's the audio from my flight into OSH in 2006:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/pilotcast/Pilotcast_040_OSH_Update_1_SPL_2006.07.23.mp3
 
I second the notion for a simple mount. I watched frank's videos,.. nearly all of them by now, and really liked his simple setup.

Basically, take at least two mousepads, and place them together. I found one down in my basement, cut it in half, and took a piece of 1/16th lite ply from my hobbies and sandwhiched that between the mousepads. Having the rubber sides of the mousepads facing out. Using a nylon bolt, or any bolt that fits your camera, I screw the pad to the base of my video camera and simply place on the glareshield. I can do steep turns without the camera wanting to roll or slide.

Frank has three or four layers of mousepad, to get the stiffness needed so it doesn't roll. I found that without the 1/16th ply in the middle, two layers would hold it from sliding, but it would roll over to easily.

For sound input, Frank uses the sporty's cell phone interface for the headset input into the camera. I don't have an audio input on my video camera, so I can't do that, but the results are still very good.

Here's a video I took a few weeks ago.
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4UqD8_ktYg
 
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SCCutler said:
Troy, you really oughta watch Frank's video; elegant simplicity, I like that. Is there a compelling reason why you have no Real Player?
Click to expand...

TangoWhiskey said:
Everytime I try it, it takes over my system. Too high of CPU usage, too much "other stuff", no control. I'm not the only one who thinks so, either. So I've just decided to stay away from it. Haven't had it installed in 5 years, and rarely find a feed I can't view, so it's not worth the hassle.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/31/realplayer_branded_badware/
http://jogin.com/weblog/archives/000504/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RealPlayer#Criticism

Did you know...
Click to expand...

Troy,

Try Real Alternative...it's a crapware free version of the Real codecs bundled into a player.
 
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