VholdR, Wearable, Shareable Video News Blog

Arrgh. We’re having a little trouble getting the next set of pages posted. Sorry about the delay. They’re mostly back-end pages though, no monumental helmet camera wrecking news this week.

On the plus side, things are going well for the VholdR launch. We still can’t make any promises yet but we’ve made a lot of headway and we’re looking like plus or minus 2 weeks from the last week of September. Of course anything can happen between now and then, but cross your fingers with us and we’ll continue to push for the best.

Wearable Camcorder or bust baby! (ok, no, actually no bust, just wearable camcorder)

Hey everyone, thanks for all the questions and the pre-orders! They’re really contributing to what information we work on getting out next and how many units we can get for release.

We just wanted to let you know that we’ll be doing our best to populate the site with 1 or 2 new pages each Friday. The next two are:

VholdR - Specs

VholdR - Mounts

After that, send us emails and let us know what’s missing, so we can get it on the site as soon as possible.

Keep watching, there will be many more announcements to come.

We’ve just released a new product that we’re pretty sure will kill the Helmet Camera as we know it. Its a next-generation wearable camcorder called, VholdR.

Check out the new website: www.VholdR.com

VholdR is expected to release this fall in limited numbers, so take advantage of our pre-order link because you may be pressed to find one before Christmas any other way. You won’t however, have to call every store in town because Twenty20, in acknowledgement of our own limited supply, will be posting daily stock updates for buyers on www.VholdR.com through the Holiday season.

Take a ride with Bubba Harris, the three time US BMX champion, at his local track in Phoenix, AZ. Congratualtions Bubba!!!

Visit the Twenty20 Video Gallery for more samples.

Tags: BMX Video - BMX - Bubba Harris

The American Bicycle Association (ABA) and Twenty20 have partnered up to bring you a helmet camera perspective of the 2007 nationals. TrackView, set to debut this January on www.ababmx.tv, will be the first production allowing enthusiasts to see a lap of each track from a rider’s perspective.

In conjunction with the ABA’s new BMX (Bicycle Motocross) website, TrackView will now be available for several of the selected tracks this season. ABABMX.tv will also broadcast all 27 ABA National events, with 14 events live! The new partnership with Twenty20 will make this programming the first of its kind in professional racing.

You can currently take a run with Bubba Harris (click here) for sample of what to expect. In this sample you’ll be taking a ride with Bubba Harris at his local track in Phoenix, AZ.

Twenty20 will be filming the Nationals with their new 2007 Helmet Camera, which debuted in November and is currently available to shops nationwide. The new Twenty20 camera, with its revolutionary CMOS image sensor, delivers a vivid, rich, and fast paced video. The release of the ‘07 camera will allow Twenty20 to rival CCD Helmet Cameras in quality, while maintaining advantages in size (3” x 1”), weight (4oz.), battery life (20hrs.), durability (1yr. warranty), availability (your local dealer) and price ($249.99).

ABA (American Bicycle Association), formed in 1977 and headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, is “The Sanctioning Body of BMX”©.

Tags: BMX - ABABMX - TrackView

Have you ever wondered what it was like to throw a frontside seven? Well if you can’t do it already, then sorry, we won’t be able to help you there… But we can show you a perspective from someone who can!

“The Main Event” snowboard series and Twenty20 Cameras have partnered up to bring you a Helmet Camera perspective of the 2007 series. Twenty20 ParkView, set to debut this December on www.maineventseries.com, will be the first production allowing enthusiasts to see a run of each course from a rider’s point of view.

“The Main Event” snowboard series hosted by Flow and Burton, is excited to add a new filming angle to their productions, which will be aired on Fuel TV, RSN local, and Effective Edge podcasts this winter. “The Twenty20 helmet camera will finally allow us to capture what it’s like to be a pro rider without adding much weight,” said Jason Tublewicz, producer for the series.

Twenty20 will be filming the Main Event Series with their new 2007 Helmet Camera, which debuted in November and is available to ship nationwide. The new Twenty20 camera, with its revolutionary CMOS image sensor, delivers a vivid, rich, and fast paced video. The release of the ‘07 camera will allow Twenty20 to rival CCD Helmet Cameras in quality, while maintaining advantages in size (3” x 1”), weight (4oz.), battery life (20hrs.), durability (1yr. warranty), availability (your local dealer) and price ($249.99).

“The Main Event” snowboard series hosted by Flow and Burton is bringing its fourth annual slopestyle competition to the New England region. The dates and locations are as follows: Crotched Mountain NH, December 17, Cranmore NH, January 27, Okemo VT, February 10, and the finals at Loon Mountain NH, February 25. Visit www.maineventseries.com for more details.

Tags: Snowboard - Snowboard Event - Helmet Camera

One of the most popular questions we get is…”So where do you mount my helmet camera?” The truth is that POV is all about creating your own experience. We try to provide plenty hard mount and helmet mounting options so you can get creative in the POV shots you get. But here are a few suggestions:

Top of the Helmet
The top of the helmet is the most desired location to mount your helmetcam, mainly because it’s a center down perspective. The camera is dead center on the rider so everything in view is even on the horizon.

Now, just where along the center of the helmet is determined by the type of riding and how aggressive the rider is. The more aggressive the rider, the more he/she sticks their head down. Generally we locate the helmetcam on the back crown of the helmet for motorcycle and downhill mountain bike riders. The rest of you action sports enthusiasts can get a way with the camera being more in the center of your head.

Side of the Helmet
Locating a helmet cam on the side of your helmet is recommended for all you trail riding fans. We’ve heard that you’re less likely to hit branches on the side of your head than on the top. Don’t worry the camera will disconnect from the mount if you hit something hard enough, mainly to prevent your head from being jarred back.

We also think you should know that the aluminum mount included with your Twenty20 Camera allows you to rotate the camera angle so you can keep the horizon level. No one wants to watch a crooked helmet camera video.

Under Visor Mount
Now some of your crazy customers will try and mount the helmet camera under your visor. Aesthetically speaking we must admit that the camera under the visor can look clean and it definitely prevents trees from taking the camera off, but this mount is only for a few customers.

The visor mount will work for most trail riders as long as you’re not too aggressive and we’ve also seen a few downhill mountain bike riders get away with the visor mount, mainly because the field of view is below them as they head down the hill.

One note of caution is unless you really tighten your visor down it may vibrate a bit, especially for your off-road and motocross guys. Have fun and if this mounts for you let us know.

Reverse Helmet Cam
Now if you want to get a bit creative try turning the helmet camera around backwards on your helmet and shooting the front of your buddy. This angle can be one of the coolest shots, especially if you can keep the rider in the frame. If you’re hitting doubles or any other jumps the rider will enter and exit the frame a considerable mount.

The trick with the “Reverse Helmet Cam” shot is to locate the camera as far back on the crown as you can so you don’t shoot the sky. Once again keep in mind the terrain and how aggressive of a rider you are when lining up the shot. It will take a few attempts to get it perfect, but when you do, this helmet camera angle rocks.

Tags: Helmet Cam - Helmet Camera - Helmet Cam Mount

What are CMOS image sensors and what’s so special about our 2007 Helmet Camera?

If you want to learn the differences between CMOS and CCD click here, otherwise here is the scoop on our new camera sensors.

Our manufacturing partner, OmniVision, is world reknowned for their innnovation when it comes to CMOS sensors and their latest technology, OmniPixel2 Technology is what our 2007 products are loaded with.

Building on its revolutionary OmniPixel technology, OmniVision® introduced the OmniPixel2^TM architecture in September of 2005. OmniPixel2’s pixel size of just 2.2 micron is less than half that of the first generation OmniPixel structures and represents one of the industry’s smallest pixel sizes commercially available.

Besides superior image quality, OmniPixel2^TM features some major technology process developments that increase the pixel density within a compact sensor size and maximizes the performance of the smaller pixel. This results in not only very high performance, but also much smaller and cost efficient cameras that operate perfectly by day and at night.

The OmniPixel2^TM architecture features process and technology improvements on both the sensor and system level that enable better performance per area and a further reduction in overall sensor size. OmniPixel2TM features three major technology/process developments that increase the pixel density within a compact sensor size and maximizes the performance of the smaller pixel:

1. An increase in fill factor by 40 percent along with more vibrant and truer-to- life color reproduction.

2. A zero-gap micro-lens design, which eliminates the space between the lenses that are placed over each pixel, leading to a more efficient direction of light to the pixel’s active area. This allows the pixels to capture over 20 percent more light, more effectively using the smaller pixel’s active area.

3. A pixel design that features higher quantum efficiency and improved full well capacity, which brings significant improvements to the pixel’s dynamic range. The quantum efficiency, which measures how effectively pixels convert the captured photons to electrons, was improved through OmniVision’s new pro proprietary 0.13 micron process. Process improvements designed to optimize image performance also further increase full well capacity, which means that OmniPixel2TM has even better full well capacity than its larger 3.18-micron OmniPixel predecessor.

Together, these three technology/process improvements are key to a very high dynamic range and to enabling unparalleled performance on low-light conditions.

Technology Features
The 2007 Twenty20 products, with their OmniPixel2TM Technology, include the following features.
Resolution: 480 Scan Lines (VGA Quality)
Video Window: 656×492
Frame Rate: 30 frames per second
Temperature Range: -40C to +105C degrees
Power Consumption: 150 mW
Optical Format: 1/4” CMOS Image Sensor
Pixel Size: 6.0 x 6.0 µm

Automatic exposure/gain with 16 zone control
Auto white balance control
Aperture/Gamma correction
Low power consumption (9volts)
High sensitivity
Extreme low dark current for high temperature applications
Defective pixel correction

So that’s it, everything you need to know about the latest technology being used in our 2007 Camera products. Visit OmniVision or our Technology page to learn more.

Tags: CMOS - CMOS Camera - Helmet Cam - Helmet Camera

Editing your videos can be a simple or as complex as you desire, but mainly it does take time to become a quality editor, but if you have a passion for videos than this posting will catch your interest.

Here we recommend a few video editing solutions to get you started in cutting up your hours of helmet camera content. If you find any of this too daunting, keep in mind we offer a video editing service of our own, Take20 Video.

Free Solutions
If you own a Mac or a PC there are two free programs already available to you to get started.

Windows Movie Maker is included with every Windows Operating System and does a great job of allowing you to edit footage, add media like music and pictures, and then save your file into any format you like. This program is reliable and does a great job handling almost any video type.

Imovie - for being a free program, Imovie rocks. It goes beyond the basic controls of Windows Movie Maker to allow cinema quality sound mixing, themed backgrounds,and even easier exporting. We’re surprised this quality program is free, but that’s way Mac is taking the design world by storm.

Sub $100 Solutions
Now the next level of software programs are simplified versions of the really expensive stuff. Features aside, the biggest detail worth considering is the program’s learning curve. Sure all of these suites are priced for consumers, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that your average user, with little or no editing background, will be able to use them straight out of the box. Here are a few consumer level and pocket book friendly options.

Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 - $99.99
Adobe® Premiere® Elements 3.0 software makes creating and sharing impressive home videos a snap. Burn your footage to DVD in two simple steps, complete with a DVD menu and scene index, or easily assemble your movie by rearranging clips with drag-and-drop simplicity. And share your movies on DVD, the web, mobile phones, and virtually anywhere else.

Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 Suite - $79.99
Roxio is one of the market leaders when it comes to video editing software and here is what we can tell you based on looking at the product features. This program is know for its simple user interface, plenty of available features, and affordable price.

Vegas Movie Studio+DVD Platinum Edition - $119.95
We’re only copying and pasting this paragraph off their website so take it for what’s it’s worth. “Vegas Movie Studio+DVD Platinum software offers everything you get with the standard version such as easy drag-and-drop video editing, integrated DVD layout and burning, and Show Me How interactive tutorials. In addition, Platinum Edition provides added features, advanced editing tools, bonus video effects, and a comprehensive training DVD to speed you through even the most complex movie projects—from fullscreen DV to widescreen HDV.”

For a complete sup $100 list of solutions here is a decent source:

The Good Stuff
HD is what video editing is all about and there are a few programs that will allow you to edit in HD and are actually the same program you see most of your favorite action sports videos edited with. So here we go.

Final Cut Studio - $1299
Turn your vision into reality. Meet the challenge of HD production values. Tell your story using Apple’s integrated tools for real-time video, motion graphics, and audio production. Final Cut Studio, your all-in-one solution in the new era of post-production. With the best tools at your disposal, your best work is sure to follow.

Adobe Premier Pro 2.0 - $899.99
Make every frame count with Adobe® Premiere® Pro 2.0 software, the essential tool for professional video editing. Capture and edit virtually any format, from DV to uncompressed HD, and output to tape, DVD, and the web. Providing unparalleled integration with other Adobe applications, Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 sets new standards for efficient digital filmmaking.

Well that’s all folks. Let me know if we missed anything or you find any affordable video editing software we should recommend.

Tags: Video Editing Software - Video Editing - Helmet Cam- Helmet Camera

The opening round of the 2006/2007 Amp’d Mobile FIM World Supercross Championship Series took place in the beautiful city of Toronto, Canada this past Saturday night. The temperature was slightly warmer than last year’s event, but nowhere near what any of us are used to back home in Arizona. Nevertheless, the action inside of the Roger’s Center venue was red hot.

The Team Solitaire program has remained very similar to last year’s lineup. The only change is that Jiri Dostal has stepped up as our second 450cc class rider as Justin Buckelew has opted to pursue the AMA Arenacross Series this season. Jiri has been a longtime friend and competitor and fits in very well with the dynamic of our team. He is also a tremendously talented rider and we are hoping to give him an environment in which to excel.

Read the rest of this entry »

To go along with our revolutionary new Helmet Camera we’ve re-launched our website and re-committed ourselves to providing the most comprehensive location of Helmet Cam information. Even as we push the envelope in new product development we constantly battle the problem of “miss-informed” consumers.

The sad part is our competition continues to feed the frenzy of bad helmet cam info. They stretch the truth on their specs and make people think they are developing the latest in recorder options. In response, Twenty20 will be launching a truth campaign through our international dealer network and general media about what it really takes to start recording all your adventures. Stay posted and keep spreading the truth about POV camera systems.

Here are a few new sections to the website you can’t miss:

Front Page
I guess you already saw the changes

Helmet Camera & Motorcycle Camera Sections
Information on the 2007 models plus everything you need to know about our CMOS Technology, Recorders we recommend, and the Twenty20 Accessories.

Video Gallery
We’ve added flash videos and plenty of new clips with the 2007 motorcycle cam and helmet cam systems. All the footage is customer based, but yes edited by Twenty20.

Dealer Locator
We’ve made finding our national dealer network a bit easier

So enjoy the new website and we look forward to your visit.

Helmet Camera - Helmet Cam - New Website

Round five of the 2006 AMA Toyota National Motocross Series invaded the usually sleepy town of Buchanan, MI. Just 15 minutes north of the famous Notre Dame campus, Red Bud attracts spectators from all over the Midwest. The track received several modifications from previous events, and all of the changes seemed to improve the racing and the fun factor as lap times reached nearly three minutes for most riders. Team Solitaire was in full swing after a week of rest and ready to do battle in front of the rowdiest crowd in all of motocross.

Ryan Clark is a Twenty20 Helmet Cam rider and click below to read about the rest of his weekend.
Tags: Helmet Camera - Helmet Cam

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