Go Pro HD - Pinkbike.com online store now offers HD Video!

Dec 19, 2009

by Jordan Holmes

Today's technologies are pinning along faster than Sam Hill. First off it was DV tapes, now it's solid state cameras, and the most recent creation is this ultra compact but extremely functional HD camcorder. We're talking about 1080p HD video coming out of something 2 inches long, and an inch wide. The all new Go Pro HD camera has a lot of nice functions, so here's a short video showing you some of them.

Click here for info on the Go Pro HD...Designed to be compact, light, and functional, the new Go Pro HD is the next step for P.O.V. HD video. Extremely compact, multiple video and photo options, and a rechargeable, long lasting battery. These are a few of the key items that make the Go Pro HD as good as it is.

GoPro HD video

by spoiledgoods

Views: 28,771 Faves: 19 Comments: 25

Offering footage in 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios and catering to the larger 2 HD markets, the all new Go Pro HD video recorder is a compact work of art. Offering standard 720p30 and 720p60 footage the new Go Pro HD offers you the ability to film in slow motion and full motion HD, at a reasonable frame size. Also offered on the Go Pro HD is a full HD video option, 1080p30. 1080p is the largest format of HD that is currently supported, a size that you don't often see on the web.

Not only does the new Go Pro HD offer HD quality video, but it can also take 5 MP photos on command. Actually it has a self timer, a photo timer option which will tell the camera to take a photo every 2, 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds. This a very nice feature for such a small camera, something that some larger DSLR cameras do not offer. Functionality and work ability of the Go Pro HD are simple, and well described in the included instruction manual.

Included inside the box with the Go Pro HD is everything you should need, minus an SD card. It came with a Go Pro Camera, battery, a waterproof quick-release housing to make it waterproof up to 180', a headlamp style strap, a vented helmet strap, 2 curved 3M adhesive mounts, and 2 flat 3M adhesive mounts. It also comes with 1 three-way pivoting side arm, 2 quick-release buckles, 1 USB cord, 1 Component video (HDTV) cable, and 1 composite video + audio cable. Along side all this is a one year warranty to back it all up.

Many, many mounting options. (Not all included with the kit)

The all new Go Pro HD is a work of art. It's light, easy to use, and very functional. Everything about it is well thought out and it shows through on the final product. TO buy one now head to Pinkbike.com Online Store. Free air shipping on camera products.

Pricing:
$299.00 USD shipped from the USA (no duties and free shipping in the USA)
$369.99 CDN shipped in Canada (no duties in canada, and free shipping in Canada)
Buy in the store

Posted In:
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Author Info:

spoiledgoods
Member since Mar 20, 2000
624 articles

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99 Comments

rockandride6 FL (Dec 21, 2009 at 16:05)

I've been researching this a ton and the GOPRO sounds way better than the Contour HD. The contour has awful sound (non existent) and they compress their videos (whats the point of HD then?) Plus, the GoPro comes with all these awesome accessories and waterproof housing without having to spend more money on parts.
P.S. I saw the McCaul brothers, Greg Watts, Andrew Taylor, and Aaron Chase filming for GoPro at Post Office last week. SICK looking stuff. Supposedly it will be posted up here. They had them on tripods, the bikes (seatpost, frame, etc.) and all over the guys. The guys loved their cameras! If it is good enough for those guys, it is good enough for me.

dorkbike (Dec 21, 2009 at 16:53)

These things rock. My buddy has one of the pre-HD version with the wide lens and it is mucho fun to play with. When coming back from Moab we stopped in Fuita, CO last April and we used it on the Kessel Run trial. We mounted it on my rig between the crank arms on the down tube (yes it will fit) and it didn't even budge after I took a roller section too fast and ate it. http://www.motionbox.com/videos/7a9edbb31811eec7f5
I might be getting the HD version for myself soon.......crossing fingers. Fun stuff.

dorkbike (Dec 21, 2009 at 16:58)

Ewww, P.S. the video format on the link above doesn't even do the old GoPro camera quality justice.

rockandride6 FL (Dec 22, 2009 at 8:18)

For a pretty indestructible camera under $200, I would say that is pretty darn good quality. And you should see the HD!

nouser (Dec 22, 2009 at 12:02)

Check out more amazing footage at vimeo.com and as Radek say's support PinkBike by buying this beauty from here. Really is the cheapest place to buy..... Merry Christmas to all Staff and users of PinkBike, sweet rides next year and ride safe people!!!!!!!!

EMSbyDay (Jan 3, 2010 at 19:46)

How does the field of view compare on this one compared to the standard def WIDE version? Not looking just in width but height. I know many HD ( 16:9 ) format lenses give you a nice wide view, but lack in height making you have to back up pretty far from your subject. I just wanna know how far back I'd have to be from a jump if I was filming others etc...

I just bought a compact HD cam on boxing week, but think I may return it for this.

santacruz84 (Jan 5, 2010 at 21:36)

So I just got a GoPro Hero HD and was editing some footage in Final Cut and I was wondering what the best export settings are for Pinkbike? The footage was shot in the 720p 60fps setting. If anyone could help me out, I would appreciate it.

rudy87 (Dec 19, 2009 at 1:03)

this looks AMAZING! I wish I had the money

ustemuf (Dec 19, 2009 at 10:59)

i have three of them... they are badass units. ill be getting some badass video footage soon.. i got some already, but my skills arent worthy enough yet.. most of them are crashes lol.

irnieracing (Dec 20, 2009 at 17:43)

Great Camera, and great mount-ability. Check out my Miata Rally GoPro HD footage.
http://vimeo.com/7772429

Thanks again Go Pro.
www.irnieracing.com

paininc (Dec 20, 2009 at 18:41)

Great camera...cool that they are being carried in Canada by Pinkbike.

Why the $50 price difference between US and Canada 299.99 USD = 320.205 CAD... just curious

robbo2517 (Dec 20, 2009 at 18:54)

the us dollar is worth more than the canadian dollar, so if you exchanged 320 CAD you would get 300 us

paininc (Dec 20, 2009 at 19:51)

Missing the point they are selling the camera in Canada for $369.99 CAN and $299 US in the US. $369.99 - $320.20 = $49.79

Evol (Dec 20, 2009 at 20:51)

PinkBike trying to make a profit....

radek Mod (Dec 20, 2009 at 20:54)

Its the canadian msrp. The distributor in canada requires that price. But if you buy it out of the states for 299usd you end up paying duty when it comes in to canada and it ends up being about the same. So on pinkbike the 299usd item ships out of the pinkbike USA office and the other one ships out of the canadian office. Choices, we give them to you. And thanks for supporting pinkbike.

paininc (Dec 20, 2009 at 21:39)

Fair enough...Canucks always see to loose out on the strength of the dollar.

Evol (Dec 27, 2009 at 12:26)

I can't edit my post above, but I've checked other online stores and everyone has it at $370cdn.
And when you think about it, shipping and duty on that price...Ya, makes sense.
If an admin can delete my post above, feel free. I retract my statement.

irnieracing (Feb 14, 2010 at 11:27)

I don't think pinkbike will upload 60fps? Similar to Vimeo, it will be converted to 30fps.
I render with Vegas Pro 9, and output to 720-30p MPEG at 29.97fps NTSC

irnieracing.com

rffr (Dec 19, 2009 at 14:04)

Sigh... you do realize that dv still has more capabilities than solid state. Wouldn't even mention the solid state as really, no connection point is faster than to tape. Period. Reason why tape is still used for major productions. Once they come out with a decent fibre channel or revolutionary sata way to connect the solid state to the camcorder it might be worth a damn. None the less good compact camcorder for the money. Still, wouldn't brag about it being solid state as that only means it is smaller than other camcorders... not better in quality.

radek Mod (Dec 19, 2009 at 14:32)

Umm everything is going solid state....even to of the line stuff like RED cameras etc, all the new panasonic hpc170, the sony ex, etc Sure there are still film cameras but those will more to solidstate as soon as the data rates are available. If a camera has a lower data rate, then solid state is the way to go, more advantage over tape in EVERY way. So solid state is a GREAT thing to brag about.

AMBikerJJ8 (Dec 19, 2009 at 15:34)

Yeah, look at the new RED cameras. Solid-state CF memory at bitrates exceeding 800mbps. Tape can't do that. Most pro HD cams record at only 100mbps.

SpikeX (Dec 20, 2009 at 5:35)

Tape is still used because it's cheap and reliable. The information stored on tapes is very stable so it's suited for long-term storage and archiving, and tapes are much, much cheaper than solid state media at the moment, although the gap is closing. Look at HDV - you're very limited in terms of the video and audio you can store (which is highly compressed), but it's still in use today because it's the cheapest way you can get HD video. Solid state is superior in almost every way to tape, and I'm pretty sure you'll find that tape will only be used for archiving in a few years' time and that solid state media will take over further.

rffr (Dec 21, 2009 at 19:11)

Haha, no, it's nothing to do with how cheap stuff is. It's about technology. Data transfers to tape faster than any other media.

Sure in a few years solid state will be there but as of now... it's not. Do you honestly think they use solid state for hollywood movies?

Once again, it's nothing about tape. Some of the tapes we use cost more than most consumer camcorders. Why do you think near all professional grade camcorders still rely on DV. It's nothing about being "cheap" when we are talking about 5-20k camcorders. Cheap is never a "factor".

LOL on the RED camera comments. Do you really think that is professional grade? Look at the camcorders on the market that range about 10,000$ and tell me they are all solid state. Helmet cams are not considered professional grade by ANY means. They are consumer. What do you think Freeride Entertainment uses... a Red camera. HAHA. when hell freezes over they might.

SpikeX (Dec 21, 2009 at 20:17)

Well what do they use for Hollywood movies then? As far as I know it's all shot in 35mm, 16mm, or 65 / 70mm on 400ft reels. The Red One shoots digitally onto CF, RAID 0 HDD, or 128GB SSD. They then digitize the film footage in 2K or 4K and store it on hard drives for editing. And it's all edited in NLE software and I don't see how you could use tapes for that.

Isn't the Red professional? It's being used more and more for Hollywood movies now (although I'll admit I still prefer the old 35mm film feel and look). Most of the $10,000 camcorders I see record to solid state - Panasonic uses P2 at that price, Sony uses XDCAM EX. Yes, Freeride Entertainment and Anthill Films both use a Red One. I don't get what you're trying to say?

AMBikerJJ8 (Dec 21, 2009 at 22:34)

The RED Epic has a 28k image sensor. That destroys even the quality of film. Not to mention tape. And add to SpikeX's list of mtb movie makers using RED solid state Life Cycles Films. And what tape are YOU using that has such a high bitrate? Superman tape? Solid state is the future, tape is the past, and film is still the present.

SpikeX (Dec 21, 2009 at 22:45)

Yeah, it goes up to 28K. That is INSANE. I'd like to say any type of film (35mm is about 4K and 70mm IMAX is 9K) beat that, let alone tape record that amount of information. I'd also be very interested in seeing which tapes you use, purely to educate myself. I agree with AMBiker - solid state is the future, tape is the past. But I think there will always be a place for film.

prettym1k3 (Dec 19, 2009 at 23:13)

Just tried one today. This is my buddy Paul. We attached his GoProHD to a monopod and I held it/panned it while he rode by. Pretty frickin' awesome.

vimeo.com/8282443

luckxc (Dec 20, 2009 at 23:42)

"1080p is the largest format of HD that is currently supported, a size that you don't often see on the web.".. hmmm? Youtube has gone 1080p.

burge0114 (Dec 19, 2009 at 2:02)

What about the Contour HD? Thinking of getting one or the other? Does look good though.

spqrtomas FL (Dec 19, 2009 at 6:25)

GoPro got better screen stabilization, but Contour is smaller and more convenient

smike (Dec 19, 2009 at 11:18)

The Contour's lack of mounting options is its biggest downfall, in my opinion. The GoPro is the most flexible system out there. The camera is only as good as its mount(s).

brule (Dec 19, 2009 at 11:51)

We'll be getting our paws on a Contour HD soon too and will post up on it too. The mounting options that the Go Pro has though sets it at the front for cool shots and all around convenience.

spqrtomas FL (Dec 19, 2009 at 13:12)

smike, i bought special velcro pack for my VholdR (older model of ContourHD) and now i can put it everywhere... with GoPro i can't do things like this - www.pinkbike.com/video/105567 (mount under my frame, between legs)... i'm thinking about getting new headcam and i now it's hard to choose between GoPro HD or ContourHD

luckynugget (Dec 19, 2009 at 13:53)

I have a contour. If they made more mounts and a >30 feet waterproof kit, it would be better than go pro

smike (Dec 19, 2009 at 14:24)

Actually, I can mount the GoPro under the frame, no problem, and get the same perspective as your video (spqrtomas). And none of the mounts require velcro either, so I don't have to stick any adhesives to any of my frames/helmets.

djbuilder (Dec 19, 2009 at 19:45)

spqrtomas What velcro attachment are you happening to use? I have the contour hd but have only tried mounting it with the goggle stap mount and the bar clamp mount (horrible design). Any pictures of how you mounted it under your frame would be much appreciated.

spqrtomas FL (Dec 20, 2009 at 9:54)

djbuilder, i bought few packs from Chain Reaction Cycles - product link here, plus standard clip from flat mount... smike, you've mounted it directly under downtube? i thought it we'll be to wide, now i see i was wrong

smike (Dec 20, 2009 at 11:05)

No, the GoPro is not very wide at all. It looks wide, because it's shaped like a traditional Point and Shoot digital camera, but the whole packages is very compact. Looks and feels like a mini digital camera when you hold it in your hand. Even with the waterproof housing, it is only 6.5cm wide.

radek Mod (Dec 20, 2009 at 12:33)

smike: what he means is that the IMAGE that it shoots is wide. And it is in fact the widest angle of these type of cameras...up to 170deg wide i believe.

spqrtomas FL (Dec 20, 2009 at 13:13)

radek, i thought that GoPro is too wide to place it under downtube and you can hook it with your feet while pedaling.. wide angle is a big advantage over Contour

radek Mod (Dec 21, 2009 at 10:04)

spqrtomas : my bad, i misunderstood.

Evol (Dec 19, 2009 at 5:57)

I would get the HD Motorsports HERO because I'll never use the headband or vented helmet strap, and the motorsports version gives you more useful accessories.

Stampers (Dec 19, 2009 at 6:54)

For biking the best mount is the chest harness. I've got a VIO POV1 and the helmet mount doesn't typically pick up the handlebars and there's no chest mount cause its a lipstick camera. My buddy had the old hero and we hit Snowshoe WV with a chest strap. Being able to see the bars in the shot makes it so much more interesting to watch. My picture on my VIO was better but we still enjoyed the HERO's chest angle much better. HERO is almost half the price of the VIO... with better HD video. this is the best mtb camera on the market by far. The only downside is the lack of immediate playback...

Evol (Dec 27, 2009 at 12:18)

Well, I just ordered a GoPro HD Helmet HERO MegaPack from another online shop in Canada. I can't wait to get it.

A friend of mine has the POV.1 and I've tried it. Pretty good, but from what I've seen so far of this cam, it looks a lot better.

P.S. Mine came out to a total of $430cdn with an extra battery, tripod mount, handlebar and roll cage mounts, wall and car chargers, and a 16Gb SDHC card.

loamaddict (Dec 19, 2009 at 8:56)

and this camcorder is perfect for snowriding!!! put it on a stick and you can have this part!!!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x58fuZFKrcU (not HD gopro)
i love my Gopro!!!

joexspocent92 (Dec 19, 2009 at 20:28)

i would really want one, but how do you know where the lens is facing? theres no window or a hole to see to know at least where the lens is shooting

SpikeX (Dec 20, 2009 at 5:27)

I also thought I would have the same problem when I got my GoPro Wide. You can get a pretty accurate idea of where the camera is pointing by just my looking down where you've mounted it. There is a viewfinder but it's not much use. What I've noticed though is that the lens is so wide that you'll always capture what you want and the camera doesn't have to be positioned very accurately.

joexspocent92 (Dec 21, 2009 at 10:26)

oh. thats what i thought. haha. i kinda wanna use it as an all purpose digital camera that i can beat around, but there arent much settings. unfortunately

thehustler (Dec 19, 2009 at 8:23)

it fell by itself on the video 3 times i think. are those all instances mounted by the suction cups? Doesn't look trustworthy to me...

brule (Dec 19, 2009 at 11:53)

Glad you caught that and we were learning as we went too - dirty truck + Go Pro = bad suction! Jordan learned that really fast and no issues after that. We could have left those parts out, but wanted to show that it is robust too.

sonnyt12 (Dec 20, 2009 at 11:00)

Anyone knows what is the recording format(MOV,AVI,MPG4) ?
Will it work on a MAC ?

ewantupper (Dec 19, 2009 at 2:08)

$500 AU.. pretty steep. But you get what you pay for!

tamedearth (Dec 19, 2009 at 3:10)

the slow motion mode is worth the money in itself... its amazing.

trevormann (Dec 19, 2009 at 21:10)

I bought the GoPro helmet wide and its never been open.. i want to send it back to get this one!

caliber-410 (Dec 19, 2009 at 23:17)

HOW IS IT ANY DIFFERENT FROM A REGULAR DIGITAL CAMERA WITH VIDEO RECORDING?

prettym1k3 (Dec 19, 2009 at 23:39)

It's smaller, has proper mounts and a proper casing for all sorts of sports, it's tough and rugged, and it tends to be cheaper than a lot of other HD cameras.

Altar69 (Dec 20, 2009 at 13:32)

HUMMMM...i like more the NEW ContourHD Helmet Camera Vhold HD
Size and Weight
• Height: 95mm
• Length: 53mm
• Width: 34mm
• Weight: 4.2 ounces (116 grams)
Specs:
Video
• Resolution Settings
HD (1280x720) 30 fps | SD (848x480) 60 fps
• 5 Mega-pixel CMOS Image Sensor
• Codec: H.264
• File Type: .mov
Easy to Align
Have you ever seen a camera with lasers? ContourHD uses two of them and a 192o rotating lens to ensure you line up the shot every time. Turn on the lasers and rotate the front lens until the two laser points are horizontally aligned. Congratulations, you just lined up your video.

robbo2517 (Dec 20, 2009 at 18:53)

agreed, but you sound like you are promoting it lots, like with the rhetorical question at the start of the paragraph

Evol (Dec 20, 2009 at 20:54)

ContourHD can only use a 16Gb MicroSD card vs. the GoPro HD's 32Gb SDHC card.
Optional LCD screen and optional extended battery. ContourHD doesn't have those either.
Should I continue?

spqrtomas FL (Dec 21, 2009 at 9:51)

anyway in both cameras battery works about 2 hours, so for me it doesn't matter if i can use 32GB or 'only' 16GB

currently i have 2GB on my VholdR and it's enough for one loaded battery

radek Mod (Dec 21, 2009 at 14:29)

I think you can get an extra battery, or more on both.

nouser (Dec 19, 2009 at 3:49)

ive got one but my sd card has not come yet

luckynugget (Dec 19, 2009 at 13:54)

They are like 12$ at shoppers.

nouser (Dec 19, 2009 at 20:32)

not here,a class 6 32gb is just under £70.

luckynugget (Dec 19, 2009 at 22:26)

sorry I forgot you have pounds, we have dollars.

noshofosho (Dec 19, 2009 at 7:52)

Yes Please.

Gunnar (Dec 19, 2009 at 2:24)

Legit

Cmontjumper (Dec 19, 2009 at 11:55)

gunnar, you have to get one for ur sick movies haha

Gunnar (Dec 19, 2009 at 20:24)

Thanks dude! I think I am getting one too.

blackpegasus (Dec 20, 2009 at 5:05)

what SD card

ttimmer (Dec 19, 2009 at 0:28)

I want to get my hands on some of these.

kiwihardtail (Dec 19, 2009 at 18:22)

I'd be so keen for a PAL version of this camera, any chances pinkbike?

swampwolf (Dec 20, 2009 at 9:58)

It actually supports PAL, it's one of the things you can adjust on the settings

(received mine friday and have been playing around with the settings!)

kiwihardtail (Dec 20, 2009 at 12:25)

Hey nice to know! so it can record 25 and 50 fps?

radek Mod (Dec 21, 2009 at 14:08)

Yup, the PAL setting is at 25 and 50fps

kiwihardtail (Dec 21, 2009 at 15:38)

Thanks Radek, I'm going to start saving now. Props to you guys for getting these in

keep the videographers happy!

niesen-ranger (Dec 20, 2009 at 3:55)

hd is not necessary!!

SpikeX (Dec 20, 2009 at 5:30)

I have to strongly disagree with that. HD is already the industry standard now, and it's definately neccessary. Notice how you can't even buy a video camera that isn't HD anymore, and it's extremely hard to find a new TV that isn't HD or at least HD Ready.

radek Mod (Dec 20, 2009 at 10:41)

I think the 1080p is a bit overkill. Most people would shoot and watch video on the web, and whether you are rendering from 1080 or 720 to web format you would get the same thing. 720 on this camera is nice..huge difference from the previous models. 1080p is just a larger file that for most purposes is unrequired. I do think it's just there as a marketing thing. It's probably not a true 1080 sensor in there anyways, but an upscaled image. I would way rather have less pixels and better frame rate and low light resolution. This is the same problem with cameras these days as a whole. They pack 20million pixels in a point and shoot, but the sensors and quality sucks, it's just a lot of pixels. But I understand its marketing to show the largest number out there. 1080p, meh, 60fps at 720p is a very welcome feature.

SpikeX (Dec 20, 2009 at 11:26)

Ín cameras such as the GoPro, you're most likely right. It is probably just an upscaled image, and it is marketing more than anything else as far as the GoPro goes. But true 1080p versus 720p in nicer cameras is a huge difference, and in the cinema work 1080p is actually very small. You're definately right about still cameras - the number of Megapixels is just marketing. What matters is low-light performance, depth of field, ISO capabilities, etc. If you compare true 1080p footage to 720p footage with a good camera, there is a huge difference. 1080p may be relatively new to consumers, but just consider that 35mm film (which has been around for about 100 years) is 4K (4096 x 2048 pixels) and the IMAX movies that we all love to watch are 9K (9216 x 4608 pixels). And Red is coming out with a camera with a total of 28K resolution next year. All that actually has a lot of advantages and gives you so many more options in post production.

psyickphuk (Dec 20, 2009 at 14:08)

Agreed re: 720 vs 1080 but it's totally worth having HD over SD - even for posting on the net it looks a lot better/

Evol (Dec 20, 2009 at 20:49)

@ radek : "web format"? Really? YouTube has 720 and 1080 resolutions...Why would anyone still be using anything non-HD anymore?

SpikeX (Dec 20, 2009 at 21:50)

The YouTube 1080p HD is a joke really, because they increased the number of pixels but left the bitrate the same (which is much more important for video quality). However it won't be long before other websites start offering 1080p with higher bitrates as internet connection speeds and hard drive sizes increase. 1080p is also very important if you'll be showing the footage on a TV or project it somewhere, or if you want to sell it on DVD or Blu-Ray. Filming in 1080p, even if you'll be uploading to the web in 720p also has its advantages because in editing you have room to move the 720p frame around (and complicated effects are much easier when you have more pixels available) within the 1080p project so you can do things like artificial panning without having to digitally zoom in at all and lose video quality.

radek Mod (Dec 21, 2009 at 10:01)

I think it's a transition time right now. Personally we don't shoot 1080 right now but stick to 720. 1080 on most cameras seems like it's just pushing the limits. Low light level is not as good at that resolution, and frame rates are lower. We have an hpx170 that will do 1080 but we stick to 720. The files are a lot smaller for editing, and though i agree with spikex, that if you should 1080 you can do some panning in the frame, for most of the stuff that we shoot we dont get into that detail.
As for on web stuff, 1080 or even 720 HD is kind of a silly thing right now. I hardly ever watch anything in whatever a site calls HD....it's not real HD half the time, its way too compressed, it takes soooo long to down load, the playback gets choppy, and taking all that into account I'd rather watch a smaller version that is good quality and streams fast and plays smooth. Also 1080p is supposed to be 1920x1080 resolution, most laptops and even most monitors do not have that size...so whats the point of playing a 1920x1080 if you are going to watch it in a window 1/4 the size.
Eventually it will be the way to go, but right now, personally, I want smoothness and a better and fast experience than just being able to say that "Im watching HD"

kiwihardtail (Dec 21, 2009 at 18:50)

You are bang on Radek, for web delivery 720p is the way to go and the 720p workflow of the Panasonic P2 cameras is lightning fast

if spikex has a computer good enough to handle a cinema 4k workflow then props to him, but I certainly don't

.

I shot this video in 1080 on my HVX and nested it in a 720 comp for digital zooming and panning etc and that gives you around 30% zoom to play around with. If its in a SD comp it's nearly 50%. I generally stick to 720p on my camera too but I was filming myself so I opted for the higher resolution.

Smooth playback is definatly the most important thing to me also, I cant handle choppy playback...

SpikeX (Dec 21, 2009 at 20:24)

720p IS the way to go at the moment for the web. But I'm pretty sure it will swiftly move to 1080p over the next 2 or so years. People are getting higher resolution screens with their computers, and more and more people are able to display full 1920 x 1080 now. Yes internet connections are still a factor but that will improve. I am lucky enough to have a computer that is capable of handling a 4K cinema workflow, but I definately see what you're saying that 720p is a lot easier to handle than 1080p with most PCs. And I despise choppy playback too - I usually let the whole thing load before watching, and if it's still choppy I don't watch it at all).

I always film and edit my stuff in 1080i (camera can't do 1080p), even if it's uploaded to the web in 720p. The philosphy behind filming it that way is that that moment will only happen once and I might as well get it in the best quality I can, because who knows what I'll do with it later on.

Just a question radek, if you don't mind me asking - what format does the PinkBike video platform use? I know it's not 1080 and I'm not sure it's 720?

radek Mod (Dec 21, 2009 at 20:58)

spikex: right now we decided on a middle of the road...640 width, but do support up to 120fps if you upload that. It seems like a middle ground between quality, fast rendering and load time. Its not a technical challenge for us, just something that most users find loads fast and plays smooth. We can make it 1080p if we want to.
Everything is stored original so as soon as we decide that 720p or whatever format is the way to go, we'll make those available from the sources.
Maybe an option is something we'll give users.
Cool part on pinkbike is that if you upload at 60fps it will NOT downconvert to 30 like vimeo and all the others. I like smoothness better than all.

SpikeX (Dec 21, 2009 at 22:03)

That's awesome! The 120fps capability is something I'll definately keep in mind. The fact that you have the storage and serverpower for 1080p is very interesting too, considering all the hundreds of thousands of videos on PinkBike (although only a select few are filmed in HD anyway). Keeping the source file is a great idea too so we wouldn't have to re-upload all our material if the standard changes. I'm assuming you mean 60p and up to 120p for the frame rates (not interlaced) seeing as computer monitors refresh at 60Hz?

radek Mod (Dec 21, 2009 at 22:27)

Pinkbike storage is at 40 terabytes in raid6 and all that is double backed up...so it's 80tb of storage

Yeah, there is a big visible difference when you have 30fps and 60fps content. The 60fps you don't see much on the web because everyone else down converts it to 30, but try uploading something at 60 fps and it looks all smooth and nice.
In this video www.pinkbike.com/video/63853 you can see the oddly live smoothness when you see people moving and close ups when talking. (56s mark in that video you can tell that its "different") That's 60fps being preserved on the web output on the pinkbike player. (the original quality was not as good, but it was 60fps)
I'll upload some test helmet cam shots at 60fps and 30fps and we can check the difference.

SpikeX (Dec 21, 2009 at 22:41)

Wow, quite impressive! There is a huge difference between 30fps and 60fps - even from the first shot in that teaser you can tell there's something different and that it's crazy smooth. When I upgrade camera I'll be able to shoot natively at 50p (I live in a PAL country) and I'll definately try and do a few tests here on PB. I'll be very interested to see a comparison between the 30p and 60p!

machoman101 (Dec 19, 2009 at 0:19)

looks nuts

14 3

spoked-media (Dec 19, 2009 at 0:43)

just after i buy my go pro wide, this come out

bad luck.

Sysics (Dec 19, 2009 at 3:42)

when did you buy it?
The first news about the HD came ...Oktober?

adrenalinaddict (Dec 19, 2009 at 4:51)

At last! A well priced, good quality HD helmet cam! YES

brodoyouevenbike (Dec 19, 2009 at 11:12)

how much is it? looks prefect

pdxseth (Dec 19, 2009 at 11:47)

They need to have an exchange program for us that bought the old version. I would love to have the rechargeable battery. That is my only bitch about the camera. www.youtube.com/user/PDXRUCKUS for some video on my scooter. www.youtube.com/user/pdxgoose for some video on my bike. All and all I love the gopro cameras. cheap enough to get in this already expensive sport I do.

hansel192 (Dec 20, 2009 at 6:37)

looks nice

nunukula (Dec 20, 2009 at 13:27)

I want one so bad !!

dirtbagluvin (Dec 21, 2009 at 13:11)

I have one of the older models in my buy/sell. It's brand new and has never been used. Make me an offer!!