I'm getting the itch to buy/mount a video camera and would love to hear about others experience & recommendations. I have an 07 M Coupe. I'm not going to install a cage/rollbar, nor do I intend to drill holes in the body. I can go suction cup mount, perhaps could even mount it on inside of rear window. But, do auto-x / BMWCCA driving schools allow this? Suction mount works ok for my phone when using it to navigate, but sounds a bit dangerous to for on-track use. I'm leary of using the "removable" adhesive mounts on dash or paint. Then the matter of which model -- GoPro and Replay XD both look llke pretty capable units.
I've been using the GoPro and up until now the only thing I didn't like was making sure it was on. There is now a remote on off switch. Don't know if the app is out that let's you use your phone as a few finder Not all chapters allow cameras in driving schools. The suction cup works fine.
I would agree with this. I love my GoPro, but it's a pain in the ass to figure out when it's on or not. I mount mine in the upper center of the front windshield. Another good place on the outside of the car is the window of the driver's side rear passenger window.
The further towards the front the camera is mounted the faster it looks like you are going. I usually mount it right in front of the rear view mirror in upside down mode although it's probably more useful as a learning tool to mount it behind you so you can see your hands. For fun I mounted it on my fender. Windshield mount
The ability to see the hands of the driver is why I like to mount on the outside of window behind the driver.
I would be afraid to mount mine where it could see my hands. Years ago, when I was on my check-out ride to instruct at the Pitaressi Racing School, with the boss in the passenger seat, I lost a Toyota MR2 in Portland's Turn Nine (this was before they installed the chicane and screwed up the numbering) and did a full three-lock tank-slapper---without leaving the asphalt. I finally got things gathered up and we headed off down the straight, but it was very, very quiet in the car. Finally a dry voice came from the right hand side. "Correct me if I am wrong, Mr. Carlson," he said, "but weren't there times back there when you had NEITHER hand on the wheel?!" Hey, what can I say? Once a rally driver, always a rally driver. And do as I say, not as I do!
LOL! I recall a time at Thunderhill when my instructor and I just couldn't seem to get on the same page. The end result was us spinning off the track in turn 4 of all places. I recall watching the world go round and round for what seemed like a long time, like we were on the teacup ride at Disneyland. After the dust settled he said something like "let's just head back to the pits, shall we?" He got out and I had a different instructor for the next session. Great video Steven. Well, What do you use to overlay the instrumentation & map? I'm pretty sure I won't be nearly as smooth you were in that 318! And what kind of a motor do you have in that thing anyway?
I use Trackmaster off my Droid and I think RaceWare to sync the video. You can also export the OBDII stream via blue tooth and overlay that data. Pretty cool what you can do these days for cheap. BTW- I did a 720 on a skid pad once. I thought we'd never stop spinning.
