| VholdR Wearable Camcorder (Black) | 
| Brand: VholdR
Category: Photography
List Price: $299.99
Buy New: $285.03
You Save: $14.96 (5%)
Rating:  29 reviews
Color: black
Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: Yes
Memory Type: SDRAM
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7 x 5 x 2
MPN: 1102
Model: 1102
UPC: 793573477392
EAN: 0793573477392
ASIN: B0019Y8AAI
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Shoot to share online technology | | • | One touch on and off switch | | • | Laser-activated smart leveling | | • | Rugged and withstands dust, dirt, mud, and snow | | • | Records up to 2 hours of video footage |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Wear it, Shoot it, Share it
Think the world doesn't need more video? Wrong, it needs YOUR video, and VholdR (vee-holder) is the go-anywhere do-anything wearable camcorder that SHOOTS your life in motion. And through VholdR.com, you can SHARE it with an entire world of action life stylists just like you. VholdR mounts to nearly anything, from helmets to handlebars, roll cages to bull horns. It captures TV quality audio and video to a MicroSD card, and it's abuse proof. No tapes, no cables, no kidding. So get VholdR, and get in the game! - Mount It - Special mounts put VholdR where you want it. Attach to helmets, handle bars, or anywhere you think a unique perspective will be caught.
- Aim It - A rotating lens and dual lasers allows you to get the shot everytime. Shoot Flat, vertical, or upside-down.
- Shoot It - Here's the beauty - one-switch operation. It's on, or it's off. No messing with menus, no fussing with focus.
- Share It - PC and Mac software to synch your VholdR to VholdR.com. Stop watching and start sharing video.
FEATURES Image Capture - It may look like just a lens, but the front of the camera houses at least 3 major elements. Dual lasers activate on demand, sending out referencing beams indicating two pieces of information, where the camera is pointed, and if it is level. The lens itself is a glass eye with a focal length covering the gamut, from arm's length to infinity, which focuses visual information onto a CMOS image capture card at 640x480 resolution. Both the lens and the capture card rotate together 192 degrees within a pivoting hermetically sealed capsule. This means no matter how you mount the camera, VholdR sees a level world. And you thought it was just a lens. Armored Video - Everybody recognizes the sound of cracking plastic, or the feeling of dread as we watch an expensive came
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| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
 I'd rate it zero stars if that were an option December 30, 2008
Richard J. Rock (Denver, CO United States)
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
So I'd read a CNet article on the VHoldr and thought, man that is a great idea. What could be more simple? Mount, shoot and share. The concept is great, the execution is poor. I received the camera in advance of a ski strip and thought I'd test it at home. First, I tried mounting to my vented helmet with their vented helmet mount. Basically, you are buying $20 of velcro and I couldn't get good alignment. So, if you are mounting to a vented helmet, using plastic ties are a better option. Next I tested the video. The recording seemed to work as advertised, the fun began as I tried to download the video. I am an avid videographer and use Mac for most of my video work, both iMovie and Final Cut. Before purchasing, I checked for Mac compatibility. Once I tried downloading the movies, I realized what Mac support meant to them. They have beta software for the Mac and lack native support for iMovie or Final Cut. Essentially you need third party conversion tools. So for the moment, I decided that I would use their software rather than the tools I prefer for the sake of getting it working. I followed the instructions and connected the camera via usb and then opened the VHoldr Desktop software. The first test video I transferred showed an initial still and then played the audio only. I thought it might be a glitch so I deleted the video with the VHoldr desktop software and thought I would try again. Well, my iMac wouldn't recognize the camera again. So I tried my Macbook Pro. Same thing. I removed the microSD card and the battery in an attempt to reset the camera and then was able to recognize the camera again on both machines. So I tried the test again and found the original video I deleted still there in addition to the new test videos. Unfortunately, none of the videos would transfer or delete. I tried the VHoldr support site and found the support to be next to useless. Their knowledge base consists of a few canned articles written for XP users. They have a user forum, but the implementation is very weak and not topic based or searchable. (For instance, I expected a Mac section). So I attempted to reach them, but they do not publish a support number. I can only surmise they lack the funds for an adequate call center. They take email support only, in true startup fashion. Long story short, the product is beta, don't cut your teeth on it. If you are a mac user, forget it. For now I will continue to pack my Panasonic HD Camcorder in my pocket for those ski trips and await a better implementation of this concept from a real electronics manufacturer. It's just a matter of time.
terrible camera December 26, 2008
F. E. Belluso
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
i do a lot of video work.... i have numerous camera,both video/still type.
i purchased this camera because i do a lot of mobile work and thought this unit will be handy...... not so the focus is horrible or should i say
it doesnt focus... well maybe at 2 feet anything else out of focus....
controls are all under the poopy back door except for the record slide switch..which is the only good thing on this camera....... the software,
which you download from the internet is lousy........ i would send this camera back but im from the old school... i bought it i will live with it.
of course if it didnt work then i would send it back......if you want a camera that's not handy to operate and dont care about focus....and like
stupid software then this camera is for you.........otherwise check out the other's that are available.........the concepts of this camera are wonderful,but its in the category of a 25 dollar digital cam........
Saw This and Had To Buy One December 18, 2008
Basil MacDougal (The Corner of My Room)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've only had my camera for a couple of days, but I can tell you that it is a BLAST to use! When I saw this on Amazon, I couldn't resist. The possible uses are endless. It, of course, is not the type of camera you would use to film your kids' school play or other such videos. The quality isn't as great as most other similar priced cameras, but it's not all bad. It is basically a grown-up toy.
I'm going to Disneyland for Christmas so I can't wait to use this on some of the rides. I've already used it to create some funny videos around the house and have annoyed my wife quite extensively already.
 Yes, you need one! December 12, 2008
J. Z. Clark (Las Colinas, CA)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
In anticipation of snowboarding season, I purchased a VholdR a few weeks before Thanksgiving this year. Installation of the software was easy enough (I have a Mac OS X 10.5) and the VholdR Desktop looks great.
Over the holiday I took my VholdR to Mammoth to break it in, expecting all sorts of issues - lo and behold, it didn't fail me! Not only was it very easy to operate while wearing snow gloves, but it lasted through fall after fall (I had to get back into my groove..) without fogging up or breaking from the moisture. Before the trip I brought along a few extra micro SD cards (2GB) and an extra battery so I was able to switch them out while on the mountain.
There are a few features about this camera that really made me happy with the purchase. First, the two lasers ensured that the camera lens was adjusted properly (upright) and that I was mounting the camera in the right place. Secondly, I couldn't even tell I was wearing a camera on my goggles because it's so light (under 5 oz) yet durable. Lastly - and this speaks for itself - the video quality was absolutely excellent. This was expected because I did my fair share of research online before hand, and my VholdR did not disappoint! I was able to capture every spill, jump, carve and slide during my weekend in the snow and can't wait to get more video this winter!
Overall, I definitely recommend this product! My friend got the P.O.V. and broke it the first time he tried it.
Great fun, robust, excellent support, rather pricey November 29, 2008
Peter Reeve (Thousand Oaks, CA USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
When considering buying this product, cost in the accessories you might (very well) need, especially as the helmet mount is really a stick-once permanent fixture. The camcorder comes with only a 1GB MicroSD card, but will take up to 2GB. If you want to read directly from this card, which may be more convenient than connecting the camcorder itself, you will need an adaptor to take the smaller card size.
The USB lead is short. I have a powered USB hub on my desktop, so a short lead is ideal for me - a longer one would only get in the way. Your setup may be different - for example, a tower unit on the floor - and the short lead may be an inconvenience. Note that you recharge the camcorder via the USB port so, if you don't have a powered hub, it will be painfully slow. A recharger is available and is another accessory you might want to cost in.
The manual is very good, but how you clip the battery in place could be better explained - you swivel the clip rather than 'slide' it. The manual has a warning that you should not stare directly at the laser pointers, a warning you should heed, and should bear in mind when targeting people, lest you give the term 'red eye' a whole new meaning.
The purpose of the lasers is to orient the lens correctly. When attached to your helmet (or cap, handlebars, belt, whatever) the unit probably won't be level and so your viewers would have to tilt their heads when watching the results. To prevent you getting sued for all those cricked necks, the lasers allow you to align the lens, once the unit is in situ. You can realign every time you power up.
I installed the download on my Vista machine with no problem, except that I couldn't view the videos on other media packages, like Corel, only on the VholdR package itself. I sent a query to VholdR support, on Thanksgiving Day and had a reply the next day. That's worth a star for customer support. The answer was that you need to download a codec called FFDshow, if you don't already have it. This is available free online. That solved the problem.
If you are considering buying this camcorder, you should visit the VholdR website first, to see if you want to be part of the 'community' they are trying to establish. For you, that may be a reason to buy.
[PeterReeve]
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