Taxi changes direction at traffic lights

[guerney]

I recently got a DJI Osmo Action 3 and haven’t had any fogging issues, even used in heavy rain, snow and under water.

In addition to The Red Light of Moisture Death, I also feared this sort of remote bricking of a product could happen in future:

Smart speaker maker Sonos takes heat for deliberately bricking older kit with 'Trade Up' plan
Infuriates customers by making useable systems into electronic waste

Smart speaker maker Sonos takes heat for deliberately bricking older kit with 'Trade Up' plan

Infuriates customers by making useable systems into electronic waste

www.theregister.com

I'm deeply suspicious of any device which relies on an app to function - the camera has to be activated via an app. In contrast, even the Android app for the GoPro cameras allow you to use it as "Guest", no account required, and the camera records with all functions accessible without the need for online activation. In other respects, the Osmo 3 looks on paper at least, a very good action camera with a big sensor, Rocksteady is better than Hypersmooth... but not at night, when both brands appear to suck balls. Have you tried shooting cycling POV videos at night? How did it go? Have you uploaded clips you could link? If this 7 annoys me, I might return the lot.

 

[PC2017]

Natto HAI!!!

I learnt something today...

additional batteries

I got some for the GP4 but I never use em, I fashioned a hole in a spare WP case and feed it with 2x 18650 on 2a, the good thing about GP is they don't charge whilst recording but actually use external source as battery, 2x 18650 fully charged (7 yr old cells) gets 4hrs record time @1080p 60fps and with the batteries far away on bike it reduces heat, I lose IPX6x but it remains summer drizzle & splash proof any down pours it goes in bag.

Win 10 looks half decent

TBF i started on 3.1(1) then skipped to win 95/98 then XP & win10 for me is what XP needed to be. I didn't like the idea of win11 because I have my start bar at the top but now there is a work around. My Dad is on 11 and he keeps asking me stuff but I never even watched a vid on, no point if I can't actually feel it... My new idea - Ryzen 5 5600x > 16gb DDR4 fury X (brand loyalty) > rx 5600XT 6GB all for the low price (new bundle deal) mobo, CPU & ram (£490) CeX rx5600 £170 [£660)

 

[guerney]

I got some for the GP4 but I never use em, I fashioned a hole in a spare WP case and feed it with 2x 18650 on 2a, the good thing about GP is they don't charge whilst recording but actually use external source as battery, 2x 18650 fully charged (7 yr old cells) gets 4hrs record time @1080p 60fps and with the batteries far away on bike it reduces heat, I lose IPX6x but it remains summer drizzle & splash proof any down pours it goes in bag.

That's very useful information, thank you. Very useful feature and mod. I was thinking that there's so much air inside the cheapo waterproof case - [(got a cheapo for £11 on Amazon, in transit, or possibly a Nissan) - I could still buy the official so called "Super Suit" (lol) for about £22, but the cheapo can be used without having to remove the GoPro's lens... which requires the use of no less than three credit cards in a non-purchasing capacity, to lever the darn thing up about 1mm, so that it can be twisted free] - that it's possible to insert heat conductive silicone to replace the air and then cut into the case to epoxy (or superglue + baking soda) in CPU heatsinks (or northbridge, if I can tear some off old motherboards, if I still have them) either side and underneath... doing that I'd look even more like Batman's Bane than I do already (cam on jawguarded helmet). Spikey metal heatsinks could do some quite nasty damage in a crash, so perhaps not.

TBF i started on 3.1(1) then skipped to win 95/98 then XP & win10 for me is what XP needed to be. I didn't like the idea of win11 because I have my start bar at the top but now there is a work around. My Dad is on 11 and he keeps asking me stuff but I never even watched a vid on, no point if I can't actually feel it... My new idea - Ryzen 5 5600x > 16gb DDR4 fury X (brand loyalty) > rx 5600XT 6GB all for the low price (new bundle deal) mobo, CPU & ram (£490) CeX rx5600 £170 [£660)

Cor I'm glad I'm no gamer, sounds exhausting: Gave up with Battlezone, Asteroids, Pliades and Afterburner kiosks, briefly spent two weeks inside Freefall (? I think) and decided I'm too easily addicted to games, lose all sense, and have stayed away since. Almost 30 years sober lol.

 

[PC2017]

Almost 30 years sober lol

Easy to lose yourself on cold days; the vast open worlds with collectables hidden, side quests & DLC is immense. Zombies of "Days gone" atm painfully terrible game physics/mechanics wise but the OH paid £8.00 for it, the first game purchased since another Zombie ; Dying Light 2 sadly another long awaited saga after Dying Light impressive gameplay but again number 2 was so bad I gave up although my 960 wasn't the best idea to run number 2 so I will try again if I dare turn the new beast on if & when I save up for it. Hopefully prices will fall when the depression kicks in

 

[guerney]

depression kicks in

I'm depressed about it already. Upside is I have two years supply of TVP Natto to eat my way through, if I eat it every day - I'd describe the flavour, but it tastes like Natto, which doesn't taste anything like anything else. Perhaps some sort of ancient stinky cheese possibly blue or maggoty, mixed with genuine cask fermented soya sauce, plus a small dash of forgotten sock concentrate? Sadly the fermentation needs refining, TVP surface wasn't dry enough to produce impressively slimy nattokinase Vitamin K2 rich slime. The probiotic mix might have not been optimal, so I cooked it with a pasta sauce. Cooking doesn't destroy Vitamin Ks. Tasted quite nice actually.

Crystals formed, it's sticky throughout - this may be the world's first TVP Natto batch! HAI!



Real soyabean Natto slime! HAI!

 

[guerney]

Go one do it join the sheep... I understand the early fears but I can not get it several years on, do explain your fears,

Why Windows 10 sucks or Everything Wrong with Microsoft Windows

itvision.altervista.org

My Dad is on 11 and he keeps asking me stuff but I never even watched a vid on, no point if I can't actually feel it

Why Windows 11 sucks or Everything Wrong with Microsoft Windows

itvision.altervista.org

 

[guerney]

I think the pics are mainly for scenic not close up macro

Yes the scenics are much better - this "Superphoto" AKA HDR is unaltered, just sized; lots of scope for making improvements. But I didn't buy this camera to snap photos, I have proper cameras for that! Night cycling video numberplate capture experiments soon-ish...

 

[guerney]

My 4 core lappy did not improve my editing experience much it's still choppy in real time play back

I'm well used to seeing choppy low frame rate video preview windows in editing programs - pretty much all personal computer based "non-linear" editing systems were like that in the 90s... we had to trust our EDLs (Edit Decision Lists [not the shouting crowds lol] which are lists containing in and out points for both video and audio tracks) and our imaginations. Also rendering key sections before leaving it for days to render a few seconds, sometimes entire minutes(!), was wise.

If you think your editing experience is unplesant, try editing with an Iomega Buzz... which wasn't even the worst, but that one was cheap, while it lasted. Fsck, I might still have in in a box somewhere! No, I threw it away (I think).

Buz Multimedia Producer

Inexpensive, Feature-Packed Video-Capture System

www.macworld.com

 

[PC2017]

Real soyabean Natto slime! HAI!

Looks like rice crispies in toffee sauce....but I will pass.

Also rendering key sections before leaving it for days to render a few seconds, sometimes entire minutes(!), was wise.

It's sounds cool as a job, something I wanted to do after school in the 90's but we was all preprogramed to work in local factory's, well those from working households anyway my first IT job only paid 8k a year - I still do that then final edit it all together, from having that two core celeron - a day to render 10 mins

Night cycling video numberplate capture experiments soon-ish.

with decent light, street and bike lights it should do number plates easy. tbf I haven't tried mine at night, it's Russian roulette during the days with some drivers so night time short distances and daylight saving times for me, summer bike all evening till 10pm grab some reduced bargains at Mozy & tesco, mainly wheat based so I will just hand to the OH and watch her eat...life really does suck.

£300 saved up for PC so another £400 to go, a tad extra for those out of stock moments and the next best thing is more expensive.

 

[guerney]

Looks like rice crispies in toffee sauce....but I will pass.

I would, but I need that cholesterol-free vitamin K2! Tastes good eventually.

wheat

Being able to bake saves me a fortune... and before that breadmakers did the same - I picked mine up in charity shop sales for a fiver - the baked bread was ok eventually, but you can simply use them to make various types of dough, to make delicious edibles with. After awhile, I simply put the bread dough they mixed into baking tins, and those worked out fantastic.

Mozy & tesco

I stick mostly to Aldi and Lidl - you can seriously save money there without being overtly made to feel poor, instead of grubbing around like a peasant for close to out of date soiled or damaged goods at not much cheaper prices, and being limited to how many of the same "Saver" items you can buy. At Aldi and Lidl, they make you feel like royalty. If you can cook, you won't miss much.

It's sounds cool as a job

My company was expanding multimedia at the time, and I got sent on various courses, but I did meet people who's sole aim in life was to be editors, some succeeded. Of course, editing can make or break a production.

a day to render 10 mins

Try VSDC (free), it renders faster than Vegas and Premiere. About 10X faster than Vegas earlier today

VSDC Free Video Software: Complete Toolset for Video Editing 2023

All-in-one free toolset for working with multimedia. Download a powerful video editor, screen recorder, video converter, audio converter, and CD grabber.

www.videosoftdev.com

with decent light, street and bike lights it should do number plates easy.

Daytime plate capture was no problem for my cheapo camera - the problem is/was that it couldn't expose properly when recording numberplates illuminated very brightly by my headlights at night. And GoPro's Protune/manual settings doesn't have global exposure spot metering lock, but I can while recoding lock exposure to a region, such as the middle (and up a bit), where number plate views end up at some point as my skull swivels the camera about. Trouble is, this needs to be done while recording; has to be activated by touching and holding the selected region on the touchscreen - and the problem with that, is that the cheapo waterproof case, although looking very waterproof (camera is easy to insert and remove, because the camera lens cover doesn't have to be removed, which is a nightware to lever up, using no less than three credit cards in a non-purchasing capacity), the touchscreen isn't accessible... which means as it gets dark, I'd have to stop to set the region for exposure lock on the touchscreen, then put it back into the case... or buy GoPro's "Supersuit" after all. My cheapo camera's functions were all accessible via buttons, which work when encased. I may opt to use the waterproof case only for heavier downpours.

I'll be very annoyed if I can't find some permutation of settings which work - very important, is being able to record numberplates at night.

 

[guerney]

with the batteries far away on bike it reduces heat

That's good to know - I assumed the main source of heat was the CPU, not the batteries - it's good that heat is getting out through the metal body heatsink. Two new batteries and dual charger arrived yesterday, actually "New old stock", so I'm chargING/depletING/recharging them and gaining 2 or so minutes extra life each time; forcING recalibration of the battery chips - in total I should get 4 to 4.5 hours from three batteries @1080p/60, which is sufficient for my longer journeys. Night shooting when I'm called upon to travel at night next.

Actually the sensor isn't bad, for a tiny action camera - this pic cleaned up better than I expected:

"Superphoto" aka HDR before:



...after a couple of tweaks:





...but the first dismal version is truer.

 

[PC2017]

to make delicious edibles

Erm... are you sure it's only strawberries growing under lights??? Edibles & gummies google it lol.

"Superphoto" aka HDR before:

Not bad... never took pics a part from of my face upside down when the settings are wrong.

I stick mostly to Aldi and Lidl

Yer I do too but the supermarkets are more of a one off brand product or just having a look + they are 5-6 miles away so I get a good run there & back in the summer.

where number plate views end up at some point as my skull swivels the camera about.

Sounds complex - head cam I get it. I have my cam on handle bars. It's a fanny about, but cam on handlebar, two on head & one at rear & a rear on bike cam would be the ideal setup. Either which way without forking out for a 360 cam, which I would imagine comes with its own set of issues. There is a chance you'll always miss important part you wanted to capture.

heat was the CPU

Prob does heat up, airflow does help but if rain proofing then that becomes an issue. If it's not one problem its another.

 

[matthewslack]

Numberplates at night...

Is the answer flash plus a dedicated stills camera in addition to the video from the action camera? And a button on the handle bar to trigger it?

Can things like Raspberry Pi camera be made to do this kind of thing?

 

[PC2017]

Numberplates at night...

Intriguing concept. Even though night cycling appears to be a dog eat dog world, like mentioned I rarely cycle at night and if you have too for various reasons work etc, it still is the age old advice impo; Reduce risk at every opportunity.

It will hurt me if someone hits me and seriously f a driver up in the head if I am dead, although granted, hard at times, but when you spot an idiot & we all see em or hear em well before they get near our road space, is too, reduce risk by submitting, if they are bigger then me I let them do what they need to do & feel the bigger person for it, That is my mushy side;

Even if I did catch a number plate the manner of my road use would come into question & I guarantee on that day I would be partly to blame, assuming the Police decided to pursue the matter in the first place.

 

[matthewslack]

Intriguing concept. Even though night cycling appears to be a dog eat dog world, like mentioned I rarely cycle at night and if you have too for various reasons work etc, it still is the age old advice impo; Reduce risk at every opportunity.

It will hurt me if someone hits me and seriously f a driver up in the head if I am dead, although granted, hard at times, but when you spot an idiot & we all see em or hear em well before they get near our road space, is too, reduce risk by submitting, if they are bigger then me I let them do what they need to do & feel the bigger person for it, That is my mushy side;

Even if I did catch a number plate the manner of my road use would come into question & I guarantee on that day I would be partly to blame, assuming the Police decided to pursue the matter in the first place.

Submission is not always an option!

 

[guerney]

Numberplates at night...

Is the answer flash plus a dedicated stills camera in addition to the video from the action camera? And a button on the handle bar to trigger it?

Can things like Raspberry Pi camera be made to do this kind of thing?

I did at one point consider using a Sony RX100, which is hands down the best compact fixed lens camera you can buy: has 1-inch sensor for better night shooting, can be fitted with a remote trigger (like most DSLRs), has a much larger light gathering lens, stabilisation, small (not small enough!)... but it's not waterproof without this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-frogs-Waterproof-Photography-Videography/dp/B0B3DSPTRX/

Can things like Raspberry Pi camera be made to do this kind of thing?

The Pi camera isn't great, even in bright light. DSLRs nearly all have cable, wired and/or wireless triggers, someting could be bodged... but I really don't fancy one on my handlbars or helmet - if this 7 can't do the job, I'll wait till something arrives which can. Perhaps Musk will introduce a product for night riders, which uses the actual eyes of cats? That sort of experimentation sounds like his bag.

 

[guerney]

Erm... are you sure it's only strawberries growing under lights??? Edibles & gummies google it lol.

Just strawberries, tomatoes sometimes and chillies. Despite my protestations, my neighbours think I'm growing weed. I've been expecting getting raided by the cops for years, and am ready to sue for all manner of damages and injuries if they do!

Yer I do too but the supermarkets are more of a one off brand product or just having a look + they are 5-6 miles away so I get a good run there & back in the summer.

My garden is 12 miles away - 6 miles is quite manageable at winter, if you can warm up inside the store. Trouble is, if can't fold your bike and take it in, leaving it outside is a worry. Sounds like a job for Aldi car park click and collect! Using a bike trailer like my cheapo... I've been meaning to try Aldi's click and collect for awhile. It'd pay for itself pretty fast, then it's pure profit...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/HOMCOM-Folding-Trailer-Bicycle-Storage/dp/B078W39W37/

Either which way without forking out for a 360 cam, which I would imagine comes with its own set of issues.

Like the Osmo Action 3, that won't do a damned thing (Insta360) without online activation, and like all other current action cameras, is useless in low light for the purposes of capturing number plates cycling.

Not bad

I can automate my PC to process every video frame just like that, which wasn't worth doing with my cheapo action camera footage - not enough dynamic range. Plus it takes many hours, then you have to import the frames @some fps to make a video file again

Even if I did catch a number plate the manner of my road use would come into question & I guarantee on that day I would be partly to blame, assuming the Police decided to pursue the matter in the first place.

I'd hope camera footage would give you an advantage. If the footage isn't helpful, swallow the SD card...

 

[guerney]

Numberplates at night...

I dashed out this morning before the sky brightened up for a test, and the results are promising and better than I expected - GoPro Hero 7 Black on full auto: no plates were visible, at all! Things improved, when I set the exposure to the mid frame region (press and hold, hit the tickbox), disabled Hypersmooth, and set ISO to 1600, 1080p@60fps... but passing fast and far away (they fear my big fsckoff flashing red rear light lol) they mostly looked like this:





and this:





...but I also snapped some clear number plates. This one's of my main prey, a dreaded taxi. I'm very pleased to have snapped a clear view of a taxi plate - it wasn't even close. The only sleep taxi drivers get, is while driving.




The auto exposure for the middle region when set, doesn't change fast... so you sometimes end up with this sort of over exposured plate snap:



...here's another example:




...but then the auto exposure kicks in to do it's job, and you get a clear plate:




Because my camera is on my jawguard, I can turn my head towards the number plate, which I find more often enables the camera to capture a clear plate view.

Overall, I'm encouraged - it's somewhat better at this than my old cheapo Crosstour Action 4k, but I'll try some other settings (exposure, shutter), to see if I can further improve results of this errant driver plate capturing effort.

 

[PC2017]

if can't fold your bike and take it in, leaving it outside is a worry

I forget you have a trailer, I tend to steel OnGuard lock wheel & frame at Aldi & take the battery in the trolley whilst shopping the staff know me now and it rarely gets questioned although it does have a barcode on it lmao. There is an Aldi about 5 miles away that has all glass front with covered bike rack in the summer I use that and keep my eye on it at every aisle change, same with my Lidl, although I would not like to be this scenario; anyone touches it & they would get a swift swing from a tool ladened rucksack, I will add no one has afasik.

Overall, I'm encouraged

what's the clarity like in day light & what FPS? - maybe try a handlebar view cam??, I tend to point my intense lights at the road and my COB LED straight flashing when night riding however as mentioned not very often, I doubt I would see a number plate in the dawn or dark let-a-lone the cam. The trouble I found during the day, with the old cam, I found chasing cars to get a reg shot probably put me in more danger that the incident that caused me to chase the car in the first place. This is when I started to watch Ashley Neal on YT to improve my road skills & awareness.

 

[guerney]

what's the clarity like in day light & what FPS?

Night time vids were at 60fps, auto shutter and auto exposure locked to mid-frame. I'll try daytime cycling plate snapping next, but I can't imagine it'd be worse than my Crosstour 4k, which did a good job of capturing daylit number plates - if it is, I'll simply turn off Hypersmooth and go manual/Protune.

But for now, here's a very boring chest-mounted test vid of me walking part of my four mile Aldi shopping trip - since restarting cycling, I've lost my walking legs, and must do more. Full auto, flat colour profile, and Youtube has squeezed all life out of the quality, which was pretty good before export and upload (Vegas first, then VSDC to shrink further) - 1080p is selectable during playback. There are much better vids from the 7 Black on Youtube, but most aren't shot under grey British skies.

LINK

maybe try a handlebar view cam??

That'd look mega shaky at night - Hypersmooth sucks balls in low light, it's useless. Having the cam on my helmet smooths out vibrations somewhat, with Hypersmooth off. Plus I can point the camera and hold it steady at plates if needed, for better chance of a clear capture. It'd probably shoot nice looking video during the day with Hypersmooth on, plates might be blurry (?) because of how Hypersmooth works, but I don't have any room on my handlebars.