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Monoprice MHD Action Camera |
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• Compare at $199.99 |
Quantity |
Our Price |
1 |
$98.88 |
2 - 9 |
$96.56 |
10 - 19 |
$94.25 |
20 - 49 |
$91.93 |
50+ |
$89.61 |
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- 30 day money back guarantee
- No restocking fee
- Easy return
- 100% safe SSL encrypted shopping
- PCI-DSS Level 1 Compliant
- 9.70/10 Resellerratings.com Customer Satisfaction Rate
- Lifetime warranty on all cables and non-electronic products
- Free life time tech support
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Customer Reviews - Click here to review for Monoprice MHD Action Camera. |
Average User Satisfaction Rate
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Rating: 
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Rancho Cucamonga, ca |
5/10/2013 1:31:11 PM
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Cheap camera that works great.
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Pros: price
small
underwater without enclosure
comes with handlebar mount
Cons: doesn't come with micro HDMI cable
auto rotation only works right sideeup and 180 degrees upside down, no 90 degree for when mounting to the side of something.
I bought this mainly for use underwater for snorkeling and possibly surfing. Underwater, even at night looks good. I was surprised at how well it worked in lower light conditions. The strap that it comes with is a little flimsy, i would recommend using a sturdier one. Overall it is a great little camera, especially for the price. Video is nice and clear and it is easy to use.
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Rating: 
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from san francisco, CA |
5/6/2013 10:51:01 PM
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Great value for the price.
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Pros: - Good form factor
- Great price (Bought during the sale when it was ~$88)
- Records good quality video
- Longer recording time than competing models
- Includes security strap to clip it to mounts
Cons: - A little heavy (especially if worn on helmet when mounted on handlebars, it just looks like a giant headlamp)
- Will move a lot when experiencing large bumps in the road/trail quality of the video goes awry as well
- Directions are not quite clear (read below)
Ordered this with the helmet mount. I'll save that review for that actual product.
Item(s) arrived less than 48 hours after I placed the order. For ~$6 shipping, that's pretty fast. Everything in the package is accounted for (camera, click-on base for mounts, strap for security, USB cord, key for tightening base, storage pouch, instruction manual, pole mount, even a sticker).
When powering on and off (for viewing on a PC), I literally had to count one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one-thousand while holding down the Camera button. It vibrates for a second to let you know it's on (and it should show up on your PC momentarily as an external drive), and vibrates for a few seconds to let you know it's turning off. So far, it is expected of what the manual says.
Summary:
- Contrary to what the directions say, you have to turn on the camera (by pressing & holding the camera button) BEFORE you plug it in to your computer. Also, have an empty MicroSD card installed. Otherwise you won't be able to open the settings utility (or even see it). Works on Windows 7 and Mac OS 10.6.8.
- Description claims a 3 hour life. So far I haven't tested it to its full length, but it does record at least 2 hours. (I haven't had a 3 hour ride yet.) It records in (what seems to be) 50 minute increments. File naming scheme is rather generic, so you have to figure out when each file was recorded. Each ~50 minute video file is around 3 GB at FHD. Competing models claim only 1.5 to 2 hours of recording time. Also has a short charging time of 2 hours.
- Due to the weight of the camera, I would advise mounting it at the angle where it would torque toward the most. That is, if it tends to point skyward when you hit a bump, adjusting the mount angle a little forward may help. I have yet to try this, but I have experienced many jolts that turn the camera skyward.
- The included pole mount is quite sturdy, though it is easy to remove. Don't forget it when you leave your bike by itself.
- The video is not stable in bumpy situations, the image will be wavy, probably due to the rolling shutter.
- Also, if you don't have steady steering, you will get nauseous watching your own rides when you're whipping back and forth. But that depends on the rider. :) It would be nice if there was a mount for the downtube.
- Monoprice support was helpful.
Things I have not tested:
- waterproof-ability
- toughness (no crashes yet)
- full battery life (so far, it can record at least 2 hours)
- night/dark recording
Overall, a great product. Great for bike commutes (bike dashcam?) and bike rides.
Experience (if TL, then DR):
It took me a while to find the settings application. At first it would not show up at all on my computer. Per the instructions, it says to have a MicroSD card inside. I do a sample recording of a ~20s clip (totaling 25MB, I haven't changed any settings since the box gave birth to it), and it works - the file does show up on my computer, and I am able to view it. As for looking for the settings application, I pretty much had to format my card and go through the procedure of ejecting it, turning it off, unplug it from my computer, and turn it back on. Then it shows up, but when I try to open the application, it gives me an error ("Connection failed. Please connect the camera."). I even restarted my computer, but I get the same result. This is when I contacted Monoprice support.
Next day: Tested it out on a road ride. 23c road tires on the CX = no suspension. The included pole mount does not keep it perfectly still. For half of the ride, I mounted it to the helmet mount, and the other half I mounted it to the pole mount, which was mounted to the stem of the bicycle. Because of how heavy the camera is, as well as the thin ball joint arm on the mount (I used the direct arm ball mount), the camera will tend to torque upwards, so a good fraction of my ride was facing the sky. It also suffers from some bad rolling shutter sometimes it's like riding in a waterworld.
Have not heard back from support yet.
Day 2: Tested it on a trail ride. 29er hardtail MTB. This time I had it mounted to the right side of my helmet, using the angled mount and the helmet mount. Very choppy. There's no stabilization especially on the helmet any bump will jolt it enough so that the video will be blurred. Since I mounted the camera on the right side of my helmet, I could really feel the weight imbalance. At certain times I think I may have had a slight headache. The camera is about 110g the helmet was only about 300g - center of gravity definitely changed. When I got home I was finally able to open the settings application. I turned the camera on first, then plugged it in. I am wondering if the procedure (turn on camera then plug in vs. plug in first then turn on camera) has something to do with the error I got.
Still haven't heard from Monoprice support.
Day 3: Road ride. 23c tires on the CX. This time, I mounted it on the top section of the fork (under the stem and under the handlebars). I figure since it likes to torque skyward, the handlebars will get in the way. It doesn't like rough roads the smoother roads resulted in somewhat less rolling shuttering. However, out of the 118 minute ride, it only recorded about 56 minutes of it. I had charged it overnight before the ride. The memory card was less than half full, so I am wondering if it is a battery issue, since it claims to have 180 minutes of non stop use. Also, the handlebars seemed to have rubbed on the camera the power icon has faded due to lots of rubbing.
Day 4: I finally hear from Monoprice support, and they've confirmed what I did on Day 2. Thanks Monoprice.
Mixed ride (some trail some road) - using 33c tires on the CX. Camera mounted on handlebars using the included mount, instead of the stem or the top of the fork. The camera stayed in its place this time, and the rolling shutter wasn't as bad (when the trail wasn't rough). It was able to record over two hours, although I had stopped the recording roughly 70 minutes into the ride. I then restarted the recording. It turns out that when I restarted the recording, it recorded upside down. Not sure what to make of it, but I guess I will let it record on its own next time.
Day 5: Mounted camera on handlebars of the 29er. Took it out on a trail ride. A little smoother than when the camera was mounted on my helmet. The cutoff for the video was around 50 minutes it did record the last 24 minutes in a separate file. I am optimistic about taking it on a real road ride.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Sidney, BC |
5/6/2013 4:04:34 PM
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VERY Small Glitch
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Pros: Small, lightweight, very easy to use. You can not even begin to talk about price point... Bang for the buck... This is a winner. Hands Down!
Cons: No view finder. Unless you have a screen close by to take advantage of the HDMI output. Not a real concern..
It only took this little beauty 3 days to get to my home. A quick trip to the mall to pick up a SD card, and I was up and running. (in hind site.. I would have ordered the SD card from Monoprice and saved a few bucks)
Directions were very easy to understand. Even for me..
One VERY small glitch.. in the user manual. Section 5.2 "Run the Softwear Utility"
This is where you can access the options like "Set Date and Time", if you would like to take singe shot pictures,or "Bursts" for time laps.
The directions say connect to the PC, then turn on the power.
After doing a "live on line chat with some from Tech" I was informed the directions should read "turn the camera on, then connect to the PC. Then select Files and folders"
I would like to add that this very small glitch took all but 5 min to solve.
The Tech owned up to the mistake.. and I now have a incredible tool for making fantastic 1080P video at a very small fraction of the cost of a GoPro.
Thank You Monoprice!
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Rating: 
(7 out of 10) |
Reviewer: supernachos from Chino, CA |
5/5/2013 11:46:54 PM
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Ok for the price but left me wanting more...
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Pros: * The low price.
* Quality of construction.
Cons: * Limited to 120 degrees field of view compared to 170 degrees offered by competitors.
* Limited camera mounting options.
* Grainy Low light capture.
* Limited after market accessories like waterproof housing for submersed activity greater than the rated 30 feet.
* cannot charge unit while in use.
Because of the low entry price the camera is good introduction to Action Camera's but in my opinion it is not as good as the comparable offerings made by Contour or GoPro or Sony Action camera.
It looks similar to design to a Polaroid XS100HD HD action camera.
The biggest negative for me is the limited field of view of 120 degrees. I tested it on a bike ride, car dash camera and on AR15 rifle and the narrower field of view kept me wanting more...!!!
Color is not corrected and can prove drab, flat and subdued in certain light conditions. In bright day light the colors are great.
Configuration is minimal and requires connection to a PC or TV via HDMI port. There are instructions on how to do it without using a video monitor by clicking on the power button but that would be hard to do for the uninitiated.
The auto orientation only works only 2 ways. 0 degrees and 180 ( upside down) . it does not correct at 90 degrees or 270 degrees like the Polaroid.
I had trouble hearing the sound using Windows Media player and I thought I had a bad camera, but after searching the web and emailing MonoPrice tech support I downloaded another free video player called MPC-HC and the sound problem went away.
As opposed to the other reviews sound capture is acceptable. It definitely does not cancel wind noise though.
I initially planned to use to scuba diving at shallow depth less than the rated 30 feet ( 1 atmosphere) but I see no noticeable O-ring at the cap covering the rear outputs that I don't think I will even attempt it. I would only do it with a underwater housing.
For my needs, I would have preferred it to have wider field of view and an available underwater housing option.
I honestly cannot give this unit a 10 star rating even for it price point. It would be between 7-8 stars.
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Rating: 
(6 out of 10) |
Reviewer: corteman from honolulu, HI |
5/5/2013 7:38:16 PM
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I wanted to like this camera but...
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Pros: -small
-nice accessories
-kinda cheap
Cons: - terrible sound
- lacking instructions
- video upside down too many times
The camera video looks too much like a security camera video. I took about 30 short videos mounted on my street bike and you could barely hear the bike. About 8 videos were upside down. Indoor quality is okay but my discontinued flip video and sound is better.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Muskoka from Bracebridge, ONTARIO |
5/5/2013 11:45:42 AM
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Pros: Crystal clear video
Small size
Quick, easy mounting options
Still photo quality
Weight
Automatically orientates the video (so you can mount the camera on its side)
Cons: Not quite as good in low light as a GoPro or sony
Audio is quite good but not excellent
I have had this camera in use for almost 2 weeks now and I can not believe the quality for only $88.88!!!! By far way better value then the GoPro or Sony. I have mounted this on my ATV, motorcycle, MTB, dashboard and helmet and the video quality is on par with the GoPro Hero 2 and the Sony during the daytime. The audio quality is not quite as good especially at high speeds. I have not yet tested the underwater quality of this camera so I will not comment on that until I do. This camera is very good and quick at switching from the shade within the trees to open sunny field lighting then back without washing out the video. I would not recommend directly mounting this camera to an ATV or other smaller vehicle as the engine vibrations effect it just as they do the other smaller sized POV cameras, this camera does not have anti-vibration capabilities good enough to smooth these quick repetitive vibrations. Comparable anit-vibrations capabilities to the GoPro. This camera is not the best at night time with minimal lighting, it gets blotchy and hard to define objects and much more so the faster you go. Especially if you have a bright light (headlight) illuminating ahead of you, the camera does okay with anything lit up by the light(s) but the outer edges of the frame or anything before the light (dashboard, inside of car, etc) is hard to define. Audio is good, but not great especially if you are trying to pick up voices (eg. while driving, calling out corners, times, etc) and there is background noise (revving engine, wind noise, etc).
Overall I would certainly recommend this camera as the quality is quite good, audio isn't bad and the price is in a totally different league (WAY lower purchasing price) from the other similar quality POV camera's. I would only not recommend this camera if most of your video will be shot at night or in other low light conditions. I would buy this camera again for sure, if someone asked me if I could go back, would I still buy it.
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Rating: 
(5 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Steve from Gardena, CA |
5/4/2013 10:56:17 PM
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No Mac control.
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Pros: Compact, light, simple controls
Cons: No Mac adjustments. It syncs to the Mac for downloads but no control for the camera parameters.
This camera was surprisingly smaller than I expected, a good thing. But camera strap was worthless asa wrist strap. My mac only had two folders show up, DCIM and MISC. No control to adjust the camera. Connection failed. Kind of sucks. Not even sure what the default setting is.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Tony Gregg from WHITE SALMON, WA |
5/3/2013 1:13:26 PM
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GREAT PRODUCT
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Pros: -EASE OF USE
-GREAT PICTURE
-LIGHT WEIGHT
Cons: -NO VOLUME
Everything about the camera is great and i would have given it a 10 except i have no sound. I have heard that the sound quality is lacking, but i have no sound what so ever. I have used it a couple of times and no sound at all
 by Monoprice Administrator
Hello Tony,
This camera should record sound. Have you made sure that you have the proper codecs for sound playback on this item? Thank you!
John Lingo
Tech Support
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| Rating:
(5 out of 10) |
Reviewer: louie from Three Springs, PA |
5/2/2013 10:59:42 AM
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Problems using the camera app on Mac OSX 10.8
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I just received the camera, it seems to work reasonably well. However, I'm not able to use the application to configure the camera. Connecting the HDMI cable to the camera and fiddling around with the menus reveals that it has version V0.01.07.MON of firmware loaded. Is there another version required to have the Mac configuration application work?
by Monoprice Administrator
Hi Louie,
Glad you are enjoying the action cam for the most part. You do have the latest firmware already on installed which is the 1.07, the previous version was 1.02. if you haven't already please make sure the camera is turned on prior to connecting to the mac. Also try resetting the camera by holding the reset button for 10 seconds. Reformatting the card may also help if you haven't done so already. My apologies for the trouble and if please let me know if this helps.
Thank you
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
by louie
There are probably multiple issues at work here, including a camera firmware bug. I notice that if I have the camera file system "mounted", the hidden settings file will get deleted or disappear if some operations are performed on the microSD card FAT file system. For example, if you rename the name of the Volume, that will do it. I have observed that happen on Windows, too.
I would suggest that maybe you document the format of the hidden settings file, which consists of 3 lines of comma separated numbers. A workaround might be to manually edit that file, though if there are other strange file system related issues, that might not be workable if the file disappears.
It would be great if you guys could get to the bottom of this, as reformatting the microSD card frequently will not really be practical.
As a feature enhancement, I would like the ability to do a continuous record operations, where old files are deleted as the microSD card reaches capacity.
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello Louie,
Thank you for your feedback and I will be discussing this with the Product Manager of this product to see what can be done to remedy this issue. Sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused, I know it may be a bit of a nuisance. I will make mention of the feature enhancement as well.
Thank you again for your feedback and continued support
Sincerely
Tjayi
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| Rating:
(7 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Grrreg from Milton, ON |
4/23/2013 11:20:14 AM
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Good price nicely built, mediocre interfacing
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Pros: Price
Quality of video (for the price)
Cons: FIRMWARE UPGRADE PROCESS
Mini USB instead of Micro
For the price, this camera is great BUT perhaps because of the price you have to endure some annoyances. The biggest of which is the firmware update.
1. Why is there not a firmware update option on the desktop software?
2. Where are the release notes for the new firmware?
3. Why is it impossible to do? (I don't have an HDMI cable yet which I hear makes it easy)
If this product is going to be as popular as i think it might be, maybe at least some tutorial videos or even better a microsite for the product (Forums would be awesome to discuss the camera and tips on making the most of it)
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello Greg,
Thanks for the feedback and glad the camera is working out well for you for the most part. As for your firmware update your camera should already be equipped with the latest update. The current firmware is 01.07.mon and the previous version is 01.03.02. If you somehow have the older version I can send over the link to the updated version for you. Hope this helps and clear any confusion. If you have any other questions or concerns please let me know.
Sincerely
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
by Grrreg
How do I tell which firmware it has? I have the update software but without the home cable it won't apply. Also are there particular drivers needed for the web camera feature as it does not seem to work otherwise.
As I said, I like the camera, for the price it is a good action camera but everything around the camera is quite frustrating
by Monoprice Administrator
Hi Greg,
Unfortunately for the web cam option there is no Mac support I'm afraid and for use with Windows it is only compatible with 32bit. If using with 32bit it should get detected and install when connected to the PC. For the web cam it is a little difficult to see the update with out the micro HDMI cable as you mentioned. As for the update the release of cameras after 4/1 had the update already so you can be assured you have the latest update.
If you still wanted to go about trying to update the camera I have posted instructions below.
Monoprice MHD Action Camera Firmware Update
PID: 10159
1. Extract the file “SV5DN FW.zip”
2. Copy the file “SV5DN.BIN” onto an empty and formatted Micro SD memory card.
3. Insert the Micro SD memory card to the camera and power it on, the LED will light Green.( The camera can be connected to a TV at this time, optional)
4. Press and hold the power button for two seconds and then quickly press the Power button twice.
5. Now the camera’s LED will blink Green. (At this time the new firmware is being installed, please do not press any buttons or settings at this time. ie: Press the Power button, pull out the TF card or reset the
Camera). The camera will power off automatically when the Firmware update is finished.
6. Once the update is complete. Press and hold the power button for two seconds and then quickly press the power button twice.
7a. Please format the Micro SD memory card after the update is complete. You may do this by using your computers operating system, or by using the Monoprice MHD Action cam itself.
7b. To format the memory card by using the Monoprice MHD Action cam, please connect the camera to a TV by using a Micro HDMI video cable (not included).
7c. Once connected to the TV, press and hold the power button until the chime, and the menu system pops up.
7d. Press the power button twice to highlight the “Settings” icon. Then quickly press the power button twice (like a mouse button double click).
7e. Press the power button to scroll down the list, please select “Format” and press the button twice, quickly.
7f. Press the button once more to select “Yes” and then press the power button twice quickly once more.
8. Once these steps are completed, the camera is ready for regular use.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you
Tjayi
by Grrreg
Didn't bother trying the webcam feature and finally go the firmware to upload.
Did a 1.5 hour bike ride with it on the entire time via handlebar mount. The video quality was good. Sound was muffled but expected for an action cam like this. Afterwards however there were two .mov files on my SD. The second was the last 45 minutes of my ride or so and worked great. The first I assume was the first half of my ride and was corrupt (no player would open it, all said the file had been corrupted)
by Monoprice Administrator
Hi Greg,
Glad to hear everything is up and running and the firmware is up to date for you. As for the video files that is odd that one ended up not being playable. I assume throughout the ride it was stopped at some point reason being there were two files because if it was one continuous it should have been just one file. Do you recall the type of SD card you have and class?
If you go on another ride soon I would give it another try or maybe do a few 15 to 20 minute test videos to see how they come out. If you have any other questions or concerns please let me know.
Thanks
Tjayi
by Grrreg
I did not turn it off for the entire ride. The only thing I can think of was there was a pothole I ran over mid ride that was a big bump but I'd hope that wouldn't affect an action cam. I've done several other short videos with no issues. I'm using a Kingston 32gb class 10
by Monoprice Administrator
Hi Greg,
Yes that shouldn't have affected the filming of the cam and hopefully if that was the cause it was just a mishap since you haven't had any real issues with it since. The current SD card you are using is fine as well and should have no issues. If you do run into any other issues or have any questions please feel free to let us know.
Your review process is now finished. If you were satisfied with my assistance, you can always leave a testimonial at this link.
http://www.monoprice.com/home/testimonials.asp
You can also contact me directly at Tjayi.Malone@monoprice.com.
Thank you for your continued business, it is greatly appreciated!
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
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Rating: 
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Matt Luttrell from Norman, OK |
4/22/2013 5:43:31 PM
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It is excellent and I am pleased
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Pros: 1. Quality of build. It is very sturdy
2. Quality of video. The video is very good.
3. Price.
4. Comes withs cable (usb) and versatile mount.
Cons: 1. No remote activation.
2. Narrow focus.
3. Description doesn't describe everything this comes with. (I'm sure they will fix the description after they read my review.)
It is very good. I am very normally pleased with Monoprice products and this is no exception. For the price this can't be beat. I would be afraid to tie a $400 camera to the nose gear of my airplane but not this one.
You can see video comparisons and this does a little better. I'll add more videos as I get them but here are 3:
On my mountain bike: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl31K0xnNu8
Under my jeep: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgeRpUoJcCI
Strapped to my dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V3iXxyHA2s
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Canton, GA |
4/22/2013 8:26:20 AM
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Good video
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Pros: Price is great, waterproof, video is very good, EXE worked on Windows 7
Cons: EXE setup program did not work on Windows 8-64bit
I bought this after seeing it on Reddit. I wanted a camera for sailing big boats and small boats, so waterproof was something I was really interested in, along with good price. I tried it in my car before I could get onto the water, attached with the handle-bar mount that came with the camera. It worked great, super easy. Audio is poor as other people have mentioned, but I was not too interested in audio for my videos.
My Windows8 PC would not run the EXE on the camera to configure the settings, but my Windows7 PC would run the EXE. It was very simple to configure time/date and other settings. I tried to run the setup/configuration via HDMI clicking through the menu on the TV by clicking the button on the camera, and it is very difficult. You use the camera push button by pressing single clicks and double clicks through the menu's and changing settings.
I used the camera this weekend sailing for the day, and it worked great. I used the handle-bar mount on the boat. Video was great, audio was not so good as expected plus it was a very windy day.
The camera records in Quicktime/.MOV format. I was able to use PLEX to play via my computer to my TV only the highest quality videos, but it would not play the lower quality videos via PLEX on the TV. This is not a fault of the camera, probably something else. Videos played as expected on my Windows 8 pc.
I used Handbrake to convert the video and was able to use Windows Movie Maker to edit the video.... I was using free tools to convert/edit everything.
While sailing, I let the camera record until the battery ran out around 3 hours or so, it creates a single video file up to about 50 minutes then rolls over to a new video file. So, I had several 3.8 gig files before the battery ran out. I bought a 34 gig SD-Micro, recording until the battery runs out is about 10 gig or so.
Overall price is under $100, video is great, and it is waterproof
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| Rating:
(7 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Rejean Mainville from St-Eustache, QC |
4/20/2013 11:13:27 AM
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Very good for price
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Pros: -Price
-Image quality
-Simple use when understanding
-Underwater use... very cool.. No trouble at all...
Cons: -Firmware update, without cable !
-Hdmi Out only 480i
-Webcam feature on the manual don't work
-OnScreen Menu Hard
-Missing HDMI Cable in the package
-Firmware update, near impossible without hdmi cable.. try more than 20 times, without hdmi cable and don't work... take 2 minutes with hdmi cable... a real must to have...
-Hdmi Out don't work with lot of tv cause the output on hdmi is on 480i... my brand new Samsung 52'' don't work... and my cheap low price 32'' Toshiba work... The output on hdmi need to be HD... else.. lot of tv will not support it
- Webcam feature on the manual don't work... and same after Firmware Update
- More than 50% of time, system tell unable to connect with the included application.. but when it's done... you don't need it anymore...
- The onscreen Menu, hard to navigate, but when you understand... very good... Probably need more information on manual...
- Underwater simple and work well
- 3 hour video when new.. possible on 1 charge
Hard to make it to work and do what you want.. but when you control it.. it do what is supposed to do for a relative good price...
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Scott Barrett from Ogden, UT |
4/20/2013 7:13:26 AM
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Not so waterproof
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Pros: Durable camera. Easy to use. Can't beat the price. Takes great shots.
Cons: Camera died after using it to shoot footage under water
I was excited to use this camera on a fishing trip. As it is advertised to be waterproof, I wanted to try a few underwater shots. I took several underwater shots, but after less than 5 minutes of underwater time, the camera died. The housing for the adapter plugs and SD card stayed dry, so I am guessing the water got in where the light is. Other than this little mishap, if you plan on using it in dry areas, it is a great action camera and you can't beat the price.
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello,
Thank you for your review. And I am truly sorry to hear of your experience you have had with this product. For now, if you prefer, I can assist you in setting you up for a replacement on the item if you haven't done so already. We do warrant our non-electronics and cables with a lifetime warranty as well as a 1 year warranty for electronics. It will be of no additional cost to obtain a replacement, so please let me know if you want to continue. I would just require your order# to set it up. Alternatively, if you are truly unsatisfied of the item I can assist you in setting up a return. Thank you!
John Lingo
Tech Support
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Beaker from Blue Springs, Missouri |
4/19/2013 1:44:06 PM
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Excellent Value! Great Quality
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Pros: High quality, great picture, "idiot" proof,
Cons: Sound quality is poor
I purchased this camera with the intent of mounting the camera on ice rink glass so I could record my team's hockey games. I was pleased with the quality of the camera. I only had a 16gb micro sd card (class 10) so I recorded in 720p. The video looked great.
To record, it is a simple slide of a switch. Slide it up to reveal REC and the camera will start recording (the LED light will turn red). Slide it down to reveal STOP and the camera will stop recording (LED will turn green).
The sound is not the best, but if you are doing extreme sports, you really don't need the sound. In my hockey video, I can hear the buzzer sound every 2 minutes.
Some side notes:
For an hour long video in 720p, it takes approximately 3.5gb. I have not tested in full hd (FHD) 1080p. I will update this when I get a bigger card.
It takes about 2 hours for the camera to full charge. It lasts around 3 hours.
You can charge via a micro USB cable (included).
The camera comes with a nice pouch for storage.
Another video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obUtRfKabRk
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Jon from Englewood, CO |
4/19/2013 8:14:23 AM
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Awesome cam
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Pros: Auto rotate option, video quality, ease of use
I have an older, much more expensive "square" cams and the interface is virtually impossible. Even though you have to connect the MHD to the computer for changes I don't see changing them that often especially with a snapshot button in addition to the record slider.
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Chino, CA |
4/18/2013 3:43:15 PM
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Pros: Good quality, very well built
Cons: none so far
I tested it out in my garage and it worked great, I have yet to take it out to the desert but without a doubt it will hold up.
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Nathan from San Diego, CA |
4/17/2013 6:42:31 PM
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Great, needs only small improvements
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Pros: Great camera
Does what it says it will
Obviously a fantastic alternative to paying $400
Love the fact that its waterproof with a case
All monoprice products are fantastic
Cons: NEEDS HIGHER FRAME RATES
Smaller profile mount
I have been buying from Monoprice for a very long time, and I religiously recommend them to everyone I know. From cables, wall mounts, to speakers, and I have ALWAYS been satisfied. It's is another great product from them and it comes easy to use, dependable, and producing great videos/images, and has a lot of features that I wish other companies had. The only thing that I desperately wish Monoprice will change with the next model is to increase the frame rate. I use this a lot with all of the videos that I make and 120 fps - 180 fps is an essential characteristic for any extreme sport. I also use this on my helmet ( im in the miltary) and the mount can end up putting the camera a little far from my head (which is a safety issue). If monoprice changes these two things this will be a market killer for sure! I would buy a couple for myself and my buddies at least, and our whole unit would probably buy a ton as well. Great job Monoprice, keep up the awesome work, and keep us up on the updates!
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: hv from Irvine, CA |
4/16/2013 7:46:00 PM
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good action camera
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Pros: Good definition easy to operate
Good for the price
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: HD Guy from north attleboro, ma |
4/16/2013 2:41:21 PM
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versitle
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Pros: HD
water resistant
feels solid
easy to use blind
FHD is full HD 1080P setting HD is 720P.
Dont forget the mini SD card class 6 or higher Dugho!?
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| Rating:
(5 out of 10) |
Reviewer: CF from Medicine Hat, AB |
4/16/2013 12:37:33 PM
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Mehh...
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Pros: Affordable
Still picture quality
Waterproof without extra enclosure
Cons: Absolutely NO Image Stabilization
Sound Quality
Software and connectivity to Mac's
This camera is just alright. Nothing special, even for the price IMO. What good is an action cam when it doesn't have any Image Stabilization? Seriously, I will hold this camera as still as possible when taking a still shot and it comes up extremely blurry. It was alright out in the sunlight but this was especially apparent inside of my house where it wasn't as bright. Camera periodically doesn't connect to my Mac, but then I reconnect it a few times and it will eventually connect. I can browse photos/videos, however it won't let me run the software as it says "Please connect camera to computer." Also, the sound quality is really, really bad. I guess that's okay for it's application, but you compare it to the Hero, and its not even close. I understand that the price between the two is very different so they should not really be compared, however Monoprice has done an EXCELLENT job providing customers with high end products for low end prices. This however, was not the case.
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello CF,
Thank you for your review and my apologies for the issues you have experienced with PID 10159. A shame it didn't work out too well for your needs.. Now if you'd like, I can help setup an RMA for a return if you are dissatisfied. If you would like me to proceed with the RMA, all I would need is the order # the action camera is under. Sorry again for the trouble and thanks in advance!
Regards,
Jonathan Arteaga
Tech Support Associate
------------------------------------------------------------------
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Birdsey from Vernon, CT |
4/16/2013 11:56:09 AM
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Pros: Small, Simple, Charges Fast, works without flaws
Cons: USB 2.0, Sound mediocre, No image stabilization, no playback through HDMI, Cannot record while charging.
This is a great little camera that fits my every need! It just works, mounts are simple, it should fit most people's needs.
File transfer speeds are a bit slow, so I wish it had USB 3.0 - but it works fine.
Sound quality isn't the best, but on a waterproof camera I don't think it could do much better.
There is no built in image stabilization so you will have to do everything in post processing.
You cannot play back your recorded videos through the HDMI port - it is only for use as a viewfinder. Finally you cannot record while the device is charging.
None of the negatives really affect me, I am very happy - but these are I things that may affect other's purchase decisions.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from West Point, UT |
4/16/2013 11:09:40 AM
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Pros: Video recording is good quality, not blurry. I was not disappointed.
Cons: Audio quality is limited, but I didn't buy it for that. Locking back cap is awkward. Camera software has only a few options. (For my purposes I would've liked an overwrite oldest movie option).
Use this camera primarily as a dash-cam but it would work fine for any action recording. Works underwater just fine, but I was a bit worried when it bubbled (air escaping from under the magnet switch I assume). The camera has a vibrate to indicate status (along with the LED). Included handlebar mount has 360 adjustment. Video is split automatically in sections (slightly less than 4GB each file) for FAT32 compatibility.
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Erby Cody from Tunnel Hill, GA |
4/16/2013 4:38:59 AM
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Action Cam
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Pros: Inexpensive, easy to mount, does a great job for the price.
Cons: Has to be charged from a usb port on computer.
Camera is great and does a good job, literature does not mention that there is a separate sd card that need to be purchased elsewhere or how the camera charges. But you can find out these things by chatting with their tech people. Also literature does not mention that you have two downloads that have to take place before you can view what you have recorded. I highly recommend this unit but don't forget the details.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Zeero from Houston, TX |
4/15/2013 1:19:16 PM
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Inexpensive HD waterproof shockproof camera!
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Pros: All the specs! 100 dollars for this camera is fairly incredible. Comes with USB charging cable. Very very easy to use. It's as easy as sliding the switch. Comes with a small carrying pouch, and a mount.
Cons: I can't really expect much more, but the output to HDMI is pretty poor. It gets the job done, but doesn't output at very high definition it seems like. Overall, it's solid, just not extremely impressive.
For $99, with the pros and cons considered, this is a huge bargain. Waterproof and shock proof? Very compact package? Mountable and super easy to use? It's almost just an impulse buy at this price point that performs well above and beyond.
I'm very happy with the purchase! Note, for full functionality, you should pick up the following:
-HDMI cable (get the correct type for the back - micro HDMI, like Monoprice Item 7557). Completely optional, but if you want to see what the camera sees, this is handy and cheap to connect to your TV/monitor.
-Ensure you have a good USB charging solution (everybody should by now)
-A microSD card (I hear you need at least class 6, 32gb maximum. I didn't confirm, just got a class 10 32gb card and called it good)
-If you plan on using it underwater in a lake/ocean....for the love of god get a large float lanyard. The ocean claimed my panasonic waterproof camera in a drunken South Padre Island adventure.....better yet don't use it in the ocean lol.
-whichever mount you require, Monoprice has many. It seems like the mount on this camera is just your standard camera mount.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Shoe from Unionville, ON |
4/15/2013 1:05:35 PM
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Solid little performer
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Pros: -Price
-Size
-Solid mounting hardware
Cons: -No internal memory
-No mini-HDMI cable
Overall, I'm quite pleased by the performance of this camera for the price. Can't go wrong for sub-$100. Particularly impressed by the rugged feel of the camera, was expecting something way more flimsy. In terms of video, so far so good.
Like many on here, not impressed by the audio, but seeing as I'd likely dub music over the video, I don't care too much. Would've preferred that the unit came with at least 2GB of memory, seeing as memory is so cheap these days, but micro SD cards are cheap too, so that's a wash for me. I did expect Monoprice to throw in a mini-HDMI cable though, after all, when I think Monoprice I think cables!
Aside from the minor annoyances mentioned above, I'm quite happy.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: TommyAir from Hampton, GA |
4/13/2013 2:20:27 PM
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Nice!
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Pros: Price
Video and photo quality
Accessories
Cons: Cannot switch between video and burst photo or time-lapse photo except through the utility software.
Instructions do not thoroughly describe software settings.
Great little cam! The picture quality is excellent, whether in video or photo mode. Accessories include a handlebar mount, lanyard, USB cable, and metal wedge that can be used to insert/remove the micro SD card (a fingernail also works) and to use as a screwdriver for the mounting clip screw (which has a d-ring attached so that a screwdriver is not needed).
The software utility is used to set the time and date set various photo functions like time-lapse, burst, and resolution and other useful functions. Connect the cam to your computer or HDTV (with optional HDMI-to-HDMI micro cable). Oddly, you can only check the firmware version, or update the firmware, if the cam is connected to an HDTV. A different menu comes up on the TV than what you see on a computer. I had no problems connecting to either my MacBook Pro or to my HDTV.
The security strap is a two-piece affair, with a plastic connector. Each half of the strap consists of a loop that is too small to fit over my hand, and therefore cannot be used to secure the cam to my wrist if I just want to carry it around. The directions say to secure it to the mount or to something else secure.
This is a great little cam for a hundred bucks!
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: lnfletcher from Little Rock, AR |
4/11/2013 12:33:31 PM
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Buy this camera! As good as my $300 plus brand name!
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Pros: Small lightweight and uses standarde 1/4 x 20 mount.
Comes with tube mount.
Very good video.
Price!
Cons: None yet
Rarely do I write reviews unless extremely impressed or upset, but this deserves a shout!
Ok everyone, theres another "Affordable" sports HD video camera out there.
I just purchased a Monoprice MHD Action Camera and I am impressed. I own a HeroHD and use it fairly regularly on car cruises, but I have problems knowing when it is recording and when it has timed out or other such problems with the one I have been using.
This unit is under $100 ($99.61 to be exact) and it looks as good as my Hero. It is waterproof without an extra case and easy to operate. The record is a big switch on top that turns it on if it is not already on and vibrates to let you know it has started/stopped recording. (Helps with the volume of the Cobras I drive.)
Haven't had a chance to use it in the Cobra yet (weather issues) but I have tested it in my daily driver and it may just replace the Hero!
If it holds up, it will be the one I use all the time!
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| Rating:
(6 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Jerry from Tampa, FL |
4/9/2013 2:19:48 PM
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This is an OK camera...
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Pros: compact
HD video
still camera in various resolutions
comes with some mounting hardware
Cons: audio is poor quality. I saw the rattling mention below and will try without rear cap next
doesn't include HDMI cable
Other manufacturers sell a similar unit at about $150 including the helmet mount that is optional with this camera, the HDMI cable, which is optional with this camera. So this is still cheaper by a whisker if you add those items, which most people will need to do.
The video is really subject to distortion riding over rough surfaces. I will try the helmet mount next to see if that helps.
Jury is still out, but I'm having fun with it, and so far worth the money.
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Kettles from Louisville, KY |
4/6/2013 7:00:32 PM
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Cant beat it for the money
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Pros: Cheap
Easy to use
Robust
Features
Cons: Not super wide angle
Audio so-so (not a big deal for most action camera applications)
For the money you are not going to get a nicer camera. The included mount is nice, and the available suction cup mount is super sturdy. I was pleasantly surprised with the video quality of this camera, I bought it on a whim. Its not super great, but works for what I was looking for. In low light it could be better but it is on par with my expectations.
What really surprised me was the picture quality. The description says 5MP, but in the settings file I checked the largest option, and the pixel resolution I am getting is 4608 x 3456 (15+MP?). The picture quality was much higher than I expected. I was expecting quality similar to my phone (HTC One X+).
If you really want a GoPro, fork over the cash and get one. This camera is not that nice. But if you want a rugged little camera that is versatile, this is a great buy. I plan on getting plenty of use out of it, and am considering getting more for multiple angle shots.
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Alan DeYoung from New Berlin, WI |
4/6/2013 5:46:49 PM
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Works Great! Very Surprised at Quality
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Pros: Wide Angle Lens
Easy Mounting
Great Quality Video
Cons: Sound Quality is Par
Utility doesn't always work correctly
Definitely worth it for the price, especially for a dash-cam. I'm not sure if anyone else has had issues with the utility that copies on the card, but I have issues/ errors with it. After a couple of uses, however, it works very well.
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Mike from Buda, TX |
4/6/2013 11:51:57 AM
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Good buy
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Pros: Adequate picture quality, good battery life.
Inexpensive compared to similar products.
Useful mounting accessories included.
Easy to operate while riding a bicycle.
Cons: More compression artifact than GoPro videos
Setup software somewhat confusing to get running.
Cannot see LED in bright sunlight.
Weak (no?) image stabilization.
I am very pleased with this camera. Now I regret having spent $400 on a Hero3. Videos are nearly as good, and certainly good enough for my needs. Claimed battery life on a full charge is 3 hours, and I believe it, based on my experience so far. The handlebar mount is easy to attach, but it is not steady on rough roads or chip seal surfaces that make up most of my bicycle riding - the camera keeps slipping down so I have a few minutes of road surface and front wheel video before I notice it.
The setup software was troublesome to use. I couldn't even find it at first until I read another review that said to have the camera turned on when plugging it into the computer USB. Then the software showed up. I dragged the software to my desktop to run it, but got connection error messages using either OS X or Windows 7. Turns out you have to run the program from the MicroSD card for it to work - not from the computer hard drive.
First time I used the camera I captured a pickup passing me within a couple of feet and a still frame capture has a very clear view of the license plate.
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| Rating:
(7 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Elkridge, MD |
4/4/2013 6:51:11 AM
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Pros: Price and build quality.
Cons: Video picture does not rotate 90 degrees. The rotation occurs at 180 degrees. So mounting the camera on its side will cause the image to be sideways.
I bought this product because it was an inexpensive action camera that appeared to have good picture quality. The camera feels solid and not cheap. The back cover is easy to take off and put back on.
I have not fully tested the product yet and will update the review once I have. I wanted to mount the camera on a part of my motorcycle that would have the camera mounted on its side. When I initially tested auto rotation feature with the camera on its side the picture did not rotate. I searched the web for any answers to this and did not find very much (probably because it's a new product). I contacted customer support and they confirmed that the auto rotation only occurs when the camera is rotated 180 degrees. So if you want to mount the camera upside-down the picture will be fine (I tested this and it does work).
Hope this helps for anyone looking at this camera.
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: frummox from Woodbine, MD |
4/4/2013 5:56:56 AM
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Things you need with the camera
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Pros: Price
look and feel quality
Cons: Software
I just got this and can not use it because I do not have A MicroSD card.Instructions say minimum class 6, I wish they stated that, I would have bought a 32g card to combine shipping. You also will need a micro HDMI cable to view video on a monitor.
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| Rating:
(5 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Haskell, NJ |
4/1/2013 10:24:24 AM
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It's a $100 camera, just remember that.
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Pros: 1080p
Price
Standards (USB, MicroSD, HDMI, camera mounting)
Cons: Software does not work with Mac OS X 10.8.3
No USB 3.0
Does not include MicoSD card (you can't even adjust the settings without one)
LOTS of video compression
Audio is not good at all
Like the title of the review says, it's a $100 camera. It's not a high-end or top-of-the-line camera with a lot of features. It's a $100 camera.
The specs for the camera are spot on accurate. It captures video at 1080p, 30fps. However, there is a lot of compression in the video. You won't be able to read street signs until you're right on top of them, and distant objects get washed out. I posted two YouTube videosone driving down the road, and the other one shooting my bow at a target. You'll hear a lot of low-level sounds in the driving video. The suction cup mount picked up the car vibrations and the potholes I hit at a very, very low frequency. It didn't seem to capture higher frequency sounds like birds or voices well if at all. So don't expect the sound or video to be terribly good.
It would be better if the camera shipped with a MicroSD card, even a tiny one like a 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB card. You can't use the camera or adjust the settings without a MicroSD card. I picked up a series 10 32GB card locally for a great price.
USB 3.0 would have been a great additional too. The video files are huge, as you'd expect, and copying 10GB over USB 2.0 is tedious. I'll probably pull the cards out and put them into a reader if I need to transfer a lot of video.
As another reviewer pointed out, the supplied software does not work with Mac OS X 10.8.3. The software launches but cannot detect the camera. And, ironically, this occurs when you're launching the software from the camera itself. I had to run Windows 7 in Parallels and map the camera's USB to the WIndows VM. The software worked, but it had a couple of issues along the way. Relaunching the software eventually got it to work. The settings are pretty straightforward, and the UI is simple enough.
I too had the camera completely lock up on me. The LED turned off and the camera would not start up. I had to resort to finding a paperclip and resetting the camera. This only happened once, but I hope it's not a sign of things to come.
However, with all the bad there is a lot of good. The camera does take 1080p video at 30fps, it supports all the standards it needs to ensure compatibility, the construction is sturdy, and the case will probably be very water resistant (I don't plan on submerging it, but when the weather gets warmer it'll be attached to my kayak).
This isn't a high-end camera, so don't get your expectations way up. It does what it's supposed to do, but if you want something with better video and audio quality, you might want to spend more money on a different camera. Remember it's a $100 camera and performs like a $100 camera.
Here is the link to the video with the bow: http://youtu.be/GNaJPy2C3PY
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: aztecmyk from North Hollywood, CA |
3/31/2013 3:13:04 PM
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Mac App
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Pros: Cheap and light weight.
Cons: The audio is terrible and the image is horrible in low light. There is a lot of digital noise.
It will work with a Mac once you get the firmware update and instructions from tech support.
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Rating: 
(1 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Coral Gables, FL |
3/31/2013 2:39:23 PM
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DO NOT BUY IF YOU USE A MAC
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Pros: Good image quality. Sound is good.
Cons: MAC FIRMWARE UPDATE IS IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU HAVE A MAC ONLY.
So, to run the firmware update to be able to change camera settings I am told I need either (a) a micro HDMI cable - not included with purchase or (b) a PC - which if I had I would not be having this problem.
Seriously? Your fix for a problem with using the camera with a Mac is to require me to use a PC? Or buy an additional cable I don't need/want?
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello,
My apologies for the trouble you have had getting the camera working with a Mac. We do have a new firmware update along with instructions that will allow you to get the camera up and running with a Mac. I will send those over to you shortly. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Sincerely
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
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Rating: 
(4 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Cale from Marquette, MI |
3/31/2013 2:32:17 PM
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Cheap, but still not worth it!
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Pros: -Nice size
-Good Price
-Picture quality good with no movement (See Cons for when moving)
-Easy to use
Cons: -Can't open camera setting on a Mac
-Picture quality when on a bumpy trail is unacceptable
-Back lid was not going on properly because of the bottom alignment peg
-Auto rotation doesn't work
When I received the camera I was pumped. It has a nice build, with the exception of the back door, sleek design, nice switches for recording, and a nice mounting setup. The reasons already requested an RMA for this product is because of the wavy picture when on a bumpy trail and the auto rotation failure. The picture is so bad when you have the camera installed on the handlebars of an ATV or a bicycle that I couldn't even watch it on my computer. Imagine how the picture of an old TV has when you trying to get a signal through an antenna, thats what it looks like. I tried uploading the video to two different computer using both 720 and 1080 resolution with no luck. One time the camera automatically auto-rotated upside down between recording takes. The camera was mounted on my handlebars of my ATV and on the first take the picture was right side up and on the second take the camera was up side down. The camera wasn't flipped upside down between takes yet it oriented upside down. Minor problems that I could have lived with is the inability to access the camera setting on a mac and the back lid troubles.
I want this product to be good, but its not. Monoprice, fix the issues and I will try another one.
by Monoprice Administrator
Hi,
My apologies for the issues you encountered with the Action Cam. We do have a firmware update for the Mac with installation instructions that will allow you to access those settings as well as use the camera on a Mac. If you still have the camera I can send those over to you.
In regards to the gyro auto ration it unfortunately doesn't auto rate when the camera is already recording. It would need to be prior to powering the camera on or as soon as the camera is turned on prior to recording. It can capture slight angles say at 45 to 90 degrees but if completely turned 180 it will be upside down unless turned prior to recording. It's odd that the it would rotate like that on your second recording. There is a feature once you gain access to the settings that allows you to turn the auto rotate off.
Sorry for the other troubles you had with the camera and if you need assistance with the return or have any other questions or concerns please let me know.
Sincerely
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Ninja Jon from Los Angeles, CA |
3/31/2013 12:00:30 PM
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Love it! Going to order another one
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Pros: Ease of use, Video quality, it really is Waterproof
Cons: Audio quality not very good, Config software doesn't work with Mac OS 10.5
Monoprice continues to kick butt with the MHD Action Camera. We all know that GoPro is the camera to beat for super wide angle, waterproof action sports cameras, but Monoprice is holding their own with this one. This camera does just about everything it is supposed to do. For a $100 dollar camera, you can't expect much more and if you are expecting more, just spend more money and get a better camera. For anyone having trouble assembling the handlebar mount that comes with the camera, if you need instructions on how to do it, you probably shouldn't be buying this camera in the first place. The mysterious metal plate that comes with the camera can be used to tighten the screw mount to the bottom of the camera rather than looking all over the house for a penny to do it with.
I tested the camera while golfing and while camping, I got great still images and video. My only complaint with the camera is that the audio isn't that good, but this isn't the camera to use if you are recording critical audio anyway. The configuration software worked perfectly on my PC but didn't work at all on my MAC.
I will be buying another one of these for multi camera setups, they are worth the money! Get one!
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| Rating:
(9 out of 10) |
Reviewer: HPPierside from Huntington Beach, CA |
3/31/2013 8:19:25 AM
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Excellent Pocketable Action Cam
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Pros: Simple to operate. No issues turning video on and off or taking photos.
Compact and can go everywhere
Photos and video look very good for a product at this price
Battery life so far has been excellent
Build quality is excellent and no extra waterproofing case needed so it won't fog up
Cons: Sound quality only effective for 5 ft or so, drops off after that but is fixable in post production
Mac Software doesn't work yet, but found default settings were what I wanted anyway
I purchased this to supplement video taken on trips with a video camera. There are a lot of places it's not easy to take out a video camera and record. Since I already had video options on the phone and point and shoot cameras I didn't want to spend the money on a Go Pro. Plus when I borrowed my nephews Go Pro I was not overwhelmed with the video quality for that price and it fogged up on me with the waterproof housing.
This camera solved all those issues. The video quality is not as good as a point and shoot or video camera but it comes close enough that I am very happy with the results. And I got a lot more usable video than I did with the Go Pro. The biggest factor is this camera can go places others cannot so when you are comparing any video to no video then this is a winner. The slide switch for video and button for photo's makes it dead simple to start and stop in any situation. You can pocket this camera and take it with you everywhere, shoot in the rain, shoot at the beach, mount the bracket on a bike and ride with it and you do not need an extra housing to do so. All for under $100 this was great addition to the tool bag.
I formatted the card on a Mac and imported the video and stills with no issues. All in all very impressed with how well designed and usable this product is in the ultra portable action camera product class and it easily outclasses its' price.
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| Rating:
(1 out of 10) |
Reviewer: cleland from Houston, TX |
3/31/2013 8:12:57 AM
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Useless Because of Lame Software
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Cons: I think the colors of the Stop and Rec indicators are counter-intuitive. Green usually means go. Although record is conventionally a red button, I think it would have been better to reverse the colors of the two indicators.
The Mac software is useless. It does not always appear in the Finder when I connect the device, and when it does appear, it fails to connect to the camera. Therefore, I cannot configure the camera using my Mac. I tried using a Windows virtual machine to do the configuration, but I have the same problem therethe software doesn't appear in Windows Explorer. Why can't you just download the software from a web site? I've never had a device that distributed software in firmware the way this camera does work properly. Did Monoprice even attempt to test the camera with a Mac?
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello,
My apologies for the issues you have been having with getting the camera to respond with a mac. We do have a newer firmware update for the Mac with instructions if you haven't received it already. This should allow you to properly control and access the settings of the camera. Again my apologies for the inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any other questions or concerns please let me know.
Sincerely
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: cheepcheep from Seattle, WA |
3/26/2013 11:07:31 PM
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Initial impressions
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Pros: Great form factor
High build quality
High quality attachment construction
Cons: No instructions for mounting attachments (included handlebar attachment, separately purchased helmet attachment)
Configuration software doesn't run under Mac OS X 10.8.3
Mac OS X problem
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Wanted to get this partial review out quickly for Mac owners. I just got the camera today, so I've only had a chance to ensure that it works. Here is what I've found:
- Contrary to other reports, I can attach the camera to my Mac Mini computer with the camera off, THEN turn the camera on, and my 32 GB Micro HDSC card auto-mounts and appears on my desktop.
- However, I immediately get a dialog box showing "No images on the memory card meet the download conditions.". I close the dialog box, and proceed to open the Micro HDSC folder...
- In the folder, I see a couple of empty folders, "DCIM" and "MISC", plus two apps, setting_win.exe and setting_mac.app. These apps have apparently been part of the camera firmware, and auto-copied to the Micro HDSC folder. The first app is for Windows, and the second app is for the Mac.
- When I double-click on setting_mac.app, I get a colorful window on the upper left corner, and nothing else. Superimposed over this window is a dialog box with the words, "Connection failed. Please connect your camera". So basically, this app doesn't work on OS X version 10.8.3
- By the way, this problem occurs whether or not the camera is initially turned on/off, it makes no difference. - I also tried this on a MacBook Air, also running OS X 10.8.3, and although I don't get the initial dialog box "No images on the memory card meet the download conditions.", everything else is the same as reported above.
Now when I attach the camera to a Windows 7 laptop, I can run the window app, "setting_win.exe", and I get a configuration window which allows me to set all kinds of stuff. Good thing I have lots o' computers, eh?
So Mac users running OS X 10.8.3 beware! The only way to fix this problem is if the camera can accept a downloadable firmware update, or if there is a site (Monoprice?) that can host a downloadable software download for the Mac software?
Handlebar attachment advice
There are no instructions for how to assemble and attach included handlebar (bicycle?) mount. Because I've dealt with numerous bicycle mounting systems, I was able to figure it out, but YMMV (still haven't figured out the purpose of the metal plate, so I left it off). Anyway, the big hint for the handlebar mount is that you will find that the two screws that tighten the clamp around the handlebars cannot be be totally unscrewed to release the two bolts, there is a stop at the end of the bolts that prevent total removal. This is a very, very good thing, and is a quality build detail. In order to fit the clamp around your handlebars, look closely and you'll see that one of the bolts can be slide free of the mount via a slot cut into the plastic. Slip the bolt free, and you can attach the clamp.
I also bought the optional helmet mount, and again, no instructions. This item seems to have more than enough spare parts to *somehow* attach it to almost any helmet, but a few pictures would be really useful.
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Nokarm from Sunderland, ON |
3/26/2013 6:32:18 PM
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Really awesome, well built, great value
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Pros: Good quality video
Good quality pictures
Great build quality
Easy to use
Included mount works well
Awesome price
Cons: Less than stellar audio quality
Does not quite equal GoPro in video quality
Does not work with Windows Media Player
Really nice feeling, not cheap at all. Decent video, Decent pictures, but doesn't quite match up with the latest GoPro. But for 200 dollars less than the latest GoPro, I'm not complaining. The only thing you need to watch out for is that Windows Media Player doesn't work with the audio of the captured videos, you'll have to use something like VLC. But then again, you're not missing much when it comes to audio quality. It's far too quiet and that was just in a test in my quiet room.
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| Rating:
(7 out of 10) |
Reviewer: thejk from Chesapeake, VA |
3/26/2013 5:23:21 PM
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Good, not Great, Camera
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Pros: Price
Cons: Audio Quality
Rear Case Rattle
Rolling Shutter
Software
Really the only thing to know about the Monoprice MHD Action Camera is that it's under $100. That price is insane - every other sports/action camera is at LEAST double. For what you are paying it's a very nice camera.
That said, it does have issues. The biggest one to me is the rolling shutter. At 1080 resolution, a small jostle to the camera (say if it's mounted on handlebars and you go over a slight bump) will cause the video to look like jello. See this video: http://vimeo.com/62526765. You can lessen this effect by recording in 720 resolution.
Another issue is the audio quality. The sound comes out quite muffled, and I suspect this is due to the waterproofing of the camera. In addition, when the rear case is on, the lock switch produces a near constant rattle (see the video above again). This causes audio to be mostly unusable. However, I don't consider this to be much of a detriment since most "action" videos are overdubbed with music.
Finally, the software. It's just not good. It doesn't work for the Mac at all. For the PC, you have to ignore the instructions that come with the camera and turn it on BEFORE connecting it to the computer. It seems to be poorly designed.
All that said, I would still recommend the camera. Record in 720p and overdub your audio and you have a camera that performs well when all other cameras cost 2-4x as much. I use it daily for cycling - it's my insurance policy in case I get into some sort of accident. And for that use it works perfectly.
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: summit21 from Monument, CO |
3/26/2013 10:05:32 AM
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Great POV Camera
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Pros: -Ease of use
-Image quality/stabilization
-Stylish design
-PRICE
Cons: -Audio
-Back cap can be hard to put on
-Connect to PC for camera settings
-Lanyard is small, unable to fit around hand
I used the camera all weekend at Copper mountain with the kids and family skiing/snowboarding. Overall the camera is great and only has a couple of minor flaws. I like the large buttons, makes it easy to use with snow gloves on. It snowed quite a bit while using it, but I did not notice any issues with the lens while recording. I did wipe it a couple of times with a soft lens cloth.I really like the styling of this camera vs. the Go Pro. I also found the audio to be muffled and not very good. It did improve some after putting a video through windows movie maker. The back cap can be difficult to put on at times, had me wondering if it was on good. Monoprice has hit a homerun with this camera and it's features at this price point. Check out my video I made using Win movie maker below.
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Scott from Lunenburg, MA |
3/26/2013 8:05:21 AM
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Nice Cam
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Pros: The camera is nice and small and lightweight.
Picture quality is good.
Video qulaity is great.
Audio quality is ok but could be due to the vibration in my car.
Looking forward to really testing out the camera soon.
Cons: Audio codec does not work with windows media player but does work with VLC.
Directions say to plug camera into computer, then turn on to access software file.
Instead you must turn on camera and then plug into computer.
Would have ben 10/10 if wifi was built in.
From the camera design I think monoprice could fix/add this easy!
Create a new back panel/lock cover thing that plugs into the mini USB and has wifi.
Create an app or sell a key fob or do both!
Monoprice please do this!
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Stratford, CT |
3/25/2013 6:45:14 PM
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Works Well
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Pros: Ease of use
Video quality
Stabilization
Size
Cons: The back is a little difficult to put back on, so I just leave it off. It would have been better if they just made the back screw in like a big bottle cap.
With the onboard program you can change the date and time and some other settings. I had difficulty accessing the program, but then their tech support instructed me to turn on the camera before connecting it to the PC. This worked well for me.
I’m sure others will be able to give it a more technical review and talk about pixels and white balance etc in more detail. For me, it does the job I bought it for and at a very good price. For my purposes, I was not interested in the sound and I'm not even sure where the microphone is or how it even works on a submersible camera.
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| Rating:
(10 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Anonymous from Hacienda Heights, CA |
3/25/2013 11:57:06 AM
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Action Cam Wow!
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Pros: -Small
-Lightweight
-Water proof
-Price
-Picture quality
Cons: -Need's a PC to make changes to the camera
-Needs to be turned on before connecting to PC
-Still camera shots can be blurry, no Image Stabilization
I had been looking for action cameras for a long time, from the Go Pro to the Sony Contour, I was skeptical that a 100 dollar action camera would be any good, but i bought it on a whim just to test it out, and so far the camera has been great, it's been tested on the inside and outside of my car with the suction cup mount, been used under water.
Mainly it's being used as a dash cam, but it does not overwrite any saved data, so once you fill it up, it will stop recording and as soon as i figure out how the helmet attachment works I will get more action of this camera.
For the price, it can't be beat, it records video well, and audio is okay, but it's nothing to complain about. It does what it does for a great price that can't be beat,
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| Rating:
(4 out of 10) |
Reviewer: Wes Salmon from Bothell, VA |
3/25/2013 10:09:42 AM
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So far not too good
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Pros: - Cheap
- Does 1080p
- Comes with handlebar mount
Cons: - Seriously bad rolling shutter effect
- Really bad rattling on any bumpy road
- Mounting clip feels cheap and is VERY hard to insert into and remove from the mount housing
- Software is basic (and may not appear the first time you put in an SD card)
I got this camera for my bike to record my commutes as a safety precaution since I ride on a few roads. I bought the helmet mount to go with it but after one ride decided that the bar mount would be a better option due to how high up the camera sits on my helmet (causing weight issues).
After 4 rides the camera has already completely locked up once (5 minutes into my 50 minute commute) with no indication that it was not working (red light stayed lit the whole time). Small sample size, but a 25% failure rate is not acceptable. :(
When the camera does work it suffers from really bad audio (you can hear every internal rattle of the camera and mount but barely anything else but wind noise).
It also suffers from VERY BAD rolling shutter in certain situations (wavy trees and such). I've attached a youtube video to demonstrate the rattle and rolling shutter issues.
It's a shame this camera isn't just a bit better. I had planned to buy a few of them (you can buy 4 for the price of one top of the line GoPro) but sadly if they all perform like this I think it would be more trouble than it's worth.
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello Mr. Salmon,
My apologies for the issues you encountered with the action camera and it didn't quite work out for you. If you like and no longer have any real use for the item I can issue an RMA for a return. I would just need your order number to get the process started. Again my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Sincerely
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
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| Rating:
(1 out of 10) |
Reviewer: komy from rancho cucamonga, ca |
3/21/2013 11:31:03 PM
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Not very good
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Pros: Its cheap. It has the best intentions of working like the GoPro.
Cons: You cant preview videos. how do you know if the camera is setup properly when you record an action? Its trial and error. make a recording, remove the memory card or plug into a computer, watch the movie file, then adjust camera and repeat steps until you're happy. Overall, its terribly inconvenient. No wifi support and no built in LCD viewer means this camera is limited.
Loading the software on my laptop took 15 attempts before the camera finally installed. there's no sound with my recording. several of my recording attempts never recorded.and now I cant seem to turn the camera off. I owned this product for less than a day and I'm returning it first thing tomorrow. This is the first time monoprice has let me down.
by Monoprice Administrator
Hello,
My apologies the HD Cam doesn't have that particular preview feature you were looking for. It does have a micro HDMI out if you wanted to go to a portable HDMI device such as a laptop etc. to preview the image. Also when connecting to the laptop it shouldn't have given you any issues as long as the camera is on prior to connecting to the laptop.
As far as the audio playback it sounds like your laptop isn't supporting the audio codec that the camera supports. You can download CCCP codec pack which is free and should resolve your audio issue. In the event the camera gets froze which is possibly what happen why you can't turn it off try hitting the reset button on the back and that should fix that. Hopefully this helps and resolves some of those issues. If you are still wanting to return the camera and need assistance with the RMA I can get that setup for you I would just need an order number to get things started. Again my apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Sincerely
Tjayi Malone
Tech Support
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| Rating:
(8 out of 10) |
Reviewer: lostboykev from Lake Zurich, IL |
3/21/2013 6:01:06 PM
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For the price I am impressed
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Pros: Price
Video quality
Batter life
Ease of use
Accessories
Cons: Audio
The price is well in the affordable range. Which comes with all adapters you would need, including the usb charger cable and case. The video on this thing contends with top brands of the same category. There's no stutter and adjusts very well to light. I haven't yet tried it at night but, but will do soon. I was really impressed with this device and how cheap it is for what you get. Monoprice has never let me down! My only gripe with the action cam, and it's a moderately big one, is the audio quality. The first time I used it was mounted on top of my Forester with the suction cup mount (not included). I just sounds like crackily wind and nothing else. I then tried it in a closed room while having a conversation. You can barely hear the voices. It's muffled and static-y. I really do hope there's a way to adjust the audio in a hopefully possible firmware update. The audio is almost not even usable. However all in all you absolutely cannot beat the price. I would recommend this to anyone who doesn't care much about sound when they are cruising around on their bike or vehicle. If you need to hear the sounds of nature pay the extra buck and get a higher quality action cam.
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(
(76.47%)
rated by 51 user(s) 
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