The Rexmobile
The heck with Facebook’s video chat, there’s a new feature on Seattle Rex that has the whole country buzzing:
170 degree full-motion HD video from the streets of Seattle.
It’s true. Call a friend and let them know. Hell, call two. Then they’ll tell two friends, and they’ll tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on.
That reminds me, I’m out of shampoo.
Anyway, I bought a helmet camera last night, spent the evening meticulously mounting and charging it, and this morning I took it out for its inaugural run atop the mighty Rexmobile.
The verdict?
It’s pretty cool, but there is a large problem I need to solve with the sound. As it is, every time I hit even the tiniest bump, the camera makes a god-awful “CLANK!” that is kind of disturbing. Hopefully I’ll be able to rectify it.
Aside from that, I think it’s going to be great, and it will be a big help covering things in and around Seattle. I can record several hours on 32GB card which means that I can roll frequently when I’m out and about just like a taxi camera or a bus surveillance camera. If something interesting happens within my field of vision (as it often does), I don’t have to worry about missing it. If nothing happens, I can simply erase the card and start over.
I will also be able to record video tours of Seattle’s greatest neighborhoods, and perhaps even overdub and narrate them. I can take the camera on the Segway tour, on a seaplane tour, through Pike Place Market, as I’m jumping off the Aurora Bridge after hearing the word “amazing” one too many times … the possibilities are endless.
Due to budget cuts, Washington State has eliminated all funds for tourism promotion, so it’s up to everyone else to keep the area well-covered and in people’s heads. Hell, I’ve got a dozen people coming into town this week staying in exotic Downtown locales such as The Hilton, The Sheraton, and The Belltown Inn. That’s at least a few G’s right there flowing through the local economy. Not bad for a lame blogger that everyone loves to hate.
As for the camera … every day, I survey my dominion, and this camera will be my constant companion. Once or twice each day, I either walk, bike, or hop on my scooter and ride through Downtown for an hour or so. It’s my beat and it needs to be done. Now, when something notable happens, you can ride along. You are there. You see what I see.
This could be fun.
Bring a barf bag.
P.S. Oh, and to you awful, inattentive drivers out there … consider this a fair heads-up. If you cut me off, it will be on camera. If you run me over, it will be on camera. If you run someone else over in front of me, it will be on camera. 100% of the time. Plausible deniability is a thing of the past.
No No Seattlerex has become Big Brother’s pimp. No one is safe.
See something say something. It’s all the rage.
Does this mean you’ll be wearing a helmet everywhere you go? If so, that may actually help me with the ladies.
“Aww, isn’t that sweet. He’s having lunch with his retarded friend.”
Just try to drool a bit less than you do now so it’s believable.
Well, I solved the sound problem, future videos should not have that awful rattling.
Sprunt, your mother finds the helmet cam sexy. That’s why I’m in such a good mood today.
A virgin no more …
Dude, if you believed my mom was a virgin…
“Due to budget cuts, Washington State has eliminated all funds for tourism promotion”
If this results in a net loss for the state budget, bad idea now.
If this results in a net gain for the state budget, the promotions were never a good idea and the government must have known that all along.
Either way is a fail.