bic_bicknell
2011-08-26 12:05:00 UTC
Anyway, I just found this site selling a small kit. Does anyone know of any problems with this principle?
http://www.4kam.com/bikeeye_wireless_re ... camera.htm
I know legality might be one. I think the camera is no problem - it's running a live screen whilst riding that might be an issue. Although Sat nav. screens and modern displays must allow this law to be seriously disputed if it ever came to court.
What about vibration? A wildly shaking image would not be good for a check check behind you.
And what about light sensitivity and stuff, (riding away from a sun set etc.) would this be any worse than real mirrors? I don't have a GoPro or other cams so have no experience with lenses and light sensitivity etc.
What about the lens type? Will it not have enough peripheral vision to be any good?
Not sure why this technology has not been adopted by manufacturers. Is there a big problem I'm not aware of?
Any thoughts welcome.
shadowman
2011-08-26 12:36:00 UTC
Never seen one of these on a bike but I have some experience with video senders of various types.
Picture interfearance is a big issue on many systems that I have used. Obviously this is frequency and power dependant but it seems unlikly that this device is frequency agile or that it has high power output so it might be worth asking the question.
Interesting idea, let us know how it works out.
Superdan
2011-08-26 12:44:00 UTC
Sounds a bit form over function to me though
ktmguy
2011-08-27 08:55:00 UTC
I did this on my Aprilia RSV mille as the mirrors are sh*t!
I used a wireless reverse camera. And it was easy to wire in, power for the screen out of the dash in the front and power from the rear light for the camera, easy.
I had several issues, one of them the vibrations. While in a normal mirror you can still see something when there are a bit of vibes a screen turns to custard all together.
I also had problems finding a camera with a lens which gave me the right balance in between wide angle, enough to see both sides, and distance to actually see what is behind you. Like is it a white car or the plod....?
Technically it worked but the view was not that good.
If I find the right gear I'll do it again.
jmann
2011-08-27 11:47:00 UTC
Post missing.
bic_bicknell
2011-10-08 06:21:00 UTC
Got the kit but when I wired it all up for a test it didn't work. Had to wait ten days to get a replacement camera unit but that didn't solve the problem. Now waiting to send back the whole lot to get replaced.
What I do know is that even if it all works well in a test then I will have to make a complete new casing for the screen unit because it is not waterproof and stuck up over the handlebars it wouldn't survive long in the rain. Have a few plans on how to do this and intergrate it into a bracket to fit over the Scotts damper unit. Involves carbon fibre as you can imagine.
I'll keep posted.
bic_bicknell
2011-10-13 19:00:00 UTC
You might think I'm a bit sad but I have to have a plan in my head to get to sleep with the twins crying all the time and work things occupying my brain. Solace in the next SD plan is what keeps me sane.
bic_bicknell
2011-10-26 11:10:00 UTC
samba
2011-10-26 11:47:00 UTC
I'm imagining the side-on view to look a bit like this fella's head...
love the tinkering factor though, keep it up
bic_bicknell
2011-10-26 11:53:00 UTC
fatbob
2011-10-26 14:57:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2011-10-26 16:03:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2011-10-29 16:43:00 UTC
jmann
2011-10-30 01:43:00 UTC
In the interim, what you have is fantastic. Thanks for the reports.
bic_bicknell
2011-11-07 22:18:00 UTC
Realised with the riding tests I made that the camera and screen create an on board lean indicator which I thought was pretty cool to incorporate into the graphics.
DribbleDuke
2011-11-07 23:32:00 UTC
When I was a sprout, I had a swim meet at a local college. They let us use the gym locker room and it had all sorts of grafiti and messages on the walls. I was dumfounded. I went into a shitter and was taking a dump and I noticed another message written in small letters in the tile grout. I leaned forward and read" If you can read this, your shiiting at a fortyfive degree angle" . That is sort of what I get from your lean angle graffic. You could deliniate the danger angles in the same fashion that the Rev gauge is oranged in.
Why leave off what comes on a Provost when there is plenty more room on my fat bar. Did you need to remove the barbell?
Dont forget to read the roof pitch of that school house you just blasted by.
Nice work.
jmann
2011-11-08 01:18:00 UTC
Post missing.
bic_bicknell
2011-11-08 06:18:00 UTC
You have to visualise the design in layers - but in reverse of the way you normally think of them. On top is the clear sheet material. Then first level down is the black and white lettering. then the orange lines and blocking, then finally the black background. Instead of screen printing I use dry rubdown transfers. I make an artwork for each of the colours, (in Illustrator), and then I send them to one of the many companies that specialise in packaging mock-ups - this is the one I use. http://www.main-titles.co.uk/
Remember the most important thing is to get them to either put the rubdown glue surface over the TOP of the colour or make your artwork in REVERSE. Other wise your design and type will be the wrong way round. Specify the colours from a Pantone book. 24 hour turn around usually.
Then you carefully apply each layer of colour onto the back of the Perspex. It helps if you have made some registration marks on each of the artworks which helps a lot in getting the registration correct. You do not have many chances at repositioning these transfers and small type can easily get stuck and come off in the wrong position. Always get a spare set of each sheet. If it goes wrong then lighter fluid will get everything off again.
When all the transfers are down then, (on this particular screen design), I will have to mask off the places where the screen and gear indicator are placed and I want to remain clear. When this is done the last thing is to spray the whole back surface with black paint. Don't over do the paint as it may start to dissolve the transfer material - just build up the layers. Doesn't matter what finish the paint surface is - what you're trying to do is to seal on the transfers. When you turn it over and see the paint finish through the Perspex it will be amazing and perfect and shiny. Like an i phone. And all the layers of transfers will be miraculously sealed between the black paint and the bottom of the Perspex. The depth of the Persex has a strange effect on the type and design - the thicker it is the more this effect. It's a bit three dimensional - looks good.
This is when you realise there is a letter missing from one of the words or there is a small fly also captured under the paint. Time to start again
Not sure about the "roll" indicator marks yet! Will think about it as the project develops - maybe a bit too gimmicky for me, like the wear marks on Metzler M5 tyre edges. Couldn't resist seeing what it looked like though.
Colonel_Klinck
2011-11-08 08:18:00 UTC
jmann
2011-11-08 09:25:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2011-11-13 07:41:00 UTC
BASH69
2011-11-13 10:53:00 UTC
Colonel_Klinck
2011-11-13 14:08:00 UTC
Post missing.
Willh
2011-11-13 15:21:00 UTC
Post missing.
stalker
2011-11-13 21:36:00 UTC
Post missing.
Hotbrakes
2011-11-14 12:34:00 UTC
Post missing.
bic_bicknell
2012-01-12 10:44:00 UTC
lawman
2012-01-12 11:19:00 UTC
TLS_Russ
2012-01-12 11:24:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2012-01-12 11:30:00 UTC
Post missing.
Viking
2012-01-12 11:46:00 UTC
Mate, you should have told me!!
Colonel_Klinck
2012-01-12 13:08:00 UTC
Superdan
2012-01-12 15:11:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2012-01-12 16:10:00 UTC
ktmguy
2012-01-13 02:45:00 UTC
Post missing.
Bert
2012-01-20 06:43:00 UTC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y82NQqTN ... e=youtu.be
Colonel_Klinck
2012-01-20 06:54:00 UTC
Looks factory fit!
stalker
2012-01-20 07:36:00 UTC
Like Guy said, looks factory fit.
bic_bicknell
2012-01-20 08:00:00 UTC
jambox
2012-01-20 20:06:00 UTC
...
..
.
...
what are you gonna sell these for ?
bic_bicknell
2012-01-20 21:16:00 UTC
MrZ32
2012-01-20 21:28:00 UTC
But just out of curiosity, how are you gonna know what angle you are at?
Are you just going to look at the screen whilst going round a corner and go off the horizon? Only asking as if it was me, I wouldn't be able to figure it out at a quick glance as I'd be concentrating on the corner.
jambox
2012-01-21 08:21:00 UTC
It was just a bit of graphic playfulness because when I did the first few rides it was the thing I noticed was the view pivoting about the screen. It feels different than the view you get in conventional mirrors, (but it's actually not). When I was a kid all I wanted to do was fly planes and my dad bought me one of those black dials that pilots have to measure their lean. Always loved it, always wanted one!
Don't intend to focus on the mirrors when I'm going round corners but it only takes a fraction of a glance to see where the horizon is.
I will try and get a film of what it's like to ride with it. Haven't got a GoPro or anything but I will have a go.
bic_bicknell
2012-01-21 10:31:00 UTC
But in all seriousness.. Well done... I know how long it takes and how many hours you have to put into these things... Not to mention the cost of one offs... Silly.
Then you have to change the design, to be built in a certain way to save money in production... As how the prototype can be made is very different to a production run... As much work as the prototype
bic_bicknell
2012-01-21 14:46:00 UTC
Post missing.
jmann
2012-01-22 10:36:00 UTC
This is the wort it gets when you are riding away from the sun and the camera struggles to get the exposure right. Much better when riding into the sun and camera is pointing away from direct light. Just like real mirrors really.
But the biggest problem I had was that with the wireless connection between the camera and the screen I was picking up other signals when riding through housing estates and towns. It's fine on the open road and country lanes but in built up areas sometimes I was suddenly seeing views through security cameras on the outside of houses - great pictures of their front doors, car ports and driveways!! I think I will have to look into hard wiring the connection.
TheJoker
2012-01-23 06:22:00 UTC
But I will persevere! it's only a problem when there is a lot of other conflicting signals about.
MADDOG53
2012-01-23 08:42:00 UTC
of all of the variables so I didn't mention it. In my case (about 5 or 6 years ago) I wanted a camera on the back of my towed yacht so I could see
if I was holding up anyone without them having to be on the wrong side of the road before I could see them.
Initially I tried a wireless monitor but it did exactly as you described so I converted to a cabled system with a 30 foot video cable to the back of the boat.
Sorry. As I say, given that you seemed to be on top of everything else, I figured that interference was also sorted.
I'm exceptionally impressed with your ability to take a project from concept to completion. I'll look forward to Version 2
BlueFlame
2012-01-28 13:04:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2012-02-19 15:09:00 UTC
Except it doesn't. Nothing happening. Dead. Just ridden all the way from London to home with a blank screen, gear indicator works ok but it's a separate system really. Not sure what it is but I've run out of time now. Frustrating. Not sure if it's a cable issue or a camera that doesn't like to communicate with the screen. Or a fuse, or I've finally damaged the internal stuff with all my continual pulling it apart.
I hate anything electric, electronic, digital.
bic_bicknell
2012-03-13 09:41:00 UTC
ktmguy
2012-03-13 09:58:00 UTC
Everything arrived on Saturday, new monitor and all the video leads and power cables. Thought the best thing to do was hook it all up and check everything before I started to take apart the monitor internals. Did this and nothing worked, no picture, no nothing. Took everything off the bike and wired it all up to a spare battery as per the instructions for the camera and monitor and checked everything about twenty times. Nothing.
So yesterday I've sent absolutely everything back to 4Kam to check everything over and see what's up. Waiting for their response today. I'm pretty sick of all this trying to get the technology to work, so far I've had two monitor replacements, two camera's, at least four different return packages and countless e mails back and forth. Not sure if it's me being jinxed or that the hardware is really fragile - or just cheap shit.
Anyway, fingers crossed they will just replace everything as before and ensure it all works before they send it back.
bic_bicknell
2012-03-14 10:42:00 UTC
I had a look at their website, it is only a matter of a power supply to the unit and the wiring to connect the camera to the screen.
They must have sent you dud gear!
samba
2012-04-15 11:28:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2012-04-15 19:08:00 UTC
ktmguy
2012-04-16 05:30:00 UTC
Superdan
2012-04-16 10:16:00 UTC
Post missing.
bic_bicknell
2012-04-16 10:26:00 UTC
Post missing.
ktmguy
2012-04-16 11:07:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2012-04-17 02:09:00 UTC
Post missing.
Superdan
2012-04-18 17:15:00 UTC
I now have the new camera, from a different supplier, and plugged everything into the bike. Everything working OK finally, hard wired to the monitor, great picture - better than before - and no interference.
I'll do some road miles to test it out and get some more pictures. Redid the screen graphics because the horizon line was too low so it should be better now.
bic_bicknell
2012-04-18 18:03:00 UTC
kenscottphoto
2012-04-18 18:05:00 UTC
bic_bicknell
2012-04-21 07:09:00 UTC
Didn't put on the numbers round the 'lean indicator marks', think it looks cleaner than before.
Fitted the lever clamps without the mirror attachment threads. (hinge pin on clutch side is very easy to replace in situ)