Contour’s newest style of mounts for Surfboards, helmets and poles have recently been announced with the Surfboard and 360° Helmet Mount now in stock!

Contour has announced a new partnership with Japan based Cerevo, Inc. to sell their live-streaming device, “LiveShell” to the US market. LiveShell is a complimentary device to the Contour+ Camera enabling owners to broadcast their experience live to the web via wireless or wired networks. Contour+ along with Cerevo LiveShell offers the only hands-free video solution that an broadcast live to the web!

A simple HDMI cable connects the Contour+ to LiveShell to bring real-time video broadcasting straight from the camera to the Ustream website. Collaboration among these three innovative companies delivers high-quality, live-broadcast video for the first time in the hands-free video market, letting adventurers share point-of-view footage as it’s captured. In addition to automatic sharing via Ustream, people can manually configure the Contour+ & LiveShell combo to broadcast live on other video platforms.

FAQ’s

What is the resolution of the broadcasted video?

• Max resolution is 4CIF format, which is 704x528 lines of resolution (standard video).  Lower resolutions are also available.

Where can I broadcast my Contour+ video?

• Customers can broadcast their Contour+ footage live to USTREAM.com.
• The Liveshell is the 1st “USTREAM Compatible” device in the world.
• Simply create a USTREAM account and configure the Liveshell to broadcast to that account.


How does Liveshell connect to the internet?

How is this different or better than the competition?

• No competitors in the PoV camera space offer a solution that allows broadcasting live to the web. 
• Current HDMI-to-Wi-Fi encoders are complex, difficult to setup and cost thousands of dollars.

Where can I get more information about Cerevo and Liveshell?

• At Cerevo’s website: http://shell.cerevo.com

Combined with the existing Contour Connect mobile App for iOS and Android, the combined solution will allow you to preview your shot, adjust settings, and start/stop recording all wirelessly via BlueTooth. Additionally, with the Contour+ connected to a monitor via HDMI, your smartphone will become a remote to start/stop playback right on the display screen.

Contour will be launching on Android first followed by other mobile operating systems. The App is slated for availability in April 2012.

FAQ’s

How does it work?
ContourGPS and Contour+ use a connect view card (sold separately for the ContourGPS camera) that enable the camera to connect to your mobile phone.

• The user needs to download the free Contour Connect Mobile App. Visit help.contour.com for full directions.
• User turns on the BT on their camera and opens the mobile app. The default view is to see what the camera sees.
• User can press the record button and the camera will begin recording. To stop recording the user has to press the same button in the app.
• While in record mode the user can not change the settings or use any other features of the app

What Can I do with the Contour Connect app?

• Preview what your camera sees so you can align the shot
• Change the camera settings in real-time including video/photo modes, audio, lighting, and GPS
• See the memory card and battery status on your camera while in preview mode
• See the status of your GPS signal while in preview mode
• Start/stop recording of your Contour camera through the app
• Control HDMI playback for the Contour+

The Contour+ is left on a general setting in order to match the HD HERO2 as Mark Zealand takes a spin with both cameras in Vancouver, B.C.

The latest version released this morning is 1.34, provides the following improvements:

• Tuned White Balance to provide a clearer white tone and reduce potential for yellow to show in video.
• Improved tones and vividness of color tones.
• Made White Balance more consistent across different Video and Still Photo Modes.
• Improved sharpness in Still Photo Mode.
• Support for version 1.5 of the mobile applications
• Continuous file naming

To get the latest firmware make sure your battery is fully charged and follow the instructions to download and copy firmware to your camera and install it.

Contour+ Firmware 1.34

This dude has one seriously cool dog. Check it out and watch as his little Jack Russel Terrier tears up the dirt jump track behind her owner on his mountain bike. Now that’s man’s best friend! He captures all the action on a GoPro HD HERO.

The latest version is 1.06 provides the following fixes:

• Performance of the microphone has been improved.
• When taking still pictures, the camera will take the first picture as soon as the Record Slide Switch is slid forward. Then it will wait for the designated time period before taking the next picture.

To get the latest firmware make sure your battery is fully charged and follow the instructions to download and copy firmware to your camera and install it.

ContourROAM Firmware 1.06

Check out this cool video of F1’s David Coulthard taking his Redbull F1 car for a ride on the unpaved back-roads of Austin Texas! That’s not something you see every day. He kicks up some serious dust! What’s more? It was all filmed with the Contour+.

We finally got our hands on one of the new GoPro HD Hero2 cameras and took it out for a quick comparison between this new cam and the older HD Hero. Mark gives a quick rundown atthe beginning. What do you guys think? Do you see any differences? Comment below.

We got our hands on one of the first GoPro HD Hero2 s. The camera almost looks exactly the same on the outside as earlier Gopro HD Heros but there are major differences inside the case. There are numerous exciting new features including HDMI out and mic input. In fact other than the enclosure the HD Hero2 is almost like a completely new camera.

Here are the big improvements in the HD Hero2.

• new English language based LCD readout, no more hard to understand codes
• red LED recording “on” lights on all sides of the camera so you always know when camera is recording
• 11 megapixel still images
• improved faster image sensor
• faster f 2.4 lens to match sensor
• 10 frames per second still photo mode
• 120 to 30fps
• HDMI out
• mini jack mic input
• Full 170º, Medium 127º, Narrow 90º FOV in 1080p and 720p Video

Since the HD Hero 2 is the same size as earlier HD Heros they fit all previous cases, mounts and accessories. In late winter Gopro will introduce two new BacPac’s that will give the HD Hero2 some astonishing new features. The Wifi BacPac will allow wireless camera control, preview and playback via your smartphone with the GoPro App. You will also be able to live stream video and photos to the web via wifi.

The Wifi Remote BacPac will allow long range remote control of up to 50 other GoPro cameras for extraordinary Matrix like “bullet time” videos using multi camera arrays.

Check out the different editions.
GoPro HD Hero2 Outdoor Edition
GoPro HD Hero2 Motorsports Edition
GoPro HD Hero2 Surf Edition
 

The new GoPro has been announced!  Its called the Hero 2 and they upped the game across the board….

Heres what we know:

Redesigned, Sharper Optics— This is a big deal because it makes every video, even the ones uploaded to the web look more defined.  Sharpness really brings things into focus.

New shooting modes—

It allows shooting a full 170 degree field of view in 1080P.  The Hero 1 was only 170 in 720p. 
120 Frame per sec video in WVGA (848×480) which is roughly DVD quality.  120 will let you do even slower and more fluid slo-mos although because its in a lower quality mode it wont see as much use with the pros, but itll be fun for the rest of us to play with… 

Photo mode, now has higher def photos but also a 10 shot burst photo mode which will allow in motion shots…  Itll be a quick and easy way of getting cool air or motion shots and combining them into one image to show the motion…  Well do a tutorial on that soon to help you all figure that out…

Sound—  Stereo 3.5mm mic input!  This is huge for getting great sound in that now youll be able to pair the Hero2 with a external mic when you need to get even better sound. 

New accessories—

The great new is the all the other Bacpac’s, battery, lcd and the 3d system will work with the new gopro so you wont have to buy all new accessories…  The big news on the block however is the new Wifi Bacpac.  Details are still sparse but I think this will likely be the must have feature for the new GoPro.  Im sure they are working hard on apps for android and apple phones and tablets to allow you to control camera settings, and possibly manage media on the camera (not sure about this yet, but I would think it is likely).  Wireless streaming is also going to be a cool option, it just got a lot easier to setup and manage a camera without having actual access to it.  Can be either out of reach or inside an enclosure of some other kind.  Can also be setup for multiple camera situations…  Imagine having 5 cameras on a car at once and being able to hit the capture button simultaneously on all of them.  Thats what you can do now, which will be HUGE for editors lining up footage in an edit. 

Check out some video below to get stoked!

Check out our pages here.
GoPro HD Hero 2 Motorsports
GoPro HD Hero 2 Outdoor
GoPro HD Hero 2 Surf

Have you ever heard of Cineskates? They are skateboard like wheels with special mounts that fit on the Joby Gorillapod Focus made for dslrs but there is no reason you can’t attach this to a Contour+, Drift HD or GoPro Hero.

Check out the Cineskates slider dolly wheels review.

Our sister site bought the first one off the line from the company and did a full unboxing and overview of the Cineskates in action. With these wheels you can do super smooth tracking and dolly moves with your camera. Check out the video in the review for an example of what you can expect with the Cineskates. We shot this with a Canon T2i with just the kit lens. Amazing what smooth motion can add to your videos, making them look more professional.

I recently set up a side by side comparison of Contour’s growing arsenal of very capable helmet cameras. The results were exactly as they should be… in order of best picture overall (in my opinion):

• 1st Place: Contour+ with it’s six element glass lens, GPS, Bluetooth, HDMI live out, mic input, waterproof case option and other features make this model stand out from it’s little brothers.
• 2nd Place: ContourGPS with a four element glass lens, GPS and the ability to dial in the exposure settings with Bluetooth directly from your smartphone!
• 3rd Place: ContourROAM at such an affordable price, this latest edition to the Contour family is a perfect fit. Striped of some extras with some new features added in such as the one slide power on and record switch, build in battery, and built in waterproofness it places it a very close third.

I guess if you compared three Ferraris one would have to come first, but they would still all be sick cars!

Thank you Contour, for giving us options

The extras are nice but let’s get to the thing that really has us excited. The new ContourROAM is the latest camera from Contour and as you can see it follows the same profile of the ContourGPS and Contour+ but there are differences.

What’s In The Box

Contour has always done a good job with their packaging and the ContourROAM is their best yet. A nice hard clear plastic case holds the camera has a small compartment below with enough room for a cable, a MicroSD card and a small mount or two. This is a case you can use either to display your cam or use to carry the camera in.

Ta dah!!! The ContourROAM itself.

We have a quick overview of the ContourROAM. Also check out other videos on our Pointofviewcameras Youtube channel.

The ContourROAM comes with a pretty generous set of accessories. In the box, you get:

-camera
-usb cable
-mini helmet clip
-rubberlens hood
-lanyard
-TRail star mount
-user manual and quick start guide
-sticker

As you can see in the comparison shot below, the ContourROAM is a little longer horizontally than the other cameras but a little shorter in height. Contour wisely stuck to their sleek metal design so the camera feels solid and rugged like a helmet camera should without any loose parts anywhere. The lens cover has a rounded lip now but is still flush. The top switch has a slightly different texture pattern and two lighted icons behind it representing battery and memory card usage. Different colors represent their status.

Sliding the power switch on both turns on the camera and starts the recording process. A power light reveals itself to indicate power on and recording. A subtle but useful feature.

Pressing the Status button on the back turns on the lasers and status lights for battery and memory card usage.

Externally, not much difference except the ContourROAM has a threaded socket for putting on tripods without requiring a tripod mount like the other Contours. A welcome touch.

The ContourROAM has a nice 270 degree rotatable lens up front like the others but brings back the laser alignment missing in the Contour+. The laser is a thin horizontal one this time rather than the twin dots of previous cameras which makes lining up shots even easier.

New to the ContourROAM is the Status button in the back. As you can see this is how you can quickly distinguish between it and the ContourGPS. The Status button turns on both the laser and the status lights seen here. Green means ready and full, orange means nearly done and red means battery is nearly dead and card is almost full.

The video specs are HD at 720p, 960p and 1080p at 30fps. Curiously, there is no 60fps at 720p. In keeping with the slim styling MicroSD cards are used for memory instead of the more common SD cards. We will have some video tests and comparisons on this blog shortly. The battery in the ContourROAM is built in so you have a longer recording time and it helps keep the camera waterproof.

One standout feature new to the ContourROAM is full waterproof capability for up to 1 meter! You no longer need a case for submersion environments. Granted you still need a waterproof case for periods longer than 30 minutes but this goes a long way toward preventing any concerns over the occasional dunk.

We will be doing a more thorough test of the camera’s video and operational capabilities once we have had some time to play with it. Check back here on the blog for more coverage.

We are one of the few retailers with ContourROAM in stock.

You can also purchase the ContourROAM in Canada from our Canadian store or if you are in Europe you can purchase from our ContourROAM UK store.

Great news just hit the wire.  Contour has been listed as the #7 fastest growing privately held company in America!

This is a huge Win for Contour as they’ve been working hard the last few years to grow the company and have continually improved the product lineup.  Congrats guys!

“Winning an award of this caliber solidifies our position as an innovator of high quality wearable video cameras, in a rapidly growing category, where we’re running fiscally strong and healthy, and continue to grow year in and year out.  We’re on a great trajectory.  Thanks for your support and contribution to our brand, we really value your partnership and consider this “win” a team effort with our dealer network.”
 
  Kind Regards,
 
  CHRISTIE CRAIG
  DIRECTOR OF SALES, NORTH AMERICA SPORTS SPECIALTY

  CONTOUR, INC.

http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2011