Frequently Asked Questions

How will I power my PDR100?
The PDR100 accepts 12V DC power. You can hardwire directly from the car's battery to a terminal block on the PDR. This situation is ideal because it allows for the most secure wiring. (We recommend those using using this method use a heavy gauge wire and an 1amp fuse. You can also use a cigarette lighter adapter or a wall transformer, both of which you can find on the PDR accessories page. You can also power it off of 4 AA batteries (Lithium or NiMH, not alkaline) for 2.5 hours if you selected the internal battery option or you can also use an available external battery pack.

Is there a more secure way to connect power to the PDR100?
Why yes. Do not use the cig lighter DC jack. Right next to it, is a 2 (older units have 4) pin wiring connection block that uses a small flat screwdriver to lock the wires down. This connector also unplugs!

Can I use other video inputs?
We offer an adapter cable that allows you to use the PDR100 with any RCA video input. The PDR100 autoselects either NTSC or PAL format depending on the input. We do not use S-Video.

How will I mount my PDR?
We offer a mounting bracket (and retaining clamp for those very high vibration situations) that can be mounted to almost anything for easy snap in and out. We have rollbar mounts for the PDR.  We also carry waterproof boxes for those rainy situations or nautical applications. We find a large percentage of customers will secure their unit using dual-lock velcro, place them on their person, or throw them in a glovebox.

Why choose the PDR100?
Our PDR100 is an extremely durable solid-state video recorder. It can be powered off 4AA batteries for over 2 hours. So depending how many batteries you have with you, you could record all day! It records 720x480 at 30fps (NTSC). It is field upgradeable. Ever time we come up with a new feature, like adding the ability to fast forward playback, we release a new version and everyone has it! It's high quality mpeg2 video, easy to use and works with any size CF Card that is fast enough for video.  With a 32gig card, you can record from 8 (highest settings) to over 200 hours of video.  We offer digital communication to other devices. Remote controls. Automatic on and Automatic motioned based recording (hands free!).  And that's just the beginning!

Can it be used for things other than racing?
Of course! We have people using our products in military, nautical, and aviation applications. We've also had them used for things like paintballing, skiing, biking, and even during rugby matches! There's no limit to what you can do with this recorder. It's so lightweight that you can throw it in a backpack with some batteries and you're off.

Can I switch a camera off?
Unfortunately, there isn't a way to switch between cameras or switch one off. However, if one video feed is lost, the remaining feed will switch to full screen.  Some of our customers use a simple switch for this.

I want to buy an SS1000. Is there anything else I need?
A recording unit. The SS1000 only processes the video to PiP or splitscreen and outputs that new video, it doesn't record. Whether you're feeding your SS1000 into our PDR or another recorder/monitor, you'll need to make sure you have two video inputs (the SS1000 accepts our miniDIN and RCA). The SS1000 will power the cameras, but you will need a 12V DC power source for the SS1000. For those using the SS1000 with PDR, you cannot power the SS1000 out of a PDR and we recommend you power the two units seperately. You'll also want mounts for your cameras. And if you have a PDR100, definitely check out our mounting bracket and dual retaining clamp for an easy way to mount both units together.

I'm not sure I need two cameras, do I have to buy my SS1000 now?
No. You can go ahead and do a single camera set up and add the SS1000 later.

What is the degree measurement on your camera lens?
Our cameras come standard with a 90 degree lens which we believe to be optimal for motorsports. This captures all of the action without the fisheye effect.

Can I change the lens?
Yes. We stock 90, 120 and 72 degree lenses. We also carry replacement lens covers (the bit of glass at the front that is occasionally damaged by a stray rock. It's very simple to replace either.  The outer lens is attached by hand. The internal lens is changed with needle tipped tweezers and a video screen to aim it.  We can do this for you.

Why 520 and not 580 lines?  What does that have to do with 720x480?
If you've found a camera out there that is 580 lines, it's the same resolution as ours. There's a bit of a break in the industry between what companies choose to call the resolution, but we're all limited to the same standard of 520 lines.  Or call it 550 lines.  Reality is what it is... testing will show that it is around 520 lines of actual video.   This is a totally different measurement than screen resolution. Our recorder for example records full D1 (also known as SD) video at 720x480.  And at 30 frames per second. This is the same as your television (NTSC).

What type of camera mounts do you sell?
We have rollbar, suction cup, clamp, and helmet mounts. If you have a rollcage or a smooth surface to mount to, we have the mount.

What if I don't have a windshield or rollbar?
For those with unique mounting situations, we recommend seeing if you think the cradle mounts or helmet mount will work for you. Either will work on a dash or a variety of other places.

Will it work with my camera?
Any of our mounts (except the helmet mount) can mount to any moving or still camera, with the standard female 1/4'' -20 socket. For those using a heavier camcorder, we recommend our SM40 line or a rollbar mount and a tether.

Will my race series allow it?
Check with them before mounting anything outside of your car. Most race series are fine with bullet cameras but have additional requirements, such as using a tether, for anything larger.