808 Car Keys Type #11 HD720P MiniDV Camera Review

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

Hey guys,

We discovered a real HD version of the 808 Car Keys Camera, so we created a video demonstrating the operation of the camera as well as a comprehensive review of the strengths and weaknesses of the camera, using our own set of camera benchmarks. The benchmarks have a distinct bent toward the use of cameras for rocket aerial photography.

We will be using this set of benchmarks on several other cameras, so be sure and take note of the benchmarks because they will help provide a repeatable method of comparing multiple cameras over time.

Check out the video, and grab one of these cameras.... everyone will be flying these soon! This camera (in spite of the many flaws) will be the next baseline standard to which all similar cameras will be compared.

We rate this camera highly. It makes the MD80 look as sad as the FlycamOne V2.

Check out the video (Best Viewed in 1080P):

[U.S. Water Rockets]

To set the clock in the 808 Car Keys Keychain Type #11 HD720P MiniDV Camera, you can download the following archive file which contains detailed instructions and a sample of the time set configuration file:

http://www.uswaterrockets.com/shared/TimeSet.zip

Enjoy!

[U.S. Water Rockets]

To turn the timestamp On or Off in the 808 Car Keys Keychain Type #11 HD720P MiniDV Camera, you can download the following archive file which contains detailed instructions and the firmware files which you load into the camera using the simple method explained in the file:

http://www.uswaterrockets.com/shared/TimeStampV2.zip

Note: This firmware upgrade is the 2nd revision, which is compatible with cameras made after May, 2011. It will also work on cameras made before that date. Use at your own risk!

[U.S. Water Rockets]

Below, we have linked to an archive which contains a new firmware file for the 808 Car Keys Keychain Type #11 HD720P MiniDV Camera and instructions how to load the new firmware. This firmware has 2 changes and a bug fix:

a) The camera will not split recordings into 20 minute clips, it breaks recordings up into 4GB segments instead.
b) The timestamp is disabled.
c) If the battery dies, the last clip is properly saved.

Downlaod the archive here:

http://www.uswaterrockets.com/shared/Co ... cordV2.zip

Note: This firmware upgrade is the 2nd revision, which is compatible with cameras made after May, 2011. It will also work on cameras made before that date. Use at your own risk!

[thampson]

Excellent video

The camera look like its a step up from the MD80.

We were thinking of putting a bigger / better camera on the water rocket car for the side view of the distance markers, the MD80 clone has terrible
rolling shutter problems, so we will give this one a go to keep the weight down

-todd-

[Tim Chen]

Thanks guys for posting the video. You guys just keep getting better and better at animation! I totally understand what rolling shutter is all about, so props to you all for taking the time to produce such an informative and educational video.

[BenKamz]

GREAT VIDEO! LOOKS PRO!

CAN YOU POST COMPARISON VIDEO OF MD80 VS. TYPE 11?

THANKS!

[Spaceman Spiff]

Nice find!

I just placed an order!!! Now to sit and wait for the slow boat to arrive!!!

Keep up the good work!

[Mike J96]

Hey guys,

We discovered a real HD version of the 808 Car Keys Camera, so we created a video demonstrating the operation of the camera as well as a comprehensive review of the strengths and weaknesses of the camera, using our own set of camera benchmarks. The benchmarks have a distinct bent toward the use of cameras for rocket aerial photography.

We will be using this set of benchmarks on several other cameras, so be sure and take note of the benchmarks because they will help provide a repeatable method of comparing multiple cameras over time.

Check out the video, and grab one of these cameras.... everyone will be flying these soon! This camera (in spite of the many flaws) will be the next baseline standard to which all similar cameras will be compared.

We rate this camera highly. It makes the MD80 look as sad as the FlycamOne V2.

Check out the video (Best Viewed in 1080P):
[ytubehd]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z-59WlUqZ8[/ytubehd]

Hi,
do you have a list of sites to buy these from?

Is the rocket in the video really a high pressure rocket?

Thanks,


Mike

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

Hi, do you have a list of sites to buy these from?

Ebay is the only place that seems to sell them. There's a couple of private sites that have sold the other 808 cameras but they appear to be buying them from ebay and marking them up for resale.

Is the rocket in the video really a high pressure rocket?

Yes, the rocket in the video is X-12, which holds the world water rocket altitude record. We used a very low launch pressure for that video because we wanted to ramp up the g-forces in case the camera failed under load we didn't want to wreck it on the first flight. The low pressure is the reason it only went 1000 feet.

We've flown it at higher pressures since then, but at the time we were making the video, that was the best looking flight. After that flight it got cloudy and the the video was not as pretty.

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

GREAT VIDEO! LOOKS PRO!

CAN YOU POST COMPARISON VIDEO OF MD80 VS. TYPE 11?

THANKS!

We can do that. We had put some comparison footage into the draft version of this video but we decided to strip it out and make the video a pure review that any other camera would compare to.

Good idea! Thanks!

[U.S. Water Rockets]

Important Update:

Cameras manufactured starting in May, 2011 require updated firmware files. The links above have been updated to Version 2 of the firmware files. The new firmware is recommended for use in the earlier cameras as well as the May onward cameras, because it fixes some color saturation and contrast issues. However, once you install this firmware into an older camera you cannot go back to a "Version 1" firmware without experiencing a degrade in quality. Please delete the older firmware files and only use the "Version 2" files going forward.

[Winston]

I just booted the V2 firmware .bin file linked to here on an older 808 HD that I just this week received from eBay seller eletoponline365. The unit tested fine yesterday and had a late 2010 default date/time stamp. After attempting firmware upgrade in accordance with instructions in zipped firmware file, unit was bricked (no longer functional). Will not power on. Reset button does nothing. SD card removed, LED power indicator will not appear even with very long power-on button press. When it was functional , video files began with letters PTDC.

[Winston]

Forgot to ask, from what eBay sellers are people getting cameras that have been successfully upgraded using this firmware and what are the prefix letters on the video files (which indicates hardware used) produced by those cameras?

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

Forgot to ask, from what eBay sellers are people getting cameras that have been successfully upgraded using this firmware and what are the prefix letters on the video files (which indicates hardware used) produced by those cameras?

The firmware files we were supplied all have the same name. The version 1 and version 2 firmware and the continuous recording firmware all have the same filename. Is struck us a bit odd they would have no version control, but perhaps the flash loader uses a fixed filename that simply must match to be loaded.

There are people who say that their cameras were made in December of last year that do not accept upgrades and can get bricked if you try. Are you sure you didn't get one of the old versions from last year??

If not, then the camera is defective and you should send it back for an exchange.