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Spy Cams

Round Engines

New member
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
4
Location
Anchorage
We've all heard horror stories about bad cops imposing their will on us, eg arresting open carriers for disturbing the peace. Ergo, I decided to experiment with various means of obtaining hands-free, always-on video. First I bought a spy pen on ebay. It cost about $15.00, and so far has been useless. The optics are surprisingly good for the size and price, but the instructions are in terrible chinglish, and I can't get it to stay on in video mode for more than 5 seconds. It has a time/date stamp, but I can't even begin to figure out how to set it. It takes good still pics, but that's not helpful for my purposes.

Next I tried a Looxcie. (looxcie.com) It's a spy-cam built into a bluetooth earpiece. This is a much more professional product; works well, good instructions, good support and the price to match. On the plus side, it effectively hides in plain sight. On the minus side, it is uncomfortable to wear for long periods, and it's difficult to keep it aimed properly and leveled. I'm considering trying to mount it inside a baseball cap, or maybe on my belt somehow.

Another great option is the smartphone. You need a phone anyway, and all smartphones have cams built in. There are apps which allow the camera to be on at all times, even when the screen is asleep; you can also lock smartphones, and download the video directly to the net without the need for cables and a computer. The challenge is to carry it in such a way that the camera lens is uncovered and pointed the right way. You might need a custom holster, or simply cut a small hole in your holster.

I've also just ordered a spy cam key chain fob off ebay. I'll let you know if it works any better than the pen.
 

disneyr

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2011
Messages
17
Location
Nevada
For a smart phone with a vid camera try getting a relatively cheap lanyard like this one. Make sure it has the fiber loop so you can loop it through the place all smart phones have to attach it. Also good to have are like the one shown a detachable clip and an adjustable length device (so you can have it up closer to your chin or center of your sternum for the best video). Also preferable to get one with a safety breakaway. I got and use the one shown every day. No one is the wiser.
 
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