DIY headrest camera mount

[Echostatic]

Howdy! Stopped by to brag a little about yesterday's accomplishment -

I've wanted an in-car camera mount for my '07 hatchback for some time, but the only ones I found required some permanent modification to the car, had flimsy suction cup anchors, or were $50+. So I went to Lowes yesterday and built one:

And it works like a dream (http://www.phreque.com/_tempor/camrig/wlh_cmtd.wmv).

I tweaked my first design and made it smaller/lighter, and easy to store (I haven't checked yet, but it might even fit in one of the compartments next to the spare tire in the hatchback) - it's also now effortless to tighten down without any tools. Furthermore, I repurposed one of the nuts from the original design to act as a retaining nut; the camera mounting bolt no longer drops out once the camera is removed. Cost was the same, and I could actually replicate it for a few cents less in the future. If people were interested, I could easily make a kit available; it'd probably cost about $13, shipped.

http://www.phreque.com/_tempor/camrig/ccm_m2_a.JPG

http://www.phreque.com/_tempor/camrig/ccm_m2.JPG

http://www.phreque.com/_tempor/camrig/ccm_m2_f.JPG

http://www.phreque.com/_tempor/camrig/ccm_m2_b.JPG

http://www.phreque.com/_tempor/camrig/ccm_m2_s.JPG

Also, push-on caps are readily available (I'd considered them for storing the wingnuts inside the PVC tube), but they were $1.34 each at Lowes, effectively defeating the original "budget" concept. I will, however, add a second set of holes to accommodate the narrower middle backseat headrest in the hatchback Yaris.

[coheed]

The tube you used looks like pvc electrical conduit. Am I right?

[Yaris Hilton]

Wouldn't it work just anchored to one headrest, avoiding the need to keep both seats adjusted the same?

[Echostatic]

Sure is. Here's the equipment list, in case anyone feels like building one:

1x - 3/4" PVC electrical conduit (Lowes had 6ft pieces for 94 cents)
2x - 1/4" x 1-1/8" x 2-1/4" U bolts
1x - whatever combination of 1/4" bolt (for the threaded socket on your cam) and washer/nut to hold it in place.

All holes were drilled through markings eyeballed by holding the pipe against the headrest).

[Echostatic]

Wouldn't it work just anchored to one headrest, avoiding the need to keep both seats adjusted the same?

It's only attached to one :) The framing of the photo makes the post look like it goes off-shot onto the other. It was just extra that was on there before I was sure how far I wanted the mounting bolt to extend to accommodate different types of cameras.

Also worth noting, the range of movement of the seat lets you pitch the mount about any way you'd need it to go, and this rig doesn't interfere with a passenger's comfort, since it's behind the posts.

[Yaris Hilton]

OK. I thought it looked like it was clamped to both headrests.

[cdydjded]

Nice! Ill be making one like ur next weekend. Good job!

[Echostatic]

Thanks! May your solution be inexpensive and effective!

[Revsson]

What is the camera you are using? That short clip seemed rather steady. Does
the camera have a steady-cam feature? Is that an HD camera?

[Echostatic]

I used two - one's the Aiptek HD cam shown there, and the other is a Sony Cybershot T20. Both are consumer-level, and both got great results!

[yaris2010RS]

:needpics:

[Echostatic]

:needpics:

If you look at the first post, you'll find them right there. Video as well.

[Echostatic]

Had a couple of ideas today that will make the mount all the fancier and raise the cost by a weensy $1 - I've switched the nuts to wingnuts (for tool-less mounting/dismounting), and I'm capping the ends so I can store the hardware inside the hollow PVC. I also swapped out the camera socket mounting bolt for a different one that I can leave in place when not in use. New pictures to follow when I get it all polished and nice looking!

(tl;dr - Didn't want to spend $50+ on a headrest cam mount, so I built a great collapsible one for $3).

[cali yaris]

If I had stock seats, I'd be hitting you up for sure.

[Echostatic]

If your seats have posts anything like the stock ones, I can just offset the holes accordingly (or I can just send the materials for cheaper, and you can drill 'em yourself :) )

[eTiMaGo]

with wide enough hoops (or whatever those U-shaped pieces are called), you could go around the sides of the harness holes on racing seats... iiiinteresting!

[Echostatic]

New video added - nice drive through West Austin. Also wrote the music for it!
http://www.phreque.com/_tempor/camrig/wlh_cmtd.wmv

(Video link in OP updated to this as well)

[TheRealEnth]

Ive had a similiar setup to this for past years now;D, it works good for what it is, it would be way nicer to have an actual suction mount to place anywhere in the car