Hidden video equipment
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Definitely not a pen camera unless you just want to get something to record your traditional shops. If you are thinking about covert video equipment for mystery shopping, use the link below your post to find other threads about Video Mystery Shopping. There should be information on equipment along with discussions about industries shopped, etc. The equipment ranges from $450 to over $900 per rig plus the cost of some shirts which need to be altered for the button camera.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I bought an Eagle Eye cheap on ebay which said it was better than a PV-500. It was a piece of crap. Then I bought a PV-500 which I believe most video shoppers have. It cost me $400 used. I bought it from someone on here.
I have a PV-500 EVO2 [touch screen model] with the 3 hour and 7 hour batteries, an HD button camera, and the accessories. Came to about $750 from Lawmate.
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Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
I have two complete PV-500 sets, both pre-2010 models (which are the real industrial strength ones, apparently), plus a third cam. Both outfits have the 7 hour battery pack. I bought on set new for about $450, back in the day. The other I picked up used for about $250 about 3-4 years ago. The shopper who sold that to me wanted the newest model, which proved to be less sturdy in the long run. Had she not been so anxious to get the cash, someone would gladly have paid her closer to $400 for her barely used one. (Several components had never been out of the original shrink wrap, lol.)
Used sets sell at a premium now that the newer model comes in at $750 to $900 per set.
Used sets sell at a premium now that the newer model comes in at $750 to $900 per set.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
You buy a shirt and either modify it yourself (quite simple) or send it to Kathy at Instant Replays to be modified. She actually holds a patent on her method and many shoppers swear by it. See info on this at VSN.
BUT, before you do any of this, I urge you to contact one of the MSCs that will send a rig and a shirt to use with it, so that you can see what is needed. Also, you will need some guidance as to the type of shirt and which button hole to convert for the button cam mount.
BUT, before you do any of this, I urge you to contact one of the MSCs that will send a rig and a shirt to use with it, so that you can see what is needed. Also, you will need some guidance as to the type of shirt and which button hole to convert for the button cam mount.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Getting the equipment (PV500s) has been the easy part for me.
Finding an appropriate shirt that does not require my changing all the buttons has been the challenge. Your shirt needs to be worn over your pants to hide any wires, so be sure the shirt is long enough. Also, you will need pants with pockets in the front or sides. I try to keep black and white slacks just for shopping and same thing with my wardrobe of shop shirts.
Marguerite, you will also want to anchor the camera so that it doesn't bounce around. I affix it to my bra and button through the blouse. The modified bra is also dedicated for video mystery shopping. Because I have modified/tailored some garments for mystery shopping, the cost of the shirts & any tailoring necessary is tax deductible.
For me, it was well worth the expense of taking a workshop to see and get a feel for what was required. Happy to say that I now have more than 400 video shops under my belt and almost exclusively video shop, full time.
Finding an appropriate shirt that does not require my changing all the buttons has been the challenge. Your shirt needs to be worn over your pants to hide any wires, so be sure the shirt is long enough. Also, you will need pants with pockets in the front or sides. I try to keep black and white slacks just for shopping and same thing with my wardrobe of shop shirts.
Marguerite, you will also want to anchor the camera so that it doesn't bounce around. I affix it to my bra and button through the blouse. The modified bra is also dedicated for video mystery shopping. Because I have modified/tailored some garments for mystery shopping, the cost of the shirts & any tailoring necessary is tax deductible.
For me, it was well worth the expense of taking a workshop to see and get a feel for what was required. Happy to say that I now have more than 400 video shops under my belt and almost exclusively video shop, full time.
No two bodies are the same, when it comes to "the best" way to anchor the camera. For me, anchoring to the body is NOT a good fix. My cam is anchored to my shirt and the wires are NOT taped down becasue I want to be able to raise the cam when seated where a desk would block the view.
Most video training sessions will demonstrated several ways of determiining which button hole should work best for you and also what mounting options will work for you. One size does not fit all.
Finally, you have several options for stowing the recording unit, not just your slacks or skirt pockets. Mine fits into a small pouch on a neoprine belt and is concealed under my right arm. That way I have no worries about any pocket bulge or my shirt riding up to reveal any equipment.
Most video training sessions will demonstrated several ways of determiining which button hole should work best for you and also what mounting options will work for you. One size does not fit all.
Finally, you have several options for stowing the recording unit, not just your slacks or skirt pockets. Mine fits into a small pouch on a neoprine belt and is concealed under my right arm. That way I have no worries about any pocket bulge or my shirt riding up to reveal any equipment.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Some shoppers also use the included belt pouch for the DVR. It is something I have wanted to try, but I'm not sure what they do with the excess wire. A suggestion based on my experience is make sure your pockets are deep enough. I have one pair of jeans in particular with a more shallow pocket. They don't work well for shops in general and can't be worn for things like new car shops that involve getting in and out of vehicles since the DVR will try to work its way out of the pocket.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Lisa,
I wear a cotton tank top under my shirt. Then I wear a thin belt over the tank top. The extra wire gets loosely tucked into the belt. I can sitll reposition the cam but lifting the shirt by the shoulder seams, as if indicating that it is very warm, so that it will "see" over a desk when I am seated.
I wear a cotton tank top under my shirt. Then I wear a thin belt over the tank top. The extra wire gets loosely tucked into the belt. I can sitll reposition the cam but lifting the shirt by the shoulder seams, as if indicating that it is very warm, so that it will "see" over a desk when I am seated.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
I'm just the opposite on deep pockets. I have fairly muscular thighs so the deeper the pocket, the more obvious the DVR is. My favorite pair of khakis to wear shopping has fairly shallow pockets so my shirt tails cover it pretty well.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
So are those muscular thighs in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain
“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
I'm not suggesting super deep pockets. Just try moving around quite a bit to make sure the DVR doesn't try to work itself out of your pocket. And I have quite muscular thighs myself
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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