I just received my DVR from Measure CP today. It's the PV-500ECO setup. Everything works - whew! My extended battery is on backorder, though. Argh! It's a good thing I picked up an external power pack that uses AA batteries.

The only time I've done a video route is when I borrowed equipment from the MSC. All the various connections were hot glued into place. The button cam had a piece of Velcro glued to it and the modified shirt had Velcro on it. You know, the standard setup.

I had trouble maintaining a good camera angle with that Velcro. Do any of you have tips on securing that little bugger? Do any of you glue the connections on your DVR to safeguard them coming undone during a shop?

What size of SDHC or micro SDHC cards do you use? What all's in your gear bag? I want to be like a Boy Scout: Prepared!


What are your tips?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2011 05:01AM by TechSavvy.

I put everything into a snap-shut fishing tackle box for storage and transport. It works great, with separate little spots for all the cables and doodads.

For power, I picked up an external battery pack for the DVR. Someone on another forum reported it works well, so I grabbed one.

It uses four AA batteries. I figured this would come in really handy since AA batteries can be found just about anywhere and are ready to rock. I don't want to be in a position where I have to wait for the proprietary battery to charge.

This is what caught my eye: It will run any of the PV-series DVR's for up to 20 hours with the LCD screen turned off. It will also charge the internatl battery while it's doing this.

The seller lists it for $39, but takes best offer. I offered $25 (free shipping) and he accepted it. He might take even less.

[cgi.ebay.com]

I bought an extended battery. I keep it and the original battery charged when I leave out for shops. I use an 8GB SD card on my shops but also carry an extra 4GB card with me. I have yet to use all the memory on the 8GB card but carry the other just in case. I love video shopping and find it just as easy as the rest but with lot better pay. I wish they had more shops in my area. I only get from 8 to 10 shops a month.

Beware of using hot glue to secure anything that is close to your button cam. The off-gassing from hot glue, over time, will ruin your button cam. I carry black electrical tape; small scissors;, extra button cover and extra full button cam rig; needle and black thread; extra extended battery pack; remote control; many 4 and 8 gig cards in protective cases; ear phones (for reviewing video in public places); an extra shirt modified for shopping; my underarm "holster" that holds my rig during the shop; a steno notebook with a page for each shop.

Be sure to keep track of the name of every target that you shop because, over time, these folks move from site to site and even from builder to builder. Within a year you could accidentally be repeating encounters with folks recently shopped and getting busted unless you keep the records. Sure, the MSCs have records of who you shopped for them, but then the client chnages MSC or the target changes employers, and you walk into disaster. Worst case, you lose not only the shop fee, but also the travel bonus that would have paid for your fuel, tolls and hotel for that shop. It has happened to every shopper who has completed more than about 100 shops.

Techsavy- I thought that Walesmaven already posted about the heat given off by the AA batteries. Maybe she wrote it somewhere else. Be very careful as the use of the AA battery packs can get excessively hot. I have many burns from the old days of using those. They have even been known to smoke and catch fire. Be sure to protect you skin from the pack where ever you decide to wear it.

One of my video shops for tomorrow is canceled due to the target having to leave town for a family emergency. I guess now I'll just get second degree burns. Maybe my OEM battery will last for the two shops and I won't have to sweat it. I'll charge the DVR on my way between shops just in case.

Gads, I'd better swap out the buttons on my blouse and get to bed! Walmart had the perfect short-sleeved, plaid shirt today for $12. I figure the fabric will be distracting enough they won't look closely at the buttons. There are black stripes in the plaid design, so the black buttons won't look odd.

Does anyone sell threaded buttons in other colors? I'm thinking about making a brooch cam of my own using my button camera or another one sometime. It would be handy pinning it on a silk scarf. Does anyone do that?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/2011 12:44AM by TechSavvy.

I like the way you think, Techsavy. Really, you can set your camera up in any format you choose. The button down shirts just happen to be the simplest way to do it and it works well with all types of shops. If you are a crafter and like to make things, you could certainly do quite a bit with the camera mount. Let me know what you come up with!

As for anyone selling threaded colored buttons, There are other cameras out there that you can buy, and some shoppers have found full cameras with colored buttons. Unfortunately, I don't know of anyone who sells just the buttons. I know that some shoppers have actually painted the buttons that come in the kit.

Hope this helps...

I think I will end up painting the buttons, or get an extra set and paint them. I had to paint a while button with a black Sharpie because the shirt I bought has 6 buttons instead of five.

Nail polish is an enamel paint and might work well for buttons. I'd rough them up first with some sandpaper or a nail file.

My shops went well today, if overly long. From what I hear, you have great tips on how to get what the client needs, but keep shops shorter. These two today made for a marathon, my own fault as I am certain I talked too much! I think they'll have good info to work with, but my first shop bested one of my 4GB cards! Fortunately, we were wrapping things up at that point.

Porhammer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I like the way you think, Techsavy. Really, you
> can set your camera up in any format you choose.
> The button down shirts just happen to be the
> simplest way to do it and it works well with all
> types of shops. If you are a crafter and like to
> make things, you could certainly do quite a bit
> with the camera mount. Let me know what you come
> up with!
>
> As for anyone selling threaded colored buttons,
> There are other cameras out there that you can
> buy, and some shoppers have found full cameras
> with colored buttons. Unfortunately, I don't know
> of anyone who sells just the buttons. I know that
> some shoppers have actually painted the buttons
> that come in the kit.
>
> Hope this helps...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/2011 05:59AM by TechSavvy.