Joe-
First of all, I am not the expert on these, so I know I am missing some other major features but below I feel is a good start.
From the research I have done, the major appeal to me over the GOPRO(which my brother has) is the “Loop and Forward” feature. You can hit record and it will record back- before you actually hit record. So if you just had a muskie follow and then it takes off- you could hit record and still catch the follow. That is the biggest reason why I am going to be using the VIO camera and returned my GOPRO from Christmas.
It also has a small screen that allows you to view exactly what you are seeing. This way you will never have to mess with angle settings and wonder what you are filming. In South Dakota last year my brother had the GOPRO and he was always messing with it, to get it at the right angle. He then had to go through time consuming clips of nothing to “find” the times when we actually saw and shot birds. He would then save these short clips. The VIO eliminates wasted footage and ultimately makes for more time in the field or on the water.
The other main feature that I like is the fact that with lithium AA batteries you can get up to 5 hours in 1080 footage. The best part about it is, you do not have to be running with it “on” whenever you are using it. Just turn it on when there is some action and then it records back so you do not miss anything. This feature alone will save the battery life from running all day. Check out the website for further specs and details.
http://vio-pov.com/products-all/pov-hd.html
I just saw that Joe’s sporting goods was running an ad this week for $449.00 retail ($499.00). So for price point you will pay a little bit more than the GOPRO but the features are going to far outweigh the GOPRO in my opinion. You will pay a bit more but all of my experiences have been you get what you pay for. I am sure you have seen some of the footage that James Holst has done with these cameras and its top notch. Another cool thing about VIO camera’s is there are based right out of Minneapolis. Check out the website, gives some good detail and also shows some additional clips and applications. They also have all of the attachments to make this camera work in any place.
If we get some open water, I hope to be posting some videos with this camera. Keep in mind I am not bashing the GOPRO- it works, however I strongly feel the VIO is just a better product with more useable features for the outdoor enthusiast.
I will using this bowhunting, muskie fishing, rifle hunting, pheasant hunting- you name it!
Jake
