Impact Trigger Options 

To access the Trigger Options window, launch the V1, select Options and then the Trigger tab.You will see this window: 

Using this window, you may specify the size of the buffer (in seconds) used to capture the video. Golf swings typically can be represented adequately in a 3 second time window. Other motions may require varying amounts of time. Each second of video will consume approximately 3½ megabytes (MB) of your computer’s RAM memory (7 megabytes for dual-camera mode). If your system has only 512MB RAM, for example, it may be impractical (more likely impossible) to capture 15 seconds of video in dualcamera mode. If your hard drive runs continuously while doing a triggered recording or video becomes excessively choppy, you may be experiencing a low-RAM situation. 

The impact at setting allows you to graphically specify the point of impact within the captured video files. In a 3 second golf swing, about 1 second should be allocated to “follow through”—so that leaves 2 seconds as the impact position within the video. In other words, the difference between the buffer size and the Impact Position determines the amount of time that the V1 will continue to record following receipt of the impact trigger (either from an audio hit detector or a mouse click). 

When performing a triggered recording, you may specify the impact position (and end the recording) by clicking the mouse on the live video window. If the Enable box is checked, the V1 will also listen to the camcorder or computer’s microphone for the sound of impact (the sound of the club or bat hitting a ball, for example). 

You may choose to use either your camcorder microphone, your computer’s built-in microphone or an external microphone by selecting the appropriate device in the drop-down boxes. 

There are two parameters which affect the audio trigger. The first is the microphone Sensitivity. The default sensitivity is 50%, but this may be adjusted lower if you are picking up false triggers, or higher if the V1 is missing some impacts. The second is the Frame offset parameter. Very often, due to computer hardware and driver latencies and buffering, the computer microphone’s audio and the capture card’s video may not be in perfect synchronization. The Frame offset parameter allows you to add or subtract a small number of frames from the impact frame number that the V1 computes based on audio received. With “full” and even “half” preview-resolution DV video, it is not unusual that this value be as great as +/- 10 or more. Under situations of varying computer load (other software running, or use of laptop battery), an accurate setting of the adjustment may also drift.Experience will determine the optimal setting for your particular system configuration. 

The boxes that you see to the right of the Enable check box are used to test the audio trigger. As the microphone you’ve selected picks up sound, you will see this graphically represented in the form of a blue “meter.” When the V1 interprets the sound as an impact, a red square is illuminated. Adjust the sensitivity setting until the desired results are achieved. Note that this testing feature does not apply to the camcorder microphone setting. 

If you are unable to achieve enough sensitivity, you may need to adjust the microphone boost setting in Windows. To find this setting, right-click the speaker icon in the lower-right corner of your Windows desktop and select Recording devices. Select your microphone and click Properties. You will find the boost setting on the Levels tab.