Capturing your motorcycle adventures on video is great, but imagine overlaying real-time data like speed, RPM, and lean angle directly onto your footage. The Garmin Virb XE, when paired with the right setup, offers compelling possibilities for integrating OBD2 data relay and enhancing your action camera videos with crucial motorcycle metrics. Let’s delve into what’s achievable and how you can leverage this technology.
Unlocking Data Overlay with Garmin Virb
Garmin has designed its Virb action cameras to be more than just video recorders. They are built to integrate with various sensors and devices, and it appears that pulling data similar to what you see on your motorcycle’s Nav VI device and embedding it into your video footage is indeed feasible. This means displaying metrics such as RPM, speed, GPS location, engine temperature, and even tyre pressures directly on your video. While Garmin expresses confidence in their integration and video editing software to achieve this, the exact range of data points, including desired metrics like gear position and lean angle, needs practical exploration to confirm full capability.
Smartphone Pairing for Live View
A key point to note is that while your Nav VI GPS device is excellent for navigation and data display, it won’t show the live video feed from your Garmin Virb. For that, you’ll need to pair your Virb camera with a smartphone. This smartphone pairing is essential for monitoring the camera’s view, adjusting settings, and potentially accessing advanced features related to data integration and overlay.
Powering Your Virb on the Go
Powering action cameras on a motorcycle can be tricky. Garmin suggests their Rugged 10 Meter Power Cable for direct connection to the bike’s power source. However, for a more integrated setup, exploring alternatives like utilizing the USB ports on devices like the HEX EZCAN could be a worthwhile endeavor. This approach could potentially eliminate the need for proprietary cables and streamline your motorcycle’s setup. Investigating the compatibility of the standard Virb charging cable with the HEX EZCAN’s USB output is a practical step to potentially save on accessories and simplify wiring.
Dual Camera Flexibility
For comprehensive video coverage, using multiple cameras is often desired. Garmin Virb offers flexibility here, allowing you to pair two Virb units, even with different frame rate settings (like a Virb X at 30 FPS and a Virb XE at 60 FPS). The Garmin software is designed to merge footage from these different cameras seamlessly during editing, providing a synchronized and multi-angle perspective of your rides.
Continuous Recording with Loop Functionality
Managing storage space on action cameras during long rides is important. Garmin Virb cameras address this with a rolling recording feature. You can set your camera to record in segments (for example, 15-minute clips) and continuously loop record. Once your memory card is full, the camera will automatically overwrite the oldest files, ensuring you never miss capturing new footage. With a large capacity card like 128GB, this loop recording function provides ample recording time for extended journeys without manual intervention.
In conclusion, integrating Garmin Virb cameras with motorcycle data opens up exciting possibilities for enriching your riding videos. While the full extent of OBD2 data relay and overlay capabilities requires hands-on testing, the potential to display real-time metrics, combined with features like smartphone pairing, flexible power options, multi-camera support, and loop recording, makes the Garmin Virb a strong contender for motorcycle enthusiasts looking to add a data-driven dimension to their action footage.
