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An idea has occurred to me for a handlebar readout for the the Jones JR Counter. It is to use a rear-view camera system that is generally available on newer motor vehicles. When mounted on a bike, the camera could be mounted on the fork blade and aimed at the counter's digits.

The price on these systems is coming down pretty rapidly. Here is a Pyle that is available on Amazon.com for $54.

http://tinyurl.com/5ufg468 (Amazon.com)

http://tinyurl.com/6k5ydlz (Pyle specs)

The unit is night vision capable and has a 2.5" LCD monitor which would be a nice size for mounting on the handlebars. I can see two obstacles with this unit, though. 1. One would have to rig up a 12VDC 200 mA power supply. 2. The camera would have wide angle coverage of probably 120 degrees or more. About a 30 degree, close-up, coverage would seem to be more applicable for this use. Perhaps a more appropriate camera would be readily available as it is just a plug-in unit.

Soon to be on the market is this Cerevellum Hindsight rear view camera made for bicycles.

http://www.cerevellum.com/hindsight.php

http://www.gadgethighlight.com...ital-bicycle-mirror/

This unit would be ready to go. The rechargeable battery is listed to last 13 hours under continuous use. There would still be the wide-angle camera coverage issue. Since it is also a plug-in camera, perhaps a more appropriate camera could be found for narrow-view, close-up, use. The Cereyellum unit has not been priced yet but, being the first on the market for a bicycle, I would expect it to be rather expensive. I would also expect other brands to hit the market in the near future and the prices should come down rapidly.

In the meantime, someone may be able to adapt an automotive unit or even one put together from parts. If the camera/LCD resolution is good for reading the digits, it seems that it should work. Vibration of the camera might be a problem but should be able to be delt with. There would be no physical connection to the Jones Counter as the camera could be clamped to the fork.

Hope that someone might be able to make use of this idea.

Best wishes,
Bob
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I'm doing some preliminary experiments with another possible option: a point and shoot camera (something that many of us might already have). I mounted an inexpensive Casio camera with a 5X zoom lens on my handlebars with a Joby Gorillapod and it produced a very readable image. But the method of mounting was not secure enough to prevent camera vibration when the bike was moving. There are many dedicated camera mounts for bicycles that no doubt would do the job. I'll do some trial and error experimenting (starting with the least expensive mounts) and see where it goes. Here's one possibility:

http://tinyurl.com/3cbgvcd

FYI: For extra long battery life, I use the highly-rated Sanyo Eneloop rehargable batteries in my cameras.

http://tinyurl.com/3zzp3fg

If anyone cares to join me in finding a workable solution using a P&S camera I'd be happy to hear about their experiences here on the forum.

Best regards,

Mike Coyne
Something I had thought about trying out in the past was a "Digital Inspection Scope".

Scope Article

Available for $139 from Home Depot.

More features from RYOBI

+ Digital zoom feature provides up to 2x magnification
+ 4 stage ultra-bright LED light for complete image brightness control
+ On-screen image rotates 180 degrees to adjust to operator's perspective
+ Bright, 2.7" high resolution color LCD Screen for crisp, clear images
+ Durable 3' flexible, water resistant camera cable for viewing in confined areas
+ On-screen battery voltage indicator alerts you when its time to recharge



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