In addition to adding support for the new RaceCapture via WiFi, we ‘ve added support for the Polaroid Cube+ WiFi camera to SoloStorm v8. We will also be announcing a new SoloStorm RaceCapture turn-key package once integration testing is complete and the update is released.
Unfortunately, using a WiFi connection to connect to any device means that any other WiFi enabled devices can not be used by SoloStorm at the same time, for example the use of multiple WiFi cameras – but it does add more ways you can learn to be a faster driver, and we like that.
The Polaroid Cube+ camera appears to be a good bargain for the money – video is of decent quality, the unit seems durable, and it responds well to remote commands. There are, however, 2 disadvantages when using a Cube+:
- Only full-resolution video is recorded. This means that it takes a long time to download video in between runs for review, which is probably something that you will want to disable.
- The audio stream in Cube+ videos is encoded in a format that is not supported natively by Android devices. When you play the video file with the native Android player (which is used when viewing a real-time overlay), there is no sound. Fortunately, you can install the free VLC video player from the Google Play Store, which supports the audio codec and will play sound. This can not be used to review video with a real-time overlay. Also, the video overlay and sync options are not available.
Still, if you have a Cube+ camera and want to capture video for later review, or you are on a tight budget, then this could be a solution. Leaving the camera connected to USB power is highly recommended.
Given that GoPro cameras offer a low resolution preview file which can be quickly downloaded and reviewed, we still recommend it as the camera to have for the serious competitor.