Optima2 with Hypeye

[Proximity 0]

Hello everyone

I'm planing on getting a new Optima2 w/visual port and i would like to use a hypeye D pro with it. As far as I saw, you have to get the expansion kit and rewire some stuff inside the round box. All the soldering and such is no problem for me as I work with comparable things every day but i would like to know if it is possible to get a direct connection from the optima2 to the LED at your eye without that black box thing inbetween? My helmet doesn't really have enough extra space to spare.

Thank you

[RyanFYF 0]

I have the optima2 with visual port and use the XLled with it. it is very small and easy to use. I don't even have it in my eye, just pointed at my eye from the forhead liner of my cookie G3. works perfect and the led is BRIGHT. Hypeye D has an expansion that allows you to use multiple inputs

here's a link I found

http://www.gethypoxic.com/manufacturers/get_hypoxic/expansionkit.htm

I say just get the LED that is made for the optima2. it's worth the $40-$50

[Proximity 0]

Thanks for the input

I saw the LED from optima, but i like how the Hypeye LEDs are (at the tip of the cable, pretty good sealed, easy to stow under the helmet pading and robust).
You can get the MMCX male jack (the one that fits into the optima 2) for around 10$ and a spare hypeye led cable for 10$ or the mini hypeye for 50$.
I asked the manufacturer if it would work if i strip the wires and derectly solder the plug onto it. Then you yould get a hypeye LED for your optima 2 for 20$ which is in my opinion the best solution.
Ill post the respond i get here and may post some pictures of the final product when im finished (won't be anytime soon tho)

cheers

[Proximity 0]

OK so i ordered some stuff and wired and pluged it all together and made this: (see attached picture)

You can customize the colors you want to have by disconnecting the + and - leads from the optima cable and re-attaching them to the hypeye. available colors: red, orange and blue, with or without a set of 3 red LEDs on the edges. Or only the 3 red edge LEDs giving a possible 2 combinations, if that made any sense ;D

Total price for everything (excluding the optima2 of course) is 20 usd, give or take.

Things ill be adding in the next few days:
-adjust overall length, so there isn't more room inside the helmet being used than necessary
-Better connectors between both cables (isolated better / cleaner finish)

How much would you guys be willing to pay for it if you would be looking for something like this? I was thinking i would be able to sell them for the price of 1 Jump ticket (40chf/43usd here in Switzerland)

Blue skies

[waveoff5500 0]

if you need an LED to know your altitude...youre doing it wrong.

"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not"

1653

[Proximity 0]

Well then i guess L&B added the LED port just for people who "do something wrong" ;)
For me it's just another warning, added to my altitude awarness arsenal and not for compensating anything i would be doing wrong lol

If you think its useless, fine then dont get a LED :P

[DougH 270]

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if you need an LED to know your altitude...youre doing it wrong.

Gee thanks for sharing. It is just another indicator to catch your attention. It is helpful when your doing other things like shooting video which can take more of your attention.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[waveoff5500 0]

hey i use a cameye for camera jumps, its useful because i cant see my camera during a jump. with regard to altitude you should have a wrist altimeter, an audible hell even two altimeters extra (tandem instructor and student). an led for altitudes is gimicky and can just entice jumpers to depend on it. whats the use if it fails and you go sailing through your hard deck because youve become reliant on it? use your eyes and your other tools and if you cant handle something as simple as altitude awareness without an led then you shouldnt be flying camera.

"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not"

1653

[DSE 5]

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if you need an LED to know your altitude...youre doing it wrong.

Why have an audible? Why have an altimeter? Your eyes are all you _need_. Altimeters, audibles, even AADs fail for a variety of reasons.
Some people cannot hear audibles.

Having tools that provide additional information are not a bad thing, but they should not be the 'only' thing.

[waveoff5500 0]

i agree with what youre saying. the point im trying to make is that a wrist altimeter does the job fine and forces the user to get into the habit of checking altitude. an audible is a great backup, but the more "tools" you introduce, the more likely a person is to begin to rely on these tools instead of forming good habits like checking altitude and picking up visual cues. many people are familiar with "waiting" to hear their audible and even not checking their main altimeter.

the old phrase "if it aint broke dont fix it" really applies here. an led altimeter didnt stop people going in right and left when it came out. its a gimmick for most. altimeters, arguably audibles and most definitely aads can be said to noticable change the statistics.

there may be some types of jumping where its hard to access a visual altimeter as easily (wingsuiting, maybe speed skydiving) where they could be useful but i definitely dont think they are a good idea for habit building when a new, just off student status jumper, is using one.

"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not"

1653

[DSE 5]

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i definitely dont think they are a good idea for habit building when a new, just off student status jumper, is using one.

We're in total agreement here. From my own perspective, a newer skydiver should not be using even an audible.
Train the eyes and body clock first.

[Proximity 0]

Thanks for all the input,
I havent actually been able to use the LED yet, i have been using a Pro-Dytter my cusin gave me for the last 10 jumps. I have done all my jumps so far before that with an analog alti on my hand and never failed to keep altitude awareness, exept on my first RW jump with an instructor, but he gave me a good hand signal to seperate, I was told I wasn't the only one to loose track of hight at the first RW jump (:

The main reason i made this was because of my job and looking at the pieces and thinking: hey, for 20 bucks, why not try to get something like this working.
If you got all the equipment to tinker with, why not use it once in a while? ;D

I surely will test it someday but the first place i would go with any new piece of equipment is to the instructor at the DZ and ask him about his thoughts on it.

[waveoff5500 0]

exactly, not just trying to stir the pot haha

"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not"

1653

[RyanFYF 0]

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the old phrase "if it aint broke dont fix it" really applies here.

So I assume your jumping a round with a frap hat? just playin!!!

[Southern_Man 0]

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the old phrase "if it aint broke dont fix it" really applies here.

So I assume your jumping a round with a frap hat? just playin!!!

Why would a round have a frap hat on it?

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[RyanFYF 0]

Really? That's what you took away from that?