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F-requently A-sked Q-uestions

What's New for the 2010 Tachyon XC?

90 Degree Wide-Angle Lens grabs more of the scene than ever before. Matches the sweet spot of human vision.

Vastly improved image sensing - works great indoors, in the shade, under water, and in the sun.

Time Lapse Photos; automatically take one photo every 2 seconds.

Capable of shooting in 3D when you have two Tachyon XC's, the 3D Mount, and our 3D Video Maker software.

Improved Strength - takes more hard knocks and goes deeper under water.

Improved Sound - videos sound better than ever.

What's New for the Tachyon XC Micro?

 

90 Degree Wide-Angle Lens grabs more of the scene than ever before. Matches the sweet spot of human vision.

Same great video quality as the 2010 Tachyon XC.

Time Lapse Photos; automatically take one photo every 2 seconds.

Works great indoors, in the shade, under water, and in the sun.

Smaller and lighter than the 2010 XC - controlled by an easy one-button system.

Reversable, universal mounting system. Mounts easily on the top or either side of your helmet and slips effortlessly over your goggle straps.

Warranty

Tachyon products are covered by a 90-day limited warranty from the date of purchase from Tachyon, Inc. The warranty covers only defects in workmanship and materials. It does not apply to products which have been damaged due to unreasonable use or by intention nor does it cover
dissatisfaction with the product. This warranty does not cover those products purchased from other individuals & resellers and is not transferable.

Tachyon, Inc.’s warranty policy only covers products purchased directly from Tachyon Inc. If you purchased the product from our website you will have been given a purchase number with your confirmation email. Please quote this number, along with your name and email address, in your dealings with us.

If you purchased the product from an authorized reseller, please contact them for their warranty information.

(a) Tachyon, Inc.’s return policy covers only defective products. All sales are final. Monetary refunds will not be issued for any reason.
(b) Tachyon Inc will only accept returns of defective product within 90 days of purchase, as stated in the warranty above.
(c) All products will be exchanged for new products, and not for monetary returns.
(d) Before products are exchanged or returned, customer must contact Tachyon, Inc. ,via email or phone. Tachyon, Inc. will help troubleshoot the problem to avoid the unnecessary returns. If it is determined that the camera is defective, Tachyon, Inc. will authorize the return, in writing, via email. Tachyon, Inc. may request sample video clips to be sent to support@tachyoninc.com in order to ascertain the problem/defect.
(e) Customer will pay for one-way shipping to Tachyon, Inc. There is no need to use any express or overnight service. Tachyon, Inc. will pay the shipping costs for the exchange product.
(f) Returns should be sent to: 401 E Corporate Drive, Ste 100 Lewisville TX, 75057 USA

Tachyon, Inc. shall only be liable for:

(a) the replacement of a defective product with a new product.

Tachyon, Inc. shall NOT be liable for:

(a) injury to persons, or damage to property or consequential losses arising from the use of the product.
(b) a product that has been tampered with, altered, or been serviced by an unauthorized agent.
(c) damage due to the use of mounting accessories that were not included with the product or those not sold as optional accessories on our website.
(d) loss of video or still picture files for any reason.

In the event that goods are undelivered to recipient and are returned to Tachyon Inc by post, for any of, but not limited to, the following reasons:

a) the recipient entered his/her address on Tachyon’s order form incorrectly or incompletely,
b)  the recipient refused the package,
c) the recipient did not pick up the package in a timely manner from his/her local post office, customs office, or any other location in which the package was being held,

the recipient will be responsible for covering the shipping costs needed to resend their goods to them. 
The original shipping costs cannot be recovered by Tachyon Inc and will be considered payment for a service already rendered.

In the event that the recipient refuses to have the goods resent and the goods are still in like new condition, Tachyon Inc will not refund shipping costs and will charge a 15% restocking fee.

  Which light is best for taking videos?

 

The 2010 Tachyon XC and Micro''s High-Dynamic Image Sensor grabs good video under a wide range of lighting conditions. So taking video in all but very dark conditions will be quite acceptable.

 

Why shouldn’t I use rechargeable batteries?

Our shock-proof battery cartridge was designed to hold regular-size batteries. Rechargeable batteries are slightly larger and if forced into the cartridge may cause the cartridge to expand and become stuck inside your camera.

Rechargeable batteries also put out different voltage from normal batteries and may damage your camera.

  What is the best kind of memory card to use?

 

We recommend in the manual that you use an 8GB SDHC card because these will give you long recording times and a higher speed than an SD card.

But if you have or would like to buy an 4GB, 16GB or 32GB SDHC card, be assured that they are fully compatible with the Tachyon XC and will give longer recording time.

But not all SDHC cards are the same. So for smoother videos, we recommend Class 6 SDHC cards with 10MB/s or above speed.

The XC Micro makes use of MicroSD cards.

  How can I record for a longer time?

 

You can change your settings from S (Superior Level) to H (High), M (Medium) or L (Long). Using a 4GB SDHC card on H setting, you can record for 2 hours. On M for four hours. And on L for eight hours.

But we highly recommend that you stick with the S (superior) setting
for the best video quality.
  Why is the sound not very good on my recordings?

 

The microphone of the Tachyon XC and XC Micro is sealed inside its waterproof container to prevent water, dust and dirt from entering the camera’s workings. This inevitably reduces the quality of the audio in your recordings.

And as these are action cameras, an external microphone would not be much of an improvement. You would find that your sound was nothing more than the wind buffeting your microphone.

If you are in a safe and clean environment, you might want to consider leaving the back of your camera open so that you can grab more sound. But be warned; this will allow water and dirt to get inside your camera. Do not do this if you have any doubts.
  Can I connect the camera to a tripod?

 

Yes, with the included Swivel Mount and General Mount, which can easily mount your Tachyon XC to any standard tripod.


The XC Micro is not designed for tripod use.
  Are Tachyon XC & XC Micro videos YouTube compatible?

 

They certainly are. the Tachyon videos are recorded in VGA resolution, which is perfect for uploading to YouTube. After upload, your videos can be played in YouTube’s high-quality mode. And if your video editing software can render to HD size, your videos will show up in YouTube's HD mode.

See how you can make your YouTube videos load faster:

  How can I mix together a cool video with my recordings from the Tachyon XC or XC Micro?

 

There are numerous digital movie editors that you can use to make professional-looking videos. Windows and Macintosh systems both come with free video editors, but there are others available for purchase. These are all quite capable of producing professional-looking finished results.

Note: Final Cut Pro needs a workaround to use our files. See Rec Tips.
  Can I use the Tachyon XC or XC Micro as a webcam?
  No. To avoid complicated installation procedures the Tachyon cameras can not be used as a webcam. And besides, they are designed for action, not for sitting on your desk!
  What are NTSC and PAL?

 

NTSC and PAL are two different TV systems. NTSC is used in the USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, while PAL is used in the EU and most of the rest of the world.

The default setting on the XC is NTSC, so if you are in an NTSC country you will be able to play your videos on your TV immediately. If you are in a PAL country, you must switch to PAL on the menu that will be displayed on your TV. There is no need for you to change any recording settings on your camera. The only change you will need to make will be on the TV menu.

  Will the Tachyon XC and Micro work in the cold and snow?

 

The Tachyon cameras will work in reasonably cold weather and snowy conditions. But always remember that batteries drain faster in the cold than they do in warm temperatures. So please use the recommended Energizer e2 Lithium/Ultimate Lithium Batteries for longer battery life.

It is also a good idea when not recording, to keep your camera under your coat and next to your body.

  What are the Tachyon XC and Micro's operating temperature ranges?
  The operating temperature range for the Tachyon cameras is from 15 to 125 Degrees Fahrenheit, or about -20 to +50 Centigrade. But try not to keep it too long near either of these extremes.
  How long can I keep my camera under water?

 

For up to 30 minutes to a depth of 2 Atmospheres (34 feet (10.4 meters). At shallower depths you can stay longer, but to be on the safe side try not to keep your camera underwater for more than 30 minutes.

If you have been using your camera in salt water, be sure to wash it off with fresh water after use. This will help to prevent salt water residue from rusting the metal pieces on the camera.

  Why doesn’t the Tachyon XC's remote work?

 

Have you installed two fresh AAA batteries into your remote controller?

Are you pointing your remote controller at the front of the camera towards the infra red receiver below the lens?

Were you too far away from the camera when using it? You shouldn’t be more than 10 or 15 feet away.

Remember that the remote control is not waterproof. Did you attempt to use it in the water? If so, you may have damaged it.

  Video Shooting Tips

 

For the best color, try to shoot in the best light possible.

In action situations you will often encounter a lot of vibration. So it is a good thing to remember that your body makes a great shock absorber. Mounting your camera on your helmet, shoulder, or waist will give you a smoother video than if you mount it directly to whatever it is you are riding.

Make sure you are using the Superior “S” setting for the best image quality. See your manual for how to change back to the S setting if you are now on the H, M, or L setting.

Be sure to use a fast SDHC card. A Class 6 10MB/s speed or above should do the job very well.

  Why are the buttons so hard to press?

 

We’ve found that if we made the buttons too easy to press, they would occasionally be triggered when engaging in extreme activities. And when the camera was tested deep under water, the water pressure would cause the buttons to jam.

We feel that the current setting gives the best compromise between ease of use and unintentional triggering and jamming.
  Will I have any problem if I leave my batteries in the camera?

 

As with most electronic products, it is better if you take the batteries out if you don’t plan on using them. Leaking or expanding batteries could cause damage to your connections, or even become jammed inside your camera.

It is also a good idea to remove the batteries from the cartridge and the cartridge from the camera and leave the back door open. This will relieve pressure on the springs, contacts, and rubber seal. If you do leave the back door open, it is probably a good idea to keep the camera in a Ziploc bag, to prevent dust or dirt from getting inside.

  I don’t have an SD card slot on my computer. How can I open my files?

 

Some computers do not have SD card ports, so you will either need to connect your camera to your computer with the included USB cable or you may purchase a card reader that will attach to your computer.

On Macintosh computers you will not be able to use iMovies to directly open your video files from your camera, so you will need too copy your files to your computer first.

  What are Frames Per Second (FPS) and how do they relate to video quality?

 

Although the human eye can generally see around 24 frames per second of video, the Tachyon XC and XC Micro record at 30 FPS in all modes. We have optimized these settings to give you the best recordings, while minimizing battery use and memory size.
  Will the shipping cost for 2 cameras be twice as much as the shipping cost for one camera? How about the shipping cost for the optional accessories?

 

No. The shipping cost for additional cameras will only be 30% of the first camera.

Optional accessories ship for free when bought with a Tachyon XC camera.
  Why does my camera sometimes split a long recording into several files?
  If your saved video file is too large, you may have trouble playing it back. So for that reason we limit file sizes to 3.5GB.

We also limit the length of your files to 1 hour 30 minutes. But don’t worry; your camera will begin recording a new file automatically. There is no need for you to do anything.
  Why has my camera stopped recording?
  Either your batteries are dead, or your memory card is full. Installing fresh batteries or moving your video files off of your memory card and on to your computer will get you up and recording again.
  Micro Switch Positions
Tachyon XC Micro Switches For taking Video, the left switch should be in the Video position and the right switch should be in the Unlocked position.
Tachyon XC Micro Switches For taking Photos, the left switch should be in the Photo position and the right switch should be in the Unlocked position.
Tachyon XC Micro Switches To lock your Micro so that pressure on your START/STOP button will not inadvertently turn it off, slide the switch on the right to the Lock position.

This is especially useful when diving to prevent the high water pressure from shutting off the camera.
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