Sena 50C Motorcycle Communication and 4K Camera System Review

[MotoNews]

Published in: Gear

If you want to mount a comm system and an action cam to your motorcycle helmet, you might want to combine the two units to make life easier. The Sena 50C cam/comm fits the bill here. But is it asking for too much from a small device?

We spent plenty of time recording content on the earlier SENA 10C Pro. Where after a few firmware updates and playing with settings, we were able to get 1080P videos with decent audio. The newer Mesh communication-based 50C not only promises clearer communication channels and 4K video but also sound backed by Harmon Kardon speakers.

The 50C is bulkier than the previous model, and more modern-looking. It has a similar jog-wheel and button controls, so those familiar with previous models won’t have much to relearn. The feature navigation is the same, but the app has been improved. One nice feature is hooking up Bluetooth (as opposed to Mesh) communicators, which can now be done in the app vs. having to use the Sena unit’s audio prompts and blinking light interface. One major improvement is the ability to connect comms via Bluetooth through the app, instead of the old button-mashing routine.

The 50C uses the Sena Motorcycles app, available for iOS and Android, to change most settings. Here you can manage intercom connections and music playback controls. You can also change most of your device settings in the app, like noise control, phone and intercom VOX commands and sensitivity.

As a communicator, the Mesh system works well. The cam/comm links up quickly to a SENA 50S using the same protocol and a simple press of the top button near the 50C’s pop-up antenna. The sound quality from the 50S is very good, even with earplugs. Music quality is also excellent.

To activate the video and still camera functions, the user must tap the bottom forward button, then press and hold to start a video recording. The 50C’s 4K camera provides 1–2 hours of recording and is much sharper than the 10C Pro. It’s not going to give you the visual clarity of a quality dedicated action cam, but as a secondary camera that can record both rider and group chatter, it works well.

We love the voice prompt that notifies the user when recording has started or stopped. Trying to see tiny blinking lights in direct sunlight is less than ideal for recording while riding, and Sena’s voice prompts let you know exactly what you’re getting; an inherent benefit of having an all-in-one unit. But it can also cause some complications.

Anyone who’s owned SENAs knows how important it is to keep the firmware up to date. Sena is generally good about introducing features and bug fixes, but with a multifunctional product like the 50C, it must be challenging. We received the unit from SENA shortly after it launched with firmware 1.0.0. While most of the functions worked, the audio in recorded videos was blown out and peaked very easily.

Then came a much-welcomed 1.0.1 update, which provided a slightly different menu of options. It allowed the audio gain to be set, but we noticed the recorded voice audio was too low and trimming words. You can hear the effect of this on our YouTube Royal Enfield Scram 411 test ride video. We assume the new Harmon Kardon microphone is more sensitive than the previous unit and needed tuning.

https://youtu.be/TjokgoV8XUs?t=39

With the recent release of firmware 1.1.0, most of these problems seem to be fixed. It also appears to automatically generate low-res versions of the video files for app preview.

Software-wise, the biggest improvement we’d love to see is streamlining all the app functions into one which uses Bluetooth only. Once the app identifies which unit it’s linked to, it can enable any relevant features.

Hardware-wise, the Sena 50C is built quite well. The only features we’d like to see added are a pivoting/adjustable adhesive base since the clamp-on version (which pivots) doesn’t work well on helmets with narrow/tapered head openings. We’d also like the ability to mark the camera rotation angle (for the horizon) if the unit is moved to another helmet or gets pushed out of place.

Ultimately, it’s asking a lot for a product this size to carry so much functionality at a consumer price of around $550. Most users may not examine video WAVE files for hair-split audio irregularities, but it would be nice if these issues were tidied up before launch. Despite some teething problems, the new 50C is still a mainstay on our helmets as a solid all-in-one unit. We feel upcoming firmware and app development will make it easier to use and an even more useful and creative addition to any motorcycle helmet.

Sena.com

MSRP:

$549 (single unit)

Where to Buy:

      

PROS:

• Still the best combined intercom and recording device
• Good-looking 4K video
• Built well and uses USB-C
• Similar button layout to previous models

CONS:

• Audio firmware settings need tweaking (at least at launch)
• Pairing non-Mesh devices still takes some work
• Be sure to keep current with firmware updates
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are needed for separate apps
• No pivoting adhesive base

Read more ...

View the full article