We previously introduced you to the entire Perch System which included a brief overview of the hardware. This article will explore the Perch hardware in much greater depth.
Skip ahead to:
Camera System
The Perch camera unit consists of a 3D camera encased in a rugged metal and plastic housing. The housing is designed to cradle the horizontal cross-beam of a weight rack and be securely fastened in place with the attached velcro straps. If your rack is a little unique and our camera is not compatible out of the box, check out if our rack adapter can be used in your setting.
The camera itself is on a small motor, allowing it to swivel up 140 degrees range, capturing both the platform and inside the rack (if you have a full rack). The location to which the camera looks will be determined by the lift you select. You set these specific positions when you receive the device. You can learn how to do this via our Exercise Presets article.
On the side of the camera unit are two ports:
- A USB port that will connect the tablet to the camera to ensure the tablet stays charged. This is for charging your tablet only and will not transfer any data. The tablet connects to to the camera via bluetooth for data transfer.
- A circular outlet that will either connect the camera to wall power via the supplied adapter or connect the camera to a battery via the supplied cable.
The camera weighs about 5 lbs and measures 8" x 6" by 4"
Battery
There are two options to power your Perch camera system.
- Wall Power. We supply a 12 volt, 2 amp power adapter that can be plugged into any wall outlet or extension cord.
- Battery Power. We sell a portable battery that can be used to power your camera system. The battery will come with a cable that connects it to the camera and a 12.6 volt, 2 amp wall adapter to charge the battery.
The battery has the following features:
- A switch that will turn it on and off.
- A charging level indicator.
- A port that will connect the battery to the camera via the supplied cable.
- Magnets embedded in the back, capable of magnetically securing the battery anywhere on the weight rack.
For more information, visit your article on Powering your device.
Tablet
Perch is compatible with any supported Android tablet as well as iPad, iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad Mini. We provide Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPads; however, you are free to provide your own tablets. Please note that your user experience is very much a function of the quality of your tablet and the size of the tablet's screen.
To learn more about the minimum tablet specifications and example tablets we recommend, you can read our Tablet Specifications article.
Tablet Mount
We recommend using a mount to attach your tablet somewhere on the weight rack for easy accessibility and visibility.
Your tablet mount should be sturdy so that it can handle the demands of the weight room , while also being mobile so that it can be moved around the weight room or weight rack when various lifts are being performed or different athletes are lifting.
We recommend and sell Mob Armor magnetic tablet mounts in two variations:
- Double sided magnetic mount - TabNetic. One side holds to the the rack via a strong magnet and the other side holds to an adhesive magnet that you stick to the back of the tablet.
- Single sided magnet with universal tablet holder - TabMount. One side holds to the rack and the other side firmly grips any sized tablet via adjustable arms.
Rack Adapter
Perch cameras attach to most racks with ease; however, there are some unique racks that may make mounting difficult. Some examples include:
- Sheet metal logo plates at point of attachment (Hammer strength or Sorinex)
- Circular pull up bars instead of a rectangular cross beam.
- Keiser power meters at the point of attachment.
For instances such as these and others, we manufacture a Rack Adapter. The rack adapter:
- Is made of 1/8" thick steel
- Measures 48" x 2.5" x 2.5", 12 lbs.
- Uses 3, 25 lbs magnets to secure it to the weight rack and enable easy installation. Magnets are coated in rubber to prevent damage to the rack.
More on the rack adapter can be found here.
Carrying Case
One advantage of Perch vs other systems is its mobility. We have designed a protective carrying case made by Pelican to house all of our hardware (with the exception of the rack adapter)
The foam within has also been custom designed to cradle Perch technology and protect it from bumps and bruises along the way.
