Pivo Max Review
DISCLOSURE – THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Dot White
The Pivo Max arrived, I couldn’t wait to unpack it with granddaughter, we had been excitedly anticipating its arrival for some time.
The box it arrived in was very large compared to the size of the Pivo Max box itself, I’m sure there was room for four Pivo Max in that size box. The remaining space was filled with crumpled up brown paper which will mean that all the packaging can go in the recycling bin so that is a good thing.
My granddaughter is in her 3rd year at university was the brains behind the operation to get the Pivo Max working. She has been coming to my house regularly at the weekend to film various pieces to be submitted towards her university course, so I already have a tripod here.
She had quickly unpacked the Pivo Max and read the instructions to attach it to the tripod together with her mobile phone. She tried to start it with the remote control but found it needed batteries which were not included. Luckily. I usually make sure I have a supply of basic battery types here so was able to provide her with a couple of AAA batteries without her having to go out specially to buy some.
The Pivo Max unit itself has to be charged from the mains in the same way you have to charge a mobile phone or tablet, and according to the instructions you can charge a second portable appliance at the same time. We haven’t created a Pivo account yet or downloaded the Pivo Apps, but it was very easy for her to pair the Pivo Max to her mobile phone, which is an iPhone and use that to control it.
Granddaughter’s first attempt at filming was a 360-degree video of my lounge! When she replayed it for me, I felt as if I was on a fast-spinning fairground ride, from her face to the display cabinet, round and round it spun, it was very realistic, but I am not great on any fairground rides!! On the box it says ‘360-degree Face and Body Tracking’ so I am puzzled what that facility would be used for, I don’t think she could use it to film herself doing pirouettes as they could both be spinning in opposite directions.
The Quick Start Guide does not tell you everything the Pivo Max can do, instead it directs you to their official YouTube Channel.
Granddaughter has to video herself performing various dances in a studio early next year so this device will prove invaluable for that as it should be able to follow her as she moves around the studio. Unfortunately, I don’t have a large enough lounge here for her to try filming herself dancing here, she can only sing and perform to the camera standing in front of a white wall which is the required background. She will need to book a Studio at Uni in the new year to film herself dancing.
Whilst googling what the Pivo Max can be used for most people appear to use it whilst horse riding or using the gym. Granddaughter wants to use it to film herself dancing so I cannot see any problems with that.
Whilst googling for information I read ‘The Pivo Max is brilliantly simple, and it’s like having a little motorized camera operator to follow you as you move around.’ This means it will be invaluable for her whilst she is doing the required filming.
It is somehow possible to put a camera between the Pivo and the phone, so the resulting recordings are of a better quality, unfortunately we don’t have a separate camera to try that.
She can also use this device whilst Face Timing by using Pivo Meet, so her dance teacher could potentially watch her remotely and give corrections.
Somehow, she should be able to switch between face tracking and body tracking to make her videos more interesting, but at the moment it is a learning curve to see how she can use this device with the best results for her needs.
She was definitely able to attach it to the tripod with her camera securely attached very quickly. In the summer my granddaughter isn’t averse to dancing and filming outside which she had to do several times during Covid, but not as it is at the moment with all the rain.
I think this Pivo Max will be a great piece of kit to film herself and others dancing her choreography, which she also has to do, early next year.
Rating: 4.5/5 as the necessary batteries were not supplied with the device.
RRP: £259.99 GBP
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