The headset you’ve been looking forward to.

Communication and visuals are key concepts when it comes to riding a motorcycle. Both are vital tools in keeping you aware of situations while riding the open roads. The concept of a motorcycle intercom system goes beyond just connecting your phone to a wireless headset to receive phone calls on the go. Features such as group intercom allow you to keep in touch with your fellow riders, meaning you don’t resort to having to remove your hands from the bars to make hand signs indicating what direction to take. That’s the importance of quick communication.

Meanwhile, recording visuals serve to educate new and experienced riders the dos and don’t of motorcycle riding. As a bonus, recording your surroundings can provide a trip down memory lane. Action cameras such as Sena’s Prism line became a hit for action sports enthusiasts as it allowed them to create highlight reels. The camera system has also found their way to serve as a dashcam for motorcyclists as well.

But a device that combines a Bluetooth® motorcycle headset with an action camera integrated into the unit? Could such a device that keeps communication lines open and records visuals exist? As it so happens, Senacreated the first-ever intercom/camera hybrid back in 2015. Now, in 2019, we’re introducing the first-ever intercom/camera hybrid capable of recording in 4K!

The 10C EVO - Revealed

Sena’s 10C headset was the first-ever combined intercom system and camera platform. The 10C Pro improved on the concept by upgrading the camera with the capability of recording at 2K quality (or quad HD), becoming a popular headset with many riders, but as technology advanced, so too did the desire for an upgraded headset/camera hybrid, one that could produce 4K quality video.

The 10C EVO brings together Bluetooth communication and 4K video recording.

We're happy to say that such a device is now available. Sena has worked hard to produce a headset that can connect a group of four friends riding together, connects to your smartphone for navigational, music, and phone purposes, and is able to record quality video. That is what the 10C EVO is in a convenient package.

So What Is It?

A lot of people have been looking forward to this item since it was announced. An upgrade to the 10C Pro, the 10C EVO is a combination Bluetooth headset and action camera designed for use in motorcycle and other Powersports helmets. Talking with your buddies while you ride and recording the adventures at the same time is a boon to any rider; plus, the device can serve as insurance if you happen to get hit by a careless driver. You’ll have them on camera, after all!

Of course, that should only be an additional perk. The action camera’s main purpose is to record your adventures so you can share them with friends. With Smart Audio Mix™ being a part of the feature set, you can even narrate and/or overlay your music into the video stream.

What’s The Build Like?

The 10C EVO has a smaller profile in comparison to its predecessor, housing the camera lens inside the unit. 

Advancements in technology have made it possible to have compact devices that still pack an impressive feature set. The 10C EVO is approximately 10% smaller in comparison to its predecessor yet is still able to pack in an impressive camera system capable of recording in 4K/30FPS. The slimmer shape also lessens wind resistance which can affect your ride. Sena’s tried and true jog dial returns while the phone button on the back of the unit enables you to speak with your smartphone’s voice assistant, such as Siri. The top button controls the camera, and the LED indicates functions (blue=unit is on, green=camera is on). The 10C EVO has a video recording time of 1.5 hours and supports up to 128GB microSD cards.

How Does It Work?

The action camera is perfect for recording in both urban and outdoor settings.

If you’re familiar with Sena’s previous headset models, you’re pretty much set. Use the jog dial button and the phone button to turn the device on/off, adjust the volume by turning the jog dial, turn on the camera with its dedicated button at the top...these are some of the basic functions to start. The full list of functions can be found by reading up on the QuickStart and Users Guides in our Documents section.

You’ll want to attach the headset in a comfortable position on your helmet’s left side. Pair the device to your phone via Bluetooth connection to make the most of it. If you’re planning on riding with a group, utilize the 10C EVOs group intercom feature to keep in touch while riding. Both you and a fellow rider should hold down on the jog dial button for three seconds to engage and confirm headset pairing; up to four riders can connect in this manner.

Once you’re ready to use the camera features, download the Camera app from your phone’s app store to help you get started. You can connect to the camera and have a live view of where the camera is pointing, so you can then adjust the angle as needed. While in the Camera app, you can also adjust settings such as video recording mode, video resolution, speaker sound recording (Smart Audio Mix™), and more. When you’re ready to go, turn on recording by holding the Camera button on the 10C EVO (or alternatively by using the Camera app) and you’ll be recording whatever the camera is pointing to.

A Small Demonstration

Rider to rider communication is still a must for a Sena headset (Photo: Kaycee Landsaw @kaycee_landsaw)

When a few samples sent by the R&D team arrived at our offices, a few of us had a chance to try the 10C EVO for ourselves. The product specs were being finalized at this point, but otherwise, this version of the headset was ready for live testing. The following is an excerpt from one of our office testers:

When I heard that we were getting samples in the office, I got excited. I asked to try one out and was granted access. I strapped the unit on to my helmet, mounted my GoPro to my handlebars (finally not a block on top of my helmet), and took off for a ride.

Connecting the EVO to my phone was an easy enough process, being the same setup as any other headset. The most important thing for me was that my phone would connect so I could receive phone calls and listen to my music (I’m typically a lone rider). During my ride, the audio from my music and from phone calls was clear, and after asking people who I was talking to how I sounded, I found that the audio was transmitted clearly to recipients. 

Being one of the earlier prototypes, I didn’t have full access to the Camera settings (in addition to the app being worked on for iOS), but the camera was set up to record at 4K/30 FPS. Taking a trip to a local portion of Pacific Coast Highway, I took the exit ramp and got a good glimpse of the sea as the sun was setting. I’m one who usually goes for a nice landscape shot, whether it’s riding on my motorcycle or taking pictures of an area. The results were excellent, in my opinion. I still keep the 10C EVO strapped to my helmet just because of its usefulness!

A brief clip of the 10C EVO in action.

Some Additional Tips

The following are some tips and additional features to make the most out of your 10C EVO:

1. You can keep an eye on your 10C EVO’s battery level. The LED light indicates the battery level of the headset when you first turn it on, flashing red until it connects to your smart device. The number of flashes indicates an estimate of the power level:
   • 4 flashes = High, approx. 70-100%
   • 3 flashes = Medium, approx. 30-70%
   • 2 flashes = Low, approx. 0-30%
   If you’d prefer an audio cue to inform you of the level, keep holding down the jog dial and phone buttons to have a voice prompt indicate how much juice the battery has.
2. Even if you don’t have music on your smart device, the EVO comes with a built-in FM radio (turned on by holding the phone button for a second) so you can listen to local stations.
3. Don’t forget that you can take pictures with the camera! While the camera is on, you can tap the camera button to take a single photo. Change configurations in the settings and you can have the camera take 8 photos using Burst Shot mode!
4. The 10C EVO accepts microSD cards with up to 128GB capacity. When it comes to video recording, that equates to nearly 2 hours of video recording at 4K/30FPS. Consider that when making your choice!
5. The camera keeps you informed on the status of your video recording, such as telling you when it’s recording, when the memory is full, or when the camera is turned off due to inactivity (default of 5 minutes).

We’re Excited About This One. Are You Ready? 

People back at Sturgis had a chance to test out the final specs prototypes and were left excited, commenting on its performance and usefulness. Others who had the opportunity to test it out before launch were ecstatic with the results, noting the various video recording options and the Smart Audio Mix™ feature as a boon. As soon as the Buy Now button went live on our website, riders were quick to order their new headset, making it one of the most sought out items in our inventory.

The 10C EVO is available for $399 on Sena.com, Amazon, and at your local motorcycle shop.

Capturing the open road with the 10C EVO.