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Downloading Porsche Track App videos from an iPhone - a "how-to"
I have received several PM's asking/discussing on how best to download videos recorded on an iPhone using the Porsche Track Precision App.
Below, are two of the best and easiest ways to do it that have been discovered thus far. Neither solution requires a "jail-break" of your iPhone, nor do you need Apple AirPlay. In my book, that's a win-win.
(By way of background, in case you're wondering why this topic is even being discussed. The Porsche Track App allows you to record your track videos using your phone -- either an Apple iPhone or an Android device of your choosing. With the latter, downloading/exporting the videos is simply a matter of removing the SD card (or microSD) and exporting the data into your laptop/desktop. With the former, however, Apple for some reason has disabled exporting the video files form its version of the Track App, even though it allows for exporting of all other relevant data that the Track App records, such as telemetry, G-Force, throttle, braking, etc. Weird, I know. But it is, what it is.)
SOLUTION NO. 1 Apple iOS 8 + Mac OS X Yosemite
This is the most elegant and simple solution. However, it requires that you are running both iOS 8 on your iPhone (or later) and OS X Yosemite on your Mac (or later).
1. Connect the iPhone to your Mac using the lightening cable
2. Open QuickTime on the Mac
3. Under the File tab for QuickTime, select "New Movie Recording"
4. The "Movie Recording" window will pop-up.
5. Look for this downward pointing arrow "˅" next to the red button. Click that "v" and select your iPhone.
6. The QuickTime program on the Mac now recognizes your iPhone and your iPhone's screen will be replicated on your Mac, as seen below.
7. Now, click the Record button on your Mac screen.
8. Then on your iPhone, open up the Track App and play the video you want to download/export.
9. Once the video finishes playing on your iPhone, hit the Stop button on your Mac and, voila, you've downloaded your Track App video.
Aside from using QuickTime as a conduit, this solution is really no different than exporting video from a GoPro. You're essentially transferring the files from a portable device to your laptop/desktop. With a GoPro, it's a simple direct file transfer with a USB cable. With the iPhone, the principle is the same, but QuickTime is a necessary intermediary. #AppleLogic
SOLUTION NO. 2 No OS X Yosemite and no "jail-break" required
This is not nearly as elegant a solution, but for those of us who either (1) do not own/use a Mac or (2) do own/use a Mac but refuse to buy/upgrade to Yosemite OS, this is the solution for you. And no jail-break.
Solution No. 2 essentially is mirroring your iPhone screen. In other words, it is using your iPhone to video record your iPhone. (Sorry, if I am being a bit pedantic but for some of us, like me, this is all sort of new gobbly-gook. Not trying to be condescending, just sort of looking out for Luddites among us. ) You will not need a separate laptop to use Solution No. 2. Just your iPhone is sufficient.
1. From your iPhone, go to emu4ios.net using your browser (either Safari, Chrome, or whatever you use to browse the web on your phone).
2. From that screen, select the iRec app (circled in red below) and hit the "GET" button.
(FYI, the emu4ios.net store has a selection of Apps for your iPhone that are not on the Apple App Store. Totally safe, no worries, no bugs. You're good to go. Trust me on this. And, of course, no jail-break. )
3. After you select the "GET" button, a window will pop up asking if you would like to install the "iRec" app. Select "Install" as indicated below.
4. Once the iRec finishes installing, you should see the iRec app icon appear on your iPhone's home screen, as shown below.
5. Now, click on the iRec icon, and the screen below will appear.
6. Hit the green "Start Recording" button and then switch over to the Porsche Track App on your iPhone, and select the video you want to export/download.
7. Let the video play and when it finishes, hit the "home" button on your iPhone to return to the home screen on your iPhone, where you should see a red bar across the top of your screen. Like this.
8. Tap on the red bar across the top of your iPhone screen. This will return you to the iRec App screen where you will be able to stop the recording.
9. Once you have stopped the recording, hit the little "Recordings" icon at the bottom of the page, and your video file should appear under the title that it was initially named as. In this case, a hypothetical "z".
10. Select the file you want (in our case "z") and it will then prompt and ask whether you want to export the file. In our case, the answer is a resounding YES!
There you go folks. Not the most elegant, nor simple, solution. But for those of us actually using the Track App with an iPhone but otherwise running a non-Apple computer at home/work/office, this is one way to download and export your videos from track day.
Hope that has been at least somewhat helpful and intuitive. It is not meant as an endorsement of the Track App in any manner whatsoever. As I know it has been a subject of some debate and derision on these forums. But for those who are using it and wish to download/export their videos recorded using an iPhone, I hope this has been somewhat helpful.
Pardon my skepticism, but I wouldn't trust any app that is manually downloaded that hasn't gone through the App Store screening process. Who knows what that app is actually installing or doing on your device in the end.
Pardon my skepticism, but I wouldn't trust any app that is manually downloaded that hasn't gone through the App Store screening process. Who knows what that app is actually installing or doing on your device in the end.
I totally hear you, and share your concerns.
This is why some people, not me, use a dedicated iPhone for the Track App.
And if you don't have a dedicated iPhone, like yours truly, you can install and delete the iRec app for only as long as necessary to download/export your videos. The app is free.
And having plumbed through my iPhone files and root directory using iMazing, it does not appear that iRec leaves any permanent shadows, or creates unwanted malware, etc.
That said, having tried both options, No. 1 and 2, I think the only real viable solution is No. 1. And if you're not a current Mac or Yosemite user might be worthwhile to invest in a basic Mac Mini or simply upgrade your OS in your current Mac.
Having tried both options it's pretty painfully obvious the A8 processors in the iPhone 6 simply are not robust enough to simultaneously record and play video.
Using iRec, or any other mirror tool, will at a minimum leave you with a video that is out of sync (image and audio).
Thanks!
So when I install the track option thing later, I need to buy a Mac basically and follow instructions for option 1?
Going to see a friend tomorrow to learn Harry's laptimer and play with it. Testing it at Sebring next weekend, bought external GPS and if it works OK it should work in Europe for my track days there.
Harry's same problems, he answered my questions of Facebook immediately, nerds selling to Luddite sales man me LOL.
Guys, keep in mind the track app can be installed later without sportchrono clock if they ever make it more usable.
07-17-2015, 06:09 PM
Downloading Porsche Track App videos from an iPhone - a "how-to"
) You will not need a separate laptop to use Solution No. 2. Just your iPhone is sufficient. 
) 
