fabe32

So, I need your help:
I am doing my first PCA DE track day in 3 weeks...
I have a 2016 gt3 with sport chrono and have downloaded the track precision app on my IPhone and got it to work with the PCM.
I would like to get the best learning experience from my days at the track and would love to video record my runs and overlay with the app.
Also, as a newbie, I don't feel like spending crazy $ on setup.
So, after reading a lot...I came up with the following setup:
-GoPro Hero5 black (business expense for me)
-Iphone porsche track precision app (free as I have sport chrono)

Question:
-Where shall I place the GoPro?
-What set up as far as field of view?
-What overlay software ?

Not sure if I am overthinking it but I would love to get the max learning benefit from my first DE track day. Oh yes, I also got the stilo helmet with ear speaker and microphone to communicate well to my chatter box PCA instructor.

A dream is coming true...

Thanks for your input

linzman

IMHO, skip the video for the first few DEs, and just go and enjoy yourself, because the first few times will be very overwhelming. You'll have enough to think about trying to learn a new track, the "line", listening to your instructor, seeing flaggers, etc. Don't get me wrong, it's fun as can be, and video can teach you a lot, but the first few times there won't be much to learn from the video. It will be cool to show your friends, and may provide some comic relief if you look back at it when you're an intermediate or advanced driver, but other than that- not a whole lot of value.

Enjoy, and welcome to a great sport.

rhargy

I agree

I've found a better idea for newcomers is to take a track map and make notes on it in between sessions. Take a couple of copies because things will change for you over the weekend (to the better).

Welcome to the club.........

ProCoach

I'll disagree with my friends above.

You will want to and definitely DO need to review what you've done. Things that are not in your memory will be apparent in the video. More likely, vice versa! <grin>

There is never enough time spent on track, but there is time to review the video at (and add overlay after) the event to help prepare and flesh out rhargy's excellent track map note suggestion.

The key is to always focus forward on a limited list of what you want to do next, then record it and see how well (or even if) you were able to DO those one or two goals.

I don't do a lot with Track Precision, but I know there is an export function that would allow you to use my favorite software for this purpose, RaceRender 3, to overlay information on a better, GoPro quality, video.

Good luck, and enjoy!

boxer-11

I'd agree with having a way to review what you do in the early sessions. I'm still new enough to this that I recall the jump that having video helped me make on my way through the novice group.

Part of it may come down to how you learn though. I'm a visual learner first and kinesthetic (sp?) second. Auditory learning is harder for me -- in one ear, ok got it, out the other, oops don't got it

Thus for me being able to review the tape post facto, I was able to correlate what my instructors were saying more completely in the context of the view out the front of the car and I found there was a lot of value in comments they made that stuck better if I watched and listened several times over.

Of course for that to work, having the conversation recorded, or at least somewhat audible, is I think a big help from my perspective.

At first I freely confess that my attention was channeled enough just trying to control and feel the car that I didn't get a decent percentage of the advice I was offered in real time...it's just a bit overwhelming at first until you get comfy enough that everything starts to slow down and your brain gets ahead of the car. I think being able to mine the video afterwards helped me "get" a greater percentage of the advice and guidance faster.

You're going to have such good fun -- enjoy!

boxer-11

Separate specific tip about that since I have a Stilo with electronics too. You may have this covered but just in case...

Local to us the PCA instructor cadre have a mix of older Chatterbox units and newer ones. The older ones use a 5-pin DIN style connector (the old PS/2 keyboard plug if you are a tech person). The newer ones use a 3.5mm TRRS plug (like your iPhone headset). Neither of these cable forms plug into the Stilo direct so if you don't have them yet, I'd either:

1) get one each of the Stilo to Chatterbox adapters with the two plug styles for the chatterbox end of it; or

2) bring your own chatterbox and the adapter for your side of the deal and a "student" headset to hand to your instructor.

#2 is guaranteed to work and you can test it ahead of time. I've mostly had good luck with #1 as well (I carry the two adapters and a newer style chatterbox with me now so as to avoid problems ) but some older chatterbox units seem a bit finicky about connectors so sometimes it's failed on me.

The ear muffs in my Stilo are really good at noise attenuation. Once the engine is running and your are up to speed on the track, especially with the windows down but even with them up (tried both ) you will not really be able to hear an instructor next to you unless that person is YELLING THEIR HEAD OFF!!!

The ear muffs also make the usual standby of jamming a student headset inside your helmet pretty impractical/uncomfortable. Adapters really are your friend. Sounds results are WAY better than trying to use the student headset as well so it's worth it to figure this out, mho.

[Linda at Apex Performance -- highly recommended supplier! -- set me up with the 3.5mm to Stilo adapater and I can't recall right now where the 5-pin one came from but I can look it up later if you'd like.]

fabe32

Thanks guys for the info.
I have a stilo with cable to connect to a 5 pin jack (iphone or computer) and I suppose this is fine for the second generation Chatter box.
I am planning to use a GoPro and I would like to record my instructor's comments. How do I run a cable from the chatter box to the GoPro?

boxer-11

I haven't used GoPro's for this but I presume they have some way to connect an external mic. Getting a mic and putting it somewhere close to the instructor might be your fastest.

Getting the actual chatterbox audio is probably a bit more involved. What I have is a TVC-15 box that was I think designed to let you tap into radio communications but can work with chatterbox as well.

If you look on the I/O port web site there are instructions that talk about setting up for radio with a GoPro as the recording device. I just have the chatterbox inserted where the radio is in the diagram (via the appropriate cable adapters) and that does the trick. Oh and if you are doing chatterbox not radio you can ignore the push to talk switch piece of it as well.

fabe32

Is that video above what you are referring?

Fabrice

boxer-11

I hadn't seen that exact video before but yes, that's the effect. I/O Port racing is the place to go to get the TVC15 mixer gadget that makes this easy. I put a link to the I/O Port web site in the post above but perhaps the link wasn't too obvious -- this is a better link anyway just in case:

http://www.ioportracing.com/i/o-port...face-i/o-port/

You can get to the installation blurb (which was the link above) from that product page. Since I got mine it looks like they have a dedicated chatterbox verison now that would avoid extra adapters. My TVC15 is IMSA connectors so I have a Stilo to IMSA adapter for helmet to TVC15 and IMSA to chatterbox adapters to go from TVC15 to instructor's chatterbox.

If you want to try this, maybe give them a call -- chap by the name of Ken Myers runs I/O Port and he's super nice and helpful...walked me through what I needed to do to get this going.

RickBetterley

That video was - me! Peter Argetsinger was riding right seat with me in my 993. Device works great. Audio would have been better if Peter had his mic placed a bit better (and if I wasn't so damned yaky). Ken at I/O Port is a racer and very helpful.
A good demo of the great ability to record your coach's comments. Highly recommended
Though I do subscribe to the 'relax and keep it simple your first few outings' school of instructing. Too much gear can inhibit learning.

fabe32

Ahaha, awesome...
Looks like a pretty clean way to do it.
Any less costly way to get the job done that you guys know of ?

boxer-11

Time is money. Unless you are blessed with bags of spare time, this _is_ the cheap and easy way

ProCoach

Nope! Enjoy.

Matt Romanowski

I wouldn't stress about the periphery as much as enjoy the day and have tons of fun! You're first day is going to be overwhelming in the instruction, difference from driving on the road, the new experience, and a ton more. If you can easily do the video with the GoPro, then go for it.

Remember to have a ton of fun and the rest will fit in.