Track Precision App
#31
RL Community Team
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Need to try this next time I'm at a track.
Does the app use your phone camera for the video? Or can you integrate it with a GoPro video? I don't believe there's any inbuilt front-facing camera on the car, but I would love to be wrong about that.
mgordon18's video shows the overlay blocking out most of the view of the track. Hopefully there's a way to move or remove some portions of the overlay?
Does the app use your phone camera for the video? Or can you integrate it with a GoPro video? I don't believe there's any inbuilt front-facing camera on the car, but I would love to be wrong about that.
mgordon18's video shows the overlay blocking out most of the view of the track. Hopefully there's a way to move or remove some portions of the overlay?
As for the PCM hotspot, it can be the default one that is shown on the screen, there is no need to change it to anything in particular, once it has connected to the phone you can have it reconnect automatically if you like, either way it will remember the password, mine does and it is the default settings.
The phone records the video, so have a good mount, if the phone is big and it bounces about so will you video! Frame it as Mike suggests if you don't want the overlay to be in the way, you can choose sound or not recorded from the phone too.
So the GoPro, apparently, but I am just getting to this, I don't know if it has to be a certain model or above (I have an old Hero3), I don't see a spec for this, but it is in the settings menu in the PTPA app:
#32
Rennlist Member
Hey Mike thanks for all of the details, I tried this again today and ignored the message about the Connect App in the background, also the help screens that seem to take me down the rabbit hole! I just needed to focus on what was needed not what the help screens were suggesting.
So connected to the PCM via it's hotspot, created my own track by driving around the block and it worked perfectly. I choose the option for start/finish at the same place (in front of my house), made a couple of laps of the block and annoyed the neighbors to create a video with data.
Next up that GoPro!
So connected to the PCM via it's hotspot, created my own track by driving around the block and it worked perfectly. I choose the option for start/finish at the same place (in front of my house), made a couple of laps of the block and annoyed the neighbors to create a video with data.
Next up that GoPro!
Let me know how the export comes out. Do you get the overlay or not?
#33
Pro
I've been using the PTPA for over a year now and I'd have to say it can be temperamental.
The best solution I've found is to use a stripped down Iphone or Android phone, make sure everything else is turned off, e.g., text messages, updates, blue tooth, other apps, automatic backups, mobile data, etc. Ialso sometimes helps to remove and reinstall the software occassionally if it starts playing up.
Most of the time it now works. I find using the phone camera/video a bit jumpy and it does not seem to sync perfectly with the PTPA data. Best solution is using a GoPro and mount it on the rear cross bar using one of the 3M sticky mounts (hypersmooth should be turned off), and sync data later. I also set exposure comp to -1.
I also turn off advanced timer features as that seems to overload the app, although I haven't tested it again recently. Turning off video and using external camera instead also frees up phone resources.
You can connect an external camera like a GoPro and the PTPA will start the camera automatically but I find its best to manually start before you go out for the session, it makes no difference and one less thing for the app to do, which seems to help. I also often restart the ap between each session for a fresh connection to the PCM.
Importing the GoPro video later is the only option with an external camera and it is a bit of a pain. It does not sync up automatically like when you record simultaneously with the Phone camera/video but the PTPA seems more reliable and does not crash as much. The PTPA also adds +11 hours to the time stamps so the times don't correspond either! Although this may be different depending on where you are.
Later, you need to import the video manually from the App by clicking the respective session and then the "+" button under Video Material, or copy the the video file into the PTPA folder. Once synced (you can adjust down to 1/10 sec) it will overlay the car metrics graphic quite nicely when you click export video, either for the full recording or individual laps. I use the time on the PCM, which his displayed at the end of each lap, and the steering wheel position to sync near perfectly.
What I'm using now is a stripped down Iphone 8 running PTPA, and no other apps, along with my GoPro 7, here is an example of the end result, you can see the App automatically switching on the PCM once I cross the line and gives me a nice numerical graphic of whether I'm ahead or behind my best time, during the session which is nice. That day I did six sessions and failed after 3 laps in only 1 of the sessions, ran to the end in all the others which was 8 or 9 laps.
The best solution I've found is to use a stripped down Iphone or Android phone, make sure everything else is turned off, e.g., text messages, updates, blue tooth, other apps, automatic backups, mobile data, etc. Ialso sometimes helps to remove and reinstall the software occassionally if it starts playing up.
Most of the time it now works. I find using the phone camera/video a bit jumpy and it does not seem to sync perfectly with the PTPA data. Best solution is using a GoPro and mount it on the rear cross bar using one of the 3M sticky mounts (hypersmooth should be turned off), and sync data later. I also set exposure comp to -1.
I also turn off advanced timer features as that seems to overload the app, although I haven't tested it again recently. Turning off video and using external camera instead also frees up phone resources.
You can connect an external camera like a GoPro and the PTPA will start the camera automatically but I find its best to manually start before you go out for the session, it makes no difference and one less thing for the app to do, which seems to help. I also often restart the ap between each session for a fresh connection to the PCM.
Importing the GoPro video later is the only option with an external camera and it is a bit of a pain. It does not sync up automatically like when you record simultaneously with the Phone camera/video but the PTPA seems more reliable and does not crash as much. The PTPA also adds +11 hours to the time stamps so the times don't correspond either! Although this may be different depending on where you are.
Later, you need to import the video manually from the App by clicking the respective session and then the "+" button under Video Material, or copy the the video file into the PTPA folder. Once synced (you can adjust down to 1/10 sec) it will overlay the car metrics graphic quite nicely when you click export video, either for the full recording or individual laps. I use the time on the PCM, which his displayed at the end of each lap, and the steering wheel position to sync near perfectly.
What I'm using now is a stripped down Iphone 8 running PTPA, and no other apps, along with my GoPro 7, here is an example of the end result, you can see the App automatically switching on the PCM once I cross the line and gives me a nice numerical graphic of whether I'm ahead or behind my best time, during the session which is nice. That day I did six sessions and failed after 3 laps in only 1 of the sessions, ran to the end in all the others which was 8 or 9 laps.
Last edited by donR; 05-16-2021 at 11:10 PM.
#34
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
And as for the Hero3 GoPro and control via the PTPA, it seem that the app is looking for it via a Bluetooth connection, the Hero3 uses WIFI for that, maybe the newer GoPro's have the option of BT?
#35
I really REALLY want PTPTA to work consistently and export video overlays, but it has given me fits. I really want to have the extensive data and ability to export VBO to Circuit Tools, preferably with video. BUT....
- I only get data in metric (KMH, Bar, Centigrade) although my car is set for Imperial (I even reset all those fields on PCM)
- Overlays with external video are exceedingly difficult to synchronize as mentioned before - you need to get close, then with and internal camera view, sync up the real and virtual steering wheel, or sync via the audio throttle blips to the virtual tach.
- I was only able to get overlays for the last 4 laps of any given session -- I could view the overlay in the app on my phone, but exporting would only overlay the last 4 laps.
- Using the phone's internal camera is unworkable; it bogs and freezes and makes the video unviewable (I even replaced my SD card in attempt to correct - but no luck).
- For some reason, I only have about 11 "pre-defined" or "official" tracks in the app, and ALL begin with the letter "A"?? - I have deleted the app, cleared the cache and data a couple of times, but have not resolved this either.
Does anyone have a contact at either Porsche or the developer, where they will work with us and troubleshoot problems? Harry Schlangmann of Harry's Laptimer was always easy to reach and would fix reproducible problems.
Last edited by Fast-Eddie; 05-17-2021 at 03:56 PM.
#36
Rennlist Member
Let me know if you get the overlay for the whole video.
#37
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
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HA, HA! that what I am trying to do now, send it the Drive on my Google account, it must take awhile, it is still not there... I will update you as soon as I see it somewhere other than the phone!
#38
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I'm using Android and a GoPro Hero-4 Silver edition... while the Hero-4 has BT it will not pair with my Android phone no matter what I tried -- pairing natively, via the GoPro App, or with PTPA. So I can't blame PTPA for that if I can't pair the camera to the phone natively.
I really REALLY want PTPTA to work consistently and export video overlays, but it has given me fits. I really want to have the extensive data and ability to export VBO to Circuit Tools, preferably with video. BUT....
Does anyone have a contact at either Porsche or the developer, where they will work with us and troubleshoot problems? Harry Schlangmann of Harry's Laptimer was always easy to reach and would fix reproducible problems.
I really REALLY want PTPTA to work consistently and export video overlays, but it has given me fits. I really want to have the extensive data and ability to export VBO to Circuit Tools, preferably with video. BUT....
- I only get data in metric (KMH, Bar, Centigrade) although my car is set for Imperial (I even reset all those fields on PCM)
- Overlays with external video are exceedingly difficult to synchronize as mentioned before - you need to get close, then with and internal camera view, sync up the real and virtual steering wheel, or sync via the audio throttle blips to the virtual tach.
- I was only able to get overlays for the last 4 laps of any given session -- I could view the overlay in the app on my phone, but exporting would only overlay the last 4 laps.
- Using the phone's internal camera is unworkable; it bogs and freezes and makes the video unviewable (I even replaced my SD card in attempt to correct - but no luck).
- For some reason, I only have about 11 "pre-defined" or "official" tracks in the app, and ALL begin with the letter "A"?? - I have deleted the app, cleared the cache and data a couple of times, but have not resolved this either.
Does anyone have a contact at either Porsche or the developer, where they will work with us and troubleshoot problems? Harry Schlangmann of Harry's Laptimer was always easy to reach and would fix reproducible problems.
Sorry to here about the data, Metric is just fine for me, I am conversant in both, but you would think this should be a setting somewhere?
#39
Rennlist Member
Rock on...
#40
RL Community Team
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Last edited by Westcoast; 05-17-2021 at 07:41 PM.
#41
Rennlist Member
Interesting! I wonder what the differences are in your setup vs mine. What kind of phone do you have? Maybe I just need to kill ALL other apps while exporting. I also have another phone sitting around somewhere, I think. Maybe I can use that as a one-app-only phone and that would work better.
#42
RL Community Team
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Congrats!
Interesting! I wonder what the differences are in your setup vs mine. What kind of phone do you have? Maybe I just need to kill ALL other apps while exporting. I also have another phone sitting around somewhere, I think. Maybe I can use that as a one-app-only phone and that would work better.
Interesting! I wonder what the differences are in your setup vs mine. What kind of phone do you have? Maybe I just need to kill ALL other apps while exporting. I also have another phone sitting around somewhere, I think. Maybe I can use that as a one-app-only phone and that would work better.
Is the PTPA the same version for both of us, mine is 3.2.1 What is strange is that you see it when running on the phone but not when exported?
#43
Rennlist Member
I am running a Galaxy S9+, it is at Android OS 10, during the transfer I changed nothing on the phone, emails and texts were coming and going during the transfer as well.
Is the PTPA the same version for both of us, mine is 3.2.1 What is strange is that you see it when running on the phone but not when exported?
Is the PTPA the same version for both of us, mine is 3.2.1 What is strange is that you see it when running on the phone but not when exported?
EDIT: On reinstall, it apparently blew away my videos, or at least deleted them from within the app's UI... so... I guess I'll try later. The videos are still in the file folder on the phone, but not showing in the app. This is an extremely disappointing app.
Last edited by mgordon18; 05-17-2021 at 10:55 PM.
#44
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
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I've got 3.2.1 also. And yeah - it's super weird. The overlay shows on the phone in the app and then disappears when I export it, or comes and goes on the exported file - and not even consistently. I just tried exporting one more time, this time with a freshly restarted phone and no other apps running. Next step is to reinstall the app and try one more time.
EDIT: On reinstall, it apparently blew away my videos, or at least deleted them from within the app's UI... so... I guess I'll try later. The videos are still in the file folder on the phone, but not showing in the app. This is an extremely disappointing app.
EDIT: On reinstall, it apparently blew away my videos, or at least deleted them from within the app's UI... so... I guess I'll try later. The videos are still in the file folder on the phone, but not showing in the app. This is an extremely disappointing app.
#45
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Well, a step or two forward and another brick in the wall...
Although the app works on my Galaxy S9+, the windshield mount leaves a lot to be desired, the phone shakes a fair amount and the reflections are not very welcome, an external camera would be better... I took some footage with my GoPro but don't see how to integrate this with the recording I made on the phone? Is there no manual for this app? We know that the app can control an external camera, but which models, so is there a FAQ?
I loaded the app onto my Android Box, essentially a tablet running 8.1.0, the app says OS 6.0 and up. I can get it running even create a track and have it record data, all the cool things (no camera on the Android box, yet), but the app crashes when I try to go into settings, every time, no luck here!
So, I have reached out the support email listed in the Play Store and hope to get some answers...
Although the app works on my Galaxy S9+, the windshield mount leaves a lot to be desired, the phone shakes a fair amount and the reflections are not very welcome, an external camera would be better... I took some footage with my GoPro but don't see how to integrate this with the recording I made on the phone? Is there no manual for this app? We know that the app can control an external camera, but which models, so is there a FAQ?
I loaded the app onto my Android Box, essentially a tablet running 8.1.0, the app says OS 6.0 and up. I can get it running even create a track and have it record data, all the cool things (no camera on the Android box, yet), but the app crashes when I try to go into settings, every time, no luck here!
So, I have reached out the support email listed in the Play Store and hope to get some answers...