TRAKCAR

+1

Even the dealers and installers have a hard time working with them.
Very counter intuitive software. That's fine if it would come with good manuals, but it does not.

Their Forum is very slow and the replies from support are confusing, wrong or incomplete..
Last weekend I followed instructions very carefully, yet I lost all data and settings and the "upgrade" (I say fix.) still did not take.

In 2 years that I own it, it never worked perfectly, no dealers in driving distance. A new dealer started recently in Miami, great guy, great support, but he is still learning, no small task when it comes to Traqmate and it is over an hour drive each way..

I might be close to figuring it all out now, but I would not recommend it to anyone. The data and results once it all works is nice, I get asked often what I use when people see my video, so I just want to warn everyone.

malmasri

I have never owned Trackmate..the reason being is that I have always heard a negative comment from people that use it at the track/garages..
I also took someone with me while testing the RK and he has TM and when we came in we pulled the card and put it in the laptop..by the time the sales person showed up (5min) we had it all figured out and were reviewing the data already...my friend said that TM is far more complex and takes a long time and significant experience to obtain data...not user friendly...I believe him.

stujelly

HD Video,

Has anyone considered the Go pro HD motorsports camera. They claim 1080 HD video and they have a bunch of motorsports links to their webpage. I am just trying to get my head wrapped around the whole telemtery and video for my new RS coming in this month.

Carrera GT

You'll want the data acquisition if you want to improve and "debug" your code. If you just want something to post on YouTube for non-track-junkie friends, they probably won't "get" the data anyway. But once you look at your best theoretical lap and see where you left two whole seconds on the table in one 30 second sector, your eyes will be wide open.

todinlaw

We had a RK rep come to our club race and he installed a 3 camera set up in my car, ran the weekend with 3 video cameras and the track data, I have a TM now and have had it for 2 years, still trying to figure it out. I have a disk with my RK data and video. For sure RK video is excellent and 3 cameras is reasonable. good quality. I can't say that I can comment on comparison of the Data yet.

The rep is willing to give our Region, or anyone who uses a code to go in and get a group buy, I can get details but it sounded like we set up a time frame to buy it, you uses a code when ordering and the ultimate discount will depend on the number of people who buy in the time window. sounded like 10 to 15%. I was not real hot on setting it up as I have this 1000.00 TM that I have in the car, had I not bought the TM i would go with the RK set up.

Carrera GT

There's plenty of video around from the HD Go Pro. It's fine for video, but the ContourHD is better by far in terms of video quality (and size/shape/quality.) I've tried several and either thrown them out or given them away or set them up as permanent security camera installations because they're variously useless as helmet cams ... ContourHD is great. Wish it was smaller, though.

Then there's the issue of sync'ing the video with data acquisition (gps, n-axis accelerometer.) SmartyCam is brilliant for simplicity. RaceKeeper is probably going to become the best of breed as it improves. Porsche-specific plug-in OBD2 CAN data integration is probably the strongest and less fiddling than AiM.

If you just want video, you can also look at Archos Helmet Camcorder, EPIC Stealth HD, Apitek, etc. Just Google "Helmet Cam" for numerous others.

TRAKCAR

If you want just video and you don't mind not having the gear and RPM, I would go with the Smarty Cam.

I spend just an hour today with the Traqmate, after a dealer spent a few hours with it and most of it worked I think. Except the video won't come on automatically at the start/finish. I this point I would not expect it to ever work perfectly. Whatever you do, don't get the Traqmate, try anything else :-(

Unless you want to buy a cheap used system from my that is hehehe.

TRAKCAR

Just venting some more. Spent another 4 hours today trying to sync video with Data... Could not do it!

It is mind numbing, this time the sound matched the data, while the video did not. I am sure it has something to do with the fact that the camera dd not come on and so I have to sync manually. I had to sync manually for years, but this time it screws with the sound.

If I look at the video file (AVCHD) the video matches the sound, but as soon as I import and match with the Traqstudio software it all goes wrong!

I will go spend another day with the dealer in Miami, just so I know I gave it all.

So next, what is the simplest data system with video, AIM + Smartycam? Other suggestions?

Carrera GT

Adding on to SmartyCam is not the cheapest way to get all the functionality using AiM race equipment. Check with Andrie at www.prima-racing.com -- andrie@gmail.com -- brilliant customer service, knows the product, discounted pricing and he's a racer, not a salesman (they run the business to pay for the habit, check out the Web site.) I'm pretty sure he sells RK as well as other data acquisition equipment brands.

Carrera GT

By the way, SmartyCam (aka AiM) promises a software update to allow for data logging. If this post proves correct:
https://rennlist.com/forums/7544138-post50.html
... the SmartyCam will still need a logger (NOT cheap) and/or a bridge, but it will be useful for more than video overlayed with GPS (though I'd add that most amateurs ... and I'm not pretending to exclude myself from that category ... will benefit considerably from just seeing their brake points and apex speeds.)

Gus F

Hey todinlaw, I'm in for a group buy!! I've been debating this subject for some months now, and after all the opinions on the forums I think Race Keeper is the best way to go is you want synchronized video and data.
Why don't we start a thread for this purpose? who else is interested?

stujelly

I am on board for whatever works the best and it appears from the feedback the RK system is the way to go. They also have high res cameras.

malmasri

That was my intent with this Post

Carrera GT

I'd be in a group-buy for the three camera ruggedized version, but we'd need a helluva lot better than some measly 15% discount nonsense. If they wanted to sell the three camera unit with OBD and software for the price of the one camera base model, that would be appealing.

eg.


Qty Products Price
1x Race-Keeper iDash In Car Display
Race-Keeper System Intended for Use with iDash: Race-Keeper HE (Black)
$199.00
1x Dual Stream Video Capture and HD Export Software
$59.00
1x Race-Keeper HE Video Data System
$1,595.00
1x Camera, High-Res Mini Square with Bracket
Camera lens (included with camera, no extra charge): 3.6 mm lens (recommended for rear view)
$195.00
1x Camera, High-Res Mini Square with Bracket
Camera lens (included with camera, no extra charge): 2.5 mm lens (recommended for wide-angle inside view)
$195.00
1x OBD-II Interface
$110.00
1x Camera, High-Res Mini Square with Bracket
Camera lens (included with camera, no extra charge): 6.0 mm lens (recommended for forward view)
$195.00
Subtotal: $2,548.00


Somewhere around $1500 (freight and tax inc.) would be a nice windfall to the vendor and decent group-buy to Rennlisters.

Gus F

Well, what is going to be the group buy discount?, how many units will they ask for to make the deal work? I also want a complete kit!! (three HD cameras, OBD II, Dual stream video, I-dash display)
Can somebody contact a rep from race keeper?, we need them to join the party..., lets make this happen!!