vf430

Does anyone here have the Smartycam without AIM datalogger? any reviews? i saw some posts , but no concensus on this device.

I am considering this setup since its considered easy to use and has video plus minimal data overlay. I dont have a roll bar so traqmate wont work , want something to work with a suction cup mounted inside rear windshield.

http://www.smartycam.com/on-board-camera.htm

Thanks in advance.

utkinpol

i have it and i like it as it is simple and compact. big current downside is that it does not allow to download data from it, so it does not work as datalogger - due to lack of desire of AiM to enable this fucntion as by itself smartycam is a Linux box and it is perfectly capable to be a datalogger.

tford

I have the SmartyCam as well. I am extremely happy with it. I don't have the datalogger, but it's an easy upgrade. I went back and forth on the SmartyCam or TraqMate and decided to go with SmartyCam due recommendations from local(Bay Area) installer who has worked extensively with both.
-tford

SH || NC

Just by itself, I think its tough to beat; track map + lap timer + speeds + g meter

I used mine for a few months by itself. Then installed an ECU bridge, then went to the full data setup.

Support in CA (Jordan) is top shelf.

PS. I have an external mic FS, never used, if you go thtat route.

Seth Thomas

SmartyCam is what I use for video all the time. Best unit out there for the money and the data in it. When coaching I use this in conjunction with the ECU bridge and it creates the perfect blend. My back up is a Traqmate system but rarely gets used now.

vf430

Does the ECU bridge work on 2011 Gt3? On their website stock ECU of new Gt3 not listed as a supported protocol.

http://www.aim-sportline.com/pages/d...cu_porsche.htm

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Also how do you guys mount it? Especially without rollbars , is the video clear when a suction cup is used inside rear glass?

SH || NC

Re: '11 7-3; I would call the support office in CA and ask.

Mine is mounted to my rollbar, so I can't help you there, however I would say that from seeing other video when mounted on the rear glass is that you get too much of the car's interior (dark) and not enough of the road / track exterior; JMHO.

You might be able to mount it in the top corner of your front windshield; I had pretty good results with my old GoPro like that (link), or, even cooler, mount it on an exterior surface.

jrgordonsenior

I bought a Smartycam in Oct. last year. I run a lot and it's been great. Just this past weekend at Cal Speedway it provided a shaky image and then stopped recording altogether. I sent it back Tuesday to AIM and just reveived a brand new Smartycam back this afternoon via UPS. Pretty great customer service....

stujelly

Depending on what you are looking for. The new Contour is 1080 and has built in GPS. Not sure if it can marry up to data but other Rl's combine hero and data via a third party software. I just bought a hero, go figure. Having second thoughts now.

vf430

The new contour looks really good. Has the basics , not sure if it is available yet.

Carrera GT

I've used it for a year or so. It's only "okay" and for the $1000, it's disappointing and hasn't been thought through. It's cool that it's semi-waterproof (a couple of feet underwater) so it's fun for sailing and snowboarding, but the compromises for it as a track cam are bit odd.

Bullet points:

* lack of control and setup
* menu access through three buttons
* can't see display in daylight
* can't see precise alignment of video borders
* easily moves and loses alignment (eg. when replacing memory card)
* uses painfully fiddly micro-SD card instead of regular sized SD
* can't be sure it's recording or low battery or low memory

I bought the Contour HD just before they announced the GPS version. Aargh!
Better video, no data. Since SmartyCam isn't so smart and the data really isn't data (it's a one-time video overlay) the Contour tends to get used and tends to do interesting things (stuck on the outside of the car or underneath to watch a front wheel or a suspension movement.) But the Contour design is pretty weak too (not really a "bullet" design, nor is the SmartyCam) and the mounting is a weird slider and grub screw instead of a conventional camera thread, so you end up with extra bulk to mount it on a camera thread. Bit daft. Still, the Contour has a cool double-barrel LED laser pointer alignment guide idea -- stop the car facing a wall and when you align the camera, you know it's right, then the on-off is idiot proof (no look once you're in the HANS, it's definitely on.)

All that said, get a base mode RaceKeeper with two cameras, lower video HD, but real data acquisition. You'll outgrow the video and you'll want data.

CRex

Have been using a SmartyCam the past year. It's a capable unit/platform but I feel it hasn't been developed to its full potential.

The SmartyCam's essentially a lil computer running Linux. Well capable of datalogging with an ECU bridge, but AIM hasn't opened that functionality--possibly for fear of cannibalizing logger sales (i.e. EVO3/4). Another big gripe is the SD video--there's really nothing exciting there... a $200 cam will do a much better job in HD.

To give credit where it's due, AIM's done a lot to beef up its software and documentation. Getting Jordan involved in putting together tutorial videos and rewriting many of the instructions.

I hope AIM will release an soft/hardware upgrade in the future that opens up the full product functionality. My wish list:

• Full Datalogging with ECU Bridge (all data channels plus GPS & G-force data)
• Limited Datalogging in Standalone (GPS speed and G-force)
• HD video (a basic feature in this day & age...)
• Ability to plug in a second POV cam and integrate into the main video, a la ChaseCam/Traqmate
• Support for 90 or 270-degree mounting options (it's nigh-on impossible to view/operate that tiny screen when mounted on a cage and i'm in Helmet+Hans)

There's apparently a new product coming out called the SmartyCam GP. Disappointingly, it may well be the same cam in different packaging. AIM if you're reading this, please get your product guys together and put out a product with REAL, IMPROVED functionality... I'll be first in line as customer...

vf430

Thanks for the feedback. So in summary , there aren't any HD video and real data loggers with video overlay for under $1500 at this time? Looks like each of these systems are compromised in some way. Traqmate as most say here is tough to setup and use , Smartycam has the negatives as you pointed out above , Racekeeper has no HD vid.

I talked to Jordan at smartycam yesterday , he mentioned that they were launching a new solo DL datalogger next month that will work with smartycam and offer full datalogging. Total is about $1700.

utkinpol

same old story - to introduce another $500+ device to do what existing hardware can easily do with updated software? typical mistake that tanked a lot of IT companies, customers are smart enough to see that.

Seth Thomas

And the Solo is the cat's meow especially for the price. It can be used with the ECU bridge in our cars, is GPS based, is smaller than any other unit on the market, and plugs into the SmartyCam. I have used one of their prototypes at VIR this year and it worked awesome.

Two things separate the Solo from anything else out on the market right now. 1. It uses the AIM data analysis software which is better than any of the other GPS based data software. It can show you in feet how to improve your times. 2. There is plug and play options with both the SmartyCam and ECU bridge which gives us exact numbers of anything the ECU in the car is monitoring. So throttle %, Brake Pressure, RPM, Engine Temps, Gear, etc are all recorded in real time and can be displayed in the data. The SmartyCam also picks this up so you can look at data and vid synced together to show where and how to improve your time.