As a dealer for both, and familiar with your car, I’m glad to talk offline about pros and cons of each, as well as provide you with a detailed and complete price comparison. Both are worth consideration.

While the MoTeC, similarly equipped, is more expensive, the club level (C12X, X being display screen size in inches) systems have gotten much more competitive with AiM and other display loggers in that price and performance sector.

The information in MoTeC can be displayed in ways on the display and in analysis not possible on the AiM, which can allow for quicker assimilation of opportunities for improvement. There are many who find MoTeC i2 Analysis software more intuitive and easier to learn. Also, if you work with top level pro driving coaches for instruction, most are more familiar with MoTeC.

That said, the everyday operation of AiM and the integration of “intelligent video” is a little easier and better automated than MoTeC. The value and support for club level, track day and DE drivers is terrific and there is a good installed base of users that are great local resources. People less inclined to geek out are well served by the simple, automated operation of the AiM, the wider array of preloaded tracks, the free templates that allow communications with most modern cars and the video solution all make a compelling case.

Let me know if I can help.

 

If going the MoTeC route, it's too bad to have missed the not often annual sale that just ended. I'm surprised none of the MoTeC dealers here posted about it - it was good for lots of people. I remember a few dealers last year posted up photos in other places of over 20 systems they sold through it. That is some serious MoTeC $$

 

The sale systems were display logger/engine ECU bundles. Not applicable in this case.

The display loggers themselves have not been put on sale, except for the CDL3 kit against the MXL2 a few years ago.

This has been true for as long as I have been a dealer, for the last eight years, anyway.

 

Huh. Not what others where offering or I got

Direct from their emails

[Quote]
c125, c127 --- 10% off including options purchased with dash
pdm15, pdm30 ---- ~8% off
[Quote/]

 

[QUOTE=Matt Romanowski;16344074]Huh. Not what others where offering or I got

Direct from their emails

Ah. You’re right. Ended 12/31/19. I found the flyers in my email. Didn’t have inquiries before the sale ended and already have stock. That was a good deal.

 

I've had an AiM SoloDL/SmartyCam, a VBOX HD2 and now a MoTeC C125 w/ V2 camera for my street cars which include a 981 GT4.

Based on my experience I'd suggest the following as comparison of these three for someone new to this field. Just a brain dump for you in case it helps.

SoloDL/SmartyCam will get the job done and it's the cheapest of these options. The software program for looking at data is fairly good (although the math channels are relatively more limited so if you're a grognard engineer, look out). Biggest drawback is data analysis and video playback aren't integrated so there's extra steps to watch these synced up side-by-side. I found that extra "friction" got in the way of me using the output on the day at the track. I know you are looking at the higher end AiM logger but I don't think that does any better as far as video review goes -- still separate from the data software so far as I know so the same friction factor would apply. I'd say don't underestimate how much this can get in the way if you want to look at video and data in the paddock...so if using data/video that way matters to you then I think it's a red flag (or maybe that should be a black flag?!). If cost is the primary factor (wait, you're building a race car, never mind, lol), or if you only imagine looking at video alone or data alone them I like the AiM stuff for it being pretty simple to set up to get good results and it's more than capable of delivering the main insights you want to start with in data review.

If you aren't a programmer or comfortable with computers and software config, the VBOX HD2 is a great choice. There's a chap on Rennlist that makes setup profiles for this rig that are top notch and that takes 90% of the work out of getting professional results. The software does an _excellent_ job of lining up your data and video so you can look at both together. I got a lot more out of this system compared to the AiM setup precisely because of this factor. The downside of the VBOX stuff is that the software tool for looking at video and data only does limited presentation formats of the data -- one signal at a time strip charts and a single X/Y chart for G forces. This is more than enough to cover the basics mind you. But once I'd seen how much more intuitive it can be to see signals overlaid together on a single graph VBOX Circuit Tools was ruined for me forever. Also _VERY_ limited math channel ability in VBOX so if that matters to you then beware. This is the system to get if you want to do the minimum leg work to get it going, have something that reliably spits out video and data and you don't want to invest a lot of time or energy in learning a lot about software for analysis and your depth of interest in data means what you learned by reading the Squggly Lines book was more than enough to keep you busy for a lifetime.

The obvious downsides to MoTec are two-fold. First as mentioned it's spendy on the front end. Second, to get the most out of it you really need to be pretty savvy with your computer and it probably helps to have some programming skills because there's a fair amount of work in both setting up the unit to get data logged and presented on your dash but also creating Workspaces (s/w configurations) for how you want the analysis program, called i2 (or i2pro for the one all the engineers want with unlimited math channels etc. (pro logging is a paid add-on though) to show you the data. That goes double if you want to dabble with math channels -- magical tools for insight in some cases but not easy for the newbie to grasp. V2 video output syncing to data is seamless and easy but I haven't had good results looking at video from two or more laps side-by-side in i2 -- if you want to compare video of two or more laps at once then VBOX Circuit Tools is hands down better at that. This is the system to get if you have an engineering background and the depth of curiosity that goes with that, meaning ultimately the graphs mean more to you than video alone, and are willing to invest time to grok the system and make it work for you as opposed to it working you...far more head-room for growth with this option but upfront investment in time and treasure are commensurately higher to get that potential.

[one other factor I like about MoTeC is that it is supported in reasonable fashion for several of the "good" race game/simulators you can run on PC. For instance, I have GT4 data for my local tracks from real world and from Assetto Corsa's model of the street 981 GT4; which makes for interesting review practice ahead of track days. I use MoTeC i2pro with the same workbook layouts -- so it looks the same -- for the real cars as I do with the sims; mainly Assetto Corsa and iRacing in my case... I like being able to learn just one s/w interface to use in the real and virtual world. If you aren't into sims then ignore this as a selection criteria.]

SoloDL I had mounted to the windshield with a RAM mount. After I had a windshield crack at speed (rock hit ) on track I was no longer happy with that arrangement. The VBOX I had HD Velcro'd to the passenger side of the transmission tunnel on Peter's advice -- worked well. The C125 I have bolted to the top cover of the steering column shroud between the steering wheel and the regular dash gauges...that works really well and care of strategic rivnuts it takes 5 minutes to fit or pull the unit from the car including hook ups to CANbus taps and power -- super convenient from that POV...it does obscure the central RPM gauge but I have the TPMS up on the right MFD screen and I can see that without too much difficulty...main challenge is the wheel rim covers the shift lights on the C125 chassis so that meant I needed the external shift light module (more upsell ). Cantrell (Bellevue WA) made a bracket for me to attach the C125 that then bolts to the steering column. Happy with the end result though.

 

Great review!

 

And why I sell all three systems! Great review!

 

After lots of advice from Rennlist, and Peter Krause, I bought the vbox system. I'm very happy with it.
I probably don't "need" it, but kinda wish I had a digital dash in front of the analog dash that my 2016 CS came with.
Does anyone have experience mounting one of the AIM loggers there? One of the MX series? Which size?
I already have logging with the vbox, but I wonder if the Strada series has other disadvantages?
If I ever wanted to move to another car without vbox, the logging would be nice.
Thanks.

 

Definitely want a logging display. Most folks pic the smallest one (MXS) if they want to see behind to the analog dash. Enough info comes through the CAN so you wouldn't need any other sensors.

Shift lights, alarms and other car information can all be set up fairly easily. The best dealers, and there are many, can pre-configure to your application for the best benefit.

 

I always say logging dash, but would want more info on what you have. If you want small, the MXm is the smallest. I think the MXS or MXP are better choices though as you get the color display. With the color display you can color the measures displayed to match the alarms or give you more info. I'm happy to help you out with more info if you want.

 

I have the Vbox Video HD2 system in my car for data overlaid video. Great system. For a dash I have the AiM MXG 1.2. I’d recommend the MXG (7”), MXP (6”), or MXS (5”) depending on how much room you have. The cool part about this setup is that you can input data from various sensors into the AiM dash and then port it all directly to the Vbox using the RLCAB145 cable.

 

That's the easiest way for most to add sensors to the VBOX Video systems. I know a lot of people doing this.

With the introduction of the compact, all in one VBOX HD Lite and a cable, you can not only add video, but gain access to the simple and effective analysis program for up to eight channels of car data, plus all the GPS info (lap timing, segment times, speed and acceleration numbers in Circuit Tools 2, for less than $950.

I'm using that with my EVO5/GS-Dash on my race car right now. Works great.

 

Don't forget the MXT (T for Ten/Titanic).

With the power of the AiM CAN outputs, you can send any data out to the vBox that you want. I even have some pretty trick ways to make complex CAN setups using the power of the AiM to incorporate a bunch of different ECUs, systems, cameras, etc.