HoBoJoe

Are there any data acquisition options that will overlay with footage from a gopro? It looks like smartycam is a nice all in one option, but at $1k it's hard for me to justify when just starting out.

Matt Romanowski

If you want to combine data with the video after the session, you can use programs like RaceRender or Traqvision. Both of those will accept data exports from many different programs. A great way to do it is with an AiM Solo or Solo DL (which would be better for your car). With the Solo DL on your car, you can get wheel speeds, throttle position, steering, on/off brakes, oil and coolant temp, oil pressure, and some more. All of this can be put on the video.

Check out RaceRender at www.racerender.com

ProCoach

In my opinion, the best way starting out is a decent, inexpensive logger that just captures the basics. GPS mapping and speed, lap times (and by necessity, segment times), lateral and longitudinal G's.

The two units I would begin to look at (I sell and use both) are the AiM Solo ($399) and the VBOX Sport ($429). While neither one connects or accepts any information from the car (RPM, throttle, brake pressure), they'll keep you busy for a LONG time!

The next step is to buy a third-party software, my choice is RaceRender 3, and then you can couple your GoPro video with the data exported from the Solo or the VBOX Sport. Here is an example of a Replay 720 with VBOX Sport data overlaid using RaceRender 3 software (I think it's less than $40 for the software): Brian Redman in the Aston AMR-1 at the Monterey Reunion two years ago.

The second way to easily and inexpensively go about it is to buy a Traqmate Basic ($649) plus their Traqview video integration software ($199). Yes, this is more expensive, but you can do some pretty incredible things with it, and in my opinion, it's MUCH more tightly integrated and easy to build a data laden video from GoPro footage with. Here is an example of a video file of a lap this system can burn in a short time: Claude Malette in a Lola T-222 Can Am car at Mont Tremblant.

The third way would be a Solo DL ($699) with OBD-II or CAN connection to your car (included), plus RaceRender 3 for additional information that would be valuable.

There's several ways to skin a cat doing what you want to do. But you need data and software on top of your GoPro. Ping me if I can help.

gobuffs

Time or money. You are going to spend a good amount of time at the computer in post production getting what is spit out of a smarty cam. There is always a market for used GoPros, so sell and get a SmartyCam.

blotto649

Look up Harry's Lap Timer iPhone/Android app. Great entry to timing/data without breaking the bank, and plays nice with GoPro. I use a Dual GPS with higher sampling rate than phone and it all works very well.

Matt Romanowski

Ain't that the truth! I think most people abandon the Go Pro after getting hours of footage looking at their hood or having a dead battery.

The other nice things about the SCHD solution is that it's automatic. Once wired to the car (which is easy), it turn on, starts recording, stops recording, and turns off all automatically. It ensures you get video every time.

RickBetterley

True that
And/or spending time synching video and data instead of reviewing it.
My progress went like this:
GoPro -type camera to see cool video of the view in front of the car,trying to hack hard wiring power from the car (this was years ago with the Aiptek camera)
Getting my first track car, which came with an AIM Dash. Cool; let's put some data on that video since I didn't/couldn't/wouldn't bother to learn how to use the data, maybe having on the video would be useful!
Aggravation with the video synching process
Buying the original Smarty camera for automatic data overlay - cool, nice (non-HD) video, I can see some useful data. And it works automatically if I don't screw up the auto on settings! Really cool! Kind of pricey, but boy, does it ever work great.
Hmm, new race car, I'm selling the old car with the AiM system, putting new dash and Smarty in the new car, so I move to HD. Great video, still painless. Prettier pictures and better design.
Hmm, not learning a lot from the video/data, maybe I should look into using the actual data in Race Studio. Encouraged by track friends, and newly interested in getting the most out of the new car, I spend some time with Jerry Austin learning what to look at and what to do with it. Jerry zoomed me up the learning curve.
And where I am now; recognizing that video is useful, video with data overlay is more useful, and pure data properly analyzed Is what gives me the info that is the most useful (actionable)
When I acquired my original AiM dash I thought I had the world's most expensive shift lights. It took me a long time to realize I had the key to moving my knowledge level up multiple notches.
If starting now and didn't have the funds to allow both data and video, I'd spend it on data. A year ago I would not have said that.

924RACR

Yeah, gobuffs makes a very good point. I don't usually bother doing the overlay (data from either AIM or DL1, video from Contour) because I analyze the data direct - too time-consuming while at the track.

I just put them together for fun, occasionally, and so I'll give another vote for RaceRender. Often I'll use that to edit and merge (multi-camera) video, and skip the data, just make cool videos...

NVRANUF

+1......well said Rick!
Had a similar progression, and I'm just scratching the surface with the data Race Studio offers.

HoBoJoe

Thanks for all the info guys, it looks like I have some reading to do on different products.

I take it that the SmartyCam HD does not do any type of GPS/laptiming and that's why people run the solo DL or similar with it? Dollar for dollar is there another setup that is preferred? With that setup I get video, gps/laptime, throttle/brake pressure?

Most likely I'll play with harrys lap timer and a gopro for my first event this season since it's so cheap out of pocket. I've only done one DE so analyzing data isn't top priority, getting the basics down is. It is nice to be able to view my mistakes on video and reflect on them.

ProCoach

Great post, Rick. That's the usual progression!

Where great coaches really help is to distill where and how to look at data, tempered and enhanced by data laden video, to help collaborate with and formulate a targeted, detailed plan for the next session. By developing an efficient and repeatable workflow, you can make a good, achievable and data supported plan in a short time between sessions. Not time consuming at all. Then, you look at the results from the next run first to see how well you executed the plan...

Better performance with less risk.

ProCoach

There are a lot of drivers that are just like you.

They want good, "intelligent video" and are not particularly interested in in-car timing display, analyzing and predictive lap (gain/loss) display in the car.

In a car that will support it (and I think yours will), you can buy a SmartyCam HD, a GPS antenna and a plug in ECU Bridge and have all that info on the video for about $1420. This will allow the SmartyCam HD to show lap times, friction circle (g's), speed and whatever throttle and brake information your car sends (varies from car to car). Simple, quick and effective.

A lot of drivers, for $330 more, opt for the Solo DL in place of the GPS antenna and ECU Bridge (the Solo DL can do those jobs) so they an log (record) this information for later, more detailed review.

HoBoJoe

Thanks Peter, you hit the nail on the head. I'd like to be able to view and correct my mistakes but I'm not concerned with shaving time off my laps. I'm not trying to win a DE, I'm just trying to make progress.

It sounds like the SmartyCam and Solo DL are in my future, the question will be which one I purchase first.

Matt Romanowski

The Solo DL should go first. If you do the SCHD first, you will need the GPS antenna and ECU bridge that would then not be used when you get the Solo DL. You'll have $360 sitting on the shelf which is over half way to the Solo DL.

If you want to see how the Solo (and Solo DL works), you can try out my Solo rental programs. It's $20 for an event and then you get that $20 back when you buy something. The regular Solo doesn't connect to your car, but you will see the same method of who it works and what data it will give you.

ProCoach

First step to make progress is to review RIGHT AWAY, WHAT you JUST DID!

Based on your stated desires and area of interest, if you're going to buy something that will help you (and that you will USE, right away), I would get, for a 2009 Cayman S or Cayman R ONLY:

SmartyCam HD Rev2 $999
RAM camera mount $40
AiM ECU Bridge with OBD-II connection and lighter power plug $219
AiM GPS antenna 1.3 meter cord $149
Free Rennlist shipping and insurance

It will make video that looks like this:
If you want to save a little money, but lose some of the information (will lose any of the car sensors, like brake, throttle, RPM and temps, but you will see lap times, friction circle and speed), you can get just a power cord ($49) and an antenna ($149), a camera ($999) and a mount ($40) and you can generate a video that looks like this: I often put this setup in cars that I coach temporarily for our engagements.

This camera works automatically, no buttons to push, no batteries to charge, nothing. It recognizes where it is (what track, so the lap timing is right and automatic for the places you are) and you can play the video thirtyseconds after you get out of the car and it looks just like the demo clips above.

As part of the deal, I configure it to be plug and play in your car, with the tracks you run, information set up on the background of the video, include a bigger SD card of very high quality and supply email and phone support for installation and orientation as part of any purchase from me.

Let's face it. For folks like Matt and I, plus a portion of the small but growing portion of HPDE drivers and club racers that are adopting this technology, the data is very important, perhaps more important, than the video.

But for a LOT of folks, it's not what they want to do (spend time looking at squiggly lines, scatter charts and colored GPS maps that are filled with information), and THAT'S equally ok.

You (and many others) want INSTANT, FULLY instrumented video so they can see how different what they did was from what they THOUGHT they did.

I cannot imagine coaching and analyzing driver performance without video. It's why systems like Race-Keeper and Video VBOX are so popular. The folks that have these systems can SEE what they did and KNOW where that gas pedal was or how hard they braked (and whether they were CONSISTENT in their car placement, braking and acceleration).

The SmartyCam HD is a beautiful, robust and automated piece of equipment that does this job very, VERY well. Hope you can get something that will help you and that you will use.