Would really appreciate anyone with an AIM or a MoTeC system who has data and video files from an event that they are prepared to share in the interest of helping us refine TrackVision support for these DACS models.

We have completed the development of initial data translation packages for AIM and MoTeC. We can now merge in-car video and data from either of these, along with the DL-90/DL-1 models.

Trouble is, we only have a single example of AIM data with no video. Now that we can process the AIM data, it would be great to have a video & data file to produce a demo.

We have a single example of MoTeC data with video. The MoTeC data and video is courtesy of Mark D - his SCCA Runoff race. Take a look at Mark D's Motec Video for a first look at a TrackVision movie incorporating MoTeC data. It would be great to have other examples.

In both cases, we have several neat ideas to reflect the richer data from both DACS in the TrackVision movies. Things like Gear and Throttle Position are a no-brainer! Just need more example data & video files to get this done.

Please forgive this semi-commercial post. I'm hoping that the Rennlist community will benefit from all this one way of another. DACS guys will have a new way to review race performance. Rennlisters will see more interesting, data enriched video. When we start seeing a little revenue, TrackVision will become a Rennlist sponsor - my word on that.

 

Tony,

I burned a DVD for you and it should ship in the next couple of days so you can have some higher quality video.

I would love to hear more about how you manage to merge this and what the product plans are. I will be a likely early client. Great work.

 

Tony:

I have AIM data and video to match. I will put it up on my server and then give me a call and I will walk you through downloading it. I will PM my telephone #.

You know you are going to owe me big! Do I hear the words "big discount" coming my way?

 

Mark,
It will be great to get some higher res video of your race. Your clip has been among the most popular ever posted on the TrackVision site!

The product is already released, with full support for Race Technology DL-90 and DL-1. You can download the product here.

The current work will add support for MoTeC and AIM systems.
More details at www.trackvision.net, and specifically in the Data Loggers section of the TrackVision Forums

Tim,
Ahh yes. There will be very special treatment for the guys that help us make it happen, and you are definitely in that category.

 

Hmmm... Let's see, Countach, MB, Porsche TT... Something tells me you don't need a discount....

Brian

 

Tony,
Outstanding software!! I am sorry I dont have any matching video with the AIM system. Just got the Racecam system for my bday, with your software and my AIM system I cant wait until the season starts!!
Please keep us AIM users posted as to your progress and let me know if there is anything I can help you with re. track maps or race data.

 

Eric,
Great that you like it. With luck, we'll have an intial clip based on AIM data sometime this week. WIll post a link when that's done. There is much more we can do, but for this first phase I'm sticking to the basic function of getting the data from Race Studio into TrackVision and onto the video. There are some other nice things we want to do, but that comes later.

One of the major challenges is figuring a way to extract track position data from Race Studio. WIll be talking to the AIM guys at the PRI show in Indy on Thursday, so may I know more after that.

 

Definitely interested in keeping tabs on this one myself, as I usually have both video and data running... though unfortunately I have a simpler AIM system than CC and Norm run, with much less for channels (4 analogs)... no throttle and brake data to overlay yet, though I do have long and lat G and yaw rate, so I'm sure it won't be much help for setting up your SW.

 

Vaughan,
If you have Speed, RPM, and Lat G it should be a nice fit. Not sure what AIM model you have, but if you use AIM's Race Studio Analysis we can handle the data with TrackVision once we get the AIM suport released. Thanks for your interest in the product.

 

Oh, yeah, all that... Checking it out, you mention digital video - do you mean using MPEGs in, or no? Because I've got an analog camera that I capture... would it work with the captured video from that, or would I need a digital format camera?

 

Vaughan,
Pnce video in loaded to your PC, its good. Trouble is that video from an analog recorder requires an analog data capture card installed in your PC. Here are some notes on that from our documentation:

Analog camcorders typically produce lower quality video resolution than the more current digital camcorders. You will need a video capture card installed in your PC. There are several good cards to choose from. Take a look at the Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150 from Pinnacle, which connects over USB. Follow the instructions for your video capture card to download and save the video file to the folder ../Program Files/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Video Files. Save the video file in the highest resolution provided by your video capture card software.

Depending on how much you have invested in your analog camera, you might want to consider a lower cost digital camcorder, rather than spending $150 or so on a capture card. Uploading video from a digital camcorder is a snap, adn the video quality is better, generally speaking.

 

Oh, no, I already have the capture card - video's on my website (sorry, the best segment of video, two distinct laps around Mid-O, I haven't uploaded the data from). Next step in improved video will be a lipstick camera, if and when...

My AIM system is the MyChron3 Gold XG, FWIW. Also, if you want the data to match up with the Mid-O GTS race videos (Lap 1 and 3 are on my website, link below) I can email it to you, I have it here @ work...

 

Wish I could help out, but I just ordered my AIM this evening, so no data til next season. As BTW to Rennlisters that are contemplating an AIM purchase, if you are considering an MXL, AIM has announced a pretty hefty price increase as of the first of the year. On the Pista I just bought the increase is over $600, the pro is +$700 (on the discount price I just got!), so just as a heads up if your thinking about buying a unit in the near future, I'd make it the very near future. No connection to the company or product other than having just bought one, just thought I let everyone know.

 

The intial AIM support is running. Unfortunately, so am I - off to the Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis. Will post the AIM merged video when I return tonight.

 

With many thanks to files and some help from ColorChange and Chris Amond, we have broken the code on using AIM-derived data with TrackVision.

CC's 996TT at Gingerman

Its entirely appropriate that the first clip to be published features CC at Gingerman. Naturally the choice of dashboard was easy - the GCircle was the obvious choice! I can post another version of the clip with a regular data display if people want to see that. Given that the video and data were from one of CC's first events with the AIM installed, we have no RPM data so there's not a lot more to see with the regular display.

This is very much at the proof of concept stage right now. There is still some work to do to make it simple and reliable for your average user. I'll post some details of the issues on the TrackVision Forum for the AIM guys who want to follow this project.

BTW, the PRI show was a real eye opener. Met with some very senior people with of the major DACS vendors, and got a good sense of current offerings and product direction. This is probably not the right place to discuss all that, but it is clear that there is a well recognized 'gentleman raceer' market segment that is the sweet spot they are all aiming for. The reason we are seeing $2000 plus video & data 'add-ons' from AIM and MoTeC is because the 'gentleman racer' would not think twice about spending that kind of money.

Saw the AIM video product, which is coming next year sometime. Its a ~ $2000 box [without camera/s, mic/s, etc] which records data and video onto solid state storage. Download the file, and you have it! No muss, no fuss.
It supports multiple cameras, which is nice. Less nice is the fact that the multiple camera views AND the data are locked in 'picture in picture' style boxes on screen. The data presentation I saw was very 'Grand Theft Auto' in style. I would expect them improve this before the product is released.

The AIM guys were obviously impressed by the semi-transparent overlay technology we deveoped for our data display, and the fact that they user can select whichever display he likes for a given clip. It was clear that the idea of non- hardware solution like ours was not particularly interesting.

Bottom line is that AIM product development is in Italy, and the US guys seem to be very happy with the product line and the market it addresses.