cardsrule

Hello,

I got a solo DL and a Smarty Cam HD and I am going to be using it for the first time this weekend at a DE. I am using the OBDII connector in a 07 Cayman and possibly a student's 997. I figured out what ECU to use with race studio 2. Any tips or hints for my first time out would really help. I doing the the two day DE to give the system a run before I start using it with students in the coming weeks so I wold love to get the bugs out.

Thanks in advance,
Scott

Matt Romanowski

Hook it up and do some laps around the neighborhood (don't have to be fast). You can then check that it is recording correctly and make sure you like your video layout. It will also help you to figure out what camera position you like.

ProCoach

No real bugs, just make sure the configuration you send to the Solo DL matches the ECU in the model car you use it in.

I do recommend that you set the configuration on the camera to show long g in numerical form as well as the friction circle graphic, set the brake to brake position unless the ECU provides brake pressure and make sure you calibrate the accelerometers on the camera after you mount it.

Have fun, it's a great tool and I've sold dozens of this combination to instructors across the country who want to use objective information to help their students.

shizzle

Here is some basic stuff I make sure to do before I bounce my setup around from bar to car.

Make sure the SmartyCam HD is set to wake on DL signal, that way it'll start recording as soon as the DL detects movement. I also recommend making sure that if you've got the DL set to a non-constant power source, then give the DL a minute to start up and detect a few GPS satellites so that you've got a strong signal (and the track detected) before you get out onto the track.

dan212

The obvious stuff:

*Do a test run or two to make sure everything is being recorded correctly.
* Check the spot metering against your camera position so that you can make sure that the track is exposed correctly.

The Biggy:
!!!!**!!!
Make sure the internal batteries on the Smartycam are charged. The camera will be set to stop after some interval of vehicle stop or power off. What you want is a graceful shutdown of the camera so that the video file is closed out correctly or else the video header could be corrupt.

You DO NOT want the camera to shut down abruptly from lack of internal battery power before it has had a chance to gracefully close the video file - which can happen if there isn't enough residual battery power in the camera before the timer tells it to close out the video file.

All this requires is some reasonable amount of charge in the camera battery.

After a few reasonable runs, the internal camera batteries will have charge. Most people take this for granted.

But the best thing is to plug the Smarty in for USB charge before its first virgin use. Save you a lot of angst.

cardsrule

Thanks guys! All good advice. I am spending all day Friday at the track playing with the setup so I should be set.

I will post how it goes and anything I learned along the way.

Thanks again!

ProCoach

A few corrections on the Smarty HD.

The spot metering is not adjustable, auto exposure works fine. You do need to pick "Open Roof" or "Closed Roof" vehicle in Video Settings in Settings menu,

The SC HD comes fully charged (at least the couple dozen I've sold have) and will NOT run for very long without being connected to power, especially if used standalone and with a GPS antenna (which it needs to power).

Connected to a Solo DL, it will only work if the Solo DL is fed power, just like the old one. So make sure if you are using CAN, that you connect the red/black power leads are connected to switched power or the OBD-II connection IS feeding power to the Solo DL, then you are all set.

The red LED in the SC HD means it is charging, the flashing is approaching full charge and the green is fully charged.