Dr911

I need to send in my wish list to the Jolly Elf...based on my research I think I know what I want but would appreciate the input
of this illustrious gathering of minds.

1: What's your favorite Data/Video/system?

1a: What do you love about it?

2: What's the one you had most problems with?
2a: What was the problem?

3: If you had a $700-1200 budget which one would you get? (santa's budget)

4: What is your preferred method for storing your data?

I began tracking last year. I'm an intermediate/solo DE driver, about 10-12 track events per year. Would like to get data for myself and possibly for procoaching locally/remotely.

Thx in advance.
A

toddlamb

What do you want to get out of it?

$700-1200 doesn't get you a whole lot - used Traqmate or AiM Solo with camera.

TXE36

I'm happy with a GoPro Hero 2 and the Traqmate that came with the car. Camera can be had for less than $200 (at least when I bought it).

Quite a few of my track buddies have the same setup except with an AIM Solo and they are happy with it. The basic Solo can be had for less than $400 if you shop around.

Are they the best? Arguably not, but they do fit in your budget and are better than no data or some "toy" like Harry's Lap Timer.

I started a thread in the data sub forum about low cost tools and cheap Thinkpads.

-Mike

TXE36

Paging Dr911, paging Dr911, you have a PM .

-Mike

Dr911

OpieT

I've used and prefer Racekeeper for years.

ProCoach

Since you and I could meet just about anytime at The Mad Hatter across from East Campus, perhaps I could expound more there?

As far as my OWN experience with data on MY car(s), here goes:

1: What's your favorite Data/Video/system?

The one I can get the information I need quickest and most expediently in as few steps as possible.

Usually Video VBOX Lite or AiM Solo, Solo DL or EVO4 (for older cars).

Video is extremely important to me, due to the incredible context it adds to enhance and validate what is seen on the squiggly lines.

For years, I used a Traqmate Basic (have several used ones for sale) coupled with video from any camera and manually matched it in TraqStudio (now Traqview). Still think that solution is better than RaceRender and a Solo/QStarz/other cheap logger, at least for me.

1a: What do you love about it?

See above. I will add that while someone starting out can learn a great deal over the course of YEARS with Traqmate, at some point you will want (and need) to know MORE. How you do that is through the ability to manipulate the raw measures into leveraged information by features in the software package.

All the systems measure the same basic things with roughly the same level of accuracy. It's what they DO with that info that is powerful...

2: What's the one you had most problems with?

I've had no luck with the phone and Android apps. No consistency, no capability in lap comparisons, infrequent operation.

As the less expensive systems age (coupled with systems that have more boxes connected together with flimsy cables), the antennas fail due to crushed wires, crappy terminations and open coils (3.3V antenna) in the antennas, which should be replaced anyway every three years as a maintenance item.

Also, with the TM video control, I have had enough issues so I no longer trust it. Some of this is due to bad runs in cabling, an initial bad run of Replay 1080 XD cameras (internal battery connections coming loose) and deteriorating GoPro Hero 2 control cables at the camera end. Really got hosed when I made a big push to become a Replay dealer and offer this as an upgrade to TM. Still hurts.

If I don't have data or video, I have NOTHING to work with.

2a: What was the problem?

See above.

3: If you had a $700-1200 budget which one would you get? (santa's budget)

I would view this as a good start.

If you shop around, I think you may be able to find less expensive used items that will allow you to put together what you need but, if buying new, I would consider a Traqmate Basic, Classic and a camera or a Solo/Solo DL (providing you can get usable info from your car for the latter) and a camera.

Really, the sweet spot is $1700-$1800, which offers a variety of automated choices combining both data and video including TraqDash HD with Prime-X, Race-Keeper HE Black, Video VBOX Lite and AiM Solo DL/SmartyCam HD Rev2. Any of those are incredibly powerful tools that don't require much work to get a ton of good info out of them.

4: What is your preferred method for storing your data?

Dropbox for data files, portable HDD (or USB 3.0 flash storage) for video.

TXE36

One of the things I like about the TM that came with my track car is it "just works". It is very reliable and simple to use.

Since you now have a dedicated car, I'd look at what you could get a used TM for and cross shop that with the AIM.

-Mike

ProCoach

I do have a good, tested used TraqDash HD Complete with a brand new GoPro Hero 2 OR Mobius (with control cables and new antenna) for less than the top number of your budget...

DCP

That has not been my experience. I never got Traqmate video to work correctly with a Hero2 due to a combination of bad cables and firmware issues with the camera. I bought a Mobius camera which now at least starts reliably, but I have never been able to get a video overlay to work. On my ThinkPad, the overlay function simply will not work at all. On my wife's Dell, it works but fails to sync correctly. That said, the data are very useful and the system has helped me tremendously.

ProCoach

If the camera starts and stops reliably (when the TM gets a GPS "lock" to the time you push the red button to stop recording), then there should not be an issue, UNLESS the camera delay is not set correctly (which is important with the Mobius). See this info: http://www.traqmate.com/downloads//M...stallation.pdf

Proper delay is 4 seconds.

Dr911

pm for you Peter.

TXE36

Perhaps I should clarify. I run the camera manually. My comment with respect to the TM "just working" is just the data portion.

I use Racerender to combine the camera and data, but I don't do it all the time.

A friend has a high end AIM system with a smarty cam, but his audio is messed up.

It would be nice to have video with overlayed data right away with working audio. Seems that it is a bit of a stretch to get there.

-Mike

Bill Lehman

I ran the basic AiM Solo for three years. It delivered all of the data I could use and the Race Studio software seemed easy to learn and I am NOT a computer guru. This year I upgraded to the AiM Solo DL with the AiM SmartyCam. This setup automatically starts and stops the video and adds selected data directly to the video. This combo would be over your budget but you could get the Solo DL now and add the SmartyCam later.

ProCoach

RaceRender cannot do the one thing that makes TraqView such an incredible tool, the video theoretical best lap. While we all know that the TBL is an unobtainable carrot (because to ace one segement, you often compromise the adjoining ones), it answers questions that can lead drivers MUCH quicker to what works and what doesn't. While I think RR3 is great for what it does, the fact that you don't use it shows it's shortcomings for getting stuff DONE at the racetrack.

Secondly, the AiM SC HD video shoudl work fine. No, it's not the latest GoPro, but it kicks the heck out of R-K, Replay and a number of others. If there's a problem, then your friend needs to get his AiM dealer (even if it was me) or AiM to fix it. I have NEVER heard AiM blow off people looking for a legitimate resolution to a problem. That's his issue, not the equipment.

So, the base level is a simple logger (Solo, TM Basic) with a camera (GoPro, Replay, Contour) and Race Render 3, $700-$950, depending on the mix. Requires the most data transfer and cataloging, third party software crunching, computer capability and comfort. Most of all, it takes time...

The next level is TM with Mobius HD and TraqView, $1200-$1300 with all the bells and whistles. Requires downloading camera video separate from the data, then combining in the software. Great color touchscreen dash, auto track selection and that killer app, video TBL.

The most popular level is the "all-in-one," automated solutions, $1700-$1800. R-K HE Black, VIdeo VBOX Lite and Solo DL/SCHD. The latter two yield data-laden video that is DONE and playable on any Mac or PC right away. The former two offer side-by-side video comparisons between best laps and best segments. Amazing.

HD versions of two camera R-K and VVB HD (1Q 2016) will be $3K.

I will add that if ANYONE is talking "modern" cars, mostly post-2006, I would not recommend the TM because of the lack of ECU vehicle interface that is rich with information. I would recommend with reservations R-K, MoTeC and VVB due to limited ability to interface with the sensors in the car. I would recommend AiM because of the comprehensive ability to glean a TON of info (much of which can be visualized and recorded real-time on the video) from the car.

Man, the tech has gotten good!