Data Loggers, who uses one???

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 8:39 pm

Racelogic have just launched a firmware upgrade which adds real-time Predictive lap-timing to Performance Box. It works by comparing your current lap with your previous best once per second, and showing the difference in real-time. When you take a corner better than before, you can instantly see how much you have gained. Brilliant - I'm keen to give it a workout at Wakefield Park next Wednesday! I expect it'll mean they're banned for regularities though! :lol:

Check out this example recorded with a Vbox, but it works the same way with the delta-t display:

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:41 am

I saw that yesterday too, and have downloaded the firmware update to try it out.
Haven't had a chance to load it yet but hope to do so soon.

Much better idea than having to remember each of your sector times during the lap to know whether you are on a flyer or not..

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:07 am

Hmmm I've discovered one significant oversight already. Racelogic apparently did not think anyone would want to load their old DBN files as a reference (say from their previous PB lap), so they haven't enabled that facility. :roll:

Also it seems that you can't use preloaded split files and have to press a button while crossing the start/finish line! That'll be fun when strapped in with a harness. I'll have to relocate the PBox a bit closer.

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:18 am

Guran wrote:Also it seems that you can't use preloaded split files and have to press a button while crossing the start/finish line! That'll be fun when strapped in with a harness. I'll have to relocate the PBox a bit closer.

argh.. Have you tried this or just via reading their site/press release?

You have been able to set start/finish via one push of up/down for a few revisions now and I use that sometimes if I forget to preload the split file before the day.
But you can (could?) also preload splits as well..

Hoping they haven't removed this functionality, as that's a massive backward step if so.
Setting 6 splits during a lap while driving isnt a great idea, especially compared to clicking a few buttons on the mouse on your PC the night before..

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:30 pm

No I haven't tried it yet. You can still preload the split files from the SD card in Laptiming Mode, but it appears this is not possible in the new Predictive Mode (according to info in the new User Manual and on the Racelogic forum). You have to press one of the arrow buttons when you cross the start line, and that then overwrites the split file you've loaded. I'll post some feedback after I test it out at Wakefield next week. It's a bit clumsy IMHO but ... meh ... it's a free upgrade (on a three year old product!) and should still be very useful. So I'm not complaining.

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:54 pm

Guran wrote:No I haven't tried it yet. You can still preload the split files from the SD card in Laptiming Mode, but it appears this is not possible in the new Predictive Mode (according to info in the new User Manual and on the Racelogic forum). You have to press one of the arrow buttons when you cross the start line, and that then overwrites the split file you've loaded. I'll post some feedback after I test it out at Wakefield next week. It's a bit clumsy IMHO but ... meh ... it's a free upgrade (on a three year old product!) and should still be very useful. So I'm not complaining.

Bummer...
Oh well, might give it a try anyway and see if its worth putting up with setting start/finish each visit to the track..
Does mean I have to loosen my harness for the first lap so I can reach the windscreen to push the button, which isn't ideal.(or very safe)

Has anyone managed to mount their PBox somewhere other than the windshield?
I still have a full dash with HVAC/Radio/etc so cant mount it there, and doesnt appear to be any room any where else...
Ideas anyone?

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:01 pm

I occasionally stick mine in the glovebox and use the external antenna. But only when the scrutineers get anal retentive. I'll be putting it on the windscreen in the bottom-right corner. Should be able to reach it with the harness tight.

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:07 pm

Guran wrote:I occasionally stick mine in the glovebox and use the external antenna. But only when the scrutineers get anal retentive. I'll be putting it on the windscreen in the bottom-right corner. Should be able to reach it with the harness tight.

Yeah, makes it hard to read then though... :lol:

(I like to see the splits and lap times come up so can check how my lap is going...)

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Sat May 21, 2011 1:14 pm

Guran wrote:No I haven't tried it yet. You can still preload the split files from the SD card in Laptiming Mode, but it appears this is not possible in the new Predictive Mode (according to info in the new User Manual and on the Racelogic forum). You have to press one of the arrow buttons when you cross the start line, and that then overwrites the split file you've loaded. I'll post some feedback after I test it out at Wakefield next week. It's a bit clumsy IMHO but ... meh ... it's a free upgrade (on a three year old product!) and should still be very useful. So I'm not complaining.

Some feedback on the predictive lap timing mode on the Performance Box:

I tried it out at Wakefield Park on the 8th/9th May. The predictive lap timing will not use the preloaded DSF file for the start/finish line. You have to be moving and then press one of the "arrow" buttons on the front when you cross the start/finish line (this overwrites any preloaded DSF file). You then have to do a full lap to create a "reference". From then on, you get instantaneous updates of your "delta-time" relative to the reference lap, which updates during the day. The delta-time is displayed as a number to the nearest thousandth of a second, and also as a bar graph. At the end of the first run, you need to save the reference lap, which is easily done but also easy to forget. Then on every run after that you need to load the reference lap while you're waiting in the queue. The reference lap is lost each time the unit is power cycled, so it's important to remember to load it each time. At the end of the day, you can also keep the reference lap on a PC or whatever (it's a file called "LAP.REF") and re-load it the next time you drive the same track. Finally, all of the runs are logged as per normal, so you can do your post analysis afterwards as well.

Conclusion? Predictive Laptiming mode is a clumsy arrangement and easy to stuff up, but I still like the functionality you get out of it. However, using this mode in regularities is tantamount to cheating so I'll be switching it off whenever I do these runs in future.

DanZig · Postby **DanZig** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:05 pm

Digging up an old thread here. What's the current best bang for logging and timing?

Basically considering the QStarz LT-Q6000, GTECH Pro RR w/GPS, PerfoamnceBox or just using phone software with a bluetooth GPS.

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:15 pm

Bang for bucks would have to be (still) an old Nokia smartphone running Racechrono with an external 10Hz better GPS receiver. For around $100 you can get yourself set up and logging pretty much everything that can be done on a PerformanceBox, which still costs around $750 (depending on options). Also, the datafiles can be exported in a format that is compatible with the free PerformanceBox software.

On the other hand, PerformanceBox delivers the live predictive laptiming function, which is absolutely brilliant. Since my previous post, I've been using it now for almost a year. They've made it more functional by releasing a bit of software called "LapRef" that will create the lap reference files for any lap you want. It tells you how much faster/slower than your PB you're going, updated every second and it's accurate to +/-0.02s. Experiment with a different cornering line, and instantly see the difference.

DanZig · Postby **DanZig** » Fri Apr 27, 2012 5:37 pm

That does sound like a handy feature to have. I don't mind forking out for something good aslong as it's going to have the features I can use to help improve my times.

The AIM Solo also has a predictive mode and looks quite nice a minimalistic. I can't see the Q6000 having predicitive but it is quite feature rich for the price.

yertimer · Postby **yertimer** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:24 pm

giving an old thread some new life.....

Danzig, what did you get, and what do you think of it?
Aim solo, gtech rr, vbox?

I have been thinking about getting either the gtech rr or the performance box.

I think Performance box is almost twice the price of the gtech, but it seems like the performance box gets a good wrap from those who use it - and predictive timing would be an advantage.

Any further comments or feedback about either?

gslender · Postby **gslender** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:27 pm

I'm using a mobile phone with megasquirt + shadowlogger to get combined gps and engine telemetry. Sure the gps resolution is poor, but overall it seems good enough and really inexpensive way to get started if you already have the megasquirt ecu.

G

Sailor · Postby **Sailor** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 4:44 pm

I'm using the Racechrono with the Qstarz which gives progressive sector times which will allow you to try qa new line or technique on a single sctor or corner and see if it was quicker or not.

http://www.racechrono.com.au/

I can do a full obdii log via bluetooth as well but choose to use a DashDyno for that