hustler

iTrader: (6)

MaxQData Quantum Dot
MaxQData
pros:

• $450
• people don't know what it is/won't steal it
• uses the iphone for a real-time interface

cons:

• AA batteries
• gotta make some gay mount for it because I don't trust a $500 wad to magnets on the trunk
• can't adjust the iPhone in the car with gloves on
• may get a non-iphone at some point and have to buy something to display the data in the future

Racelogic Performance Box
PerformanceBox Overview
pros:

• everything is self contained
• cig lighter powered

cons:

• tiny display is hard to read on the track
• must put data on a computer to analyze
• $50 more
• big and bulky in the windsheild

Can I use both devices to post times in friendly competition?

What do you guys think of each one? Make decisions for me.

webby459

iTrader: (8)

My input. I have a MaxQ Traqr. I THINK that the Dot will also work with any old PDA, you may want to check with the guys at MaxQ. Believe it or not, I use my Traqr inside my Miata, I use velcro to stick it on the carpet on my parcel shelf. It works fine, and grabs plenty of satellites to have plenty of resolution. I have a soft top, so I originally thought it was the soft top letting the signal through. However, I used it inside of the VW Ice Racer I rented. I ziptied it to my camera mount, which was on the harness bar. I got the same number of satellites as in my Miata, so you should be fine with the MaxQ inside of a car with a hard top.

The iphone app looked like the display was pretty big, I'd go with that over the other device. It should be noted that someone mentioned to me about an Android app called Trackmaster, it's only $15. It looked pretty good, maybe someone here has it.

If I had to do it again, I would think of the Trackmaster app, or save up my money and splurge on something higher-end, like the Racepak from Emilio, so that you can fully integrate video and MS data into the data traces. This stuff is very hard to integrate after the fact.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Thanks. I'm not spending $1500 on this ****, $500 is my cut-off. I don't need the resolution and don't really want the yaw device.

webby459

iTrader: (8)

I'm sure you'll get some good responses here, but if you don't, either bump it or send me a PM. I may have an idea or two for you to do it on a budget, especially if you end up wanting a MaxQ.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Why don't you just send me the secret? Thanks, I love you.

shuiend

iTrader: (24)

I have the trackmaster app on my Droid. I believe it was only 4.99 when I bought it. Unfortunately I have not had a chance to try it out, I will be testing it at an Autox once they start up again. But for $5 I cannot complain to much.

webby459

iTrader: (8)

It's not much of a secret, but I'll hit you up later, when I'm sitting in my wig and crotchless panties. In the meantime, I'd be interested in seeing if anyone else has any pertinent info.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Hide your candies and send pics if you're in the mood for some play.

webby459

iTrader: (8)

^NEVER out me again on this forum. Save that **** for the "other" forum.

webby459

iTrader: (8)

hustlefucker, which MaxQ did you use at TxMC? Did you like and use the software interface between sessions, and did you use it on track for splits and lap timing? Were the beacons for lap and split timing already set up in the software? Did you use a PDA for display?

hustler

iTrader: (6)

I used the MQGPS-TraQr with a PDA and loved it. He had one "beacon" for start/finish set up. I'd buy that unit, but then I also have to buy a PDA and everything to go with it. I looked at the data from my one session at home with a Belgian Tripel. The ones I posted are the most cost effective.

cueball1

iTrader: (13)

Buy the cheapest used unit you can find!

Chris Swearingen

iTrader: (1)

RaceRender Video Processor

I haven't used it personally but several friend have spoken very highly of it for integrating data and video.


Hustler,
what do you want data for? Just in car lap times? Bragging rights later? Or a meaningful tool to improve your driving?

I am a firm believer in traqmate. It is out of your stated price range but is a great tool. Whatever you decide on, spend some time with sample files and the software before you make up your mind. Try analyzing someones data files and see what you can do. Gathering data is one thing, using it is something else entirely.
\

webby459

iTrader: (8)

Jeez, Chris, you school me on products I've never seen on a daily basis. It doesn't list Megasquirt datalogs as a valid input. Do you know if you can add it? I was going to try to work with the guys from Trackvision to get MaxQ AND MS data on the same video, but never did get around to it. Outside of synching the datastreams from 3 different sources (vid, MS, maxq), imo the hard bit, at least for me to wrap my mind around is parsing data with differing grab rates, 5 hz for maxq traqr and iirc 13hz for MS datalog. So, for my very feeble intellect, an all in one box with video, gps, and ecu datalogging is the killer app. Then, I can just plug it into my 13" zenith b/w or Betamax and view it.

BTW, I'm not trying to over complicate things. I just think having RPM, boost and tps traces would be valuable info to overlay onto video. For next year, I'm not going to mess with this integration. I'll just grab MS data and maxq GPS to study when it's convenient, and just use video to show everyone just how fast red turbo cars can be.

Edited to add: last time I tried integrating data with video using various software, it crashed my PC Jr. So, I quit trying.

webby459

iTrader: (8)

Hustlefucker, instead of PM, here's the deal. MaxQ is a small company, like many others we deal with. When I got mine, I realized I needed an unlock code to get the full sampling rate. I got it a couple of days before an event, and I couldn't get in touch with them until after the event. Not a huge thing, just irked me.

Next, first time I used it I couldn't get the beacons set up correctly at the track. So, I couldn't grab real time lap timing. I had to wait until I got home and did it on my PC. I also had a little trouble setting up cones and start/finish at a couple autocrosses. I understand that once I set up beacons, or load someone else's, they can be used in the future at the same track, but the first setup was harder than I thought it should be.

You should really make sure you don't want an integrated setup like I ultimately want. If so, I'd try to use some sort of goofy laptiming app for an iphone or android, then get what you really want later.

If you don't mind dealing with software setup, connecting bluetooth devices, and all that, I think MaxQ is the cheapest standalone GPS logger outside of an app. If it will **** you off at all to set up, or you can't get help, I'd suggest a one piece unit like the other one you were looking at.

If you are JUST looking for lap timing and some g loading info, the TraqR will do what you need for cheap. You may be able to find a used one since some users may want to sell theirs to get the Dot. It doesn't work with the iphone, but you can source lots of cheap bluetooth PDAs on ebay or such. I MAY have a spare PDA at the office, I have to ask my "boy Friday". It will be a little beat up or whatever, but I can unload it for a song. It would be an XV6700, which I found among a couple different units to work best, and I could at least load the Max software and make sure it connects with my unit. Send me a PM, I'd get it to you for the price of shipping and wrapping, or exchange for a pair of your girl's thong panties.

As was said on the other board, the MaxQ is not a fully polished product. You have to be willing to work with some of it's faults. 5 hz is plenty of resolution for track driving, btw. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

-Love, your Uncle

jacob300zx

I'm in the same boat as Hustler. I want sector times, rpm, gear, brake light, laptime, and video overlay. This will be used as a tool to make me faster. I think the traqmate is the cheapest way to do all of this???????

rweatherford

I've been looking at these and wondered if you can actually do a good job with one of these while auto-xing? Is 5Hz enough? I use a 10Hz unit for guidance while at work.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

The problem with the infrared is that I also have to buy an IR beacon, and that sucks and I don't have money for it.

I don't need EFI computer log stuff, I want car velocities.

I guess I'll just **** with an iphone app for now and make this decision later....its either maxQ or the racelogic performance box.

orion4096

iTrader: (22)

I have the performance box and like it. Reading the last lap time on the front straight is easy enough since it fills up the (small) display. I don't even bother flipping to the other display modes where the font is tiny. It fits nicely onto the lower windshield. Here's a video of it riding with me at Laguna Seca: YouTube - laguna seca 12/18. The overlay was created using the pbox data from that run and some custom software. I've also played around a little with some iphone apps with limited success. The precision and accuracy isn't as good as the pbox.

The software that comes with the pbox is pretty useful. Since data is stored on a flash card you can pop it into a laptop and look at it easy enough. A phone would be easier, but the typical comparisons I do (lap overlays to see where I carried more speed and lines) would be annoying on a phone due to the small display. The file format was pretty easy to reverse engineer so with some work the software can be used with just about any lap timing unit that samples gps coordinates and a few other things. You can download the software for free and I can send you a sample run file if you want to see what you can do with it.

One drawback I see with the pbox is syncing external data (including video) beyond what it records. It stores timestamps in the file so it's possible to line things up that way, but it would be nice if it had a simple input/output port aside from flash so that you can write all interesting data out together. That stuff is usually reserved for the $1k+ units even though it's pretty basic. For example, I hand sync the video overlap in editing software. The only sensor the pbox has is a gps and everything is derived from that - velocity, acceleration, etc.

There are some group buys on the pbox that occasionally go around which can save you some $$$ - up to $100 if I remember right. I'll have to ask my friend where he saw the group buy.

EDIT: In the end I think phones+apps will kill the lower end lap timer devices...

webby459

iTrader: (8)

I'm still amazed that more people haven't had some smart comments on this one. I know Savington was talking about doing an integrated data setup, maybe he'll talk about what he's doing...

If I were looking to do this, I would contact Emilio, especially if you have megasquirt. He's worked on getting the racepak logger to talk to MS, and it does integrated video. Prepare to spend some money if you want a well-integrated solution. If not, prepare to be brilliant with electronics and/or computers in order to build your own system from various parts.

You can log car data without integrating with MS, but you'll need to use modules to grab what you need, like tps, rpm, etc. Something like the DL1 can do this. Also not cheap.

Most of what I've read says that 5hz is fine for autocross. You have to be realistic while looking at the data. There are data 'boogers' with 5hz, I assume there will be less with 10-20hz. Prepare to throw away data that's boogered with outliers. At this point, IMHO, no gps logger can give you accurate enough data to compare line. You will realize this when you compare two runs separated by a substantial period of time, there will be an undeniable GPS drift. You can usually re-align the runs, but will you still trust the data to give you line comparison? Using data coupled with VIDEO will give you better line analysis.

These are just my impressions, someone else feel free to offer some better suggestions.