Cheap DIY track video gauges/telemetry overlay
 

So FYI if you already have a Windows Mobile or Android phone there are some pretty cheap ways to get track telemetry and video overlay. If you already have the phone and the camcorder, all you need is an $80 bluetooth GPS and some cheap/free software. If you do not have the phone and camcorder, you are a hopeless loser and should stop reading now. But seriously, used versions of both are available cheap, like on ebay. See software links below for a compatible phones list.

How I did it:
1. Used an old HTC smart phone running Windows Mobile. The phone does not need to be active on your account. Mine was not.
2. Used Racechrono running on the smart phone.
http://www.racechrono.com/
3. Used a Qstarz bluetooth GPS linked to the phone via, wait for it, bluetooth. Mine is a 5Hz but the 10 Hz QSTARZ BT-Q818XT has come out since I bought mine and is only a few dollars more. As of now $80 on Amazon. No need for the more expensive logging one BTW.
http://www.amazon.com/QSTARZ-BT-Q818.../dp/B003YCZINA
4. Tape/velcro/strap/clip whatever the bluetooth gps and the phone to the dash of the car. Placement is your choice of course. Obviously the GPS needs to see the sky and the phone needs to be close enough to the gps for the bluetooth link to work. Get racechrono and your GPS running.
5. Go play
6. In racechrono export the session data to a csv file.
7. Download it to your PC.
8. Go get RaceChrono2AVI here http://www.racechrono.com/news/?p=92 and install it on your PC.
9. Start up RaceChrono2AVI.
9. Import the csv file onto RaceChrono2AVI and run it. Select 'record avi' and it will create the movie for you in your choice of a few different formats. Viola!

Apparently Trackmaster (Android) can also export the proper format csv file for RacechronoAVI2 so though I have not tried it yet Trackmaster should work as well.

I have the video from a camcorder I mounted on the harness bar so as soon as I transfer that into my PC I'll merge the two (my PCs at home do not have firewire so I cannot transfer it yet, damn it). I am presuming that I can merge two videos in Windows Live Movie Maker?

In the mean time, here is a video of the overlay dash panel from a track day at Texas World Speedway. Video quality is a lot better on the PC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gdhmg5r_YI

good write-up! 5hz GPS should be more then enough for most guys.

I's doing this soon. Good to see others jumping on the Racechrono.

A guy on the local forum did something similar with his bike.

http://cincystreetscene.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=61038

OK I also posted this in the media forum but will put it again here. This is the resulting video. I used a trial copy of Corel Video studio pro to do the overlay.

Nicely done.

If you get the logging version of the GPS does this negate the need for a phone? Or is the data formatted way differently?

Good question. I have no idea. It may be formatted differently. I know it needs to be a CSV file with the right headers etc.

My two cents... You could translate/modify it in excel but that would be a PIA. Plus you would need a laptop at the track in place of the cell phone if you wanted to look at your log after a session. And, no in-vehicle lap timer, unless you take a PC with you (that would suck and be a safety issue) or you have another timer system already.

I think for the hassle and feature factor it is better to get an old cell phone and get the normal, non-logging GPS. The cheaper cost of the non-logging unit would offset the cost of the cell phone. Here is a used HTC Mogul (what I used) on ebay for $43 with shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/HTC-Mogul-Sprint...#ht_500wt_1156

Remember, you do not have to activate it. You are basically just using it as a mini-computer. Get a cig lighter charger, or a fresh battery, and you are good to go. I had mine on a charger.

BTW the GPS runs a long, long time on one charge. It seems to shut itself down and restart again when the phone sleeps and wakes up. That is very nice.

I've ordered a 10Hz GPS and an SD module for my Arduino to play around. It won't be able to act as a lap timer but it could datalog co-ords as well as some analog inputs (potentially TPS, RPM etc).