Trackmaster review

[Pittenger5]

Trackmaster is a lap timing tool for a droid phone. I played with it at a trackday today. Holy crap is this thing cool. I also used an external GPS system, which decreases the refresh rate (I dont know what this all means, but apparently its a good thing). You can set your own splits, or just use one at start finish. It also shows you a map of the track where you are braking, accelerating or neutral (I think thats what it is). You can pick and choose laps and then overlay the results and see where you're making up time or losing it. I havent even gotten to play with the data on a computer, but just seeing it on the phone is pretty damn awesome. I'm into the whole set up like 90 bucks (Including the external GPS which I guess isnt NEEDED, but recommended). Only downside is you need to keep your phone on you, but with the external GPS, you can bluetooth it and mount hte GPS thing to your bike, and leave your phone in your pocket inside the leathers. It worked flawlessly.

Totally recommend this system.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

leave your phone in your pocket inside the leathers.

Then where would I put my Post crash cigarette?

[13]

Hmmmmmmm

[xsiliconkid]

Just as a point of reference
GPS errors (from satellites, atmosphere, and multipath bounce to your antenna) can walk location as much as 10meters in any direction at any point in time/space unless you are using very sophisticated equipment)
OK for fun but not for serious timing/comparisons. (e.g., racing requires .001 sec accuracy)
Example, at Loudon crossing start finish at 100mph, this could represent as much as +-0.5sec in lap times from lap to lap.

Take a look at the mapping graphs and you will see datapoints suddenly going way off track
ps car nav systems just rubber band to map

[Pittenger5]

OK for fun but not for serious timing/comparisons. (e.g., racing requires .001 sec accuracy)

True, for MotoGP this wouldnt be effective. But for a club racer or track day goer, to see where you're braking or acceleration, or using waypoints to help you see where you're losing time in a comparison from lap to lap, I think its more than effective.

[xsiliconkid]

[The problem is entering a turn and on the brakes at say 100mph, potentially recording the brake point +\- 30 feet from actual is a big deal.
Also for club racing very accurate start/finish crossings are very important.

I agree a simple app on a smart phone for a traxk day is fine....but dont read too much into all the data.

Todate a number of companies have tried to build gps based pro timing systens and have stumbled or failed

[SVRACER01]

ive had this app for a while. only tried it a couple of times and it was while i was at MMC.
it didnt work too well, but i wasnt using an external gps and i had my phone in my leathers.
ive done a couple of updates to the app since then. if i remember i will try it again on monday

[ctbandit]

Did not work to well for me, tried starting it and putting it under my seat and had VERY mixed results. Seem to get about 50% feasible lap times, the rest were pretty far off (like a 1:18..hahah I wish)

[rolker]

I'm not surprised that phones don't work too well unless an external GPS is used. I have been recording GPS data every time I'm out on the track for quite a while now. I just use a logging GPS and download the data to a computer directly from the GPS instead of adding a phone to the system.

Graham, I agree that consumer level GPS units don't provide good enough position information to be useful for things like analyzing your lines on the track, but I disagree that it's just for fun and of limited use to racers. A GPS provides more than just position. Speed data logged 5 times a second is what I find most useful. In fact, GPS data recently helped me uncover a power reducing mechanical issue with my bike!

The key to effectively using GPS is understanding how errors can affect the data and approach the analysis in such a way than minimizes the impact of those errors and takes advantage of the more reliable speed data and high refresh rates.

My latest data collection tool (or toy) is the Contour GPS camera. I have ideas on how to take advantage of both video and GPS data in order to derive data that us more useful for analysis than either a GPS or video camera can provide by itself...