CDS circa 2005
In his second Featured Article for TrailBrake, Peter Krause shares with us his knowledge on a popular item – Video Integration. This is a great article detailing the many possibilities in taking your data and putting it on top of your videos. There are a lot of gems of knowledge in here….
Of all the advances that have been made in "consumer level" data acquisition over the last five years, few have been as powerful and more useful than integrating the use of video into the analysis process.
Of all the advances that have been made in "consumer level" data acquisition over the last five years, few have been as powerful and more useful than integrating the use of video into the analysis process.
Motec Overlay
While standalone video has been used as far back as a decade and a half with portable VHS and VHS-C tape-based camcorders, progressing on to Sony's 8mm Hi-8 and digital-8 tape recorders, there was no way to easily incorporate video with data display. Once the province of pro racing, CDS's Data Informer seven years ago began to overlay timing, engine rpm and other simple values onto onboard video. Instantly, a new, better world was opened to the track day and club racing driver.
Simply, the information became more easily digestible. Stack and MoTeC began selling solid state video recorders to augment their data systems about the time Randy Chase began finalizing production of the revolutionary ChaseCam PDR-100 in 2004. The first simple, inexpensive and automated system available to the Club racing driver was the integration of the Traqmate data system (introduced in 2004) with the ChaseCam PDR-100. Soon after, Race Technology came out with the solid state Video4 recorder to augment it's pioneering GPS-based DAQ recorder, the DL-1 (introduced in 2001), but both these systems required not only separate data and video recording systems and media, but also "post production," or combining the data and the video through a conversion process and outputting a video file that unified the associated files. Quickly, drivers began listening to clues evident in throttle application or watching steering wheel technique in their videos. A quantum leap!
Simply, the information became more easily digestible. Stack and MoTeC began selling solid state video recorders to augment their data systems about the time Randy Chase began finalizing production of the revolutionary ChaseCam PDR-100 in 2004. The first simple, inexpensive and automated system available to the Club racing driver was the integration of the Traqmate data system (introduced in 2004) with the ChaseCam PDR-100. Soon after, Race Technology came out with the solid state Video4 recorder to augment it's pioneering GPS-based DAQ recorder, the DL-1 (introduced in 2001), but both these systems required not only separate data and video recording systems and media, but also "post production," or combining the data and the video through a conversion process and outputting a video file that unified the associated files. Quickly, drivers began listening to clues evident in throttle application or watching steering wheel technique in their videos. A quantum leap!
Stack Overlay
The next breakthrough for the club and drivers education techie was the explosive growth of all-in-one video and data systems split between four manufacturers, Race Technology, Race-Keeper, AiM SmartyCam and Racelogic's Video VBOX. The ability to record data and video to one media and transfer it simply and easily to a computer program for interpretation became the driving force for many of the frontline manufacturers. Soon, single camera systems offered a second, picture-in-picture display of a driver's head and hands, feet or pedals or what was happening behind them on track. Then, following the OEM testing regimens of Porsche and many other premium manufacturers, four-camera systems began to become more readily available. The biggest winner of the tech wars were the enthusiasts purchasing theses systems because the costs kept coming down and the quality and features kept getting better.
The value for a track day or club racing driver in reviewing video accompanied with data lies with the ability to tell exactly what happened when, where and throughout the session. Even the most experienced drivers can't easily determine the linearity of their deceleration rates through even a long braking zone without looking at the numbers. Even more valuable is the display of a virtual "friction circle," allowing the reviewer to gauge the efficacy of the transition between the end of braking and the assumption of cornering loads, typically the most difficult and variable execution in attempting to drive more quickly. Even the simplest overlay, for example the default overlay on the AiM SmartyCam, not only offers the friction circle, but also accompanying g values. Often without prompting, my clients will make the observation themselves before I point out to them that there's an unsatisfactory pause in throttle application between the end of braking and progression of the cornering phase! It's great when you have that light bulb come on…
Traqmate-Chase Cam Overlay
Some systems, such as the Video VBOX and the AiM SmartyCam, require the driver to arrange the relevant and desired information on the video background (VVB calls it a "scene," AiM calls it a template) BEFORE the video is taken. The video with the data overlaid is then processed and recorded real-time. One drawback to this real-time rendering system is a slight delay or hanging in the GPS speed displayed, but since it's consistent, it's still valuable and useful in comparisons between laps and events. Other hardware systems (and software solutions including DashWare and TrackVision) like the Race-Keeper and Traqmate TraqStudio, allow the driver to arrange the data over the video "post production" or after the fact, turning on and off various data parameters as needs require.
Traqmate Analysis Window 2010
It's never been easier for the track day or club-level racing driver to gain incredibly useful insight into their own performance simply by reviewing a data-laden video of their recent or historical sessions. The placement of the car, the consistency of line, speed, steering input and throttle application is all this really boils down to. After spending decades trackside with a pen and paper clipboard, ready to dissect a driver's technique, it's wonderfully refreshing and infinitely more valuable for me to sit and watch together with my client their work behind the wheel.
As with most technology, the hardware measurement of speeds and forces acting on the car are all relatively accurate and comparable among themselves in systems ranging from the $699 AiM Solo DL to the $40,000 MoTeC ADL3. The addition of the AiM SmartyCam to the Solo DL on the lower end, all the way up to augmenting a MoTeC ADL3 through the addition of their video capture system (VCS), is worth MUCH more than the sum of there parts.
For many track day and club racing level drivers, the simplicity of a unified system such as the Aim SmartyCam, Video VBOX Lite, Race-Keeper or even single-trigger synchronized systems such as Traqmate/GoPro HD combination is very appealing. Currently there is a "sweet spot" around $1800 of several "consumer grade" systems and combinations that work great. While there's been much buzz about HD video, my experience shows that the processing requirements (computer hardware), video file size and storage requirements are not worth the premium over a good SD (standard definition) system. After all, all we're trying to do is use this as a tool, and less as entertainment, to go faster. It's exciting times as new technology is unveiled. And it's only going to get better...
Krause is a leader in the field of professional coaches using technology to provide a data-driven, objective measure, as well as the use of simulation training for course familiarization and technique enhancement. More information can be found at www.peterkrause.net or www.gofasternow.com
As with most technology, the hardware measurement of speeds and forces acting on the car are all relatively accurate and comparable among themselves in systems ranging from the $699 AiM Solo DL to the $40,000 MoTeC ADL3. The addition of the AiM SmartyCam to the Solo DL on the lower end, all the way up to augmenting a MoTeC ADL3 through the addition of their video capture system (VCS), is worth MUCH more than the sum of there parts.
For many track day and club racing level drivers, the simplicity of a unified system such as the Aim SmartyCam, Video VBOX Lite, Race-Keeper or even single-trigger synchronized systems such as Traqmate/GoPro HD combination is very appealing. Currently there is a "sweet spot" around $1800 of several "consumer grade" systems and combinations that work great. While there's been much buzz about HD video, my experience shows that the processing requirements (computer hardware), video file size and storage requirements are not worth the premium over a good SD (standard definition) system. After all, all we're trying to do is use this as a tool, and less as entertainment, to go faster. It's exciting times as new technology is unveiled. And it's only going to get better...
Krause is a leader in the field of professional coaches using technology to provide a data-driven, objective measure, as well as the use of simulation training for course familiarization and technique enhancement. More information can be found at www.peterkrause.net or www.gofasternow.com
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