Integrating time and video

Tutor PC application

The tutor PC application video can be viewed at:Tutor GPS unfortunately (as purchased) the PC software and the firmware in the unit have several issues not currently resolved by Sumomoto.

1) The files produced by Tutor GPS hardware appears to have corruption in the output file such that Tutor PC application will not display the data correctly. Here is an example of one row of corrected data.

$1752236,

A

,55518306

,-3494917,

1.64,

B9@00B4002400DC,

00AAFFF000A7,

0093004A0109,

00D1FFB20083,

007D008A00F9,

00B9FFAB00D9,

0071009000F6,

00D3FF8300D5,

00BD009D0089,

006F003300FA*

a) $1752236 is a time stamp of the form HH/MM/SS.S ("$" is a start of line character and "*" is end of line character and  "," is a column separator that should be ignored)
b) A denotes a valid set of results V if not
c) 55518306 is the Latitude
d) -3494917 is the Longitude
e) 1.64 is the MPH speed
f) B9@00B4002400DC is broken down as follows:
    i) B9 is something to do with satelites perhaps does not change a lot but only slightly
    ii) @ is a separator
    iii) 00B4 is Hex altitude G forces
    iv) 0024 is Hex Axiel G changes
    v) 00DC is Hex Radial G Changes.
h) 00AAFFF000A7 to 006F003300FA 10x 12byte words which have no discernible effect on Tutor PC application.

The data before correction looks like this

$1752236,

A

,55518306

-,3494917,

1.64,

B9@00B4002400DC,

00AAFFF000A7,

0093004A0109,

00D1FFB20083,

007D008A00F9,

00B9FFAB00D9,

0071009000F6,

00D3FF8300D5,

00BD009D0089,

006F003300FA*

Outstanding problems with Tutor

* The error (as shipped to me) appears (if you ignore start of line and column separators) is with the 17th character it is slipped (on line one only) by two.

* The memory card I used is 4Gbyte when I used a 16Gbyte card no files were stored.

* The problems that remain are with the PC application. It will not allow me to change the split times as per their video referenced above.

I have contacted the factory but so far I have had no response to my issues.

Race Render

There are several free PC applications, that I know about, that do much more that Tutor and one of them is called Track Chrono and the other is called Race Render. Both applications are good, Track Chrono will work with certain GPS 10Hz devices and produce the data on your phone for immediate analysis. I am not into pissing about with USB leads and mobile phone at the track side so the Track Chrono route is not that attractive to me. I want to press a button at the start line and bingo so Tutor GPS and Race Render is the route for me.

Race Render is a wonderful free PC application that will accept Track Chrono formatted input files and integrate your data and video in a combined display for producing custom video of your track day activities.

PC Notepad

Open the Tutor GPS .txt file in Notepad, now at the very least correct the error in line one then you can at least get the Tutor PC application to open the file and display the track. You will then come across the bug that will not allow you to change the split times.

Open Office spread sheet

Next import the corrected file into my special spread sheet and save the Track Chrono (layer tab)in my special .CSV formatted spread sheet. Remove all the data before the speed builds to 1mph (that must be the start point. Similarly remove all the data when the speed falls below 1mph (as you are probably in the paddock). If you mail me your address I will send you a copy of the sheet in open office format .ods

GoPro3+
The key to producing consistent data of your track day activities is the video. I have pi???d about with numerous cheap cameras and I could fill a bucket with the failed examples. The GoPro3+ is the dogs bollocks for motor sport and can come with a wifi dongle waterproof controller. The dongle has a small display that tells you everything about the camera and can be mounted on your dash. One press just before the start line and one press on Tutor GPS and off you go. At the end of the sprint line and safely in the paddock and you can save your GPS and GoPro files for safe keeping. These can be Synchronised in your PC later.

 Here is an example of the integrated result:

http://youtu.be/MmZyk8-DNB8


Since I posted that video I have corrected the G display and sorted out the correct position for the finish line.