Lap Timing Equipment

[Beer Baron]

looks good. the only thing I can really fault is no incar lap display so you have no idea if you are on a good lap or not. or if you are going quicker or slower. very important if you use soft tyres that only have a couple of laps of peak life in them. you don't want to throw away tyres trying to set a good lap if you've lost 3 tenths off your pb by turn 3...

but for $200 it's a pretty cheap way to get some very useful data and makes it a great learning tool.

[MacGillaZ]

Unit has Bluetooth which would means you could run Race-Chrono or a program of that ilk to give you your istantaneous live timings of sectors and laps ie green or red, then go back and analyise your data with the included software.

I've been using the BT1300S and it works rather well, but the additional software for now available, I think will make it even better/useful.

[Russman]

Fellas..... discuss! Thoughts?.... under $200

http://www.hioctaneracing.com/blog/2011/1/14/finally-an-affordable-gps-data-logging-lap-timer.html

Seems too good to be true. If it's all it says it is for that price it's hard to beat for a simple setup.

[neil_se]

I've got an iPod Touch and you can get TomTom iTouch cradles for $69, that should work for Harrys Lap Timer yeah? The cheapest iPhone cradle I can see is about $140.

Edited January 17, 2011 by neil_se

[Marlin]

looks good. the only thing I can really fault is no incar lap display so you have no idea if you are on a good lap or not. or if you are going quicker or slower. very important if you use soft tyres that only have a couple of laps of peak life in them. you don't want to throw away tyres trying to set a good lap if you've lost 3 tenths off your pb by turn 3...

but for $200 it's a pretty cheap way to get some very useful data and makes it a great learning tool.

I know when I'm off by a tenth let alone three! lol

I'll never been running super soft throw away tyres, I'd rather use the tyres Other people are throwing away!

I'm wondering if it could just plug into an iPhone to download the data off it rather than needing to take a laptop?

[phunky_monkey]

Seems too good to be true. If it's all it says it is for that price it's hard to beat for a simple setup.

Agreed.

Keen to see someone try it out for me!

[Russman]

Agreed.

Keen to see someone try it out for me!

haha you first!

[ssxRicho]

That qstarz unit has been around for at least 6 months now.

http://www.qstarz.com.au/index_files/Page487.htm

I would want anything to have the ability to convert in AVI.

I'm thinking the racechrono software would be much better. Performance box format export, pre loaded tracks and splits, optimal lap, split comparison and AVI export.

[Marlin]

lol. Whats AVI and how does it benefit?

[phunky_monkey]

haha you first!

No deal

[hrd-hr30]

That qstarz unit has been around for at least 6 months now.

http://www.qstarz.com.au/index_files/Page487.htm

I would want anything to have the ability to convert in AVI.

I'm thinking the racechrono software would be much better. Performance box format export, pre loaded tracks and splits, optimal lap, split comparison and AVI export.

I don't believe in "optimal lap times". Using Lakeside as an example, but it can apply to any track... on lap A you got a good first sector time by being fast through the middle of the first double apex right hander. But holding that speed/line there compromises the line in the second part of the corner and costs some exit speed. On lap B you got a good second sector by sacraficing some mid-corner speed for the best exit and being faster all the way down the next long flat out section. Overal lap time is better because of that, but the theoretical "optimal lap" would just take lap A sector 1 and lap B sector 2 and use them together. In reality they're mutually exclusive.

[ssxRicho]

Yep, any tool has its limitations. But it's something else you can use.

I'm not saying take it (optimal lap) as gospel, but better to have it as a diagnostic tool than not too.

I've generally found it usefully in paying around with different sectors, as you say it is difficult to pull the whole lap together. You can

take chunks out of it and make up 2-3 tenth, but maybe not the full 7 tenths of the optimal lap though.

AVI is video format, so you can sync it up with your in-car footage.

[MacGillaZ]

From digging around with the Software today and trying to get it to process data taken from my Q1300, no deal. ATM Qstarz is only allowing it to grab data from the Q1000XT, which is uber ghey! I'll be sticking with the free/cheap alternative of a 5hz BT receiver + an old Nokia and run Race Chrono on it. Several benefits include, easier access to exporting your data to an avi format; allowing you to do fancy overlays on your vids, way more than 8mb of data storage and instant review of the data inside the car rather than having to lug around a lappy to review your info.

Until RC goes Android and has lots of money channelling into it, the best 'tight-arse' solution is ye old trust worthy RC1.4

[billywhiz]

I've just started to use a 10hz GPS (QSTARZ BT-Q818XT <$100) bluetooth to RaceChrono ($free running on a Nokia)

seemed to work well but first event was an untimed PI meet so can't compare results against NATSOFT

Not sure about RaceChrono2AVI, it displays frozen laptime from Racechrono but seems to run for nearly a second longer per lap - towards the end of a session, my AVI overlay zeroes lap time as I enter turn 1! This extra time is not in the RaceChrone CSV file.

Anyone experience this issue - developer doesn't seem to be on the RaceChrono forum anymore?

[scooby36]

iv got a qstarz 818XT brand new in box for $80+post for sale if anyones keen

(or pickup bris southside)

Edited August 2, 2011 by scooby36

[martyboy26]

Here's a couple more to consider

Qstarz 10Hz BT-Q1000eX eXtreme GPS Lap Timer & Data Logger

Qstarz LT-Q600 Colour Lap Timer

[toffy]

I don't believe in "optimal lap times". Using Lakeside as an example, but it can apply to any track... on lap A you got a good first sector time by being fast through the middle of the first double apex right hander. But holding that speed/line there compromises the line in the second part of the corner and costs some exit speed. On lap B you got a good second sector by sacraficing some mid-corner speed for the best exit and being faster all the way down the next long flat out section. Overal lap time is better because of that, but the theoretical "optimal lap" would just take lap A sector 1 and lap B sector 2 and use them together. In reality they're mutually exclusive.

Neither do i . I'm using a starlane digi race stealth - something or other . it's funny when you get things like attatched pic:

[Duncan]

lol, I think it needs to calculate a little harder....

[martyboy26]

Here's a couple more to consider

Qstarz 10Hz BT-Q1000eX eXtreme GPS Lap Timer & Data Logger

Qstarz LT-Q600 Colour Lap Timer

Here's a quick demo of the QSrtarz Range of 10Hz GPS Lap Timers we have on sale at RaceRecall.com

[MBS206]

I've got an iPod Touch and you can get TomTom iTouch cradles for $69, that should work for Harrys Lap Timer yeah? The cheapest iPhone cradle I can see is about $140.

Just a response on this. There was a track day I was at... Someone went out with a very similar setup... He spent about 5 minutes at the end of his session searching the top of wakefield park trying to find his iPhone... Yep, cradle came loose under hard cornering and the iPhone and cradle exited left of stage...