2Addicts | BMW 2-Series forum - View Single Post - Anyone using AiM SOLO 2 DL for a lap timer/data logger?

ggggbmw · 06-06-2019, 11:08 PM

I find that I need a checklist to make sure I'm doing everything on pit-out and pit-in. I put a piece of tape on my dash to remind me to turn off the HVAC, put it sport mode, start the data app, start the camera, and to check the tire pressures. The checklist helps a LOT.

I have a Hero5 Black, and do about the same as dradernh and msendit . I use a headrest mount and power it from the back armrest socket with a long cable. No battery worries. I find that a 64GB card lasts a day. It's just over 2 hours of raw storage, which just covers 4x 25m sessions. I was using the free M LapTimer app to trigger the GoPro via WiFi, which worked great for me for the past year.

If you have nothing, the M Laptimer app is great. Only issue is it takes major computer geeking to get the data out of it for video overlays. But otherwise it gives you some nice data to review on your phone. (Like seeing how much I coast into some corners

, but I'm blaming some of that on being at redline which the app also shows well.) The M Laptimer app is controlled via the iDrive control, which is sweet. You can even get a preview of the GoPro view in iDrive to confirm it's working.

Unfortunately, for some odd reason, M Laptimer was freaking out during my last weekend and shutting down after 4 laps. (ARGH!) Just to get data I was using the free TrackAddict app. I find I'm really missing the throttle, gear, and RPM data. But for simple lap timing and G meters, it worked great.

Some friends use Harry's Lap timer also, which is similar to Track Addict. Both Harry's and TrackAddict can use your phone camera to create video if you have a good dash mount. It works, but a GoPro (or similar) tends to have way better video than a phone camera. The phone cameras tend to get really confused by the motion.

TrackAddict is supposed to control GoPro's also, but I wasn't going to mess with that at the track, so I just reached up and pressed the button to start it when I was on the pit-out, and off again on pit-in. The Hero5 has fairly loud and unique audible beep patterns when powering up/down, and starting/stopping recording so you can tell just by sound what it is doing. Frankly, I might just keep doing that from here on out.

There was a rep at the track talking up the Apex Pro device, and giving demos. It looked really nice and had a neat feature that was calculating how much grip you were using. Had a slick interface you could run on a phone or iPad. If you are really looking for driver improvement info, this app looked really nice. For about the same price as an AIM Solo you might want to look at it. No OBD data though. (The rep said he runs a AIM Solo DL in addition to the ApexPro for the more car oriented data.)

Just starting to experiment with overlays, and pulled this lap from one of my sessions last weekend. Still have a lot to learn, but it works for a first effort. This is footage from a GoPro Hero 5 Black, data from the free TrackAddict version, and overlayed and edited with the free RaceRender software. (Will likely buy RaceRender.)

(You can see my checklist on the yellow tape below the iDrive display.

)

06-06-2019, 11:08 PM	#13
ggggbmw Lieutenant 433 Rep 442 Posts Drives: 2017 M2 Manual Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Minnesota iTrader: (0)	I find that I need a checklist to make sure I'm doing everything on pit-out and pit-in. I put a piece of tape on my dash to remind me to turn off the HVAC, put it sport mode, start the data app, start the camera, and to check the tire pressures. The checklist helps a LOT. I have a Hero5 Black, and do about the same as dradernh and msendit . I use a headrest mount and power it from the back armrest socket with a long cable. No battery worries. I find that a 64GB card lasts a day. It's just over 2 hours of raw storage, which just covers 4x 25m sessions. I was using the free M LapTimer app to trigger the GoPro via WiFi, which worked great for me for the past year. If you have nothing, the M Laptimer app is great. Only issue is it takes major computer geeking to get the data out of it for video overlays. But otherwise it gives you some nice data to review on your phone. (Like seeing how much I coast into some corners, but I'm blaming some of that on being at redline which the app also shows well.) The M Laptimer app is controlled via the iDrive control, which is sweet. You can even get a preview of the GoPro view in iDrive to confirm it's working. Unfortunately, for some odd reason, M Laptimer was freaking out during my last weekend and shutting down after 4 laps. (ARGH!) Just to get data I was using the free TrackAddict app. I find I'm really missing the throttle, gear, and RPM data. But for simple lap timing and G meters, it worked great. Some friends use Harry's Lap timer also, which is similar to Track Addict. Both Harry's and TrackAddict can use your phone camera to create video if you have a good dash mount. It works, but a GoPro (or similar) tends to have way better video than a phone camera. The phone cameras tend to get really confused by the motion. TrackAddict is supposed to control GoPro's also, but I wasn't going to mess with that at the track, so I just reached up and pressed the button to start it when I was on the pit-out, and off again on pit-in. The Hero5 has fairly loud and unique audible beep patterns when powering up/down, and starting/stopping recording so you can tell just by sound what it is doing. Frankly, I might just keep doing that from here on out. There was a rep at the track talking up the Apex Pro device, and giving demos. It looked really nice and had a neat feature that was calculating how much grip you were using. Had a slick interface you could run on a phone or iPad. If you are really looking for driver improvement info, this app looked really nice. For about the same price as an AIM Solo you might want to look at it. No OBD data though. (The rep said he runs a AIM Solo DL in addition to the ApexPro for the more car oriented data.) Just starting to experiment with overlays, and pulled this lap from one of my sessions last weekend. Still have a lot to learn, but it works for a first effort. This is footage from a GoPro Hero 5 Black, data from the free TrackAddict version, and overlayed and edited with the free RaceRender software. (Will likely buy RaceRender.) (You can see my checklist on the yellow tape below the iDrive display. )
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