dash board and data adquisition

[peat]

Hi all


I would like to know wich dash board and data adquisition are you using in your cars. More over I would like to know, in your opinion, wichs one have the best price/qualite balance.


Thank you

[iamuwere]

Aim EVO4 with Formula Car wheel or the M3 dash.

[RobLav]

I have an AIM EVO4 system and m3 dash. The EVO4 is good value for the money, but the dash might as well be useless. I find it difficult to see and read it.

My favorite dash was the Stack steering wheel system. Expensive but completely functional.

[Evl]

Race-Technology's DL-1/Dash3 combo is economical, but you pretty much have to be an engineer to use/maintain it.

[Richard Dziak]

Aim Mychron 3 Gold Dash........

Works GREAT....easy to read........various menus to use. Software available for download into Race Analysis program via laptop. The software is packed with tons of information. More than I can even figure out. Has independent IR Beam for track/race timing which works great and provides all lap times and best lap time.

Used in Phoenix F1K.07 Formula F1000 race car.

[cooleyjb]

EVO4 with the formula wheel for me.

I'm selling 3 EVO4/dash combos for each MXL right now. Great bang for the buck.

[Rick Ross]

As you can see.....everyone (including me) will pretty much recommend the system that they are currently using or have recently purchased. My opinion.....

Motec -- the best, period. Also too expensive for most club racers.
Pi -- excellent hardware and software, but not cheap.
CDS -- also very good, prices similar to Pi.
Race Tech -- seems like good bang for the buck, but I've never used it.
AIM -- the best value for the club racer, although I am not a fan of the AIM software.

I currently have a car with a Motec ADL and a car with a Pi Omega D2. The Pi system has a great dash, GPS, and shift lights, and cost around $3000. I really like the Pi software, but that is probably because I am most familiar with it.

Buy what YOU like, not what someone else tells you to buy. If possible spend some time playing around with the software before buying a system.

[Mike Devins]

Check out Veracity Racing Data they carry AIM and have great customer service after the sale.

Dave and Ellen are both racers and will help you with setup and interpreting the data - that is worth alot!

[cooleyjb]

If you're in Spain many of us stateside can't sell you stuff. So I'd look into what kind of stuff is being used a bit closer to home. Warranty issues should they occur can be difficult as well. I'm sure that AIM and Pi have good support as well as Race Technology. I have a feeling that CDS is more of an unknown in Spain.

[VehDyn]

Dave and Ellen carry AIM, Motec, Pi, etc. THey have helped me with my Motec before and are great.

The Motec is sweet, but it is a bit complicated to use as its so very capable. Never had an AIM, but they seem like a great value.

[peat]

I was watching the evo 4 and I would like to know if it is easy to install on that kind of car, especially if it is easy to conect the ecu. In other way, I would like to know wich sensors are you using?have you got problems for to install any sensor?





Thank you

[cooleyjb]

Depends on the ECU. What engine are you running?

Here's the PnP setups that AIM has done for some bikes.

http://www.aim-sportline.com/pages/b...xl_pnp_kit.htm

I'm not sure how much they cross over. The only bike motor installation I've dealt with didn't do plug n play so we used traditional sensors. Right now it has oil pressure, water temp, oil temp, rpm, fuel pressure. Eventually, throttle position, brake pressure and steering will be added.

Installation was very straight forward.

[peat]

moreover, I would like to know if is possible to fit the formula steering wheel+proshift Ps2 paddles+steering wheel quick realise.

[cooleyjb]

moreover, I would like to know if is possible to fit the formula steering wheel+proshift Ps2 paddles+steering wheel quick realise.

I've got a formula wheel on a car with a SPA quick release and it does have paddles. Not sure which ones though.

[peat]

I've got a formula wheel on a car with a SPA quick release and it does have paddles. Not sure which ones though.

I am thinking in proshift Ps2

[cooleyjb]

I am thinking in proshift Ps2

Looking at the paddle system they use I don't see any fit issues. The ones I've seen are the larger paddles that have a push/pull cable not the system I see in the proshift. Those mount a different way but the final location looks the same.

There's really nothing special about the wheel. It's just a very tidy package wrapped up in a 270mm wheel.

[JJLudemann]

I've been poking around on this subject a bit, and it seems the Racepak IQ3 Logger Dash offers the best price/performance (on paper). I get the impression this is a new product.

http://www.racepak.com/Road_Racing/IQ3.php

Does anyone have any experience with it?

-Jim

[GeoffRain]

I've been using an IQ3 for just under a year. It's been around for at least a couple of years (I bought mine used) but they don't seem to market to the formula car crowd.

I'm using the internal G sensor and GPS along with the expansion box and generic sensors for water temp and oil pressure. I don't have throttle or brake set up yet, but between the 3 axis G meter and GPS I get a very good picture of my "opportunities to develop as a driver."

- Dash is very easy to read in all conditions

- No need for a beacon because the GPS is good. This unit was designed for GPS from the start as opposed to the AIM where it's an add-on. I don't have any AIM experience but I've seen a few people complain about the effectiveness of AIM GPS.

- If you use the RacePak sensors (expensive) the wiring is very clean - 1 cable loops around the whole car and sensors hang off of it. If you use expansion boxes you can hook in any resistive or 0-5v device that you want.

- Initial programming can be a bit of a challenge if you use non RacePak sensors.

- My dash lost configuration once during a weekend and had to be re-programmed from the PC. No other issues that I can blame on the device itself.

- Software works OK once you learn it. A few minor bugs. I have no experience with other software packages so I can't compare, but you can download a demo version from their website and try it out.

Any specific questions?

[iamuwere]

I had the Racepak G2x and it was a good system but the steering/throttle/brake was a very, very expensive add on where it is usually pretty cheap from other vendors. I let it go with the last car and added Aim to this one.

The IQ3 does have a very good dash and support was always very good.

jim

[cooleyjb]

I had the Racepak G2x and it was a good system but the steering/throttle/brake was a very, very expensive add on where it is usually pretty cheap from other vendors. I let it go with the last car and added Aim to this one.

The IQ3 does have a very good dash and support was always very good.

jim

I've had the same experience as Jim. Initial cost is very good but the secondary costs were high. I consider the software on par with the others. Not the greatest in the world but after you take the time to learn it's pretty easy.

Compared to the MXL the IQ3 is a little cheaper after you add all the sensors while the EVO4 is somewhat cheaper than both.

[rickjohnson356]

I have bene told to use the AIM system as a beginning data system. Several of my friends use one. My concern is the complexity and quantity of sensors that need to be purchased separately and then installed individually. Seems like a lot of opportunity to do things wrong and then have to spend time to adjust the setup to get it right. or toss a sensor that you don't really need.

However, this last weekend in Nashville, the FM driver (Court Dowis) I crewed for asked me to assist with his Tracqmate system. I'm just going thru the manuals right now, so I don't have anything to share at this time. Installation and setup seems really easy. (but it is already done, along with a chase cam).

Video and data files are separate and easy to get from the device to the computer. There is a way to sync the telemetry to the video (haven't learned that yet). The standard analysis software is called Traqview.

He bought the system late in 2008, and there have been both firmware and software updates (which haven't been done yet).
They also have a different software package to use when you have video (TracqStudio) and it was a free download too.

I was able to download all the new versions directly from theie web site for free-- no additional purchase required to gain functionality and bug fixes.


Was wondering if anyone else uses this system and what has their experience been.

[cooleyjb]

I have bene told to use the AIM system as a beginning data system. Several of my friends use one. My concern is the complexity and quantity of sensors that need to be purchased separately and then installed individually. Seems like a lot of opportunity to do things wrong and then have to spend time to adjust the setup to get it right. or toss a sensor that you don't really need.

However, this last weekend in Nashville, the FM driver (Court Dowis) I crewed for asked me to assist with his Tracqmate system. I'm just going thru the manuals right now, so I don't have anything to share at this time. Installation and setup seems really easy. (but it is already done, along with a chase cam).

Video and data files are separate and easy to get from the device to the computer. Ther is a way to sync the telemetry to the video (haven't learned that yet).

He bought the system late in 2008, and there have been both firmware and software updates (which haven't been done yet). I was able to download all the new versions directly from theie web site for free-- no additional purchase required to gain functionality and bug fixes.

Was wondering if anyone else uses this system and what has their experience been.

I have a Traqmate in my car along with the AIM system.

It's a great system for a couple of key reasons. It is VERY simple to setup and use. Basically take it out of the box, plug it into the power supply, set the start finish line and go. The second reason is that the software is very easy to use. I have been able to teach people in a couple of hours at most the basics to get a lot of useful information out of the system to work on the driving skills. It is very easy to get comfortable with after a winter layoff as well.

The Traqmate lacks in only a couple of areas for most club racers, and one in particular for formula cars. There currently is no display and many people want a display for their car with RPM, temps etc. The other is that you are limited in what data you can record. There is a data input addition that allows you to add 4 more channels and RPM but that's it.

Honestly I think it's the right choice for data for a huge percentage of people because it's so easy to use and it doesn't turn into the 1000 dollar lap timer like many of the systems do. What it lacks for in complexity it really makes up for in simplicity.

If you don't have a need to record car data or need a display/dash you can get an incredible amount of information about your driving from the Traqmate through just it's acceleromters and GPS.

[rickjohnson356]

as we all know, dash real estate is valuable in a formula car. we already have the primary 3 gauges we need: tach, oil press, water temp. most of us are just now adding data acquisition, so having a large unit like the AIM, is somewhat hard to find space for and still be able to have room for hands on the steering wheel.

I'm an old-school guy who can tell a lot from the position of the gauge pointer very quickly. straight up for the tach redline, rotate the oil pressure and water temp gauges so their pointers are in an appropriate position for too low or too high- respectively.

a quick glance tells me what I need to know. don't have to interpret a digital reading and worry if it is displaying pressure or temp.

the small size of the Traqmate display unit is easier to find space for and displays the lap time and + or - from prior laps. the large amount of data in the system unit can be studied with a cold beer in hand afterwards.

(did not mean for this to sound like a commercial)

I might add to this thread when I have some experience with the unit.