TrackVision Desktop User Manual
Version 2.0, May 2006
Welcome to the TrackVision Desktop 2.0 online documentation.
Everything you need to produce high quality in-car video with data is here.
If you have questions or comments, or if you would like to participate in the TrackVision Desktop user community, visit the TrackVision Forums to see the most up-to-date information and announcements, and to see what other users are doing with TrackVision.
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TrackVision Desktop is a Microsoft Windows application that merges digital video with telemetry data captured by a range of data acquisition systems to create an enhanced multimedia experience. The result is an in-car video that delivers real-time performance data in a digital dashboard overlay. |
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Producing a TrackVision video is a straightforward process:
- Download camcorder video onto your PC, or load your video storage card
- Export data from your data logger analysis package to a file on your PC
- Create a TrackVision project from the video and data files.
- Synchronize the data streams & select a display dashboard
- View the video, and save it in DVD quality or in a selection of compressed file formats
Synchronizing the video and data files is a complex problem which TrackVision makes simple.
TrackVision Desktop lines up the video and the data using independent controls for each. TrackVision displays the video and the data side by side. Use the Play controls to line up the first corner on the track, or any other obvious marker on the video with the matching point on the data, and check a box to Latch playback of the two files. TrackVision then plays and records the synchronized composite video and data file. TrackVision also provides a powerful set of controls to edit the start and end of the finished video file, to select from a range of dashboard information displays, and more.
The following sections describe the features and operation of the TrackVision Desktop in detail. Throughout these sections the 
icon highlights
particularly important information.
Downloads, Trials, Purchase & Registration
TrackVision Desktop software is distributed by download from the TrackVision web site. When the download is completed, click Open on the File Download dialog to install
TrackVision Desktop. The installation process is straightforward. It will install the package, and start TrackVision Desktop once installation is complete.
Trial Version
If you have installed the Trial version, you will see this dialog where you can choose to run the trial, or purchase the full product. |
Registering TrackVision
After you purchase and install TrackVision, you will see this dialog when you run it. |
You must register the product for full functionality to be enabled.
Your PC must have internet connection for the few seconds it takes to complete registration.
- Click Register
- Enter the email address you gave when purchasing TrackVision
- Enter the activation key from the email you received confirming your purchase
- Click OK
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A dialog will report successful registration in a few seconds.
If you registration fails, its very likely that the firewall on your PC is set to block the secure transaction that TrackVision is trying to complete. Try disabling the firewall for the few seconds it takes to complete registration.
TrackVision Screen
TrackVision Desktop starts up in a standard application window. An empty project screen is created and displayed ready to use. A TrackVision Project contains details of the video and data files used, the synchronizing information for the two files, the Logger selected, the dashboard selected, the Start and End point settings, your Notes, and related settings. Opening a Saved project file restores all these settings and opens the video and logger data files, ready to go.
Help menu functions:
- Help Topics opens the TrackVision User Guide in a separate browser window
- Re-register: allows you to register this installation again
- View TrackVision and TVMerge logs: opens the selected log, which can be very helpful to TrackVision Support
File menu functions:
- New: create a empty project
- Open: open an existing project
- Close: close the current project
- Save: save the current project
- Save As: save the current project with a different filename
- Exit: close TrackVision Desktop
Edit menu functions:
- Undo, Cut Copy & Paste
- Preferences: Choose the settings you want to use
Tools menu functions: - Check Dashboard: Checks a selected dashboard properties file for syntax errors. /li>
- New TrackVision add-ons will appear in this menu
top TrackVision project files are saved with a .tvp filename extension.
Project Screen
Each TrackVision video is created using the Project Screen. A Project consists of the video input file, the data input file, the logger model that matches the data, the synchronization data, the display dashboard, and the editing points that set the start and end points of the finished video.
At the top of the Project screen you can type a Name for the project and enter Notes about the video. This is a handy place to note the event, the track, the date and other details you want to keep for reference. These notes are not displayed on the video. When you Save a project, Name you entered will become the default file name for the project.
The body of the project screen is partitioned into two panels:
- the video input panel
- the data input panel.
At the top of each panel is a File field. The ... buttons display a File Open dialog box to browse and select the video and logger data files for the project.
Click the ... buttons to select the TrackVision Sample video and the TrackVision Sample data file. We will use these files to create a finished sample video.
MPEG4 and H.264 video created by TrackVision is playable with QuickTime 7, and with Windows Media Player 11. However, TrackVision does not
accept some QuickTime video formats as input video.
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Playback Controls
Playback of the video and data streams uses a familiar set of controls. If you've used a VCR, camcorder or a software media player you're already acquainted with the TrackVision playback controls. Each is described below for review. 
rewind to the beginning
backup 1 second, 0.5 seconds with Shift key, 0.1 seconds with Ctrl key
begin playback
pause playback
move forward 1 second, 0.5 seconds with Shift key, 0.1 seconds with Ctrl key
fast forward to the end of the fileThe slider above each set of controls is used to quickly change the playback position of the video or data streams. Drag the pointer with the mouse to position playback anywhere within the stream. Clicking the white area on either side of the pointer will rewind or advance playback approximately 10 seconds.
The green arrow and red arrow above the video slider are used to set the Start and End point of the merged video. Click and drag either arrow to ignore 'dead' video at the start or the end of your video file. This is a great way to take care of time in the pits with the camera running and cool down laps/return to the paddock. Of course, you can also use this feature to isolate a specific section of your video input file. The position of the Start and End arrows controls where the merged movie starts and ends using Show Movie and Save Movie.
The check boxes labeled Latch Data and Latch VideoLatch Data and Latch Video are used in the synchronization process. They disable their respective playback controls and allow you to control playback of both streams with a single set of controls. For example, selecting Latch Data in the Video Input section will disable the playback controls in the Data Input section. The controls in the Video Input section will simultaneously control playback for both streams.
The box to the left of the controls displays the current playback position, in seconds from the start of the file.
Track Map and Track Markers
If your data logger provides track position data, TrackVision creates a track map using this position data and locates the vehicle position on the map. When you play the data file, the green car marker shows the position on track at each point in the data file, which can be useful for synchronization.
TrackVision produced movies can include lap and section times. A track marker is simply a point on the track used as a timing point, like a start/stop line.
You create a track marker by clicking the track map where you want the marker. A red circle indicates where the Marker is set.
To remove a marker, click the red dot. You can place up to 4 markers on the track.
To place markers more accurately, use the Play controls to move the green Car marker exactly where you want to place a Track marker, then
click the green marker. A red Track marker will be placed in this exact spot. Place the markers in the order they are passed when driving the track. The first marker you create will be treated as the
start/finish line and used to calculate lap times. Each additional marker will define the end of a track sector that will be timed individually. For more on sector timing, see details of the Sector Timing dashboard in Dashboards
top Track Markers are IGNORED if your logger data provides lap timing information.
Synchronization & Editing
TrackVision Desktop's primary function is to synchronize the video and data files. This is done by using the Play controls to align both files to a common point, then Latching playback to one set of controls to verify that the streams are synchronized. It is surprisingly easy to do with just a little practice and by paying attention to a few basic details. 
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Record a Cue on your video and data. When you start recording video and logging data in the car, record a cue. A strong throttle blip is easy to hear on the video file and the rev blip is easy to see on the data file. This provides a great cue for synchronization.
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Synchronize early. When you download the video and data, start each file at about the same time. You can do this in the car by not delaying between starting the camcorder and logger. Also, you can trim the beginning of each file during the download.
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Create an obvious transition. Test your brakes or turn the steering wheel back-and-forth before you get on the track. These types of transition are easy to pickup during playback.
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Concentrate on the obvious transitions. Turning and Lateral acceleration, braking and longitudinal acceleration are easy to notice.
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Use your eyes and ears. Listen for shifts while watching the tachometer.
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Approximate with geography. If the video shows the car pulling away from the grid, advance the data playback with the slider until the green car marker is positioned at the same place and you see the speed begin to register on the data display.
When the Latch Data or Latch Video box is checked, you can control both files with one set of playback controls. For example, assume you checked the Latch Data box and started playback with the video play button. You notice the data is trailing the video by a couple of seconds. The video shows the steering being turned aggressively but the lateral acceleration slider reacts a few seconds later. You need to advance data playback independently of the video. Here's how it's done.
- First uncheck the Latch Data box, which enables the data playback controls.
- Then click the button to move the data forward a second, or hold down Shift and click for 0.5 seconds, or hold down Ctrl and click
for 0.1 seconds.
- Recheck the Latch box and play the two files together again. You may need to repeat this process with fine adjustments until the synchronization is perfect.
The Save Position controls allow you to save the current sync position.
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Save Position: Saves the current synchronization position. Show Movie and Save Movie will always use this synchronization when processing videos. The Saved Position will be presented every time you close and re-open the Project.
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Reset: Returns to the Saved synchronization point. If you have changed the relative position of the two files, Reset will always bring them back to the previously Saved position.
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Clear: Clears the Saved position.
With a little practice, and with the help of intentional cues, synchronization is surprisingly easy and accurate.
The Edit Arrows set the start and end point of the video file.
The merged video created with Show Movie or Save Movie will always start where the Green arrow is set and end where the Red arrow is set. These Editing Arrows let you start your merged movie when the action starts, or at an interesting point in the video file, and end it when you want - without changing the input video file itself.
Click and drag the green arrow to set the start point for the merged video, and the red arrow the set the end point. While dragging the arrow, a timer box opens above the arrow to show the time in seconds from the start of your video file to the new start or end point you are setting.
This makes it easy to select your best lap from an entire session. TrackVision pre-reads the logger data to display the current Lap number and current Best Laptime at the Start point you select.
Remember that Shift+Click and Ctrl+Click provide fine jog control that makes small sync adjustments simple. It is not necessary to rewind the video or data files before using the Show Movie or Save Movie buttons. Once you have clicked
Save Position TrackVision uses that sync point, and starts the video at the Green Editing Arrow. The Start and End arrows control the merged video only. Using the play controls to rewind and play will show the original files from
beginning to end. At any point before you Save the finished video, you can reset the Start and End arrows. In fact, you can use the Start and End arrows to select short
sections of a longer video and save each section individually. If the Start arrow is not at zero, TrackVision will read the logger data file from zero to calculate the correct lap number and current best
lap time to display in the start of the merged video.
top You can click the line between the Start and End arrows while holding down the Shift key, and drag the line left or right. For example, if
you want a clip exactly 30 seconds long, you can set the Start and End arrows thirty seconds apart, then click and drag the line to select the best 30 second segment. You can also use
this method to Save several different 30 second segments.
Movies
With the video and data files synchronized, its time to Show and then Save your finished movie. The Show Movie and Save Movie buttons are the next step.
Show Movie displays the merged video from start to finish. You can repeat Show Movie as many times as you like, and make changes between. For example, you might want to look at a movie with one dashboard, then change to another dashboard, then move the Start arrow slightly, and more. You can make any change you like, then Show Movie to immediately see the result.
Save Movie saves the merged video in the format you have selected. The additional settings for Movie Options in Save Movie mode are the Saved Video Settings described below.
In each case you'll see the Movie Options dialog first. This dialog allows you to customize the appearance of the movie by setting various options, such as the type of dashboard or whether the dashboard is transparent, opaque or somewhere in between. Each option is described below.
View Movie shows the merged video last created by this Project.
Show Movie
Show Movie Options
Show Movie displays the merged video from start to finish. You can repeat Show Movie as many times as you like, and make changes between. For example, you might want to look at a movie with one dashboard, then change to another dashboard, then move the Start arrow slightly, and much more. You can make any change you like, then Show Movie to immediately see the result. Save Movie then saves the merged video to disk.
Event Title This is the title that will appear on the finished video as part of the dashboard display. The default title is the name you chose for the project, but it can be anything you choose. Simply type the title you want to see on the movie. As you type, you will see your text in the Event Title area of the dashboard preview. You may have to adjust the spacing a little until it looks the way you want it.
Dashboard Settings This is where you choose the digital dashboard to use for this movie. There are a number of dashboards to choose from, and each one is displayed in the preview window when selected from the list. Take a look at Dashboards for more detailed information on the features of each of the dashboard choices.
The Adjust Transparency slider allows you to control the transparency of the dashboard overlay. In some movies you actually want to see what is going on in the image area covered by the dashboard overlay. When set to Opaque, the dashboard overlays the video image behind it. By moving this slider towards Invisible, you will see more of the underlying video image through the dashboard overlay.
The Adjust Frame Margin slider creates a margin frame within the video frame, and renders the dash within that margin. This is essential for some DVD applications where using the full video frame can result in the loss of parts of the frame due to the fact that any television displays over-scan the frame to some degree. Using the frame margin control ensures that the entire TrackVision dashboard is rendered in the DVD Safe Area of the frame.Video Start displays the point in your video file where the green Start Arrow is set on the Project screen. If you are starting from the beginning of your input video file, then Video Start will be 0.00 seconds. These are the settings you made using the Green start arrow and the red End arrow on the Project screen.
Video End displays the point in your video file where the red End Arrow is set on the Project screen.
Frame Size will be selectable if you have already set a default Encoding format for Saved Movies. See Preferences for more on video format selection and other very useful preference settings.
Frame Size If you have clicked Save Movie, the Saved Video Settings area will be active.
Save Movie
Save Movie does just what the name suggests - it saves your TrackVision movie. Before the movie is saved, you will have the chance to adjust all of the movie options you set in Show Movie Options, plus some new settings that control the format, frame size, and quality of your saved video file.
All of this happens in Save Movie Options. Each option is described below.
If you haven't set any track markers you'll be asked to confirm whether you want to continue without Markers.
TrackVision uses logger position data to draw the Track Map and Markers to calculate lap and sector timing. Many loggers provide Lap time data, and do not need Track Markers.
If your logger provides lap timing data, you can disable this Marker warning in the preferences dialog.Save Movie Options
The first thing you will notice is that all of the Show Movie Options are still available for any last-minute tweaks you might want to make. Then there are the newly active options that control your Saved video file.
Format This is where you select the video format of the saved file. The supported formats in TrackVision V2.0 include:
- Original This setting asks TrackVision to find an exact match for the format of the input video file. If TrackVision can find an encoding solution, the saved video will be in
the same format as the input file.
- DV Digital Video format - an uncompressed format which is typically output from tape-based digital video camcorders.
- H.264 Also known as MPEG-4 Part 10, or AVC (for Advanced Video Coding), this digital video codec standard is noted for achieving very high video compression. This advanced
format is fully supported in version 2.0.
- MPEG2 is the video encoding standard used in all DVD recording and in many commercial television broadcast systems. The new generation of solid state digital video recorders
are increasingly using MPEG2 as their native video file output format.
- MPEG4 is a very broad video encoding standard which is widely used across the video industry, but often in various versions [or Parts] which are not cross compatible. Version
2.0 supports a limited set of MPEG4 Parts. While MPEG4 video created by TrackVision is playable with QuickTime, TrackVision does not accept some QuickTime video formats as input
video.
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Windows Media Video WMV format is among the most widely used video encoding forms among users of Windows operating systems.
Select your preferred video format from the list.
Frame Size The Format you select will determine which frame sizes are available. Simply select from the frame size list.
Remember that most TrackVision dashboards are optimized for a frame size of 720x480, which is the US NTSC broadcast standard, and its
European PAL equivalent. Smaller frame sizes require downscaling of the dashboard, which can result in lower quality dashboard rendering. If you need convincing, try saving a high
resolution 720x480 video on YouTube!Video Quality While some video formats are naturally high quality than others, it is the bit rate that really determines the quality of individual video files of the same format. For example, a WMV file saved at 500 bits per second will produce a much lower quality image than a WMV file saved at 1.5Kbps. The Video Quality control provides an easy way to select the quality of your saved movie.
- A quality setting of 100 is the highest quality available from the selected video format
- A quality setting of 0 is the lowest useful quality available from the selected video format
You may want to Save some short test videos to determine the best quality settings for your purposes.
The higher the Video Quality setting, the larger the saved video file will be.Preferences This handy button lets you save your video settings that will then be used every time you Save a movie.
Output File Click ... to select the output file folder and filename. TrackVision will automatically insert the correct extension for the video format you have chosen.
Click OK to start the Save processing The TVMerge dialog will report progress as it sets up the video rendering solution and saves the video file.
Refer to the Video Formats & Resolution section for a more detailed discussion of video formats and resolution.
You can select defaults for most of the Show Movie and Save Movie options in the Preferences dialog. On the top menu
bar, click Edit then Preferences.
top Saving a movie can take some time. The actual time will depend on the speed of your processor and hard disk setup. Video rendering is
processor intensive, but some gains can also be made by saving to a second hard drive, if you have this luxury. Save time will often be faster if the input and output files are on
separate disk drives.
Dashboards
TrackVision Desktop ships with a wide range of dashboard types which can be selected for any movie. There are a few point to keep in mind when selecting a dashboard for your merged movie.
Auto Sensing
All TrackVision dashboards automatically sense the presence of optional data variables, and adjust to display the appropriate variables. Here are some examples:
- Dashboards will display MPH speed or KPH speed depending on which speed units are present in the logged data.
- Some loggers will calculate Gear, based on speed, RPM, and wheel circumference. If the user enters gear and final drive ratios, then the Gear number will be calculated and included
in the exported logger data. If a Gear-sensing dashboard sees Gear data, it will display it automatically.
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Dashboard Types
Large & Small Dashboards: High resolution movie formats are generally 720 pixels wide. The Large dashboard types are designed to work well in these formats. Low resolution movie formats are generally 320 pixels wide. The Small dashboard types are designed to work well in these formats. The format also determines how much information a dashboard can display. Small formats provide less space to display readable data. So, you will notice that the Large dashboards display more data than the Small dashboards. Size matters!
Track Map Dashboards: These dashboards require position data, and work with loggers that export track position. These include the Traqmate, G2Extreme, Race Technology DL series, MaxQData, Advantage Motorsports, DriftBox & PerformanceBox, GTech, and others.
Lap or Sector Time Dashboards: These dashboards display lap or sector times that are generated from position data and Track Markers, or lap times that are included in the data from some non-GPS loggers. These include AIM, MoTeC, and others.
All dashboards will re size to fit the width of the final movie, regardless of their original size. Because of this, large dashboards used
with small format movies will often be unintelligible. Conversely, small dashboards displayed in large movie formats will often cover more of the screen than you may like. All dashboards can display speed in MPH or KPH, based on the speed units present in the logged data file. Some loggers require selection of a
specific MPH or KPH logger file in the Preferences settings.Below is a sample of several dashboard types shipped with TrackVision Desktop V2.0:
TrackVision Sample This display shows all the data in the LoggerSample file that is installed with TrackVision. 
PodGauge Pod gauge analog display of RPM & Speed, auto sensing Gear display, vector G circle, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. A version with no track map is also included. 
Gauges White traditional gauge analog and digital readout display of RPM & Speed, auto sensing Gear display, vector G circle, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. A version with no track map is also included. 
Traqmate The original Traqmate-specific dash with traditional gauge analog and digital readout display of RPM & Speed, brake light, auto sensing Gear display, vector G circle, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. 
Traqmate II The latest Traqmate-specific dash with gauge analog and digital readout display of RPM & Speed, brake light, auto sensing Gear display, vector G circle, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. 
G2Extreme G2X-specific dash with traditional gauge analog and digital readout display of RPM & Speed, auto sensing Gear display, vector G circle, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. 
MoTeC i2 Pro VideoGen & VideoGen GPS General dash for MoTeC's i2 Pro TrackVision integration. Features analog gauges with digital display for MPH & KPH Speed, throttle position slider, brake indicator, auto sensing Gear display, vector G circle, active track map [with MoTeC GPS option], current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. Versions included for loggers with and without GPS capability 
Original Analog: Analog display of RPM & Speed, with two axis accelerometer bars, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. 
Panel Analog: Analog display of RPM & Speed, with two axis accelerometer bars, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. 
Panel Digital: Digital display of RPM & Speed, with two axis accelerometer bars, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. Compact half screen size. 
Wide Digital: Digital display of RPM & Speed, with two axis accelerometer bars, active track map, current lap time and best lap time for the complete movie. 
Sector Timing: Digital display Lap Time and times for up to four sectors. Lap Times: Current Lap, Current Lap #, Best Time, Best Lap # Sector Times: Time in Current Lap, Best Time for Sector, Lap # of Best Time for Sector, Difference in Time between Best Lap and Current Lap. 
G Circle: Real time display of acceleration vector. GCircle graduations are 0.5G, full scale 2.0G. This Dashboard also provides analog Speed and times for Current and Best lap in the session. 
Small Analog: Movies saved at 320x240 resolution simple don't have the pixels to display a lot of information in a readable form. This dashboard provides analog displays of Speed & RPM, plus bars for lateral [L/R] and longitudinal [B/A] G force. There is not much more that will fit on a 320x240 video frame. 
We are always open to suggestions for new dashboard displays. If there is a specific feature or design you would like to see, please post a
request on the TrackVision forums.
top There is lots of scope to customize the delivered TrackVision dashboards, or to create new dashboards from scratch. To see some examples of
what TrackVision users have done, take a look at The TrackVision Gallery. To learn more about dashboard customization, take
a look at Dashboard Hacks and User
Dashboards and join the club!
Video File Formats and Resolution
TrackVision V2.0 provides advanced video format support. Windows Media Player 11 and/or QuickTime Player 7.2 or later must be
installed with TrackVision.Transcoding is the process of reading a video file and writing it in a different format. Let's begin by looking at some of the common video file formats and their characteristics.
Video File Formats
Digital Video: DV is a very high quality, uncompressed format. The downloaded video files from almost all digital camcorders are in DV format. Because they are uncompressed, DV files are large. A five minute video in DV format is around a gigabyte of data! It you have enough disk space to create DV movies and plan to mostly use them for personal use, DV is a good choice. The quality is excellent and a DV encoder and decoder ships with Windows. TrackVision reads and saves movies in DV format.
MPEG-1: MPEG-1 was one of the earliest compression formats in widespread use. It is most often found with older video applications and with some analog video capture cards. TrackVision reads MPEG1 video, but does not save movies in MPEG1 format
MPEG-2: MPEG-2 is the standard format used for DVD movies. It provides more efficient video compression than DV at the same resolution. It is often bundled with DVD/RW drives. It provides very good compression and high video and audio quality. TrackVision reads and saves movies in MPEG2 format.
MPEG-4: MPEG-4 is actually a family of formats which provides very good compression and high video and audio quality. MPEG4 is more efficient that MPEG2, and is readable on PC and MAC platforms. TrackVision reads and saves movies in MPEG4 format. TrackVision MPEG4 video is playable on both PC [Windows Media Player 11 or later] and Mac [QuickTime]
H.264: H.264 is the most advanced and the most efficient video file format available today. It produces remarkably high resolution video at remarkable small file sizes. TrackVision reads and saves movies in H.264 format. TrackVision H.264 video is playable on both PC [Windows Media Player 11 or later] and Mac [QuickTime]
Windows Media Video: It's not very often that Microsoft software really impresses, but it's Windows Media encoding suite simply rocks. It's easy to use and creates flawless video. Oh, and a big bonus: it's included with Windows Movie Maker. TrackVision reads and saves movies in WMV format.
Before selecting a video compression product (or format), consider how you plan to use the finished products.
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If you mainly create movies for personal use on your PC or to create DVDs, and you have lots of disk space, Digital Video or MPEG2 are great choices.
If you want to share videos over the Internet, size is a major concern. WMV movies can be created at lower bit rates (meaning smaller video files) without loosing too much quality. H.264 movies are far higher resolution and image quality at around the same file size or less than WMV. As H.264 becomes more ubiquitous, there will be no better choice for sharing movies with reasonable file sizes.
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Windows Media Video format is probably the easiest to use, produces good results with reasonable file sizes, and is almost universally playable on all PCs.
Creating Internet Videos
Producing a great video clip usually requires some editing, titles, and maybe a sound track and some fade effects. All of this is fairly simple using tools like Windows Movie Maker. The question is how to start?
One approach is to use TrackVision to create a merged video of the entire event/race/run session in DV format. This gives you a master, which you can keep on disk or burn to a DVD. You can then import that master file into Movie Maker, where you can add titles, edit sections, and add scene fades and sound tracks. When the clip is edited, use Movie Maker to save the clip in a compressed format ready for internet hosting.
An alternative is to use TrackVision's editing to save sections of the original, then import these sections into Movie Maker to link them together. The downside of this approach is that you don't get a master DV file of the entire event.
Whichever way you choose, the selection of a format size and resolution of the final file is always a trade-off between image quality and file size. Here are some of the factors to consider:
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Standard Formats: For NTSC [US] video, standard screen sizes are 320x240, 640x480, 720x480. For PAL video, standard screen sizes are 320x288 and 720x576. For comparison, HTDV resolution standards are 1920x1280, which results in massive files - not recommended for internet posting!
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TrackVision Dashboards: All current TrackVision dashboard background images are 720 pixels wide, with the single exception of the Small Analog dash, which is 320 pixels wide. The dashboards work best at 720x480 resolution. TrackVision will scale these dashboards to fit a 640x480 screen size, but some detail is lost.
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Bit Rates and File Size: Windows Movie Maker allows you to select the screen size and the bit rate when you are saving a video to your computer. In the Save Movie Wizard, click Other Settings to see the full range of options. Most of the videos we produce are 720x480 at 1.5Mbps. This produces a high quality image with excellent resolution at a file size of less than 10Mb per minute of video.
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Smaller Dashboards: Why don't we make smaller dashboards suitable for 640x480? There is no technical reason. Most users are asking for more information on the dashboard - more displays for throttle position, brake pressure, lap and sector time info, and more. More info takes more real estate, and 720 pixels wide provides more real estate than 640 pixels wide. We can always make 640x480 dashboards, so if you really want a dash this size please post a request on the TrackVision User Forums. We will do some 640x480 dashboards if the demand is there.
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New Dashboards: We are building new dashboards all the time. The TrackVision User Forums is where you will find descriptions and downloads of new dashboards as they become available.
Preferences
You can make TrackVision a lot faster and easier to use by selecting all the settings you normally use in TrackVision Preferences, which is under the Edit menu. Preferences are divided into three groups: File Locations, Data Logger and Video Production.
File Locations
Data Logger-
Project Files: default directory used to store project files.
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Data Logger Files: default directory to find data logger CSV files.
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Video Input Files: default directory to find video input files.
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Video Output Files: default directory to write merged video files.
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Logger Model: Select your data logger from the list. In fact, its actually the Analysis Package associated with the logger that creates the input data file for TrackVision, so you will select the Analysis package used with your data logger from this list. We are constantly updating our logger support as later version of the Analysis packages are released by the logger vendors. Check the TrackVision Forums for download links to the latest logger support files.
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Use KPH: use speed in KPH in the project panel while synchronizing.
Save Movie-
Preferences: Click the Preferences button to set your Save Movie preferences. Your selections here will be the defaults that appear every time you click Save Movie, but you will have the option to change any of these selections each time you save a movie.
Select the video encoding format to use when saving TrackVision movies.
You can now select the frame size to use when saving TrackVision movies. The frame sizes shown in the list are determined by the video encoder selected. Each encoder supports a specific set of frame sizes.
You can also select the video quality setting to be used when saving TrackVision movies.
DashboardSelect the dashboard you want to use as your standard dashboard in new projects.
Warnings & General Settings
This group sets up some very helpful choices for TrackVision behavior.
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Prompt for View options: check if you want TrackVision to show the Movie Options choices every time you click Show Movie. Uncheck if you want to bypass the options.
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Prompt for Create options: check if you want TrackVision to show the Movie Options choices every time you click Save Movie. Uncheck if you want to bypass the options. <
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Warn on Create Movie when no track markers have been set: Check this box if your logger does not provide lap timing data, and you want to use TrackVision's track markers for lap timing. Uncheck if your logger provides lap timing data, or if you don't want to use track markers for lap timing.
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Use PAL Frame Sizes when saving videos: Check this box to use PAL frame sizes in all video processing. Uncheck to use NTSC [US and Japan] frame sizes.
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Warn when Save Movie will overwrite existing video: Check this box to have a warning & confirm dialog displayed when Save Movie is about to overwrite an existing video file of the same name. If you select OK to overwrite the file, TrackVision won't issue further overwrite warnings for the current project.
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Video Download
Downloading Digital Video
Tape-based Digital Camcorders provide the ability to download recorded movies in Digital Video, or DV, file format. The connection between most camcorders and the PC uses FireWire, which lets you transfer the digital video to your PC without any quality loss.
To transfer a video file, start up your video editing application. Run the transfer, and save the file in DV format to the folder ../Program Files/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Video Files. This is the default folder for TrackVision video files.
ABOUT FRAME LOSS The default for video capture application for Windows is Windows Movie Maker, which is bundled with Windows XP and Vista. Free is always good, but Movie Maker's video capture feature has a fatal flaw. It does not report when frames are being dropped. Frames can be dropped for any number of reasons, but the bottom line is that the PC is not able to keep up with the video frame transfer rate during the capture. Lost frames can make it impossible to synchronize the video with the data.
Most decent video editing applications have Capture features that report dropped frames. Its well worth buying something like Sony Vegas for less than $100 to be SURE you have a good capture with no lost frames.
Memory Card Camcorders avoid all the problems of video capture. Getting your video file from the camera to the PC is a simple as reading the camera's Compact Flash card or similar removable media. In most cases, the video files produced by there cameral are already compressed in either MPEG2 or MPEG4 format. While uncompressed Digital Video is not available from these cameras, the compressed files are typically fairly high quality and can be extremely high quality on the better quality cameras.
Downloading Analog Video
Analog camcorders typically produce lower quality video resolution than the more current digital camcorders. You will need a video capture card installed in your PC. There are several good cards to choose from. Take a look at the Dazzle Digital Video Creator 150 from Pinnacle, which connects over USB. Follow the instructions for your video capture card to download and save the video file to the folder ../Program Files/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Video Files. Save the vide file in the highest resolution provided by your video capture card software.
PCs and Operating Systems for Video Processing
Processing video files is demanding on PC performance and storage. Before you transfer your video from your camera to your computer, first make sure you have a decent amount of free hard-drive space. You'll need a considerable amount of space. A five minute video in DV format requires around 1GByte of disk space! If you are planning to do a lot of video work, you may even want to consider installing a second disk drive!
The performance aspects of the PC also make a difference. The higher the processor speed and the more memory you have, the better the performance. This is a good general rule, but it really makes a difference in the computing-intensive world of video processing. Video rendering is heavily processor-intensive. If you take a look at the Performance tab of Task Manager, you will see that CPU utilization becomes very heavy during Save Movie operations. A 2Ghz processor with at least 512Mb memory and 200Gb hard disk is a good configuration, but the faster the processor, the shorted the save time. Disk is also important. If you have two separate disk drives, try to use one for input video files and the other for output video files. most current Pentium 4-based desktops with at least 256Mb RAM and 20Gb hard disk are well suited. Earlier machines will definitely be slower!
TrackVision supports all Windows operating systems from Windows 98 through Windows Vista. The video support provided in Windows XP and Vista are far stronger and more 'issue-free' than is found on earlier Windows operating systems. As a general rule, video processing is smoother and easier under XP. TrackVision relies on Microsoft's DirectX. Earlier versions of Windows may not have the latest version. Check Microsoft's DirectX site to download and install the latest version of DirectX on your PC.
TrackVision V2.0 is fully Vista compliant.
Mac users will find that TrackVision runs nicely on OSX machines under Parallels. Users who have installed using BootCamp have had very mixed success, but Parallels seems to support quite stable operation. We have not done specific Mac testing or development. These notes are based entirely on user experience reported on TrackVision's Mac Forum
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Processing Logger Data
TrackVision Desktop will accept data from any Data Logger that can download logged data to a PC in a comma separated values (CSV) file format. In fact, this covers most if not all DACS in the motor sports market. TrackVision simply maps the data provided by a given DACS model via a translation table set up for that model in a loggeranalyticsname.properties file. These are the files you see in the Preferences/Logger Model list. The nice thing about this approach is that TrackVision can be responsive to changes in the DACS vendor's data format as new versions are released. You can count on TrackVision to protect your DACS investment.
In fact, the analytics software package that comes with your data logger generates the CSV file. The first step in is to open the data from your run session in the analytics package, and then export the data in a CSV file. The export process for each analytics package is detailed below in Data Logger Notes.
Remember to set the Logger Model in Preferences to match the data analysis package and version you have installed. TrackVision currently supports multiple versions of most vendor's analytics packages. We are constantly updating TrackVision support for new loggers and new versions of analytics packages. Newly released support downloads will be announced on the TrackVision User Forums.
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Data acquisition systems are available with a wide range of features and facilities. There are some general characteristics of the data that each logger produces that determines what TrackVision features that logger will support:
GPS-based vs non GPS-based Loggers
GPS-based loggers produce accurate track position data that TrackVision uses to create dynamic Track Maps. You can add Start/Finish lines and up to four track Sectors to the Track Map.
Typical GPS-based loggers include the Race Technology DL series, Traqmate, and RacePak G2X.
Non-GPS loggers generate track maps in their analytics packages by approximating position based on time, distance and G forces. While this approach can generate accurate track maps, these products typically do not include position data in their export data formats. Without this position data, TrackVision cannot create Track Maps for these loggers. Typical examples include MoTeC, AiM, and Stack. The good news is that MoTeC has recently announced a GPS option for its loggers, and the incorporation of GPS data in the MoTeC i2 and i2Pro analytics packages. TrackVision supports the GPS-enabled i2 and i2Pro in TrackVision V2.0. Hopefully, the other leading vendors will catch up soon enough.
Lap Times
No two DACS vendors are alike when it comes to lap time data! TrackVision reads the specific lap time format exported by each vendor, and presents the data accordingly. The specifics of these formats, and any limitations, are described in the Logger Notes below for each vendor.
The GPS-based loggers are not a problem, because both lap and sector times can be generated from position data on the TrackVision Track Map. We have been successful in working with several logger vendors to include specific lap timing information in the data they export for TrackVision, which uses this data to display the precise lap timing information recorded by the logger. The logger's start/finish coordinates or beacon markers are faithfully processed by TrackVision. Examples include Racepak G2x, Traqmate, and MoTeCAiM provdes lap timing data, but without without track position data required to produce TrackVision's dynamic track map.
MPH & KPH
TrackVision allows you to select the speed units you want to use, either MPH or KPH. The selection is made in the Preferences dialog, using the Logger Model selection and the Use KPH instead of MPH when synchronizing check box.
Fixed vs Variable Data Formats
Fixed format loggers produce the same data format every time. The Race Technology DL series, Traqmate, and G2Extreme are good examples. When you are using additional sensor channels, these will appear in the data in a predictable way. The channels and their naming is fixed by the analytics package.
TrackVision provides predefined Data Logger properties files that work out of the box with these loggers . If you are using additional sensor channels, please contact TrackVision with the details on the TrackVision User Forums or via email to TrackVision Support We can help you with a custom logger file for your specific needs.
Variable format loggers produce data that is set up specifically for each installation, and can be named by the user. The MoTeC, AiM, and Stack loggers are good examples. These loggers offer powerful math processes and filters that can be configured for any data channel, and they allow the installer to name some or all channels as required.
TrackVision provides predefined logger properties for these loggers, but we need to expand these predefined files to match your specific installation and sensor set. The way we do this is simple. Send a sample of your exported data to TrackVision Support . We will define a variant of the basic properties file that matches your specific system precisely.
The following section provides some specific notes for each of the logger types currently supported by TrackVision. Please check the TrackVision User Forums for the latest updates and notes on logger support.
Traqmate
The process of downloading data from the Traqmate unit onto your computer is well documented in the Traqview program documentation. Follow the Traqview steps to download run data from your logger. Data files are easier to manage if you keep your runs separated.
To create a Traqview file for TrackVision:
- Start the Traqview application, and Open the Session file you want to save.
- Select Export Data from the Traqview File menu. You will see the Export Data dialog:
- Set Export Type to TrackVision [CSV Format].
- Click the Browse button. Save In: select the folder for your TrackVision data files.
- For Vista Installations C://Program Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- For XP installations C://Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
Choose a file name similar to the name you chose when saving the video to disk. This makes it much easier to match data and video files!
- Click Export to create the file. Click Done when the export is completed.
- Your Traqview csv file is now exported and ready to be used by TrackVision.
Start TrackVision, and click Edit/Preferences. From the Logger Model list, select the entry that matches the version of Traqview you are using. Choose the model with the speed units you want to use - MPH or KPH.
Racepak G2Extreme
The process of downloading data from the G2X onto your computer is well documented in the DatalinkII program documentation. Follow the DatalinkII steps to download run data from your logger. Data files are easier to manage if you keep your runs separated.
To create a DatalinkII file for TrackVision:
- Start the DatalinkII application, and Open the Racepak run file [filename.rpk] you want to export.
- You will see the TrackVision Export button on the standard RunLog menu. Click this button, and the TrackVision Export tab will appear. It looks like this:
- Export TrackVision Data will create an export file of your current Run, and drop the file in the TrackVision LoggerFiles folder. Veeery nice! The file is always named Racepak_Std.csv
- The Custom Channels List lets you add extra channels for any sensors or math channels you are using. Simply type the name of your new channel exactly as it appears in the G2X Config channel list.
- Clicking Export Custom TrackVision Data will create an export file of your current Run, including data from your additional channels, and drop the file in the TrackVision LoggerFiles folder. The file is always named Racepak_Custom.csv
NOTES: There are a few important things to know:
- Your exported logger data files are always stored in the folder C:\RacePakData.
- In TrackVision, click Edit/Preferences, and define this path in File Locations - Data Logger Files.
- The name of the file that DataLink exports is the same EVERY TIME. If you export one Run, then export another, the last export will always overwrite the previously exported file. I suggest you rename each file after it is exported. Use a name that helps associate the file with the run session so that you can tell them apart, and make it easier to match a given Run with its video file.
- Start TrackVision, and click Edit/Preferences. From the Logger Model list, select the entry that matches the version of Racepak DatalinkII you are using. Choose the model with the speed units you want to use - MPH or KPH.
AiM - All Models
The process of downloading data from your AIM logger onto your computer is well documented in the RaceStudio program documentation. Follow the steps to download run data from your logger. Data files are easier to manage if you keep your runs separated.
AIM loggers produce export files that are unique for each installation. TrackVision provides a predefined logger properties file for AIM loggers, but we need to expand these predefined files to match your specific installation and sensor set. The way we do this is simple. Create a sample of your exported data by following the steps below. Send this sample to TrackVision Support . We will define a variant of the basic properties file that matches your specific system precisely.
To create a Race Studio Analysis file for TrackVision:
- Start the Race Studio Analysis application, and select the Test session that you want to export. The Test file needs to be open in RSAnaysis in order to export the file.
- Click File/Data Export and you will see this dialog:
- Selecting Channels: The dialog opens with all channels selected. Click any channel to exclude it from the exported file.
- Selecting Laps: The dialog opens with all Laps in this Test selected. Click any Lap to exclude it from the exported file.
- Versus: Click the Time radio button. This creates the timestamp file format that TrackVision uses
- Compatibility: Check the Microsoft Excel button
- Click the Browse button to select the Folder where the file will be Saved.
- For Vista Installations C://Program Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- For XP installations C://Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- Enter a file name for your exported file.
- Click Save to return to the Data Export dialog.
- Saving the file: When all you settings are done, click Save to create the file, or Save and Exit to save and then close the Data Export dialog.
- Your AiM RSAnalysis csv file is now exported and ready to be used by TrackVision.
Start TrackVision, and click Edit/Preferences. From the Logger Model list, select your personal AIMRaceStudio logger file prepared by TrackVision for your installation.
MoTeC - i2 Pro with VideoGen TrackVision Integration
MoTeC and TrackVision have jointly developed a full integration between i2 Pro and TrackVision that makes producing TrackVision video a quick and simple process. i2 Pro can automatically execute TrackVision with your video and data already synchronized and ready to Show or Save - immediately!
Creating a TrackVision movie with i2 Pro is a very simple process. The i2 project now contains both data and video, which are synchronized to show the precise video frame at every point along the I2 data display. With i2 video, you see the video as you move the cursor.
First, there are some one-time setup steps to prepare TrackVision.
- Open TrackVision and click Edit/Preferences.
- Select MoTeci2Pro1.0.3VideoGen from the Logger Models list.
- Select MoTeCi2Pro1.0.3VideoGen, or MoTeCi2Pro1.0.3VideoGenGPS from the Dashboard list.
- Click OK, then close TrackVision, which is now set up to run i2 VideoGen.
With your project set up in i2 Pro, creating the video is easy:
- On the i2 Main menu bar, Click File then Generate Video
- The Generate Video dialog allows you to select the appropriate channels from you data to be included in the video.
- On the left of the Include Channels list, check the channels that you want included in your video. Its best to include all of these channels if you can. Obviously, if you dont have GPS,leave those boxes unchecked. TrackVision does not use Running Lap Time for lap timing data, so you may not want to check that box.
- Now, for each channel you have checked, click the list box to the right of the channel name. The Select
Channel list will open so you can choose the specific channel in your data to be used for the video.
- EXAMPLE: The first channel on the Include Channels list is Speed. In our example below, the source channel for Speed is actually Corr Speed [km/h], which was selected from the Select Channel list.The channel names in you data will probabaly be different, but the principle is simple enough.
- If you don't have the GPS option on your MoTeC logger, just leave the GPS channels empty.
- When all the Generate Video channels are matched, click Generate
I2 Pro will now use all the information in your MoTeC project to open TrackVision with everything loaded and synchronized, ready for you to click Show Movie or Save Movie!
Click Show Movie to see your movie. If you want to edit out some time from the beginning and the end of the movie, say to start the movie just before the race start and to end just after the checker, that's easy. Click and drag the green Start arrow to the point where you want the movie to begin, and the red End arrow to the point where you want it to end. Click Show Movie to check that the points are where you want them.
When everything is as you want it, click Save Movie. Click Movies for more information on the Save Movie Options.
When you movie is finished saving, click View Movie to see the finished product.
MoTeC - Interpreter & i2 without Pro option
The process of downloading data from your MoTeC logger onto your computer is well documented in the MoTeC Interpreter program documentation. Follow the MoTeC Interpreter steps to download run data from your logger. Data files are easier to manage if you keep your runs separated.
MoTeC loggers produce export files that are unique for each installation. TrackVision provides a predefined logger properties file for MoTeC loggers, but we need to expand these predefined files to match your specific installation and sensor set. The way we do this is simple. Create a sample of your exported data by following the steps below. Send this sample to TrackVision Support . We will define a variant of the basic properties file that matches your specific system precisely.
To create a MoTeC Interpreter file for TrackVision:
- Start the MoTeC Interpreter application. From the File menu, click Open to display the logged data selection dialog.
- Highlight the run session that you want to export, then click Open. Click OK to close the Logs list.
- Click the Graph button to display the run data in Interpreter.
- The channels that are displayed in the Graph window are the ones that Interpreter will Export. From the Graph window menu, click Main/Templates to define or select a template that contains the logged parameters you wish to include for TrackVision.
- From the Graph window menu, click Zoom/Expand Session to show all laps in this session. Interpreter needs to have all laps open in order to export data from all laps.
- From the Graph window menu, click Main/X Axis - Time. Check that Time is showing on the horizontal axis in the Graph window.
- From the Graph window menu, click Main/Data Export... and you will see this dialog:
- Check that the settings are as shown here, then click OK.
- In the Save Export Data dialog, select the Folder where the file will be Saved.
- For Vista Installations C://Program Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- For XP installations C://Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- After selecting the Folder, enter a file name for your exported file. You will find it easier to manage your projects if you use a file name that matches the name of the matching video file.
- Click Save to create the csv file and save it in the folder you selected.
- Your MoTeC Interpreter csv file is now exported and ready to be used by TrackVision.
- Start TrackVision, and click Edit/Preferences. From the Logger Model list, select your personal MoTeC Interpreter logger file prepared by TrackVision for your
installation.
Stack - All Models
The process of downloading data from your Stack logger onto your computer is well documented in the Stack program documentation. Follow the Stack manual's steps to download run data from your logger. Data files are easier to manage if you keep your runs separated.
Stack loggers produce export files that are unique for each installation. TrackVision provides a predefined logger properties file for Stack loggers, but we need to expand these predefined files to match your specific installation and sensor set. The way we do this is simple. Create a sample of your exported data by following the steps below. Send this sample to TrackVision Support . We will define a variant of the basic properties file that matches your specific system precisely.
To create a Stack DataPro file for TrackVision:
- Start the Stack DataPro application, and select the run session data you want to export.
- With the run data displayed in the DataPro main window, click File/Export Data to display the Export Data dialog.
- In the Data section, you can select the channels to be included in the exported file. You can export all channels, or deselect channels that are not useful for TrackVision dashboard display.
- Make sure all settings in the Range and First Column boxes are as shown above.
- Do not modify the Header. TrackVision expects to see the standard Stack DataPro header on the exported file.
- In the Export To box, click Browse to select the Folder where the file will be Saved. Save In: select the folder for your TrackVision data files.
- For Vista Installations C://Program Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- For XP installations C://Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- After selecting the Folder, enter a file name for your exported file. You will find it easier to manage your projects if you use a file name that matches the name of the matching video file. Then click Save to return to the Export Data dialog.
- Make sure that the Delimiter is set to CSV.
- Click Export to create the csv file and save it in the folder you selected.
- Your Stack DataPro csv file is now exported and ready to be used by TrackVision.
- Start TrackVision, and click Edit/Preferences. From the Logger Model list, select your personal Stack DataPro logger file prepared by TrackVision for your
installation.
Race Technology DL & ATX Series
The process of downloading data from the DL-1 & DL-90 onto your computer is well documented in the RTAnalysis program documentation. Follow the RTAnalysis steps to download run data from your logger. Data files are easier to manage if you keep your runs separated.
To create a RTAnalysis file for TrackVision:
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Start the RTAnalysis application, and Load the run file you want to save.
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Select Data/RunManager from the RTAnalysis menu bar.
- Click Export the data to a .csv file
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You will be asked to select the Folder where the file will be Saved.
- For Vista Installations C://Program Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- For XP installations C://Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
Select the Folder, then click Save. -
When you click Save you will see the Sample Time dialog, that asks for the time increment to use when saving run data to the CSV file. Remember that the video is only displaying 30 frames per second, so increments smaller than 0.04 don't yield greater detail. Longer increments, up to around 0.1 reduce the size of the CSV file considerably.
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Your Race Technology csv file is now exported and ready to be used by TrackVision.
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Start TrackVision, and click Edit/Preferences. From the Logger Model list, select the entry that matches the version of Race Technology Analysis you are using. Choose the model with the speed units you want to use - MPH or KPH.
RaceTechnology Analysis Version 6 introduced the ability to rename data fields. For example, if you are using the logger's Analog 1 channel for
throttle position, you can rename Analog 1 to Throttle Position in the data file. If you do this, you also need to edit the field mapping in the RTAnalysisV6XPH.properties file. If you are not
comfortable with doing this, just email a copy of the exported data file to and we will modify it for you.
Advantage Motorsports - All Models
The Advantage Motorsports team have produced a terrific solution that provides a straightforward Export to TrackVision facility AND a facility to automatically produce a custom TrackVision logger properties file to match your specific logger model & channel setup. Here are the highlights and a quick look at how it works:
- Download and install the latest version of AMDAS for XP from this link.
- Retrieve your logger data into AMDAS, and Save the file
- Click the File menu, then click Export Data. The first step is to select the channels and the sample rate for the export file:
- Use Add, Remove, Add All, Remove All to select the channels to export.
- The Export Data Rate is set to a maximum of 20Hz, which is all you need for video. Higher sample rates create extra large export files containing lots of data samples that are not used.
- Check Create TrackVision File to export your data for TrackVision.
- Check Create TrackVision Property File if this is the first time you have exported, or if you have selected a new group of channels to export.
- Click OK to create your files.
- You will see this Save File for TrackVision dialog for your exported data file AND a second time for your Properties file if you checked that box.
- Save your AMDAS TrackVision Data File (*.csv) in the folder C://Program Files/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/projects/LoggerFiles
- Save your TrackVision logger properties file (*.properties) in the folder C://Program Files/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/loggers. Now, everything is ready to use TrackVision:
- Open TrackVision.
- If you have Saved a new logger.properties file, click Edit/Preferences, and select Advantage Motorsports Ultimate 30 Data V3.4b from the Logger Models list. Click OK to make this your default logger properties.
- In the Data Logger Input panel, click the ... box and select the exported data file you just Saved.
- In the Video Input panel, click the ... box and select the video file from the same session as your data file.
MaxQData - All Models
The truly nice feature of MaxQData products is that one version of their PCChart analysis package supports all models of MaxQData loggers. As they say, "All the software is the same for all logger models, and we intend to keep it that way. Chart for the MQGPS is the exact same binary as Chart for the MQ200 - there isn't even a separate MQGPS vs. MQ200 install." Nice!
There are two things required to run MaxQData with TrackVision:
1. Download and install PCChart from the MaxQData website here
- Load your logger data into PCChart, and select TrackVision export.
- Save the export file in the folder C:Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/projects/LoggerFiles [or the alternative directory you selected during installation]
2. To download the TrackVision logger properties file right click the link MaxQData properties and select Save As
- Save the MaxQDataV1MPH.properties file in the folder C:Program Files/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/loggers [or the alternative directory you selected during installation] Be sure to Save it with the .properties extension, not a .txt extension [which will not work!!]
- Open TrackVision. Click Edit/Preferences.
- Click the Logger Model list button, and select MaxQData Chart V2.5 MPH from the logger model list
- Click OK.
- Click the File button on the Data Logger Input panel. You should see your exported file. Double click the file, and your data will be loaded and ready to use.
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NOTE: If your MaxQData logger logs RPM, then the tach will display on the TrackVision dashboard. If you do not log RPM, the tach will not be displayed.
Racelogic DriftBox & PerformanceBox
The data from both DriftBox and PerformanceBox are essentially identical, but for a few channels. Racelogic Tools and VBOX Tools V1.7.4 and later have a simple one-step process to generate export data files direct to TrackVision.
Here's how to export data for TrackVision:
- Start Tools
- Load your runfile.dbn
- Click the Tools button
- Select Export Data then To TrackVision
- Save In: select the folder for your TrackVision data files.
- For Vista Installations C://Program Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- For XP installations C://Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- File Name: enter the filename you want to use for the TrackVision version of this run data
- Click OK to save the file
Now you can open your saved csv files in TrackVision.
GTech Pro RR
GTech PASS RR provides a facility for exporting data for TrackVision. Its simple and quick!
- Download your run data from the GTech Pro RR unit to the GTech PASS RR application
- Open the .grr file in GTech PASS RR
- Click File/Export Main Run
- Save In: select the folder for your TrackVision data files.
- For Vista Installations C://Program Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- For XP installations C://Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Apex Visualizations/TrackVision/Projects/Logger Files
- Enter a filename that identifies the run data event and session
- Click OK to export and save the file for TrackVision
- Open TrackVision
- Click Edit/Preferences
- Select GTech PASS RR V2.0 from the Logger Model list, and click OK
- Click the ... box in the Data Logger Input File selection
- Select the file you just exported, and click OK to open the file in TrackVision
You will now see your data and the track map, and you are ready to synchronize the data with your video file.
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Support
For comments, questions, bug reports and bug status, the TrackVision User Forum is the place to go.
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License
TrackVision is licensed for personal use on a single computer. Commercial use is not permitted. Please see the file LICENSE.TXT in the installation directory for the full terms of the End User License Agreement under which this product is sold.
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