Contour +2 is it plug and play
12-15-2012, 12:22 AM
#1
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Location: ELK GROVE CA
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Contour +2 is it plug and play
Hello all,
I am looking for a camera for track days that will show a track layout, speed, rpm, etc and it looks like this camera will do this. I am not a computer guru so I need something that is plug and play. Can anyone who has one of these give me any feedback...
Thanks.. I appreciate it.
Jason
I am looking for a camera for track days that will show a track layout, speed, rpm, etc and it looks like this camera will do this. I am not a computer guru so I need something that is plug and play. Can anyone who has one of these give me any feedback...
Thanks.. I appreciate it.
Jason
12-15-2012, 10:29 AM
#2
Race Director
I've also been looking for a new camera, and the Contour is one I've looked at.
I don't need the GPS capability because my data logger has that, as well as inputs from the car, such as RPM.
It looks like the Contour+2 would give you a track map and speed from the GPS function.
However, there's no way for it to get RPM, oil pressure, or any other info from car systems.
The GPS in the camera can generate a track map and speed, but if you want info from the car's systems, such as RPM, there doesn't appear to be any way to input that into the camera.
In the video below the "dashboard" is superimposed onto the video after I download both the data from the data acquisition device (I have a Traqmate data logger), and the video (and im looking for a camera with better resolution), and integrate them with the Traqmate software.
The dashboard display of the track map, the circle with G-loads, and the speed all come directly from the data acquisition unit, which has GPS and accelerometers in it. The lap times come from the start/finish line of the track having been loaded into the Traqmate before starting a track session.
The RPM comes only after I connected a wire from the car's tachometer to the Traqmate unit, and the gear selected comes from the Traqmate software that I had to load with gear ratios and tire size so it can correlate speed and RPM to come up with what gear the car is in.
You can input other info from car sensors, such as oil temp or pressure, coolant temp, brakes on/off or actual brake pressure, steering angle, etc., etc, but you have to run a wire from the sensor to the unit in order to record those data.
Newer versions of the Traqmate and other data loggers may gather data from a connector that can be attached to the OBD II port.
So....the Contour+2 should show ground track (track map) and speed - both generated by the GPS in the camera.
However, no way I can see to get RPM or other info from the car's systems without getting some data acquisition device, and likewise for a lap time display, although you can certainly watch the video to get timing.
Bob
I don't need the GPS capability because my data logger has that, as well as inputs from the car, such as RPM.
It looks like the Contour+2 would give you a track map and speed from the GPS function.
However, there's no way for it to get RPM, oil pressure, or any other info from car systems.
The GPS in the camera can generate a track map and speed, but if you want info from the car's systems, such as RPM, there doesn't appear to be any way to input that into the camera.
In the video below the "dashboard" is superimposed onto the video after I download both the data from the data acquisition device (I have a Traqmate data logger), and the video (and im looking for a camera with better resolution), and integrate them with the Traqmate software.
The dashboard display of the track map, the circle with G-loads, and the speed all come directly from the data acquisition unit, which has GPS and accelerometers in it. The lap times come from the start/finish line of the track having been loaded into the Traqmate before starting a track session.
The RPM comes only after I connected a wire from the car's tachometer to the Traqmate unit, and the gear selected comes from the Traqmate software that I had to load with gear ratios and tire size so it can correlate speed and RPM to come up with what gear the car is in.
You can input other info from car sensors, such as oil temp or pressure, coolant temp, brakes on/off or actual brake pressure, steering angle, etc., etc, but you have to run a wire from the sensor to the unit in order to record those data.
Newer versions of the Traqmate and other data loggers may gather data from a connector that can be attached to the OBD II port.
So....the Contour+2 should show ground track (track map) and speed - both generated by the GPS in the camera.
However, no way I can see to get RPM or other info from the car's systems without getting some data acquisition device, and likewise for a lap time display, although you can certainly watch the video to get timing.
Bob