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Another MQGPS question - how does the system work for Pro Solo starts?  I've been using the Geez! system, and it's been great for Pro Solo's as it has a minimum length run setting, and how long to wait before stopping recording.  There is the also the autostart to not record until a threshold forward G is reached. 

Also regarding Pro Solo's - is there a 'best practice' for working with the two courses since you do Course A, Course B, Course A, Course B? 

  If I need to RTFM, just let me know...

 Thanks much,

 Kevin McCormick

The MaxQData software uses a speed-based trigger.  We feel it's more reliable than a LongG threshold.  For Pro Solo, you would set the Start Speed to, say, 25 MPH (i.e. a speed you won't hit in the paddock but that you will hit fairly soon on course).  Then you set the Stop Speed to, say, 15 MPH and the Off Delay to, say, 5 seconds.  When the car hits 25 MPH, the flight recording starts, but the first thing it does is write the ~20 seconds of data from *before* you hit 25 MPH, so you still get all the data going back to and before the launch.  If you don't hit 25 MPH, no flight recording is created and it just stays "at ready".  Once your speed goes below 15 MPH for more than 5 seconds, the flight recording stops automatically.  You can do runs back to back without needing to interact with the system and it will create separate flight recordings automatically.  Alternatively, you can set a 0 MPH Stop Speed so it will wait for you to manually stop the recording.  You can manually start or stop the recording at any time.  You can also set a maximum length, but this is more useful for endurance racing than autocrossing.

For managing two courses, or multiple drivers (with or without multiple courses), please use our next release which should be coming out any day now.  We have a new feature that allows you to set up names for multiple drivers/multiple courses, and you can switch between them by pressing a button.  You do this by setting a filename Prefix and a list of "drivers".  For example, you can set the prefix to "Topeka07" and the "driver list" to "North;South", and your files will be named "Topeka07North000.mqd", "Topeka07South000.mqd", "Topeka07North001.mqd", etc.  You could specify multiple drivers by using something like "DaveNorth;KrisNorth;DaveSouth;KrisSouth".

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Ed Lansinger
MaxQData, LLC
Data Acquisition Systems

Getting back to the questions from ecugrad97 and mitchman... 

OK, I think we've been able to duplicate your problem.  Yes, there is a case where Flight will launch but won't display any data until you do what Mitch says, which is to make a short flight recording and then stop it, at which point the connection to the MQGPS-Bluetooth will get reset and the data will start streaming in.  The only way we can consistently repro this on an Axim X51 is to uncheck "Delay Bluetooth Init" and then launch Flight immediately after turning the device on.  However, this is not the recommended configuration.  It is already known that the Bluetooth stack in the operating system takes some time to get up and running, and with "Delay Bluetooth Init" unchecked, Flight will try to use Bluetooth too soon and won't get anything.  So be sure to use "Delay Bluetooth Init" if you aren't in the habit of waiting a few seconds after you turn on the Pocket PC before launching Flight.

Version 2.6a will have a change so that Flight will eventually connect even if you do not enable the Bluetooth Init Delay.  In this case, you won't need Mitch's workaround.  However, it will take longer to connect than if you enable the Delay.

Version 2.6a will also have big improvements in Bluetooth connect times under other conditions.  For example, assuming that Bluetooth is already turned on and the Bluetooth Init Delay is disabled, in the past it would take ~25 seconds to launch Flight.  Now it takes ~5 seconds.  With Bluetooth Init Delay enabled, the launch time goes down from ~35 seconds to ~10 seconds.  Be sure to read the release notes when the new files get posted for more details and a list of other features and improvements.

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Ed Lansinger
MaxQData, LLC
Data Acquisition Systems

It's not obvious to me, so I'll ask:  will this device store info itself for download later, or must one have a handheld/laptop in the car to talk to/store data at all times?

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Chuck Schultz

Ed,

You guys rock.  It was working this morning playing with it on my commute to work.  I just an impatient SOB.   I look forward to really testing it at VIR next weekend :)

 Thanks! 

 

Chuck Schultz:

must one have a handheld/laptop in the car to talk to/store data at all times?

 

Yes 

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STS - 1990 Mazda Miata

moxnix:

Chuck Schultz:

must one have a handheld/laptop in the car to talk to/store data at all times?

 

Yes 

As a result, the Pocket PC becomes your in-car lap counter/timer, real-time data display, etc. For autocrossing, we get a lot of feedback that having it already there in the car really helps in being able to review data quickly after a run.

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Ed Lansinger
MaxQData, LLC
Data Acquisition Systems

So who makes the lightest PDA?

OK, here's the thing:

I'm pretty lame with computer stuff, but not brain dead. I want to start data logging, if for no other reason than to try to find out why Braun is so fast, since we're sharing a car at a number of events.

Where do I start?

I'm guessing buy the MaxQData base system. I have no real need for a Pocket PC that I can imagine, but my cell phone doesn't do some stuff I need, like email. So, is using a smart phone a good solution? I've probably already displayed my ignorance (for all I know, "smart phone" and "pocket pc" may be the same thing), but I'm cool with that, I just want to get started on this project.

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In slow, out fast.
In fast, out backwards.

Here's the short answer if you are going with a phone-based Pocket PC...

MQGPS-Bluetooth, and then one of the following in no particular order:

Sprint: PPC 6700, Palm Treo 700wx

Verizon: XV6700, Samsung SCH-i730, Palm Treo 700w

Cingular: 8125/8525, Palm Treo 750

T-Mobile: MDA

Or buy an unlocked GSM device and get wireless service separately:

HP: iPAQ hw6925, hw6945

HTC: P3600, TyTN, 9100, P4350

i-Mate: JAM, K-JAM, JAQ

Fujitsu Siemens: LOOX T830

(still more options, but those are the most widely available) 

Actually, Smartphone is different than Pocket PC.  Pocket PCs have bigger screens with touchscreens.  Currently, the MaxQData software only supports Pocket PC.  We are working on Smartphone support but there is no release date yet.  Smartphone will be a bit harder to use in some cases due to the lack of a touchscreen.

We currently do most of our wireless testing and development using the Sprint PPC 6700.  The PPC 6700, Treo 700, and XV6700 seem to be the most popular phone models among our customers so far.

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Ed Lansinger
MaxQData, LLC
Data Acquisition Systems

Ed,

I'm glad to see you're planning to include support for Windows Mobile Smartphone edition.  I fell into the trap of not knowing there were two versions of Windows Mobile 5.  But, after discovering the benefits of the Smartphone's "one-handed" operation (with my T-mobile Dash/HTC excalibur), I don't even notice the lack of a touch screen anymore.  Additionally, the phone and data functinality seems to get rave reviews from folks who've used both os's.  I may still switch to an MDA if you don't think a smartphone port of your software will be available within the next couple months... but you'd have at least one more customer if the support comes sooner than later

Seems like you have a great product, can't wait to try it out. 

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2004 RX8

Ed,

Thanks for the reponse. I see, now, that all the information I needed was available on your website FAQ!

Time to call Verizon and see what they're gonna stab me for swapping plans around and stuff...on the other hand, it looks like the Treo is now about $200 less than when I first considered it...

 

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In slow, out fast.
In fast, out backwards.

(responding to iaus10)  Oh sure, don't get me wrong - the Smartphone user interface is great.  It's just that for rapidly scrolling through data files and picking options in the MaxQData software, the touchscreen on a Pocket PC Phone Edition makes things a bit quicker and somewhat less awkward.  SP is a better phone experience, though if you've got a non-slider PPCPE, you can one-hand it without much difficulty.  Datawise, they are more or less equivalent, though I prefer the Web browsing experience on the PPCPE.  PPCPE has more third party software available for it.  There are more CDMA options with PPCPE.  CDMA is better in a moving vehicle than GPRS, not to mention significantly faster, though the difference is becoming less significant as HSDPA starts rolling out and coverage improves.

Excalibur is a great SP.  The MDA (HTC Wizard) is a great PPCPE, the market leader at least until the Palm Treo 700 came out, though a few newer and cooler devices are just starting to appear.

I wouldn't want to promise a Smartphone port within two months.  It is more likely to be Q2.  We've completed an initial port of two of the MaxQData programs (Flight and Setup) and have them running on Excalibur, but Chart is going to take a lot longer in order to rework the UI due to the lack of a touchscreen.

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Ed Lansinger
MaxQData, LLC
Data Acquisition Systems

Thanks for the response and info.  If you're that far along, I'll hang on to my excalibur and wait for the release.  Sent you a PM as well.

 Do you, or does anyone else know of a secure way to strap a laptop into the car for autoxing?  Commercial or Do-it-yourself?
 

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2004 RX8

Ed, is there a plan to make MaxQData running on iPhone which is coming out pretty soon? Considering, it will run different OS compare to the other devices and such.

 

Fedja

 

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