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AIM Solo 2 Data Logger and smarty cam questions

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2,199
1,065
Bay Area
Well, I have jumper further down my rabbit hole and decided I wanted to push the car a little harder while still having fun on the track. A few questions about the data logger. Can some or you or or better yet will some of you guys suggest how best to install it in the GT350 that isn't going to require drilling or cutting into anything? Is a suction cup on the windshield my only option? The camera is obvious and I already have the mount on order. Next question, I use a Mac and I did not realize that AIM operates off Windows. I went to try to set up the virtual screen last night and well basically EFFF that! I will buy a samsung device soulfully for the AIM software. Would a tablet be fine or should I just purchase a laptop?

TIA
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
XenForo's Edit button location strikes again. Grrrrrr.


On edit, might as well put it here that you'll want to tether the Aim unit (may be required to no matter how you attach it), to provide additional protection against the unit falling down in the driver-side footwell area.


Norm
 
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1,246
1,243
In the V6L
Well, I have jumper further down my rabbit hole and decided I wanted to push the car a little harder while still having fun on the track. A few questions about the data logger. Can some or you or or better yet will some of you guys suggest how best to install it in the GT350 that isn't going to require drilling or cutting into anything? Is a suction cup on the windshield my only option? The camera is obvious and I already have the mount on order. Next question, I use a Mac and I did not realize that AIM operates off Windows. I went to try to set up the virtual screen last night and well basically EFFF that! I will buy a samsung device soulfully for the AIM software. Would a tablet be fine or should I just purchase a laptop?

TIA
I'm not an AIM user, so I can't be too specific, but I am a RaceLogic user so I'll tell you how I set my stuff up. I have two loggers I run at every event. One, a PerformanceBox, has a display and is designed for sticking to the windshield, while the other, a VBox Sport, is designed to drive a cellphone app, so it doesn't have a display. A few years back, I spent a lot of time trying to get video working with Harry's, but I ended up concluding it was more of a distraction than anything else, so I don't bother with it, or Harry's, anymore.

For the VBox Sport, I use a remote magnetic GPS antenna that I put on the trunk lid - open the trunk, reach under the front edge of the lid, carefully place the antenna then close the trunk. At the start of the first session, I switch the unit on, set it to record and then put it in the center console storage box, where it stays for the day.

The old reliable PerformanceBox gets stuck to the windshield as intended, but I put it in a somewhat non-traditional location: It's wedged between the windshield and the top of the dash on the far left side, so it's close to my field of view but it isn't in the way. Wedging it keeps it fixed in place so it doesn't vibrate or move when I'm driving. I set it to display speed and then it just runs, again recording all the driving for the day.

1594914879715.png

I look at my lap times and performance when I get home.

So, my purpose in writing all this down is to point out that you have lots of options available that don't involve traditional mounting setups. If you don't actually need to see the unit, just stick it in the glovebox. If you do need to see it, figure out what you need to see, then put the unit in a place that works - dead center on the dash is not necessarily the best option. That's it - good luck!
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
@JAJ Thanks, I was thinking what’s the point of looking at it while I’m driving anyway. It’s something I’ll use at home and send to racers360 for review as well.
Unless I can make a conscious decision to look for a lap time, I hardly notice that it's even there and just drive (on average, I probably spend more total time each session making sure I got it turned on and turning it off). I can remember putting specific effort into locating it, and the Aeroforce gauges, and that other GoPro mounting location, such that the devices would be as much below the hood line as reasonably achievable.

I have a suspicion that the closer your Aim or other datalogging device is located to the car's CG position as seen in plan view, the better the data will be.


Norm
 
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1,246
1,243
In the V6L
... I have a suspicion that the closer your Aim or other datalogging device is located to the car's CG position as seen in plan view, the better the data will be.

Norm
That notion of centralizing the sensors with the CG matters most when the logger has actual acceleration and yaw sensors. I don't know how AIM devices work but many loggers, like both of my RaceLogic units, compute lateral and longitudinal G's from a GPS feed, so the location and attitude of the gizmo itself doesn't matter, only the location of the antenna.
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
Aim specifically lists a triaxial accelerometer (±6g) in the specs for the Solo and SoloDL. GPS is mentioned only in connection with lap timing (and obviously used for circuit map presentation purposes).

Source: Aim Racing Products Catalog, 2015.


Norm
 
1,246
1,243
In the V6L
Aim specifically lists a triaxial accelerometer (±6g) in the specs for the Solo and SoloDL. GPS is mentioned only in connection with lap timing (and obviously used for circuit map presentation purposes).

Source: Aim Racing Products Catalog, 2015.


Norm
Well then, yes, it should be as close to the CG as possible.
 

yotah1

Ford Employee
386
598
Detroit
I'm using an old laptop but I've seen guys at the tracks in Europe with tablets to download and have a look at their datalogging.

I don't have that setup in my GT350 but I've been using the AIM SmartyCam HD with the bullet camera and the datalogging unit in my track car in Europe for a few years now. I've got it connected to my AIM MXL dash so it gets all the data from there, and video from the bullet camera. The rollbar mount was the best solution for me, least vibrations, best camera angle, etc. And that's in a solid mounted engine racecar, so LOTS of vibrations running through the body and cage!
An external microphone was also a good investment as the camera's built-in microphone isn't especially great, just like the one on my GoPro Session 5 ...
 

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