Video integration with data-issues

[Jim Perry]

We have forever had problems with accurate video integration, and that seems pretty important if one is using Analysis to improve performance. We have used Contour cameras and a video synchronizer supplied by RT, but the feature has really not worked and we have had to try to do the synchronization manually - a lot of trial and error that leads to one very frustrated race engineer (who has advocated for abandoning Race Technology in favor of another data acquisition system, but the car owner has resisted spending more on another system and tossing RT under the bus).

Perhaps we should have invested in the Video 4 system, but we did not, and now that looks like an old and NLA solution too.

It appears that RT has thrown its lot in with GoPro, and that may be a solution.

I wonder if any users have had similar issues, if they have found a good answer to the problem, and/or if using the GoPro GPS-enabled Hero 5 has worked for anyone.

[Maxx]

Jim,

Not sure if I can help but I've used the output from lots of different cameras with the RT software and (touch wood) everything has been fine.

I've always sync'd manually as I find it pretty easy. Essentially a zoom in on te start of the speed trace and find an obvious gearchange point (not so easy with sequentials but i rarely work with them) and then stop the video when I can hear/see the change. I then pick a later lap and play back watching speed trace and listening for gearchanges, often a small nudge is required. I'd feel I'd struggled if this took more than about 4-5 minutes, usually it's around 2 minutes.

Only potential issue I can think of, given that the video format is compatible is if you had an odd frame rate, I've used 25/30/50/60 and all have worked but not sure if there are others used?

If you think it's the video format could you post the output from the propgram MediaInfo here and I'll take a look

https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo/Download

Malcolm

[Jim Perry]

Malcolm (and anyone else),

Thanks for the hints. We have been using the shift point with our Contour video and have gotten pretty close.

At the badgering of my race engineer I bought a GoPro Hero 5 Black because he said it was supposed to allow for automatic integration. This past weekend at MidOhio we tried it for the first time. It did not work, so now I have a few days to get my money back from GoPro if I want to.

Does anyone have a suggestion why the GoPro and Race Technology system fail to work together?

[racetec]

Whilst the web site says "GoPro" integration, actually the video import works with most formats - we state GoPro as these are the most popular.

With regards the auto syncing, this is more difficult. The problem is that we get is working quite well with a GoPro model and then they change the firmware. After talking to a number of customers it seems the *vast* majority just sync manually.

With regards the "general performance" and speed of the video handling in v8.5, its "okay"... but there is certainly room for improvement. We are quite close to having v10 ready for release and the video performance is about 10x better. That will be available later this year.

When you say " It did not work" - could you explain what is not working please?

Support (A)

[924RACR]

I've been playing with video.data integration a long time, only recently started using the RT components for this; with all the heavy emphasis in the marketing material about using the GoPros, I had no idea that RT's SW allows any video stream to be used!

In my case, I'm using Contour HD cameras - much better aero package, very robust.

So I've always been doing manual synching, data to video.

I start with the roll-off, to get in the ballpark - usually gets within a second or two. Then gearshifts get closer.

But for really precise line-up (within tenths or hundredths of a second), I focus on the lateral-g signal - even modest swerving on the out-lap quickly lines things up very tightly.

Still learning how to best make benefit of the video component in the Analysis SW, but getting there. I've been focused on data-only analysis for 15 years or so, takes some playing to find the added new benefit... but it is definitely interesting... definitely not the same as merely sitting back and watching the video after the fact - much more focused on finding questions in the raw data, then looking for explanations in the video which couldn't be conclusively sorted with pure data stream...

[Jim Perry]

Thank you for responding.

Yesterday our Race Engineer tried 5 or 6 times to integrate a race. He was picking a shift point. Visually, the video matches the shift point (as shown by drop in rpm) on the track map. However. as the integration progresses, the track map on the integrated video is off by 1/4 the length of the track! (This is Mid-Ohio, not a short course.) This happened with both the Contour and GoPro cameras.

When we tried the integration with the GoPro:

I have an image of the error message, but I am unsure how to insert it here. So:

"Video failed to start as expected."

In GoPro load options, Step 3, he chose: "Synchronize the video and data using the time stamp on the video file."

In the Load Video dialog box: "The data and the video times do not seem to match, please manually using the controls in Run Manager, or on the Video tab."

The whole idea of our buying a GoPro Hero 5 was that it was to integrate automatically with the Race Technology system.

[racetec]

can you confirm the version of the analysis software you are running please?

Support (A)

[Jim Perry]

I am using Analysis 8.5416.

[racetec]

okay - now moved to email support, so this thread is closed.