Testing Track Data And Video

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As I get ready for my first weekend at the track, I have been testing options for capturing performance data and driving video. The simplest way to start was to use what came with my car, the Mlaptimer app. It is built into the iDrive system in my M2 and works with my iPhone. When it came out it was great, but it hasn’t been updated in some time and doesn’t support newer GoPro cameras. In addition the data file is .Mpower and you have to convert if you want to use it in any other app. All of this is very cumbersome.

After reading several BimmerPost forum threads about different apps, I decided to give Track Addict a try. There is a free version, so very little risk in giving it a shot. It is made by HP Tuners and works with Race Render, the software I am using to add data overlays to my driving videos. Here is a video shot from my iPhone mounted to my windshield that is straight from Track Addict:

Next I took the Track Addict video and added a second camera angle from a GoPro mounted inside my car. This gives me a chance to see how I am steering and shifting the car while driving. The GoPro also has GPS data that can be imported into Race Render. The challenge becomes syncing both videos and I found muting one of the videos made the sound quality better.

For my last test, I used my GoPro camera footage and BimmerLink to capture car data through an OBDII reader. Unfortunately, BimmerLink won’t log the data in the background so I couldn’t also use Track Addict for this test. As you will see in the video that BimmerLink doesn’t log the data fast enough so the overlays show data that jumps up and down. While I would love to use something I already own, this isn’t it!

So for my first track weekend I decided to upgrade to Track Addict Pro ($8.99) and I ordered a VeePeak OBDII adapter that cycles faster than the one I already own. I am not ready to spend the money for a dedicated track data recorder, so for less than $50, I am hopefully that I can produce some decent videos with data of my first track weekend.