GPS receiver input for data logging?

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Chris Wilson
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:05 pm

GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by Chris Wilson »

Is this an option yet? I want to try an S8C but would need it to take a GPS receiver input, say from a Garmin 5Hz or similar. Thanks.

As an aside, do you work with stand alone data loggers much? If so, what do you recommend on a clubman type budget? I hate digital dash displays and use analogue instruments, so a dash display / logger is not what i want, needs to be a standalone one. Looking at Gems, but their sales and support men seem to be dead :) Need 4 wheel speed sensor inputs and about 12 analogue inputs, with stable and easy to use software. Motec is what I use right now, but my M800 is running out of memory FAST when I log chassis data in it, and their add ons for more inputs are just SO expensive over here, and an ACL logger is also very costly for my budget.
pavlo
Zen Performance
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:18 am

Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by pavlo »

Hi Chris,

First of all what an awesome car you have! It would be nice to get an S8C on it :)

That aside the S8C will at least give you 8 times the data of the M800 but it also comes with many more engine parameters to log, especially if you are still developing the engine package, so the overall gain is perhaps not so big. If you want to log the GPS info for track mapping it is possible but at the moment it's a bit of cludge (IMHO) as you have to assign it as an analogue input to two channels, and then assign these two channels appropriately as long and lat in the data analysis tool.

However if you want to look at all your data in one place, then you should be looking at firing all your relavent data to a datalogger using CANBUS and then you have the freedom to pretty much what you like. So even using a GPS equiped logger isn't out of the question. There are a few loggers that fit the bill for you, including products from AIM Sports, GEMS, Race Technology, Racelogic to name but a few. This give you the option of logging plenty of more engine specific stuff on the S8 and not cluttering up your track data with all of that too.

You can use a Racelogic GPS speed box to output GPS velocity as a 5th speed input into the S8 which will allow you to do some nice things, including accurate track mapping with the addition of a Lateral G sensor, but if you want to be able to look at racing lines on individual laps and compare then with video info, lap time etc, then there are probably better products to use that use a 10Hz GPS setup.
Chris Wilson
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:05 pm

Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by Chris Wilson »

Thanks for the detailed reply! What car is awesome though, I didn't mention any car?? What I am now wondering is which loggers will read the Can Bus data from the Syvecs ecus? I know some will and some will not read the M800 data stream, so if I am to try a Syvecs I need to be careful any logger will read both. If anyone has some logs from circuits that have track mapping shown I would love to have a play with them, they could be sent to me at chris@chriswilson.tv Are you Zen Performance as in Time Attack? Cheers.
pavlo
Zen Performance
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Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:18 am

Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by pavlo »

I was thinking of the RWD GTR with Tractive sequential box, Motec ECU mapped by Dave Rowe, but perhaps I've got my cars mixed up?

In terms of logging, you could use the GEMS logger easily as it's CANBUS is fully configurable, as is the Racelogic video vbox pro. The AIM Sports logger is not 100% configurable, but it is probably configurable enough and there is enough info chassis wise to feed in. Race technology DL1 is also a possibility and this has GPS built in and you can review all your data in their software, they have a CAN-Serial box which can be configured AFAIK, or at least their dash systems can use the CAN adaptor, so I assume it can be used for the DL1. You can fully configure the MoTeC dashes to accept the Syvecs CAN stream too, if MoTeC has a logger only box (I'm sure they do) it should be doable.

On the Syvecs side the CAN is mostly configurable, but some of it is fixed, in terms of byte offset and order (4x 16 bit words in Motorola format per frame IIRC). But you can specify the offset and frame content along with rate, so any logger that allows you to specific a CAN input stream with 4 words of a given offset should be easily setup.

Yes I am Paul from Zen Performance!

Cheers

Paul (from Zen Performance)
Wez
Santa's Little Helper
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Location: London

Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by Wez »

Chris, as you know I use an S6GP with the Race Technology DL1, the DL has its own GPS and G sensors and also records data from the ECU via CAN while also supporting inputs of its own, this seems to work quite well and supports track mapping with satellite map overlays :)
pavlo
Zen Performance
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Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by pavlo »

The Race technology stuff integrates well but the software is dog slow to use when analysing big chunks of data.
Chris Wilson
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:05 pm

Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by Chris Wilson »

Hi again, yes, I am the old fella' with the GTS-t Skyline, it's a heavy old dog but goes quite well on flowing circuits.

I have bought some GEMS DA99-L2 1 gig CAN driven loggers to have a play with, initially with my M800, for which there's some documented CAN protocol info. Do Syvecs have a documented explaining what CAN protocol an external logger can be run from to talk to them? Cheers.
pavlo
Zen Performance
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Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by pavlo »

There isn't a document per say but I can tell you how to structure the can. The custom can is configurable and has 4 16bit words per frame. There are 20 frames, with offsets that start at 600h by default. Each word is spat out in motorola sequential byte order.

I can be more specific with a little time to write in more detail.

There is also a GEMS CAN datastream but I would suggest configure both ends for custom setup.
Chris Wilson
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:05 pm

Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by Chris Wilson »

Thanks pavlo. It looks very daunting to me, I'll have a play with my Motec first, maybe I will get a confidence boost if I can configure that then I'll have a play with someone else's Syvecs ;)
Chris Wilson
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:05 pm

Re: GPS receiver input for data logging?

Post by Chris Wilson »

OK, I have finally sorted out getting my Motec M800 to speak with my GEMS DA99-L loggers successfully. I set up the M800 to user sequential CAN data starting at CAN address 589 (decimal) 0x244 Hex. I am logging about 30 or so channels. Motec have a nifty way to see what the scaling is, and whether the streams are signed or not, etcetera, by creating a template of the custom CAN set up, and exporting it into one of their dashboard manager applications, inside this one can descend the menus and get to an advanced level where each channel is shown with all this sort of info, so the raw data is fairly painlessly set up in the logger to give meaningful data on screen. I want to be able to do this with a customer car using a Syvecs ecu. Basically save a copy of their ecu setup file and add to it the CAN stuff to allow one of my loggers to read what channels I require. Is this going to be straight forward, both to set up the CAN stuff in the Syvecs menus, and to get a list of scalars used for each channel coming out of the Syvecs CAN, so I can create a set up in the logger to read it meaningfully? Thanks.

What's this GEMS CAN data stream you mention pavlo?
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