Lap Timers

[Dayn]

For anyone with a smart phone there are some pretty interesting lap timer apps out there.

This one would top the list for me as it will actually tell you what your laptimes are through a set of headphones
www.trackaroo.com

There's also ones for other platforms:

Scroll down to see the English part on this one
www.chronogps.com/

www.ilaptiming.com/

web.me.com/hschlangmann/LapTimer_Homepage/Home.html

Cheers,

Dayn

[rivethead]

This sounds like a cool idea, but my experience with the couple different course/pace trackers I have tried to use while running... well lets say i am a bit more than skeptical. I just don't have the confidence in the iPhone's real time GPS tracking ability to accurately differentiate a couple second difference in lap times.

[Dayn]

Yeah the accuracy of smart phone GPS technology is an issue that many of the developers have addressed. They suggest that a more accurate Bluetooth GPS receiver be used in conjunction with the phone. It's still a pretty cheap option. though I don't think the iPhone is capable of doing this.

TBH I haven't used one but I'll definitely give it a try once I upgrade to a smart phone.

[drat]

race chrono is very good. www.racechrono.com they have a listing for phones and compatable OS's depending on its brand..

you HAVE to use a blue tooth gps reciever.. the discrepancy can be plus or minus half a second in lag time with out a more powerful reciever... most all phones are 1mhz i believe you need a 5mhz receiver , still this can be done very cheaply..
if it isnt accurate in timing your laps.. close enough just inst right..

you can also do over lay stuff with a camera.. which i plan to be doing this year on my Ducati as well as the race Vespa...

to give you an idea.. here is a you tube clip of the lap timer with overlay... if you get several guys on the same system you can assign them their own color dot too!

here is a short clip of the data acquisition that it can do.. the track is Thunder hill in northern California.. i LOVE this track... super fun..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JVLHaSdUQQ

here is the list of phones and blue tooth receivers he used..

Motorolla Q + Qstarz BT-Q818X
Palm Treo 755p + Qstarz BT-Q818X
Nokia e61i + Qstarz BT-Q818X
Dell Axim x50 + Holux 236

keep in mind if you plan on doing something like this you dont have to get service on the phone i believe.. i woulndt want ot put my $400 G1 phone on my bike.. the possiblitie for it getting hurt is too great..

you can use windons PDAs as well.. also keep in mind the OS that the phone/PDA uses and the program need to be compatible.. pretty easy to research..