jmason
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- Frederick, MD
An interesting (but pricey) new device for HPDE/track coaching:
Garmin Catalyst
Garmin Catalyst
7
Garmin Catalyst™ Driving Performance Optimizer
- Thread starter jmason
- Start date
jay745
What Would Glenn Danzig Do
- Location
- Slightly Outside Chicago
- Car(s)
- Mk6 racecar, Tacoma
This thing is pretty cool, I was on a webinar not too long ago where Ross Bentley was talking about this. I don't think it does everything a traditional data system does though. I'll stick to my AIM gps data device for now but it will be cool to see this thing evolve.
Cliff
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Car(s)
- 2015 Cayman GTS
It looks interesting but I have not had time to explore the documentation. Its main selling point appears to be the enablement of real time or near real time coaching, with video, within the device. It looks like data can be exported to Garmin Connect, but I don't know if you can get it from there to an analytical application like Race Studio Analysis or Track Attack. The bundled camera is only 30fps, and at first blush it does not look like it will acquire data from external sensors (OBDII, CAN bus, whatever). $1000 is not particularly expensive considering it comes with a camera.
jmason
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- Frederick, MD
I agree that it doesn't look like it will (easily) support creation of an in-car video with data overlay.
I wonder how good its GPS is? With the external GPS system I'm using, it's only good to 2.5m; I think that is CE50. Pretty hard to get exact location on a track if you don't know where you are to better than a 8 ft or so circle 50% of the time. I'm not sure that civilian GPS (i.e., L1 only, no ionospheric correction) can do any better without using differential GPS corrections.
I wonder how good its GPS is? With the external GPS system I'm using, it's only good to 2.5m; I think that is CE50. Pretty hard to get exact location on a track if you don't know where you are to better than a 8 ft or so circle 50% of the time. I'm not sure that civilian GPS (i.e., L1 only, no ionospheric correction) can do any better without using differential GPS corrections.
Cliff
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Car(s)
- 2015 Cayman GTS
Assuming the Garmin software cannot itself create such a video, then Garmin Connect will export a file that RaceRender can consume, so producing video via 3rd party software should not be an issue. The GPS is 10Hz, which is probably the same as your external device. I've compared lap times from a 10Hz GPS and a transponder and they were nearly identical, so the GPS is accurate enough.
You don't buy this product to do video or for general data acquisition. You buy it for the coaching features. If I were to buy one I would run it alongside my AiM SoloDL.