SmartyCam and the R8

[SteveR]

I know a couple others in here have the SmartyCam. It has amazing capabilities for such a small device, highly recommended.

I bought the ECU bridge that reads rpm, throttle, brake, temps, etc. off the OBD port but am having trouble getting it to work. I have tried programming it with both the standard Audi and the R8 LMS ECU programs but haven't gotten it to work yet. Any tips?

[exhilR8]

I have the SmartyCam, and I love it, but I have been waiting for AIM to announce that they support the R8 ECU beforre buying the bridge. As of their website today, they don't list it as supported. However, they do list:

Audi
Model ECU manufacturer name ECU model name
A3 2000 16V TFSI 200 CV BOSCH AUDI
A3 2000 16V TFSI 200 CV QUATTRO BOSCH AUDI
A3 SPORTBACK 2000 16V TFSI 200 CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 2000 16V TFSI 200CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 AVANT 2000 16V TFSI 200CV BOSCH AUDI
S3 2000 16V TFSI 265CV BOSCH AUDI
TT COUPE 2000 16V TFSI 200CV BOSCH AUDI
TT ROADSTER 2000 16V TFSI 200CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 1800 20V 125CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 1800 20V 127CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 1800 20V TURBO 150CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 1800 20V TURBO 163CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 1800 20V TURBO 190CV BOSCH AUDI
A4 2000 20V 130CV BOSCH AUDI
A6 1800 20V 125CV BOSCH AUDI
A6 1800 20V TURBO 150CV BOSCH AUDI
A6 1800 20V TURBO 180CV BOSCH AUDI
A6 2000 20V 130CV BOSCH AUDI
TT 1800 20V TURBO 150CV BOSCH AUDI
TT 1800 20V TURBO 180CV BOSCH AUDI
TT 1800 20V TURBO 225CV BOSCH AUDI
A3 1800 20V TURBO 180CV BOSCH AUDI
A3 1800 20V 125CV BOSCH AUDI

I did buy the MyChron4 data logger and the data key so that I could map my local track and have it overlay on the video, along with speed, g-forces, lap times, and split times. The MyChron4 works extremely well. I am in the process of learning to use Race Studio 2 to refine my track map and upload it to the SmartyCam. The software is very full-featured. It will even export your driving lines for display on Google Earth!

Just using the SmartyCam's standalone GPS functions to display speed, accelerometer readings, and lap times makes the camera well worth the price. When the R8 ECU is fully supported, it will be an unbelievably complete pakage for a very low price, and very easy to use.

[SteveR]

Ok. I've made a little progress setting up the SmartyCam for the R8. First, the physical mount:



The usual mount they sell is a heavy duty suction cup attached to the rear window. I ended up getting an articulating camera clamp mount and attached it to the headrest bar using some PVC tubing to protect the bar. It is not quite as stable as the rear window mount due to seat vibration, but it is very easy to remove the camera using the shoe mount, it allows me to see through the rear window, and I don't have to worry about marring the window surface.

I have the external GPS attached with velcro to the plastic cover for the child restraint. Reception is very good there so rigging an external mount is not necessary.

As stated by exhilR8, the camera alone will accept maps and automatically detect them and their start/finish coordinates for laptimes. You connect the camera by USB to set up what you want and where for your data overlay. That only needs to be done once. You can download track maps from AIM and add them to the camera. They add one or two a month, and all the majors seem to be there. My two local tracks aren't on the list, but Autobahn and RA are. I don't have the data logger, so I'm not sure how it will work on an unknown track. As I understand it, I can set the coordinates of the start/finish for laptimes, but the real time track map will not show. Camera operation is easy with it's small view screen and 3 control buttons. You can have it automatically record with movement or start vids manually. You can also manage files and view them on the camera, so having a laptop at the track isn't needed. With a 16 GB micro SD card you can record about 8 hours at the highest quality (720x400). I accidently recorded the whole 3 hour drive to Chicago and still was able to record a full day at the track (barely). This is what you get with the camera alone:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS7BcT8Wnt8"]Autobahn Club - Chicago[/ame]

The wind noise is bad, but I think I have that solved by getting a power cord with an external microphone. I will place it behind the seat and I found a small wind sock to protect it. The camera has a built in microphone but it is very tough to protect it from wind.

There is a power cord with an ECU bridge I was trying to get working earlier. It is about half the size of a pack of cigarettes, with one wire for power, one with an OBD port, and another goes to the camera. With this connected, the camera will automatically start recording beyond a movement threshold. That is how I accidently recorded the drive to Chicago. You can defeat it by unplugging the power, something I found out after I saw that my card was packed with unwanted videos. The camera has a battery, so you can get by without the power cord if you like.

Anyway, if you choose to use the ECU bridge, you have to connect the bridge to a PC to set up things like what you want to monitor and over what range. You also have to pick an ECU program setting for your car. Unfortunately neither the Audi nor the R8 LMS settings work. I talked to tech support and they gave me a few more to try (VW Group, Bosch, and std OBD II). The only one that works at all is OBD II. From that I now have RPM, throttle, speed, water temp, intake air temp, and maybe a couple others. Brake pressure and gear selection still don't work, so I am trying automatic gear calculation, which is unrealible so far. It could be that using the GPS for speed lags enough to throw off the calculation, so I need to try it with wheel speed. Here is a short clip with the ECU bridge running. I didn't add all the other working sensors to the overlay, but I am sure they would work the same way:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI6mnoR5wVM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI6mnoR5wVM[/ame]

There are lots of other options like setting split times I haven't covered. It's not perfect, but it's a pretty good all in one solution for casual event recording. I'd be interested in hearing tips from anyone else with a SmartyCam.

[Vincent]

Very cool setup Steve. Thanks for sharing.

[gazza1]

Great set up Steve...

Keen to hear that Tubi V10 roar on the track with the wind issue resolved

Must sound(almost)as good as the AWE Exhaust setup.

[SteveR]

Great set up Steve...

Keen to hear that Tubi V10 roar on the track with the wind issue resolved

Must sound(almost)as good as the AWE Exhaust setup.

Heh, yeah. I can only hope. My brother (riding with me in that lap) said that trackside the R8 sounded better than the 458 that was also there. I'm not sure why we aspire to make our cars sound like other cars. The R8 sound is very good in it's own right.

I'd like to hear exhilR8 chime in about how the MyChrono4 thing works. I'm wondering if I should get that to map out the local tracks.

[M3R8]

Heh, yeah. I can only hope. My brother (riding with me in that lap) said that trackside the R8 sounded better than the 458 that was also there. I'm not sure why we aspire to make our cars sound like other cars. The R8 sound is very good in it's own right.

For the same reason we want to look like someone else, a blond babe wants to be a brunette, a brunette wants to be a blond. And for the same reason we want what the neighbour or the friend has... kinda sad eh.

[exhilR8]

Great Work, SteveR. You're getting very close to the full capability of the ECU bridge and the Smartycam. I'm really hoping for braking and shift points, too, and I'm guessing this will become available before much longer. Maybe if we both made more calls to AIM tech support something would happen.

Anyway, the MyChron4 does indeed work for mapping your local tracks, but it does seem to require purchasing the "data key" for uploading the recorded data to AIM Race Studio 2. This step is necessary for saving the track in the format Smartycam uses. I have not yet completed the process of grooming my local track map in Race Studio (I had accidentally recorded 3 laps as 1), but I have another track day tomorrow, and hopefully I'll be able to finish the process after that. Since you have this much Smartycam function already, I would highly recommend getting the MyChron4 also.

BTW, I got the APR 93 ECU tune last weekend, and OMG!

[exhilR8]

Here's some video I shot with the Smartycam on my way back from the APR tune last Saturday. The GPS-derived speed overlay reads anywhere from 2 to 4 mph below the speed indicated on the car's speedometer. We wanted to see where the R-tronic's shift into 6th gear would occur after the APR tune. We found it.

We were driving hundreds of miles of long straight road waiting for wide open gaps in traffic, and we finally found one. I know, I know, it's hazardous, inconsiderate etc. I'll try not to do it again. But here's the video anyway:


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j14vJB8pSXU"]YouTube - R8 V10 Shifting 173 mph @ 8500 rpm [/ame]

[SteveR]

Great Work, SteveR. You're getting very close to the full capability of the ECU bridge and the Smartycam. I'm really hoping for braking and shift points, too, and I'm guessing this will become available before much longer. Maybe if we both made more calls to AIM tech support something would happen.

BTW, I got the APR 93 ECU tune last weekend, and OMG!

Yeah, the tune is nice isn't it?

I really wish the brake pressure sensor worked. My braking sucks. But, the accelerometer is just about as good a tool as the brake pressure reading to gauge your brake points. Just keep that dot on the outside of the circle. The information you can get from the ECU is good enough to justify the purchase, but I'm really bummed the R8 LMS setting doesn't work. All kinds of cool things to monitor in there like individual wheel speed. I think it must be just a placeholder. The LMS cars should have the same ECU, right?