Garmin Catalyst Driving Performance Optimizer

[USSEnterprise]

Originally Posted by sc_tr0jan_m3

Not scientific but I had zero issues when it was on top of the dash suctioned to the windshield. When I checked the satellite quality even in the garage it seemed to be sufficient coverage.

So let's see. If I notice significant different times between the aim (above the dash) to the garmin (below the dash) then it might be worth rethinking.

I'll be at ECR Sunday also (blue F80), and possibly Monday as well. I usually stroll in around lunch and do the sessions after lunch when its warmest.

I do not like looking at lap times and time delta while driving - it takes the enjoyment out of driving for me. So I was thinking of turning off the screen of the catalyst and just leaving voice prompts on from the race coach. Or if its not possible to just turn off the screen while an active session is in progress, have it mounted it a way that's outside of my field of view.

Per @dvq suggestion, I'm also going to be experimenting with recording OBD channels on my phone and then merging it with the Catalyst video in Virb Edit. Ordered an "OBDLink MX+" bluetooth obd adapter that sends data at 50 hz for this purpose and thinking of using Track Addict or Harry's lap timer on my phone.

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by xxaarraa

I'll be at ECR Sunday also (blue F80), and possibly Monday as well. I usually stroll in around lunch and do the sessions after lunch when its warmest.

I do not like looking at lap times and time delta while driving - it takes the enjoyment out of driving for me. So I was thinking of turning off the screen of the catalyst and just leaving voice prompts on from the race coach. Or if its not possible to just turn off the screen while an active session is in progress, have it mounted it a way that's outside of my field of view.

Per @dvq suggestion, I'm also going to be experimenting with recording OBD channels on my phone and then merging it with the Catalyst video in Virb Edit. Ordered an "OBDLink MX+" bluetooth obd adapter that sends data at 50 hz for this purpose and thinking of using Track Addict or Harry's lap timer on my phone.

Have you used Virb Edit? Can it create gauges consistent with race render?

[USSEnterprise]

Originally Posted by DRLane

Have you used Virb Edit? Can it create gauges consistent with race render?

I played with it for all of 5 minutes and it was decent. Very easy to import a video and import a data file and merge them. It did have many gauge options though I didn't look too deep into them just yet.

While it was easy to merge a garmin video with a garmin data file, it remains to be seen if it will and how easy it is to merge a third party data file (with OBD data) with the garmin video. That's the unknown at the moment.

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

Originally Posted by xxaarraa

I'll be at ECR Sunday also (blue F80), and possibly Monday as well. I usually stroll in around lunch and do the sessions after lunch when its warmest.

I do not like looking at lap times and time delta while driving - it takes the enjoyment out of driving for me. So I was thinking of turning off the screen of the catalyst and just leaving voice prompts on from the race coach. Or if its not possible to just turn off the screen while an active session is in progress, have it mounted it a way that's outside of my field of view.

Per @dvq suggestion, I'm also going to be experimenting with recording OBD channels on my phone and then merging it with the Catalyst video in Virb Edit. Ordered an "OBDLink MX+" bluetooth obd adapter that sends data at 50 hz for this purpose and thinking of using Track Addict or Harry's lap timer on my phone.

That's prolly why we've never crossed paths at ecr... I usually leave before lunch! I try to mimic nasa events where usually the best times are had during the second session of the day 😂

I'll try to stay longer on Sunday so we can catch up!

[FormulaMMM]

Apologies if this has been covered -- the Catalyst doesn't have an option to use "best of day" lap time as the real time (+/-) reference, but instead resets best lap with every new session?

But I assume the coaching tips are according to the entire day's driving, or even driving history at that track?

[dvq]

Originally Posted by FormulaMMM

Apologies if this has been covered -- the Catalyst doesn't have an option to use "best of day" lap time as the real time (+/-) reference, but instead resets best lap with every new session?

But I assume the coaching tips are according to the entire day's driving, or even driving history at that track?

The reference to best lap while driving is within the scope of the session.

Reference for coaching tips is limited to the concept of a track weekend -- I think it's 2-4 days from the podcast I heard, not sure how that works exactly but I think the idea is to limit coaching to recent sessions and making the assumption that track conditions and car setup wouldn't have changed too much.

I'd like for those to be configurable, but they are not.

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by dvq

The reference to best lap while driving is within the scope of the session.

Reference for coaching tips is limited to the concept of a track weekend -- I think it's 2-4 days from the podcast I heard, not sure how that works exactly but I think the idea is to limit coaching to recent sessions and making the assumption that track conditions and car setup wouldn't have changed too much.

I'd like for those to be configurable, but they are not.

Thanks, real-time reference reset does seem like a bummer and design oversight. Sometimes just a couple of traffic-free laps in a session. Clear lap you might be 3 seconds up on your best of session through sector 1, but 0.7 down on best of day. Hard to know if what you're trying throughout the day is working.

Suppose coaching info offsets that some, but would be ideal for the coaching and +/- display to be in sync.

Use Solo 2 best of day +/- pretty regularly for technique improvement, or (more often!) verification of a screw up.

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

Just finished a testing day for a few things, but also testing out my new mounting location for the Garmin. I moved it off the top of the dash into a center portion of the dash.

Overall I didn't notice any meaningful reduction of performance and the times were comparable to what was being tracked on my AIM system too.

Every car is slightly different, so best to test this type of approach before committing to it long term.

[Suds]

After using my Garmin in my Corvette this weekend, I have used it for 10+ track days in my M4, it would be hard to compare data from different track days. Too many variables, cars, temperature, dry vs. wet, etc between track sessions.

My Vette today was 2 seconds faster on MPSS runflats than my M4 on NT01’s.
M4 was 2 mph faster on straights, stage one tune and sticky tires, but the Vette has so much more grip in the big sweeping corners even with runflats, maybe I need better suspension “Dampers” in the M4 too gain more confidence.

I could also add more front negative camber on the M4 being at -2.5 degrees, the Vette on stock settings could carry 2-3mph more in big sweepers.

[DRLane]

@sc_tr0jan_m3

Here's my thoughts for mounting in e9x. Removed the navigation unit. I'll use the screw in ball mount recessed in the back of the hump.

I cut the audio speaker bracket and cover to accommodate ample "sky view". Going to affix a piece of 1/4" lexan where the mesh was. If this doesn't provide enough satellite access, the. I'll likely lexan the whole cover with duct work for the vents.

Fingers crossed!

If it's successful, I'll clean up the tunnel with some CF panel scrap I have lying around.

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

@DRLane looks like a solid approach. I posted my pics to the garmin user group on Facebook and a few more folks asked me to do a few more tests to confirm performance.

My opinion is as long as the device is high-ish on the dash, and has reasonable vertical line of sight to the sky then you're likely in good shape.

Report back with what you find out on your side!

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by sc_tr0jan_m3

@DRLane looks like a solid approach. I posted my pics to the garmin user group on Facebook and a few more folks asked me to do a few more tests to confirm performance.

My opinion is as long as the device is high-ish on the dash, and has reasonable vertical line of sight to the sky then you're likely in good shape.

Report back with what you find out on your side!

Absolutely! Car is in pieces at the moment. But I'll get some details early next week.

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by DRLane

Absolutely! Car is in pieces at the moment. But I'll get some details early next week.

Welp, we'll chalk this up as a fail. Just got the Garmin earlier this week and it doesn't really fit in the Idrive tunnel all that well. Too much of a pain to get in and out, so my efforts were wasted. The lexan piece turned out nicely but I'll be putting the mesh cover back on.

New approach, will be to mount the screw in bracket inside the tunnel and have the Catalyst positioned directly outside. It'll work ok, but won't be as pretty...

[USSEnterprise]

Can you guys share why you are putting so much thought into hard mounting the Catalyst? I.e., what about just sticking it on the windshield doesn’t work for you? I can’t speak to bumpy tracks but at my local track where the pavement is smooth, the magnetic mount is solid and I haven’t felt like the Catalyst unit is going to get flung off the mount - and this is after I skidded off track a few times.

If you want to not have it in your field of view constantly, the latest software update added an option to turn off the lap timer on the display and just have audio race coach turned on. Which is what I do since I don’t want to see a time delta in my face the whole time. So the display is pretty unobtrusive even if its in your field of view.

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by xxaarraa

Can you guys share why you are putting so much thought into hard mounting the Catalyst? I.e., what about just sticking it on the windshield doesn't work for you? I can't speak to bumpy tracks but at my local track where the pavement is smooth, the magnetic mount is solid and I haven't felt like the Catalyst unit is going to get flung off the mount - and this is after I skidded off track a few times.

If you want to not have it in your field of view constantly, the latest software update added an option to turn off the lap timer on the display and just have audio race coach turned on. Which is what I do since I don't want to see a time delta in my face the whole time. So the display is pretty unobtrusive even if its in your field of view.


[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/iV...aK7ylXcE=w2400[/IMG]

It's nothing more than a desire to eliminate a 7" device from being mounted to my windshield. Also, I keep my Solo mounted 24/7 and would likely do the same with this unit.

My interior isn't anywhere close to as beautiful as your CS!

[USSEnterprise]

Originally Posted by DRLane

It's nothing more than a desire to eliminate a 7" device from being mounted to my windshield. Also, I keep my Solo mounted 24/7 and would likely do the same with this unit.

ha, so you are a perfectionist! one of those people...

[sc_tr0jan_m3]

Originally Posted by xxaarraa

Can you guys share why you are putting so much thought into hard mounting the Catalyst? I.e., what about just sticking it on the windshield doesn’t work for you? I can’t speak to bumpy tracks but at my local track where the pavement is smooth, the magnetic mount is solid and I haven’t felt like the Catalyst unit is going to get flung off the mount - and this is after I skidded off track a few times.

If you want to not have it in your field of view constantly, the latest software update added an option to turn off the lap timer on the display and just have audio race coach turned on. Which is what I do since I don’t want to see a time delta in my face the whole time. So the display is pretty unobtrusive even if its in your field of view.

congrats on actually spinning with traction control turned off finally!!

[USSEnterprise]

Originally Posted by sc_tr0jan_m3

congrats on actually spinning with traction control turned off finally!!

haha I popped my cherry didn't I? What's more, I spun some more the next session with MDM mode left on!!! I blame the spent rear tires - they had 30 sessions on them.

I'll be back out this weekend with Hoosier R7s! Hope to see you there.

[fanatic1]

Proclip dash mount and decent GPS signal

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

Proclip dash mount and decent GPS signal

That's a cool idea! Feels pretty solid?

[fanatic1]

Originally Posted by DRLane

That's a cool idea! Feels pretty solid?

Very solid, Proclip stuff is tiptop

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by fanatic1

Very solid, Proclip stuff is tiptop

Mind showing a picture of how the garmin magnetic connector is attached to the pro clip?