Random issues/questions - app lockups, racebox rate, export issues

[shadowpuck]

I've been using laptimer for years, but, over the past few years (and several devices) i've had two or three recurring issues i can't figure out).

the issues i have had for the past few years includes:
app lock up when going on track
overlay/data/telemetry is out of sync with video
GPS sensor field in lap view says Internal @ 1.0 Hz when using the racebox mini.

i recently decided to completely wipe the device i use (my previous phone - an iphone 12 pro 256gb model). this device is only used for laptimer. it was completely wiped and beyond the basic ios load there's nothing on it but laptimer.

since i won't be at the track anytime soon to actually test that use case, i made a simple autox style track using a nearby highway ramp complex.
the track has a start line, a finish line, and 3 sectors.

in my testing - which has only been one "session" i've had the same issues as before.
the application locked up on my way to the "track." i had to close and restart the app.

once i did a lap i've noticed the data is still out of sync with the video, and the sensor field in lap view says internal @ 1.0 Hz.
i also noticed a new issue i haven't had before in that now if i choose export to do a video overlay the app locks up when i click overlay.

any thoughts on what i might need to tweak or do differently here? i have what i think is a very simple setup using a now completely wiped and reloaded device. i'm not using any bluetooth sensors other than the racebox mini GPS. i did verify it was connected prior to starting the lap.

one question i have - how do i confirm the rate of fixes from the GPS?

i've posted a few times in the past about trying to resolve the sync issue but i've had no luck in fixing it.
the app and everything worked, for a long time, and then a few years ago something happened and it hasn't really worked since. i know that sounds odd, but, it's what has happened. i was hoping completely wiping the phone, reloading the app, and not doing a restore or anything might help but no luck.

[Harry]

Let me start with two known issues:

• For certain iOS devices and configurations, after overlaying a video (Export) any access to media library will freeze LapTimer and other apps. After a smartphone(!) restart, the overlaid video is available from Photos app and the freezes are gone
• RaceBox Mini update rates degrade to 1 Hz (which is always interpreted as internal GPS); should be fixed at least for the latest iOS version.

While issue 1 is a pure iOS thing, the second applies to both iOS and Android. Which platform and device do you use?

There is no known issue besides these two. Video sync can be difficult in case the device is at its limit: a proper instant sync depends on consistent processing times of data and video. In case the smartphone is at its limit, the video may come in seconds later than expected. The only workaround for this scenario is a manual correction after the fact.

- Harry

[shadowpuck]

thank you harry - i do now have an overlaid video but i don't remember now if i rebooted the phone or not. i know i closed the app a few times.

i am using an iphone pro 12 256gb. it is running iOS 17.5.1. laptimer is v24.9

the device was fully wiped and reloaded. i did not perform a restore - as this is my spare phone and only used for laptimer.
it only has the base iOS load, plus laptimer and the racebox app.

i am only using the racebox gps - no obd2 or anything else.
the racebox uses bluetooth.
for this test the phone was tethered to my primary phone - an iphone 14 pro max. this was done using wifi.
at the track i've tried both tethered and untethered and it made no difference, but, i haven't tested since the reload.

i tried to mimic my track use case as best i could.
normally - my procedure is this:
racebox is installed on my roof
i startup laptimer and make sure it shows connected to the racebox in the sensor list
i put it in racer view, then click video and select the landscape rear facing camera
i then put it in the windshield mount once i make sure the camera is correct and the g-force meter looks right
i would then drive to grid, etc.
for this test - i then drove to my test track which is only 2-3 minutes away.

one issue i've had at the track is the app will lock up as soon as i enter the track. i've had this happen at multiple tracks. sometimes i will get laps just no video - but, usually its locked up completely.

this happened on my test here to my "autox track" - the app locked up when i was still far from the start point. so, that was the same behavior but not as close to the start line as it was on track.

[shadowpuck]

any other suggestions or settings i can look at to fix these issues?
are there any logs or anything i could submit which might help?

[shadowpuck]

just did another test run on my test loop.

on the raw video...i have not done an export yet just in case doing so would eliminate any data we could use for troubleshooting.

the g-force and speed seem to around from 2-4 seconds ahead of the video anytime there's a significant change in g-force or speed.

so, for example - if i brake in a straight line the g-force and speed displays will indicate this has happened before the video shows it.
i also tested this in one spot by saying brake when i was stepping on the brake. the displays showed a change before i say brake in the video.
and, it's very noticeable - it isn't something that is real close and you have to look for it. it's obvious.

the recording says i'm using an external gps sensor at 25hz (which is correct - i'm using a racebox mini via bluetooth).
it says i had 867 fixes, the environment was good.

i can submit a bug report or something via the app if that would help. i can make the video available to you, harry if that would help.
i'd really like to figure out what has happened - i've had this problem now going back several versions, several gps units, multiple devices, etc.

[shadowpuck]

harry - any more ideas? anything i can try? i submitted a report via the contact option in the app as well.

[Harry]

i tried to mimic my track use case as best i could.
normally - my procedure is this:
racebox is installed on my roof
i startup laptimer and make sure it shows connected to the racebox in the sensor list
i put it in racer view, then click video and select the landscape rear facing camera
i then put it in the windshield mount once i make sure the camera is correct and the g-force meter looks right
i would then drive to grid, etc.
for this test - i then drove to my test track which is only 2-3 minutes away.

Looking into your setup: do you drive with video preview active? Or do you return to Racer View before starting?
Btw. Try to use Timer View instead of Racer. While Racer looks fancy, it is an old view not used by many anymore.

[Harry]

the g-force and speed seem to around from 2-4 seconds ahead of the video anytime there's a significant change in g-force or speed.

so, for example - if i brake in a straight line the g-force and speed displays will indicate this has happened before the video shows it.
i also tested this in one spot by saying brake when i was stepping on the brake. the displays showed a change before i say brake in the video.
and, it's very noticeable - it isn't something that is real close and you have to look for it. it's obvious.

Videos do not have precise timestamps like the GPS signal. So the sync varies by hardware. Usually, video starts around 1s after the recording has been started. In case the phone is overloaded, or video preview is active when driving, this latency can be all over the place and LapTimer can't find a proper sync automatically. In cases like this, you can manually adjust the sync by selecting one of the session's laps, press Edit in the top right and select the video row. This will bring up the video sync dialog. Memorize the initial offset shown in the dialog and adjust it as required. Return to Lap Details and press Play to check the result. Do not use Export here because this will do the lengthy export. A real time play uses the same sync information like Export, so this is the function to use until you are fine with the sync. As a final step, use Export if required at all.

[shadowpuck]

i do use the video preview just because its easiest for me as a driver. but, i can try one of the other views - i will try timer view.

i'll do a retest on my test course without video preview and see if anything changes.

regardless, i may want to have you look at my video and any logs so you can see what i'm experiencing. like i said, this has been happening for a long time now and across multiple devices, multiple gps units, and at multiple tracks. i've tried adjusting the video - i've tried tweaking some of the seemingly relevant settings.

i have to think there's something happening here because the issues have been so consistent.

this is an iphone 12, completely wiped and reloaded to only use laptimer - there's nothing else installed other than the basic apple ios load, plus anything needed for laptimer or to update/manage racebox. i'm not using a bunch of sensors or OBD connections. i'm using tethering to my other phone for internet access, and a racebox mini via bluetooth - that's it.

[Harry]

I asked for good reason. When opening video preview, you get a message "This Preview is provided to check the internal cam's field of view. We recommend to return to Timer View before you start driving!". This has been introduced because we experienced several issues when showing a video with overlays while recording a video in background. LapTimer does a lot of sensor processing and data storing in background. Summing this up, it seems to be challenging.

- Harry