Setting up a private Trackside Server

[NESMotorsports]

Hi Harry,

First off, let me just say that I love your software as I have stated when I first uploaded the Shannonville SMP track set. We really used it to its full effect for the first time last weekend and it worked amazingly well! We were able to use the recorded laps transferred on to the trainer software running on an iPad to analyze both car performance and driving style/lines very effectively and through this, we were able to knock 4secs off my friend's best time of 2:10.56 before analysis to a 2:06.26. Now we are really planning a full implementation of this whole setup for next year across multiple cars and live data in the pits.

I was contemplating ways to maximize this whole setup and make it the most reliable and one thing was running our own server computer in the pit since I see that there is implementations for this already in the software. My first question is, how can I set this up? I am reasonably competent with computers and have done website creation (on windows) and networking work before with training from Cisco a number of years back. If you could outline what I need to setup on the computer to act as such that would be much appreciated. I am also thinking that by running the server locally, it would help to reduce delay between time of initial upload from the iPhone and final download onto the viewer by keeping the two at the regional level internet wise, perhaps even within the same local-network being the ultimate ideal.

The second part to my question is itself in two parts, the second have of which I believe has been mildly discussed before, it is in regards to viewing this data to a more detailed extent live from the pit lane. I have looked at the online page in both the Pro version and the Trainer version as we are using both, but I do not see a way to see the individual sector times or any further detail other then position and previous lap times. Now to the other half of the question, is there a way to view the data directly on or out of the server easily in a classic leader board style view (something along the lines shown from F1 below)?

F1 Live Timing Qualifying Screen

timing14.jpg (29.43 KiB) Viewed 2465 times

Thanks for all the information in advance!

Cheers,
Sean

[Harry]

Hi Sean,

On the dedicated server: I had one or two discussions on this in the past. The server is a MacOSX machine running in my office. No replications so far and probably some investment needed to roll it out elsewhere. Reason there are no further servers out today is that the one here is probably all one needs given the information shared today. As you can select the track to watch (while others around the world run different tracks), there is typically no interference disturbing you. You are right, latency will be lower with a server on site...

On the data exchanged: it is pretty limited today (documented on the Online page) and mainly made up from position information (shown in the Online view), and a full lap time hall of fame (shown in Online view - 10 only, and shown in the Add-ons (by track) limited to 500 lap times). Finally, there is an exchange of Alerts (yellow flags). There is no exchange of telemetry, sector times etc.

I some requests on this. Going into this means entering the semi-professional market. With a by far lower number of users. This means that additional effort here requires a different business model compared to LT + LT Pro + LT Trainer... Happy to discuss.

- Harry

[NESMotorsports]

Hi Harry,

Yeah, the latency thing was just something I noticed while comparing the car's actual position on the track versus what was shown on the screen and it appeared to be about a second behind. All things considered, still very impressive when you consider the data has to get to your office in Cologne, be processed by the server and then uploaded back again to the iPad at the track. The biggest reason I was considering this idea was that while trying to use the track's Wi-Fi, even though I had a internet connection (mind you a slow one, that I should have run a speed-test on for reference), the iPad was still very unreliably connecting to your server. It was not for the most part, even though the iPhone through a 3G connection was having no trouble. Based on this, I am thinking that our best bet is to setup our own Wi-Fi internet connection in the pit lane out of the ML support vehicle that I usually bring and if I am already setting up a LAN, why not just keep the whole system as local as possible? I was even considering if there was a way to broadcast a strong enough 2.4GHz N signal to cover the whole track, though logistically and economically I pretty quickly dismissed the idea as being feasible.

In terms of what is sent to the server and server load, I am assuming looking at the trace when I was able to get it, that the broadcast frequency is between 0.5-1.0Hz? Also, if I understand you correctly, there are three pieces of data that get included in the broadcast data bundle at its densest, position in I assume decimal lat and long, previous lap time in the first bundle after the stop/start trigger and whether or not an Alert has been triggered. If I am thinking this all out correctly, would it really increase server load by any significant margin to include in the bundle the sector ID and time immediately after an intermediate trigger? Perhaps putting a toggle in the expert setting menu to turn this feature on, with it's default position being off to keep server overhead down since most do not need it. Then if there is desire to create a live timing board at the end workstation that download's the data, all the basic information is there and all the actual logic needed to create a nice looking board can be taken care of at the final local-level. With this not necessarily having to be created by you, but perhaps a Harry's Laptimer enthusiast.

The reason I am kind of pushing for the sector times, is that this is kind of the essential for being able to actually use the data live in the pit for real-time support of the driver. It would provide the hobby track-day racer with something that no other entry to mid-level system out there has, since I am already finding that I am convincing guys just by showing your software to them into going your route over a $1000 dedicated unit. This capability could perhaps provide a potential marketing point to get this supported at the track-day organizer level, providing you with another possible cliental base. Something far better then an infrared lap timer system that has less hardware and potentially cost overhead for them to implement. While yes, I do agree that this is probably changing your business model a bit with the potential route it could take, I think it still is a good potential opportunity for your software. I hope my last points convey what is in my head properly, as I am not totally sure writing this at 3:41am. lol Let me know if it does not make sense!

Anyways Harry, it is just my thoughts on what I have found when using your array of software to actually improve driver lap times and car performance. I must say though, it is however already an amazing app, that I look forward to using for the rest of this season and extensively throughout next. Quite seriously, you are helping to sell iPhones thanks to it, as I already have a friend buying one just so he can use your app on it at the track.

Cheers,
Sean

[Harry]

Thanks Sean for your design. The communication between iPhone and the server in Cologne is working a bit different. Data size is minimized by sending every piece of data only once. The server caches everything and joins information from one client by using a (nearly) unique id. So it is very effective. It is not be a problem to add more data (e.g. intermediates), the question is more on the order I work on feature request Will check this for v16. I believe a very important feature would be a web front end to have a more universal front end in the pits?

- Harry

[NESMotorsports]

Oh ok, that makes sense. I'm glad I was able to contribute a good idea and I get it that I am sure there are lots of feature requests, I look forward to v16 then. I agree a web based front end for use in the pits is a great idea, it would provide a good inter compatibility amongst multiple operating systems without any added work. Let me know if you want or need any help with this when you start to work on it.

Cheers,
Sean