Harry's GPS Suite Forum

I have been using petrolhead for a couple of years. Always good video, using Ram mount to windshield with suction cup up and arm down, until today. The video image is best described as wavy, and pulses in and out of focus. Help what am I doing wrong?

Problem with late device generations / iOS versions. Stablization features added lately do not work well on track and cannot be disabled by an app completely. Same for Android by the way.

Best possible results are achieved by using a stable mount. For the RAM mount recommended (see compatibility on http://www.gps-laptimer.de), please make sure you have the arm pointing tip down (suction cup in the top, arm pointing down, phone in the bottom). Turn off all automatic features in Video View (small options button in the top right) in addition.

Harry

Thanks for the prompt reply.....Please explain your last instructions (turn off all automatic features in Video View). Where is this?
Also I have an old 4S, would I be served better using that for my lap timer/video work?
Thanks,

In Video View, you find several options in the dialog available from the top right button showing a wrench. Once you have installed the phone in your windscreen (pointing to far distance), turn continuous autofocus, continuous exposure and video stabilizer off.

In my experience, the iPhone4S will generate by far better videos on track. The rest of the pack is certainly not as brilliant and fast as your 6.

- Harry

Hi Harry,

I too have shaky, blurry video. I'm using an iPhone 6s at Sebring, which is a bumpy track. My phone is a new 6s Plus. I had the same results there with my prior iPhone 6 Plus. I have tried several types of windshield mount, each of which seems quite solid and stable, but still get the same results. The last time I had clear, stable video was with my old iPhone 5, two years ago.

One question about your last post: Are you referring to turning off the "Lock Focus," Lock Autofocus," and "Video Stabilizer" switches in the Wrench pop-up window? I wasn't sure about your reference to "Continuous Autofocus," "Continuous Exposure," etc., since the Wrench pop-up window on my Petrolhead version of HLT uses doesn't use that terminology.

And are there any other suggestions you can give to try and get more stable video with an iPhone 6s Plus? I no longer have an iPhone 5 or earlier and will have to make do with the 6s.

Thanks for your help. (Your app is fantastic, by the way.)

Hi,

Please lock autofocus and lock exposure if possible. Turn off video stabilization. The best way to work around is adding an action cam. Odd, but true.

- Harry