Cantrell Motorsports Lap Timer and Data Acquisition for iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch

CMS Lap Timer Pro
Data Acquisition & Analysis for iTouch

The Cantrell Motorsports Lap Timer Pro is the most advanced and easiest to use race car GPS-based lap timer, data recorder, video recorder, and performance analysis app available for the iTouch.

Analysis is also available for the Mac.

Main Features

No setup or calibration is required
Automatic data and video recording
Real-time display of speed, lateral acceleration g's, longitudinal acceleration g's, and lap times
Immediate analysis of performance data at the track
Lap and segment times
Track mapping
Designed for auto-crossing, road racing, karting, motorcycle racing, bicycle racing and more...
Data sharing via e-mail, Bluetooth, and iTunes File Sharing
Share and compare laptimes using the CMS Cloud Service

Overview of Operation

The Recorder is used to record data/video. Recorded data is saved to Runs.

Analysis is used to analysis data in Runs.

The Runs screen is used to organize data runs and to display summary information for each run.

The Settings screen is used to enter information such as the driver name, car name, location name and to set various app preferences.

The Locations screen is used to view laptimes using CMS Cloud Service.

The Help screen is used to display the user guide and access Support information.

Supported iTouch Devices

iPod Touch (3/4 gen) - iPad - iPad 2 - iPhone 3G - iPhone 3GS - iPhone 4 - iPhone 4S

External GPS Modules

For the iPod Touch and iPads, the use of an external GPS module is required since these devices do not have built-in GPS capabilities.

Due to limitations of the iTouch built-in GPS module, the data may suffer from inaccuracy. Use of the built-in GPS is intended for demonstration purposes only and will generally provide usefule data only at relatively slower speeds.

An external GPS module is required for high speeds.

The following GPS modules have been tested with the lap timer pro:

GPS Module	Pros	Cons
Bad Elf GPS Receiver Recommended	Will soon support 5Hz and 10Hz high resolution GPS Powered by iTouch or USB	Requires an extension cable to mount "remotely" (on the roof of a car) from iTouch
Emprum Ultimate GPS Recommended	5Hz high resolution GPS Powered by iTouch or USB	Requires an extension cable to mount "remotely" (on the roof of a car) from iTouch
TomTom Car Kit	Includes speaker Includes Bluetooth hands free Includes (is the) iTouch mount Charges the iTouch	Slightly harder to position iTouch properly Requires an extension cable to use with an iPad Requires an extension cable to mount "remotely" from iTouch Not suitable for placement outside the vehicle (like on the roof) Swivel comes loose over time; requires tape to keep it in place Only works with iPhones
Dual Electronics XGPS150 Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver	Easy to mount anywhere	Require Bluetooth pairing with iTouch Need to remember to keep the battery charged. Optionally requires a iTouch mount
GNS 5870 MFI GPS Bluetooth Receiver Not Recommended	Easy to mount anywhere	Require Bluetooth pairing with iTouch Need to remember to keep the battery charged. Easy to turn on/off accidentally Optionally requires a iTouch mount USB power port fragile

Mounting the iTouch in the Vehicle

Mount the iTouch securely; below are some recommended mounts:

Ram Mounts also makes roll bar mount bases are recommended:

V-Base Clamp Base

The above roll bar mount base requires mounting arms and cradles, such as:

RAM-B-201U Socket Arm for 1" Ball Bases
RAM-B-201U-A Short Double Socket Arm for 1" Ball Bases
RAM-B-201U-C Long Double Socket Arm for 1" Ball Bases
RAM-HOL-AP9U Cradle Holder for the Apple iPhone 4
RAM-HOL-AP6U Cradle Holder for the Apple iPhone 3G & 3GS
RAM-HOL-AP7U Cradle Holder for the Apple iPod touch (2nd & 3rd Generation)

You may also try some low cost mounting alternatives, such as:

The iTouch or GPS module must be mounted in a position such that it can receive a strong GPS signal; somewhere on the dash or windshield are good positions.

The iTouch may be positioned vertically or horizontally. It should be reasonably level horizontally and vertically, and face toward the back of the vehicle. If you do not need to see the screen, the iPhone/iPod may also be mounted flat; screen facing up and top facing the front of the vehicle.

To obtain the best possible data, the iPhone mounting position is important since the built-in accelerometers are used to collect lateral and longitudinal G forces. The LatG and LongG displayed on the Recorder screen should be close to zero.

When using an external GPS module, it is possible to ignore the iTouch's orientation; it can be kept in a pocket or glove box for example. In this case, use the automatically calculated GPS lateral and longitudinal G forces in Analysis.

The use of a power adaptor is highly recommend. It is required for video recording.