Budget telemetry for your car

[alexk]

Hi to all,

I have been playing with telemetry systems for quite some time.
Surely, there are very good products in the market (like the racelogic video box lite) but a bit pricey too.

This is a simple how-to for a budget telemetry system that can utilize your Windows-CE based navigation.

I have tried all these in my windows mobile device, but it has some disadvantages (the screen is usually small, the response is slow).

So I decided to use my Mio C620 gps navigation.
Like many other gps navigation devices, it has Windows CE operating system, which is locked by the factory and you only get to see the navigation program and nothing else.

I use the miopocket software to unleash the Windows CE OS and also have additional functionality.
http://netfresco.com/MioPocket/default.aspx
Very easy to install it.
You copy the files into a SD card and then you simply plug in the SD card in the GPS device (you need to have a GPS device that can accept cards, otherwise you need to do a card-less installation which is more difficult and more dangerous).
The screen now looks like this !
Yes, a full Windows CE environment with media player, picture viewer, explorer etc etc. A full car pc (on a later stage I will connect it with AUX IN with the radio-cd of the CSL).
Of course, you can still start your navigation program which functions normally and anytime navigate back to the windows environment.
If you completely remove the card, your device will work the same way it used to work (it will not modify anything in the flash memory of the device.





Next step is to install the GPS telemetry system.
I will install chronoGPS http://www.chronogps.com/
An excellent FREE telemetry system. It also has the ability to communicate with an OBD plug to get the engine statistics.
So besides the typical speed, position, acceleration of the GPS protocoll, you could log the OBD speed, engine temp, throttle position, RPM etc etc. All the values that OBD provides.

The installation is straightforward. You just copy the .exe file inside the SD card. You need to now the com port of the GPS sensor (which you can find from the GPS utilities of the miopocket // there is a scan GPS port utility).
You configure the com port of GPS and it's ready to work.

I did some test laps in the neighborhood for a demo.












It's so much better in the GPS device compared to a mobile.
The screen is much bigger and the time visible, the buttons bigger and easier to use.


I also used my obd bluetooth device with the GPS navigation (I have this -> http://www.obdkey.com/ ).
I am able to see engine statistics realtime as well as run a diagnostic check and clear any faults stored in the ECU.







So my telemetry for Ring and Spa is sorted.
I hope this was useful. Any of you that might have a problem setting up the same thing, I would be happy to help if I can.

Note : the chronoGPS can run in any Windows Mobile device or Android Mobile device. Your device will need to have GPS receiver or you have to use an external GPS receiver.