We have a 2024 C8 Z 51 and would like to have some "tracks/circuits" on our PDR. Does anyone know if/how/where to get these downloaded?
We'll be a Watkins Glen International and it would be great to have this installed in our C8 PDR.
Appreciate anyone's feedback and assistance.
Thank you much,

 

Following as I don't know if this is possible. This is beneficial for loading track data into the Pi Toolbox which is another tool for data analysis outside of the GM version.

I just learn a new track when I'm there. There is a learn function for both circuit and autocross built into the PDR. Hit the learn when at the start finish. The car will know when you cross that and start to time you each lap.

 

Thank you, it be the most assured way of having the "actual" track on PDR.
Appreciate your feedback,
Have a great day,

 

I do not see anything in the Owner's Manual about downloading and storing a track in advance. The manual does describe how to learn a track, by driving it, and then storing it for future use.
The learned track data will be stored on the SD card used for the PDR.

 

Once a track/circuit has been completed on the SD card. How does the PDR remember it? Once the SD card is full, we have it set to re-record over the oldest PDR video. Is the "track/circuit" removed when the SD card records over that particular video?

 

It should be part of each individual recording. I have a dedicated SD card just for the track. I also copy files to another device to have a permanent record.

 

Suggest you read the available info in your Owners Manual. That is where I am looking. The SD card is the memory card - that how the PDR remembers it - it reads the card. I do not know if it will overwrite a learned track. The description makes it sound like they are separate files, not the same as "recordings". Its my guess that it will not overwrite learned tracks, but I really do not know. It also says you can put the SD card in a computer and rename the learned track files. But I would read the manual before attempting that. If you mess with files on the SD card, it might make them unreadable by the PDR. It mentions not changing the file extension .gpx.

 

There are no separate files associated with any of my sessions. They are standalone MP4 files which makes me believe that the track is embedded within that file. There is a way to download .gpx files within the Cosworth toolbox but I haven't found a way to locate those files on-line for the various tracks I run. Interestingly, the SD card I received from Ron Fellows has gpx files for their various track layouts.

At the end of the day, it's just easy enough have the car learn the track and get another SD card for track days or copy each file to your laptop to use later with the Cosworth toolbox.

 

Appreciate the information.

 

Ok. I have no direct experience saving a track. The reason I thought they might be separate is because the manual shows separate screens for managing the saved tracks and recordings. It looks like to me one can start up the car, with a new recording session, and call up a previously stored custom track by touching "Lap Timing" which brings up a screen that allows the operator to select and "Relearn" a previously stored track. Of course, even if they are in separate files, it does not really address whether or not they would be overwritten when the card is full.

 

Good info. When I check the properties of the session files I don't see anything separate. It may just be me not knowing how to verify or check for it. As an FYI, 51 files associated with being on the track results in about 70GB of data.

 

amazing the C7 was much easier to use than the C8.

 

There is indeed a separate file saved for each track layout. Before I got rid of my last car, I shared all my track files with someone and they could see them. This is also how you can rename tracks as well by changing this file name.

If you open the SD card on your PC, you can go through the directories, I recall it being in a different folder than the laptime/ video

Edit: Found it, still have all mine saved on my computer, it is the .gpx file in the folder.

 

...removed suggestion did not work.

 

lots questions still. can you watch recorded video on the cars screen or do you have to transfer the sd card to a computer or portable device? and if have to transfer it, can it be read on a cell phone? i dont see an sd card slot on either my computer or phone. do i have to get a card reader and connect to them? and do you need the cosworth app to watch the data? thanks for help

 

You can watch in the car. You'll need a SD card port on your computer or an adapter if your computer doesn't have one (many do). You don't need the Cosworth application to watch the video but you won't have access to all the data. You'll be able to just see what's on the video.

 

thanks! does the data get uploaded to cosworth app directly from car? that way i dont have to get a card reader and can just watch on my phone. im tech phobic and want avoid hardware install.

 

it does not. You need to download the cosworth program on your laptop and load the files from the SD card to cosworth. Videos on YouTube to help

 

The tracks are saved as .gpx on the root of the card. Meaning, when you place the SD card into your computer, select the card and this is what you will see, depending on what GPS programs you have installed. They are there. If you reformat your card, you will lose these saved tracks. Back them up in a folder on your computer.



The PDR recordings are saved in a folder. On mine it is labeled 100PDR02, and that folder is in a separate folder named DCIM. Here are two screen shots of those, when selected.





You do not need the COSWORTH program to view these recordings. There should be a program on your computer that will play MP4 files.

COSWORTH is the program used to compare your laps, see the fastest lap time, top speed, tire temps, tire pressures, oil pressures/temps. It does this as individual laps. Using a different program you need to look for a specific lap.
There are so many things you can use it for. Look at two laps, overlapped and I think side by side to compare. If someone has PDR recordings with different lap times than yours, you can compare them to see how they are taking the turns, braking and accelerating. I've used it to help me "straighten out" a couple of turns. Also to determine the best pressures, based off tire temps, to use. When to brake, accelerate, turn, a number of things. I learned all this by just playing with the program.

As for the course learning feature. Once you learn a track, it is saved as custom.gpx and can be renamed when you place the SD card into the computer. Just select and rename.
If anyone has tracks they would like to share, you can get them, place them on the SD card and they will come up when you get to the track and setup the PDR. TIP - turn off PDR recording to select a track.

Anyone want any of the tracks I have, send a PM, I can email them to you.

Sorry for the fuzzy pics above. Not sure why they are like that.

Also, I do have a .gpx file for Watkins Glen. Not sure if it's what you need. Most of these tracks can be configured for many uses.

Hope this helps.

 

I have tracked my C7 for 10 years and never took the time to learn how it kept track of 'tracks' but when I "learned" a track and the MPX file was not deleted the track was remembered. If I formatted the SD card I would relearn them. That is the short explanation. I got a C8 and had issues learning the tracks on my PDR. I am just starting to get what I think is some idea about the GPX files that are in the root directory.. I have found a few GPX files for tracks and will see next week how the Watkins Glen track map works. My braindead view is that the PDR creates a single "custom.gpx" file in the root directory of the SD card. That file is used every time you learn a track. Unless you put the SD card in a 'PC' and rename the file you will lose the track you just learned when you "learn" a new track. In the learn track screen if you rename the file on the SD card to (in my last track case) palmer.gpx you can select that track the next time you are there. I now see on the learn screen on the PDR the track files I downloaded from the internet and the one that I created for Palmer. I will verify these files work, and post them in this thread if they do work. If anyone has a source for GPX files please post. Also please correct me if my understanding about the files is incorrect.
UPDATE:
I have added zip files of the .GPX files that I have so far. I created the Palmer (Palmer Counter Clock Wise) and Remlap (Palmer Clock Wise aka Palmer backwards). The others I found posted. I was just at Watkins Glen and that GPX worked fine. For the Palmer (Palmer Motorsports) I tried using the Palmer (CCW) going Remlap (CW) and it did not work so that lets me know that they are direction specific. At Watkins Glen I confirmed that when you select a track on the LEARN Screen it will remain selected until you select a different one - to say in another way when you select the track it will remain the selected track for all PDR sessions and there no need to select the track every session. I am sure some folks will think "How stupid is this guy this stuff is obvious to the most casual observer" but I am trying to help the user new to the C8 PDR understand the basics. Please feel free to add any tips. I may start a new thread so the info is the first entry and I am not riding in the middle of somebody else's post. Please let me know if you think that is a worthwhile effort.