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dubya_rx
07-30-2009, 11:55 PM
Testing cool (free) software to overlay GPS data on video.

Trackvision software costs about $200. Ouch. This is free (racechrono2avi). Tested it with video and data from Solosprint Event #5 at Mosport big track.

Able to import data from PerformanceBox and create a video overlay which you then place on top of the video file.

Quite a manual process which was hampered by a number of factors. First the time on my video camera was off, but since I hadn't reset it since I took the video, I was able to calculate the offset. Second the performance box doesn't create time stamps, and the files are created with UTC time zone (not configurable).

So syncing up the video and data was tricky. I used this video clip as it was unique in that I have to stop to Rob's off track issue.

The actual video quality is crap, but I think that has more to do with YouTube processing. My other videos did not look this bad (I think).

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cqfiwZayAHE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cqfiwZayAHE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Navigator
07-31-2009, 08:03 AM
Walter that looks really good, how much time do you figure it took you from begining to end to put it all together?

STeveD
07-31-2009, 08:26 AM
That is really cool! Gotta try that...

dubya_rx
07-31-2009, 09:02 AM
Time...


Well this was the first time I tried this so it obviously took longer than necessary. I have not done a lot of video processing before so that compounded the issue.

It probably took me 3-4 hours of playing around to produce something reasonable.

As I mentioned, the PerfromanceBox stuff is recorded with UTC time not EDT time so that was a complication. And the video time was off. It has also been a while since the event, so I had to remember what runs I recorded over the weekend (ran out of tape) and figure out which GPS data it corresponded to.

Once that was done I had to line up the video with the GPS data, and there was some back and forth with that. I also applied a video stabilization filter to the video.

The actually video CPU processing took maybe 10 minutes for the short clip. I could probably produce the next clip in about a half hour.

STeveD
07-31-2009, 09:05 AM
Are you using commercial software for the video? If so, what is it and how do you like it?

Looks like I'll have to buy something to process my HD videos in HD. The free software that comes with the camera outputs in a maximum of 640 x 480

dubya_rx
07-31-2009, 09:33 AM
I used a trial version of Ulead Video Studio. Not decided if that is the best or what I will stay with. I also wanted to try Imovie using my wife's Mac (the only time I've seen the mac crash was importing video from my camcorder).

Oh... the camcorder is a Sony IP5 which records in MicroMV format (MPEG2 TS) which further complicates the issue. I should get a flash camcorder.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_video_editing_software

STeveD
07-31-2009, 10:05 AM
Hmmm... last day of a sale. $59.99 CAD.

nissannx
07-31-2009, 07:04 PM
That is so neat. I need more toys!