[dirtyfreebooter]

i have been using BMW M laptimer recently and quite like the simplicity over Harrys/RaceChrono/TrackAddict

but this weekend i was unable to connect my phone with idrive. normally, i just start up the app on idrive, then startup the app on my phone and hit the red button on the phone when i want to start recording. but now, unsure if its related to iOS 15.6 upgrade, but this weekend was the first time i tried m laptimer since i upgraded..

now when i start the app on idrive:

• missing that "apps" icon on the idrive screen
• missing that red start button in the iOS app

i've tried restarting idrive, resetting idrive, unpair/pairing my phone, etc, none of that seems to make any difference.

anybody else using m laptimer seeing similar issues after iOS 15.6

[dirtyfreebooter]

well bmw has stopped supporting BMW M laptimer already.. sad because its telemetry was 10hz and so much better than RaceChronoPro/TrackAddict/Harry's Laptimer with OBD-2 (Kiwi3/OBDLink CX/OBDLink MX+)

i even wrote a program to convert the .mpower format to CSV to import directly into Race Render 3... https://github.com/joeroback/MPower

i asked them if its still possible to get the .mpower data without the iOS app, no response so far, but if that is the case, the M Laptimer iDrive App is basically a big stupid stopwatch on iDrive screen now.. LOL

[dirtyfreebooter]

i also now believe the iOS app has been removed from iOS AppStore

[Triton88]

How can they do this? It literally advertised in one of the options, "M Drive Professional"

"M Drive Professional is the perfect companion for trips with that extra dose of adrenaline. M Track mode and ten-stage M Traction Control enable tailored drivability, the M Drift Analyzer and the M Laptimer app, which is available separately for Apple iPhone via the App Store, help to further expand your performance by providing a comprehensive overview shown in the instrument cluster or optional Head-up Display."

If this is true it is pretty disappointing.

[dirtyfreebooter]

this appears all it does anymore…

[PDOT]

Originally Posted by dirtyfreebooter

this appears all it does anymore…

I notice this dumb s*** today. Instead of adding to this app they throw it away. Does the onboard even recognize tracks to give you lap times?

[dirtyfreebooter]

Originally Posted by PDOT

I notice this dumb s*** today. Instead of adding to this app they throw it away. Does the onboard even recognize tracks to give you lap times?

no, the onboard is basically a stopwatch now. you can see total time (WOW) and total distance travelled and max speed.. like who the F*CK is going use that for anything??? no more laps. no more lap times in HUD, delta, and best, which was amazing, the delta in red/orange color in HUD

why not just leave it be then??? ok, i can understand no new features, but new features would be awesome... why not just leave it as it is and let us use it?

and why even leave it in the car stripped down like this? to say its still a feature? and not get a class action lawsuit over the $900 USD M Drive Professional, which still says on bmwusa.com configurator that the iOS App and Laptimer are included... LOL

[PDOT]

We deserve a better answer than that. I thought maybe they were pulling it to fix it or add to it, not get rid of it completely. My pops have a Corvette, and I love how their system is integrated.

[FLYIN']

Drove Indy at the M Track day yesterday and the M3 Comp I was in worked but the M4 did not.
It's a really cool feature so hopefully they still keep supporting it.

[PDOT]

Did you connect your phone?

[beachBmmr]

Can confirm, no longer tracking laps..just records the data without individual lap data. Nothing in HUD for lap splits.

I guess Im finally buying a catalyst

[Triton88]

This is a pretty big bummer. Any avenue to get the $900 back? what does the option do now? The staged traction control is pointless with me just turning it all the way off at the track.

[dirtyfreebooter]

i replied back to mlaptimer.feedback@bmw.com and cc'd customerrelations@bmwusa.com asking them to restore the previously functionality, lol. even if they aren't going to update it, but yea, real bummer and on principal i want my $900 back since the only reason i got this package was for this. lap info in the HUD. good, fast car telemetry data. now they have taken both away. ugh.

[beachBmmr]

Originally Posted by dirtyfreebooter

i replied back to mlaptimer.feedback@bmw.com and cc'd customerrelations@bmwusa.com asking them to restore the previously functionality, lol. even if they aren't going to update it, but yea, real bummer and on principal i want my $900 back since the only reason i got this package was for this. lap info in the HUD. good, fast car telemetry data. now they have taken both away. ugh.

Mathias is a nice guy, we exchanged several notes about laptimer features. Im sure this was not their decision but probably cost cutting for the incoming economic slowdown… I haven't updated the software on my car so I am wondering how they pushed different behavior. Perhaps its the app version. Im on 4.2.2 I dont recall updating it.

[beachBmmr]

So now that were SOL on data recording, what are you thinking for a setup... Catalyst is $1000 and doesnt connect to in car data.

Im starting with Race Chrono With an external GPS and a OBD transmitter...Ill see how that goes.

Really going to miss splits in my HUD....

[McLaren720s]

Originally Posted by beachBmmr

So now that were SOL on data recording, what are you thinking for a setup... Catalyst is $1000 and doesnt connect to in car data.

Im starting with Race Chrono With an external GPS and a OBD transmitter...Ill see how that goes.

Really going to miss splits in my HUD....

I'm using RaceChrono Pro and it's been working great for me.

[beachBmmr]

Originally Posted by McLaren720s

I'm using RaceChrono Pro and it's been working great for me.

nice, I chose that becuase it seemed to have better analysis capability..

Are you using any external cameras?

[dirtyfreebooter]

i've tried them all, and unfortunately, they all suck for data telemetry.

i have used:

• RaceChronoPro
• TrackAddict
• Harry's Laptimer.

OBD-II:

• Kiwi 3
• OBDLink CX
• OBDLink MX+

GPS:

• XGPS160 (10hz)
• Racebox Mini (25hz)

the OBDLink MX+ is definitely the fastest ODB-II interface, but still lacks in comparison to M Laptimer and only works with Harry's.

the Racebox Mini is also 2.5x faster, but 25hz gps really isn't necessary and again, only works with Harry's and i definitely ran into weird issues, as the support was just recently added. but the Racebox mini battery life is amazing and would last all day at track, which would be nice. XGPS160 i often have to give it a quick charge at lunch .

i record on a gopro and just use race render 3 to sync up. it works ok.

this is harry's laptimer + racebox mini + obdlink mx+, gopro + race render 3, unfortunately the g-force stuff is all jacked in this recording. something that worked perfectly in m laptimer every time. the steering and fuel consumption are also just dummy data, as i am playing with different custom gauges.

this was harry's laptimer+ obdlink cx + xgps160 + "telemetry overlay" software which turns out is not as good as race render for a bunch of issues.

also any of these apps without OBD-II with the XGPS160 is close to what the catalyst is. they definitely have more overall features, but lack the catalyst lap helper, and the catalyst seems really simple. just setup and go. easy to get the 1080p single cam videos out.

if you want multiple cameras or car data, then catalyst falls short.

EDIT: i just tried adding the OBDLink MX+ and Racebox mini to RaceChronoPro and it seemed to work. Haven't had a chance to actually try it out in the car yet tho.

[McLaren720s]

Originally Posted by beachBmmr

nice, I chose that becuase it seemed to have better analysis capability..

Are you using any external cameras?

I'm just using the iPhone camera, which lacks the stabilization that external cameras will have.
RaceChrono Pro is definitely a great budge option but ultimately probably won't be as good as $1000 systems.
For me, the telemetry data it acquires is good enough to help me improve.

[dirtyfreebooter]

i haven't been keeping up on racechrono pro but checked out the forums because of this thread and the app and forums are decently active and the app gets updates. seems like trackaddict and race renderer are pretty much on idle.

going to give racechrono pro a go on next track outing

[beachBmmr]

I think ill go for a squirt Monday morning. Its been a while, and will see how it all works

[DRLane]

Originally Posted by dirtyfreebooter

i haven't been keeping up on racechrono pro but checked out the forums because of this thread and the app and forums are decently active and the app gets updates. seems like trackaddict and race renderer are pretty much on idle.

going to give racechrono pro a go on next track outing

It's time for a Solo and Smarty investment.