Tablet Installation for Measurement Records

My tablet records videos. Here is an example. The counter reading is extremely clear when riding, looking at the screen. I have a cardboard sky/sun shield set up now.
http://youtu.be/W0En9HjOBXk

Interesting! Be sure to verify the GPS coordinates on your pictures by putting them into GoogleEarth. I've had some that were the location of a cell tower, instead of where I was when I took the picture.

Impressive that the clicks can be read in the video! Another leap forward in measurer technology.

Duane,
I have not fully understood of how to use Google Earth on the tablet. It seems the GPS is very accurate when I use it with an app called Offline Maps V1.0.0.19 which I have downloaded. This shows my GPS location very accurately as I walk around (say 5m error). I chose this app since when I am out and about I dont have access ro the internet except via wi-fi. But I agrree there does seem to be something a bit odd about google maps/googleearth. If I open a photo and from the menu select get directions - it looks to be about 30m out on the google map view. I then clicked google earth but the photo's location marker does not show up. However if I put the lat and long directly into the the google search bar for maps it is closer say 15m out. My guess is that there is rounding being used in google but the actual GPS location recorded in the picture is accurate. I will do some comparisons with a Garmin GPS to resolve this.

This morning I recorded video clips of my counter readings for a demo measure of a 3 mile course. I started with 2 calibration rides, then rode around the 3 mile course stopping at 1 mile ref and 2 mile ref, and one lap. Then proceeded to the finish ref. The video clip is about 11 minutes long. I am very pleased how clearly my voice commentary about the reference locations is recorded. This is very definitely a usable way of recording data, and it is nice that I can get both the voice and the counter image on the video. I have edited the video clips together and uploaded to Youtube I have also discovered that while the video is recording I can take single frame caera images which contain the GPS data.

I have not yet put the measurement data into the spread sheet - I did try it on the tablet but somehow I closed the Polaris App without saving the data! I found it very fiddly entering the data into the spreadsheet, partly because it was hard to organise a split screen view of bit the recorded photo with the count reading and the spreadsheet at the same time. I am almost concluding I have to write the counts down before switching to the spreadsheet which partly defeats the purpose. However, I will now use the video and enter the data into my desktop computer to do the calculations.

Mike, Your recording rig is impressive! Thank you. -- Justin

Mike sorry you had to resort to a pencil but at least you won't have to worry about batteries for that!
Seriously this is one of the most impressive setups ever, kudos!

Mike,
I click on the youtube link but it says this video is private. How do I view it. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by J. A. Wilhelm:
Mike,
I click on the youtube link but it says this video is private. How do I view it. Thanks.

I see I made the video on Youtube private, which is must be stopping you seeing it. I have now switched it to "unlisted" which I hope will make the link work for you 11 minute video. Right at the end I take the tablet off the bike and use it to show sun/sky shield which I made from cardboard. I will make an improved one using plywood.

I transferred the data recorded in the video to a spreadsheet on my desktop PC. The Long Tow loop comes out to 4529.1m which is just 0.4m different from the value obtained in 2006 by steel taping the whole loop. Actually the value from the steel tape was 4533.2m but to make a comparison you have to take 4.5m off that to allow for the SCPF which is included in my bike measurement result.

I am pleased the result has come out so well since I found I was easily distracted into watching the screen rather than looking ahead and picking in the SPR. However, I know the course so well I obviously follow the SPR very well without really having to concentrate on the line. Perhaps a good practice would be to cover the screen using the of tablet's protective case. until one needs to see the screen on the approach to a mile reference point. I think I will need a separate device (GPS or conventional bike mileage device) to indicate the case that I am aproaching a split and need to look at the counts to see where to choose a suitable reference point.