Slalom telemetry - GoPro Hero6 black

[Tom351]

I don't expect my skiing or speed numbers to "wow" anyone here, but the potential for useful telemetry from the Hero6 GPS and accelerometer data looks pretty good. This was skiing at 31.4MPH on a public water course that was missing a few turn balls- but it gives a good sample of the data you can get from the GPS equipped GoPro. The only issue that I had was that on a few runs it did not log data (seems like it lost GPS lock while stopped and submerged on my chest and did not regain lock very quickly after the deep water starts):

 

[powbmps]

That is cool. Interesting to watch your speed at different parts of the course.

[mxhideout]

Didn't realize the gopro 6 had this option... Thanks for posting. I'm going to look into trying this.

[Tom351]

@mxhideout - yes, you can turn on GPS in the settings and it will encode the telemetry into the video. You can then use the GoPro "Quik" desktop software to then add gauge overlays. I can't get Quik to work on my Win7 machine but I was able to use a free program called Dashware (owned by GoPro) to do the telemetry overlay- just let me know if you have to go that route as it takes a few settings tweaks but I can save you some time in Dashware.

[foxriverat]

Pretty cool stuff. Looks like the skier is left foot forward skiing with reverse grip.

[Tom351]

@foxriverat you are correct- I need to switch my grip around, but feel totally lost when I try it.....I just need to make it happen and deal with it.

[h2onhk]

That's really cool. Be cool to see what the deep short line guys/gals would look like

[h2onhk]

That's really cool. Wonder what the deep short line guys

[h2onhk]

That's really cool. Be cool to see what the deep short line guys/gals would look like

[h2onhk]

That's really cool. Wonder what the deep short line guys

[mxhideout]

@Tom351 Thanks, I have windows 7, so I'll try Dashware hopefully later this week when I ski next.

[mxhideout]

@Tom351 Thanks, I have windows 7, so I'll try Dashware hopefully later this week when I ski next.

[j2nh]

Great data capture. I am going to have to give this a try. Agree it would be awesome to see more people do this and compare some data.

[OldboyII]

So... if Gopro will be on the pylon skier will look as small as the boat driver on the video?

G-sensor gives an interesting info..

[scorban2]

Cool! I'd seen some snow skiing videos with the overlays, but didn't expect the speed the be that reactive. GPS speed usually isn't the quickest to react (5 hz signal), but this looks a lot faster. Maybe they're using the accel in the camera to supplement the speed, or running 10+ Hz GPS signal.

 

 

Either way - You now have me looking to upgrade my GoPro...

[Tom351]

@OldboyII Not as small as in my video because I was using the ultra-wide angle "superview" mode... for a pylon mount you can go to the narrow (called "linear") view angle...it helps, but a gopro is still not very good for pylon mount because of the wide lens angles....

[Tom351]

@mxhideout Cool, be sure to power on your camera a few minutes before skiing to give it plenty of time to get GPS lock. The little google maps type location marker turns white when GPS is locked on.

 

After you install Dashware-

1.) Put the GoPro.xml (link below) into your My Documents\Dashware\DataProfiles folder. (it might over write an older file)

 

2.) Select "New Project" and select a template "HD" or "GoPro" (or I can sent you mine if you want)- this just gives you some default gauges instead of having to select them manually

 

3.) When you import a video file Dashware will say "Extracting GMPF" and then it will display the "Add Data File" window- the data logger file will be automatically selected and you just need to select a data profile...you can use the pull-down to select "GoPro" and then "Add".

 

After this you should be ready to go- you should not need to synchronize since the data and video came from the same unit, but the Synchronization tab will let you trim the data down to just a single pass that you want. Also, I would uncheck the "closed course" box toward top right in Synchronization tab- the data can be confusing if you leave this checked because it detects that you are doing laps, but puts start/finish at the same point- often in the middle of a pass.

 

XML file link:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/c9b31tdwkgfs4fd/GoPro.xml?dl=1

 

Let me know if you have any issues- I am enough of a geek about this stuff that I can't wait to see results from other skiers!

 

[Tom351]

@scorban2 - I'm not sure about the signal frequency, but I see the raw data in 20 logs per second. And if I export to .GPX I can see points on the map at a rate of 18 per second- compared to 1 per second in most GPX logs I have seen previously: That is about every 3 feet while skiing compared to every 45 feet. Just looking at the data is interesting as well: (labels added by me)

 

 

[j2nh]

Excellent work Tom, this could be a fascinating training model especially if you had multiple data sets from multiple skiers.

[Tom351]

Here is another version (same pass) with a gauge showing cross course angle.... for angle I took the skier heading and subtracted the slalom course heading from that number - to give a heading relative to course centerline:

 

[MNshortliner]

That’s pretty neat

[mxhideout]

Finally got some footage to test it out, but Dashware doesn't work well with Windows 7... It wouldn't even open without crashing until I installed a newer version of Microsoft Visual C++. It then would open, but the gauges wouldn't display any changes, and it would crash when trying to create the video. After some more research, it appears that GoPro doesn't spend much or any time updating their Dashware software. So, I apparently need to upgrade to Windows 10 to use it, and I don't really want to do that right now.

[Horton]

Cool but utterly useless. I've invested a stupendous amount of time trying to find a telemetry tool that offers actually meaningful slalom data. Someday we'll have it but this isn't it.

[Tom351]

@Horton I agree- and to me it is cool to quantify some of the things that I already know, for example the data shows me that I really need to make my gate shot look more like my pull from 4-5ball- the data makes the difference glaringly obvious.

 

@mxhideout - if you want to dropbox or google drive your GoPro file to me I can run it thru my Dashware to see if you captured and decent data. The program is really flaky and the more I read about it the more I realize that I am lucky to have a running/usable install.

 

Also, did some passes on a fully buoyed course today- and added a new gauge for cross-course angle (a reprogrammed "lean" gauge at top left):

[Tom351]

Also, speaking of telemetry- I have noticed a Trace tracker mount on Manon Costard's ski lately - links to pics below. I have found the Trace data to be lower resolution, difficult/impossible to synchronize, and with no good way to get to the raw data. Would be interesting to know how she is using the device.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlkyLGtgLRa/

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm-upluA-Fl/

 

 

 

[Horton]

@tom351 I worked with the developers and owners at Trace. They are super nice and smart guys but the last time I use their tool set it was completely useless. If the GoPro data is significantly better I need to look at it again but I'm not holding my breath.

[Tom351]

@Horton - To me: the GoPro is a LOT better than the Trace- but still not "great". I have played with a Trace puck, but gave up because of sync issues and not being able to access the actual raw data. I do remember some of your videos and that you had sync issues as well. The GoPro has it's own issues: it loses GPS lock easily, sometimes takes a while to get a lock (longer than time from deepwater start to pregates), and the software is buggy, crashes, or just plain does not work on some PCs. But the fact that it is always synced to video, and I can easily export/dig into the data is pretty cool, but probably not yet at the level where it could be a training/coaching aid, it is more of a interesting way to break down passes, and visualize the symptoms of skiing errors.

 

example- 4 runs overlay-ed showing speed over time (data synced to start as I skied thru entry gate)- it is interesting to compare a bunch of the same passes, and look for outliers (assuming the outliers are from skiing and not data errors)

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0fey6bvvayzli3v/4passes-TD.jpg?dl=0

 

 

[Glydon]

@Tom351 you are 1) going to cost me a lot of money to upgrade from my hero 3 plus and 2) I ski LFF with "wrong" grip I have never been able to make the switch ... my season 2.5 months is far too short.

[mxhideout]

@Glydon I went from 3+ silver to the 6 this year, and aside from having to get it replaced (didn't turn on after using it a few times for no apparent reason), I like the change. They're a little expensive, but I see they're already under 400 on fleabay. The stabilization is nice, and they even updated the software to make it a little smoother shortly after I received mine. Only gripe is that the battery only lasts about an hour (buy spares), and it takes up a lot of memory, but that goes with the territory when you shoot in 2.7k or 4k... (64gb is good for 4hrs @ 2.7k 30fps).