Harry’s Laptimer

[Tommie38]

Years ago, I downloaded Harry’s Laptimer. I’m fairly certain I paid to unlock some of the features. If I had to guess I’d say around 2012. At the time I struggled to get it to work.

I’ve just taken a look in the Apple App Store and can see that Harry now offers three different versions; Petrolhead, Rookie, ‘To Go’ and Grand Prix.

Any ideas on how I determine upgrade path and whether my original payment has any value to it? I’m assuming the current offering is better!

[mmm-five]

I think I just downloaded all versions and launched them to see which one recognised my licence.

I've just looked and I've got the GP version (v24.0), but haven't looked at it for about 2 years - mainly because the GoPro kept randomly switching off and then not having any video to sync the data onto. Didn't bother buying another GoPro.

Edited by mmm-five on Tuesday 13th April 11:46

[Tommie38]

mmm-five said:

I think I just downloaded all versions and launched them to see which one recognised my licence.

I've just looked and I've got the GP version (v24.0), but haven't looked at it for about 2 years - mainly because the GoPro kept randomly switching off and then not having any video to sync the data onto. Didn't bother buying another GoPro.

Edited by mmm-five on Tuesday 13th April 11:46

That makes sense - thanks. It looks like it is offering me Petrolhead and Rookie at no charge, so maybe I didn’t have the most expensive option last time around.

[mmm-five]

Just looked in my history, and I bought v14..4 Trainer back in March 2012 for £13.99 - and then upgraded to Professional a for £12.99.

In my email receipts it is listed as "Harry's LapTimer" - so maybe see if you've got anything similar - or look in your iPhone AppStore purchases and search there. Should let you know what version you bought.

If you paid for a premium version then contact the vendor to reinstate your licence.

[anonymous-user]

Is it any good? looking to invest in something like this and have seen a few on the market. All I want is something to record lap times there and then with a bit of , I’m not interested in video stuff as I don’t have the means to record video just yet and am not that fussed about watching me get frequently over taken...

It looks like Rookie does everything I want and can upgrade if I invest in a GoPro, do I need an external GPS as well?

[MOTK]

pablo said:

do I need an external GPS as well?

If you want accurate times, yes. Phone GPS is not really accurate enough, you need a 10hz external really.

[mmm-five]

pablo said:

Is it any good? looking to invest in something like this and have seen a few on the market. All I want is something to record lap times there and then with a bit of , I’m not interested in video stuff as I don’t have the means to record video just yet and am not that fussed about watching me get frequently over taken...

It looks like Rookie does everything I want and can upgrade if I invest in a GoPro, do I need an external GPS as well?

I used my iPhone for both video & GPS for a couple of years before upgrading to a GoPro and dedicated GPS (Dual 150A 5hz). Didn't think the extra £50 for the 10hz Dual 160 was worth it for me. Although that price is quite 'affordable' compared to some of the Racelogic offerings.

Depending on your phone, there are modules which attach to the USB/lightning port to offer the same functionality in a smaller package.

Dual GPS
Bad-Elf GPS
Racelogic VOBX

[Tommie38]

I had a Dual external GPS years ago and an older version of HLT.

I must say I could never really get any of it to work. I’m trying now in the hope that the technology has moved on a bit (iPhone 4 vs 12 for a start).

Note the reviews in the Apple App Store are not great...

[mmm-five]

Just dug my XGPS150A out, charged it up and upgraded to the latest firmware.

iPhone 12 Pro saw it immediately, and says connected, but neither HLT or the Dual apps are getting any satellite info from it - it is about 10 years old though (and only cost £70 back then).

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the advice, I’ll run it with just the phone at Combe in may and see how it fares

[LightningMat]

Apologies if this is a bit of a thread hijack, but I am interested in getting Harry's Laptimer, but my concern would be over whether you would actually be 'allowed' to be running this on a track day - Would most TDOs be ok with people running Harry's Laptimer? Would this not be considered as 'timing', and therefore not permitted? Would an external GPS not make it more like 'timing equipment'?... I wouldn't want to spend money on this if at the first track day I was told to switch it off (or worse still be kicked off and told to go home). Thoughts/experiences?

[anonymous-user]

I think the accepted line is if it’s out of sight and for review after the sessions you’re ok, but if you have real time access to your lap time whilst on track then it’s a no-no.

The organisers know most people do care about performance and lap times is the only sensible way of identifying gains, issues etc but do it discreetly and accept the rules of overtaking on the left, not dive bombing into corners etc and that ultimately it’s better to scrub a lap than bin yours or someone else’s car, and you’re probably ok. For sure if I got hit by someone with real time lap time access, I’d be having words.

[Tommie38]

LightningMat said:

Apologies if this is a bit of a thread hijack, but I am interested in getting Harry's Laptimer, but my concern would be over whether you would actually be 'allowed' to be running this on a track day - Would most TDOs be ok with people running Harry's Laptimer? Would this not be considered as 'timing', and therefore not permitted? Would an external GPS not make it more like 'timing equipment'?... I wouldn't want to spend money on this if at the first track day I was told to switch it off (or worse still be kicked off and told to go home). Thoughts/experiences?

Honestly, I think most people would treat it like a camera. So as long at it is properly mounted, you are OK.

Regardless, I think you would need to be able to pass a red face test with it yourself. A nice way of getting speed and times overlaid on your personal videos I think is fine if reviewing after the event. Chasing tenths on a public track day isn’t something I’d do.

[LightningMat]

Tommie38 said:

LightningMat said:

Apologies if this is a bit of a thread hijack, but I am interested in getting Harry's Laptimer, but my concern would be over whether you would actually be 'allowed' to be running this on a track day - Would most TDOs be ok with people running Harry's Laptimer? Would this not be considered as 'timing', and therefore not permitted? Would an external GPS not make it more like 'timing equipment'?... I wouldn't want to spend money on this if at the first track day I was told to switch it off (or worse still be kicked off and told to go home). Thoughts/experiences?

Honestly, I think most people would treat it like a camera. So as long at it is properly mounted, you are OK.

Regardless, I think you would need to be able to pass a red face test with it yourself. A nice way of getting speed and times overlaid on your personal videos I think is fine if reviewing after the event. Chasing tenths on a public track day isn’t something I’d do.

I have been using a GoPro to record my trackdays for a few years now and really enjoy watching the videos back, hence interested in the extra overlays possible with Harry's Laptimer (in the spirit of learning from and possibly improving my driving technique / lines / etc.), hence my interest in this topic.

I am ardently against active timing whilst on trackdays in the hunt for a few extra tenths - I have witnessed a few bad experiences (most recently at a Friday public Track Day before a race weekend at Castle Combe last year - it was treated more like a test day / shake-down by majority of people there, with blatant timing going on - that was a mistake, never again!) and one very near miss (from a clio cup car dive-bombing me whilst turning into a corner at Rockingham a few years back) when people were clearly actively timing.

[mmm-five]

In the last few years, the only recording of my track days has been from the wired-in dashcam.

I just got fed up setting everything up...making sure I had spare batteries, SD cards, an external microphone that didn't cause interference for the GoPro, a sturdy phone mount so HLT could calibrate properly and not come loose, etc. - and then I'd end up not recording something because the auto-start didn't register, or the GoPro went into sleep mode, etc.

Now I just drive and enjoy it...and don't care if I'm being overtaken by a tatty banger or if I'm overtaking some flash metal...especially on some of the late autumn days like the one below with almost no-one on track.

Edited by mmm-five on Tuesday 20th April 09:19