The MotionX on the iPhone Thread

[Jeff@TheQuadShop]

I got the update this morning and have been trying to load multible tracks but still can't figure it out. How'd you do it?

It's on sale for $1.99 right now by the way.

[ericw]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TheQuadShop

I got the update this morning and have been trying to load multible tracks but still can't figure it out. How'd you do it?

Hi Jeff -

When your on the map page, in the lower left about 2/3 down the screen there's a "Maps" button. Press that, then press the "Recorded Tracks" button. I think that recorded tracks are basically every track you have loaded/recorded - and then they're divided up from there.

Once you press "Recorded Tracks", it'll give you a number of choices, "Show All" (tracks), "Hide All", "Show Recently Added", "Show Import", etc. The recently added and show import keys should cover most all the track files you've recorded or imported, but don't "quote" me on that.

This is a really nice feature they've added, I like to have bail-out routes, go-arounds and other options available to view real-time while I'm on the "main route".

Another new feature I noticed, you can choose different colors (25 or so) for different tracks - cool. Edit 'em right on the iPhone.

Hope this helps, since the update is so new I'm sure I'll need a few days to discover all the new goodies they've added.

Originally Posted by Jeff@TheQuadShop

It's on sale for $1.99 right now by the way.

Thanks for the tip, updated my original post.

Ride safe!

[Jeff@TheQuadShop]

Originally Posted by ericw

Hi Jeff -

When your on the map page, in the lower left about 2/3 down the screen there's a "Maps" button. Press that, then press the "Recorded Tracks" button. I think that recorded tracks are basically every track you have loaded/recorded - and then they're divided up from there.

Once you press "Recorded Tracks", it'll give you a number of choices, "Show All" (tracks), "Hide All", "Show Recently Added", "Show Import", etc. The recently added and show import keys should cover most all the track files you've recorded or imported, but don't "quote" me on that.

This is a really nice feature they've added, I like to have bail-out routes, go-arounds and other options available to view real-time while I'm on the "main route".

Another new feature I noticed, you can choose different colors (25 or so) for different tracks - cool. Edit 'em right on the iPhone.

Hope this helps, since the update is so new I'm sure I'll need a few days to discover all the new goodies they've added.



Thanks for the tip, updated my original post.

Ride safe!

Ahhhh, that worked great thanks man!

I like this app so much that I sold my Garmin 376c.

[Johnf3]

After talking some more with the customer service folks at Motion X, I have a few more observations. Keep in mind that what I am using the app for, my results are different than others. As usual, the customer service support from these guys is top notch.

This app appealed to me as a way to record my mountain bike rides. The single track I ride is very tight and twisty, with frequent severe direction changes. I have ridden enough with this app and know it well enough to say that Motion X doesn't drop track points or "breadcrumbs" quick enough to 100% record the track distance accurately. I guess it is also possible that the GPS chipset in the iPhone isn't good enough to allow higher track recording resolution. Anyways, you can overlay the track on google earth or the satellite map on the app and see where it cuts off corners on the tight turns, which makes the distance travelled less than actual. It adds up pretty fast on a tight track. This in turn makes the average speed and pace features of the app inaccurate.

I have now had this app on a iPhone 3gs as well as a iPhone 4. Clearly the GPS chip set in the 4 and 4S is superior compared to the 3GS because the accuracy is much improved with the 4. Battery life is also better. Battery life is so poor with the 3GS that I don't recommend using it without acces to a charger at the same time.

For the couple of bucks it cost to get this app, it is an amazing deal. My only wish is that they include a feature to allow the user to define the trackpoint resolution, preferably by time (ex. every one or two seconds). This would improve track accuracy greatly when recording tight tracks with many severe direction changes.

I have my fingers crossed that the programmers can do this. If they can, it could truly replace a dedicated off road GPS device.

[soffiler]

Hey Johnf3: I use MotionX on the mountain bike too, and comparing stats with cyclo computer I've noticed the same thing. MotionX always under-reports distance. As you say, it is related to how often it records a track point. The GPS thinks your ride is a series of straight lines between the points. More points means closer to reality. I *think* this is related to the "Activity Mode" (blue button at top of Track page). Not sure; this is a guess on my part. Try choosing a slow-moving mode like hiking and I *think* it will record points more frequently. I keep meaning to try this myself and keep forgetting. Mine is in Auto mode.

[Johnf3]

Originally Posted by soffiler

Hey Johnf3: I use MotionX on the mountain bike too, and comparing stats with cyclo computer I've noticed the same thing. MotionX always under-reports distance. As you say, it is related to how often it records a track point. The GPS thinks your ride is a series of straight lines between the points. More points means closer to reality. I *think* this is related to the "Activity Mode" (blue button at top of Track page). Not sure; this is a guess on my part. Try choosing a slow-moving mode like hiking and I *think* it will record points more frequently. I keep meaning to try this myself and keep forgetting. Mine is in Auto mode.

I realize the activity mode plays a part in how the track is recorded. Like I said, I have played around with the program quite a bit, spent lots of time with Motion X customer service, etc. Still no real luck. To my logic, which is probably wrong, slow moving activities would require less frequent recording, not more. I am beginning to think it is more of a limitation with the iPhone GPS chipset than the app. Wishful thinking that a two dollar app could rival a dedicated off road GPS, but maybe the Motion X programmers can come up with something. We will see.

[soffiler]

Depends whether track points are recorded based on time or distance. And on the chipset limitations as you point out. Off-subject but I also have NatGeo Topo app and it allows you to choose track point recording; every 5 yards, 10, 20, 50... Distance based in other words. I realize this says nothing about MotionX. In your discussions with MotionX, has this come up? There may be track-file size limits, too. Probably not imposed by iOS but perhaps imposed by programmers to keep things under control somehow.

[Johnf3]

Originally Posted by soffiler

Depends whether track points are recorded based on time or distance. And on the chipset limitations as you point out. Off-subject but I also have NatGeo Topo app and it allows you to choose track point recording; every 5 yards, 10, 20, 50... Distance based in other words. I realize this says nothing about MotionX. In your discussions with MotionX, has this come up? There may be track-file size limits, too. Probably not imposed by iOS but perhaps imposed by programmers to keep things under control somehow.

The person I have been in communication with did not indicate whether track points are distance or time based in Motion X. He did say they would look into whether they could add the ability to allow the user to choose track resolution. Hopefully both time and distance options could be included, and with the option of very closely spaced track points. The reason I say that I think the chipset may be the limitation is because it is very choppy on updates, for lack of a better term. Speed changes only update every couple of seconds, so maybe that is the best it can do? I can turn 10 ft circles in my driveway with my Trail Tech Voyager GPS and it records a nice tiny little circle for the track. No way the iPhone GPS does that with the Motion X app.

I agree about the file sizes, however, they say you can store 101 tracks presently.

[janliness]

Originally Posted by John Smallberries

That now makes 3 ways to skin this cat - all quite easy to do.

If it doesn't overheat in my new LifeProof case, I'll be convinced that the iPhone 4, Cardo Scala G4, and Etymotic ER6i earbuds provides the best overall motorcycle nav/music/phone solution. I won't be able to test this out until next summer.

Perhaps a hot-climate inmate can report back sooner.

Let me add a fourth way that I accidentally found tonight

I simply grab a .gpx file and email it to myself as an attachment. When the email gets to my iPhone, I press on the attachment until a menu pops up which conveniently has "Open in MotionX GPS" as a button. Press that button and MotionX GPS launches and gets right to the import screen.

later,
jan

[John Smallberries]

Originally Posted by janliness

Let me add a fourth way that I accidentally found tonight

I simply grab a .gpx file and email it to myself as an attachment. When the email gets to my iPhone, I press on the attachment until a menu pops up which conveniently has "Open in MotionX GPS" as a button. Press that button and MotionX GPS launches and gets right to the import screen.

later,
jan

Very cool. I'm planning a ride around Lake Huron and have a very detailed Google map route broken into 8 segments. It will be my most involved test of Motion-X route importing. I'll try your method.

[XB12R]

I have MotionX and an old 3G iPhone. The phone, due to its age is extremely slow and needs to be replaced. I would not consider this an effective navagation tool. Would the MotionX with a 4S or 5 iPhone be good enough to get me out of the woods? My wife and I went for a dog walk last week in a remote spot and ended up getting lost. At first I was thinking about getting another GPS just for hiking like a Dakota or Oregon. Would a IPhone5/MotionX be just as effective?

[Jeff@TheQuadShop]

It works so well on my iPhone 4 that I sold my Garmin 376c.

[abhibeckert]

Originally Posted by XB12R

I have MotionX and an old 3G iPhone. The phone, due to its age is extremely slow and needs to be replaced. I would not consider this an effective navagation tool. Would the MotionX with a 4S or 5 iPhone be good enough to get me out of the woods? My wife and I went for a dog walk last week in a remote spot and ended up getting lost. At first I was thinking about getting another GPS just for hiking like a Dakota or Oregon. Would a IPhone5/MotionX be just as effective?

Upgrading will make a huge difference.

The 3G has around 30MB of memory available (excluding what the underlaying system uses), while the iPhone 5 has around 800MB available.

MotionX doesn't need 800MB but I'm not surprised to learn 30MB isn't really enough to function reliably. And there are other GPS apps, such as Sygic, which really do need the full 800MB.

It's time to upgrade, if you use your phone for anything more than making calls.

[Jeff@TheQuadShop]

Originally Posted by abhibeckert

Upgrading will make a huge difference.

The 3G has around 30MB of memory available (excluding what the underlaying system uses), while the iPhone 5 has around 800MB available.

MotionX doesn't need 800MB but I'm not surprised to learn 30MB isn't really enough to function reliably. And there are other GPS apps, such as Sygic, which really do need the full 800MB.

It's time to upgrade, if you use your phone for anything more than making calls.

I used MotionX GPS on my old 3GS and it worked fine.

[FTBTX]

Does anyone know if MotionX or other iPhone GPS apps can feed turn-bu-turn via bluetooth to a headset?