Stack smack. Its all about the Racepack Digital dash. - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 03:06 PM

Let me know what you guys think about this.

http://www.racepak.com/IQ3Dash/

g6civcx · 02-24-2008, 03:27 PM

I can't comment on that particular unit, but I can comment on the UDX and the general quality of the company.

In summary, I'm really quite disappointed by the quality of the equipment. They're flimsy, the software has bugs, the support staff doesn't know how to answer very basic questions, and the unit is a little difficult to use.

I'm very picky about software in particular. You have to do what's advertised in the specs. If not you've sold me a defective product. Comes from my software engineering background.

I guess the quality of the support is better than most in this segment, but I had some really simple questions that they couldn't answer, like for example, the UDX has a setting for the VSS that specifies pulses per revolution, another one that specifies total pulses per 1/8 miles, and another one that specifies total pulses per mile. I don't understand why you need to spec pulses per rev if you're already spec'ing pulses per 1/8 mi or mi.

So far the support staff hasn't been able to give me an answer. I thought it would be a very fundamental question since they designed and programmed it.

On top of that, I had various software glitches in my unit. For example, some of the settings don't work the way the specs advertise, if I go into setup mode I lose my odometer reading, other minor stuff that really add up to irritate me.

I don't have any datalogging functionality in my unit, and from my experience I speculate that I would be tearing out my hair and on the phone with them every other day.

All this leads me to believe that their engineers and programmers really don't put quality into their work. They don't check and debug like they should.

I hope you have better luck than mine. At this point I'm even considering getting rid of my unit and fabricate a display myself.

okis14 · 02-24-2008, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g6civcx

I don't have any datalogging functionality in my unit, and from my experience I speculate that I would be tearing out my hair and on the phone with them every other day.

The #1 reason why I'd get it is for data logging. Does yours not work due to software bugs or is it just not available? I've been thinking about picking one up but if their data logging is buggy then I'd be extremely pissed.

g6civcx · 02-24-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okis14

The #1 reason why I'd get it is for data logging. Does yours not work due to software bugs or is it just not available? I've been thinking about picking one up but if their data logging is buggy then I'd be extremely pissed.

Since my car is street legal, I'm using their UDX display-only dash for now. I can upgrade to datalogging in the future if I wanted to since it's offered as an option.

To be honest though, I'm carbureted so there would be little tuning benefits other than to dial in the carb.

The software itself is very tempermental, especially the interface. I haven't seen the code, but to me it feels like their software engineers didn't tie up their lose ends. I speculate that they have a lot of loose ends in their modules, like not doing error checking, exception handling, out-of-bound entries, not resetting/initializing loop counters, not reading the specs, not programming according to the specs, etc.

I haven't had a chance to play with their data logging software, but I know how exacting you are Gary, and I think you would find similar annoyances that I found.

All this stuff is okay if you're just doing displaying-only, but I'm guessing that if the software screw up with the data logger functionality and it dumps/corrupts your data, you would be royally pissed.

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 04:31 PM

That is good to know.

Do you have this exact same model?

The price seems to good to be true.

McRussellPants · 02-24-2008, 04:51 PM

Losey just bought one of those for his LS1 240SX.

I haven't seen it yet but it seems fair enough.

I'd love to get an IQ3 or AIM, about the same cost as the equivlent amount of defis anyway.

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 05:01 PM

Yea I really like the features of this over the aim.

This one also has gps mapping.

sweet.

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 05:01 PM

Anyone interested in starting a group buy?

g6civcx · 02-24-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blu808

That is good to know.

Do you have this exact same model?

The price seems to good to be true.

No, I have this: http://www.racepak.com/UDX.php

The UDX has very limited data logging capability, but it's much cheaper than the rest since I only wanted display.

McRussellPants · 02-24-2008, 07:55 PM

I'd put that in a Z31 with some brake fans on it and jam to the outfield while driving around a track

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g6civcx

No, I have this: http://www.racepak.com/UDX.php

The UDX has very limited data logging capability, but it's much cheaper than the rest since I only wanted display.

Yea. I have heard mixed things about that display.
How much do they go for?

g6civcx · 02-24-2008, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blu808

Yea. I have heard mixed things about that display.
How much do they go for?

They're a few hundred less: http://www.racepak.com/PriceList.html

sideview_180sx · 02-24-2008, 09:42 PM

i'd rather use the g2x

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 09:46 PM

Why is that?

racepar1 · 02-24-2008, 09:49 PM

I fuckin HATE digital tach's though! That is my favorite thing about the stack dash, analog tach = WIN!

g6civcx · 02-24-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racepar1

I fuckin HATE digital tach's though! That is my favorite thing about the stack dash, analog tach = WIN!

What are you calling digital and analog tach? All the tach signals are digital.

Do you mean that you like a needle gauge as opposed to a numeric display?

These dashes can display both S2K style sweep display or numeric display. If you don't like that you can get a standalone tach.

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 10:01 PM

yea that is true, the defi ultimate dash is also bad ass but twice the price.

The racepak does have a sequential shift light though.

racepar1 · 02-24-2008, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g6civcx

What are you calling digital and analog tach? All the tach signals are digital.

Do you mean that you like a needle gauge as opposed to a numeric display?

These dashes can display both S2K style sweep display or numeric display. If you don't like that you can get a standalone tach.

Digital and analog are obviously describing the display! How would you get an analog tach signal? Also a digital "sweep" display does not = analog style tach. In my opinion the analog display is easier to read and just plain looks better. If I am going to spend a crapload of money on a datalogging dash why would I want to buy a seperate tach when I can get a dash that has the tach that I want with superior datalogging features? Makes no sense.

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 10:59 PM

I agree. But to be honest. Out of all the times I have been competitively driving, I have never needed to look at the tach. at all. I have looked at it, but only just because. You should be able to tell where your engine is just by the sound. I think that combined with the sequential shift light will make it work just fine.

Also the only thing I have ever really used a tach for is:
Dyno tuning and figuring out what rear end gear size to run, back when I used to race shifter karts.

racepar1 · 02-24-2008, 11:02 PM

There are TOTALLY ways around it. But if I am going to spend a crapload of money on a dash, I am going to get EXACTLY what I want.

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 11:13 PM

Well here is the solution to all of our problems but this is like $2100 or so. Not including senders. And it doesn't have gps.

Defi super sports cluster

More info here.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/searc...3d3e8&ei=UTF-8

racepar1 · 02-24-2008, 11:37 PM

WOW! That is pretty cool, but I still think the stack looks better. That one is pretty cluttered. Also since I am not planning on going with a turbo set-up the built in boost guage would be useless for me. I think used stack unit is the way to go for me. When I win the lotto or rob a bank or some shit cuz that shit isn't cheap!

Gnnr · 02-24-2008, 11:45 PM

Yeah, Kuah posted an install on one of those:

http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=169378

Shits baller

blu808 · 02-24-2008, 11:54 PM

Shit is baller indeed.

I originally fell in love with the stack one originally.

Just makes more sense to go with the racepak

racepar1 · 02-25-2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blu808

Shit is baller indeed.

I originally fell in love with the stack one originally.

Just makes more sense to go with the racepak

Ya but does spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on a car that you can buy for $500 if you search hard enough (s-13) make any sense in the first place? We're all fucking nuts!

g6civcx · 02-26-2008, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racepar1

Digital and analog are obviously describing the display! How would you get an analog tach signal?

This is not obvious. Any electrical engineer will be able to tell you the difference. He didn't say which is which so I didn't want to make any assumption. I don't want to get technical (like how a tach signal is a sine wave or square wave that gets converted to a digital pulse).

The easiest way to describe it is a real number and an integer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by racepar1

Also a digital "sweep" display does not = analog style tach.

Needle tachs are actually digital displays because the needle is supposed to move a fixed distance for each pulse. The inaccuracy of the OEM tach makes it feel like an "analog" display with infinite range of display.

If you are referring to a needle tach then say needle tach. I don't understand what's in your head when you use these vague words and assume others to instantly know what you mean. No offense so don't take it personally.

Quote:

Originally Posted by racepar1

In my opinion the analog display is easier to read and just plain looks better. If I am going to spend a crapload of money on a datalogging dash why would I want to buy a seperate tach when I can get a dash that has the tach that I want with superior datalogging features? Makes no sense.

Do what you want. It was just a suggestion.

Again, I get this "analog" vs. "digital" argument all the time from attorneys and people with no EE background. It's somewhat a pet peeve of mine. Don't sweat it. Just be clear in what you say, or at least point to a reference that says what you mean.

Take it easy.

***S14DB*** · 02-26-2008, 06:03 AM

Do any of these have Hobbs meters?

racepar1 · 02-26-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g6civcx

If you are referring to a needle tach then say needle tach. I don't understand what's in your head when you use these vague words and assume others to instantly know what you mean. No offense so don't take it personal.

A "needle" tach is an analog display. A "digital display does not have a moving needle, it is an image displayed on a screen. I have never heard anybody describing a tach signal as "analog" before. Everyone else that read my post except for you understood exactly what I was talking about, maybe your just too much of an "engineer" for your own good.

Dousan_PG · 02-26-2008, 12:14 PM

no shit
get over it.
haha
i like analog tachs
id totally get the AIM if i was datalogging
but im not.

fbiphil · 02-26-2008, 12:45 PM

A little off-subject, since this thread is about the digital dashes, but old hot rods and many motorcycles used a cable-driven, true analog tach.
I believe the reason was that you couldn't pull a tach signal off the magneto-style ignition... but I could be wrong on that.
Again, not trying to get too off topic or start an argument!

02-24-2008, 04:31 PM	#5
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	That is good to know. Do you have this exact same model? The price seems to good to be true. __________________

02-24-2008, 05:01 PM	#7
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Yea I really like the features of this over the aim. This one also has gps mapping. sweet. __________________

02-24-2008, 05:01 PM	#8
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Anyone interested in starting a group buy? __________________

02-24-2008, 09:42 PM	#13
sideview_180sx Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: somewhere north of mexico Posts: 1,538 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	i'd rather use the g2x __________________ feel the rythym. feel the ride. get on up. it's bobsled time. COOL RUNNINGS!!! formerly sideviewcivic Save a Horse. Drift This Cowboy. AirBag Club Member #0014

02-24-2008, 09:46 PM	#14
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Why is that? __________________

02-24-2008, 03:06 PM	#1
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Stack smack. Its all about the Racepack Digital dash. Let me know what you guys think about this. http://www.racepak.com/IQ3Dash/ __________________

02-24-2008, 03:27 PM	#2
g6civcx Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Virginia, USA Posts: 5,764 Trader Rating: (5) Feedback Score: 5 reviews	I can't comment on that particular unit, but I can comment on the UDX and the general quality of the company. In summary, I'm really quite disappointed by the quality of the equipment. They're flimsy, the software has bugs, the support staff doesn't know how to answer very basic questions, and the unit is a little difficult to use. I'm very picky about software in particular. You have to do what's advertised in the specs. If not you've sold me a defective product. Comes from my software engineering background. I guess the quality of the support is better than most in this segment, but I had some really simple questions that they couldn't answer, like for example, the UDX has a setting for the VSS that specifies pulses per revolution, another one that specifies total pulses per 1/8 miles, and another one that specifies total pulses per mile. I don't understand why you need to spec pulses per rev if you're already spec'ing pulses per 1/8 mi or mi. So far the support staff hasn't been able to give me an answer. I thought it would be a very fundamental question since they designed and programmed it. On top of that, I had various software glitches in my unit. For example, some of the settings don't work the way the specs advertise, if I go into setup mode I lose my odometer reading, other minor stuff that really add up to irritate me. I don't have any datalogging functionality in my unit, and from my experience I speculate that I would be tearing out my hair and on the phone with them every other day. All this leads me to believe that their engineers and programmers really don't put quality into their work. They don't check and debug like they should. I hope you have better luck than mine. At this point I'm even considering getting rid of my unit and fabricate a display myself.

02-24-2008, 04:51 PM	#6
McRussellPants Nissanaholic! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 2,168 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Losey just bought one of those for his LS1 240SX. I haven't seen it yet but it seems fair enough. I'd love to get an IQ3 or AIM, about the same cost as the equivlent amount of defis anyway.

02-24-2008, 07:55 PM	#10
McRussellPants Nissanaholic! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 2,168 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I'd put that in a Z31 with some brake fans on it and jam to the outfield while driving around a track

02-24-2008, 09:49 PM	#15
racepar1 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Simi Valley, CA Age: 42 Posts: 9,006 Trader Rating: (106) Rides Gallery: racepar1 Feedback Score: 106 reviews	I fuckin HATE digital tach's though! That is my favorite thing about the stack dash, analog tach = WIN!

02-24-2008, 10:01 PM	#17
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	yea that is true, the defi ultimate dash is also bad ass but twice the price. The racepak does have a sequential shift light though. __________________

02-24-2008, 10:59 PM	#19
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	I agree. But to be honest. Out of all the times I have been competitively driving, I have never needed to look at the tach. at all. I have looked at it, but only just because. You should be able to tell where your engine is just by the sound. I think that combined with the sequential shift light will make it work just fine. Also the only thing I have ever really used a tach for is: Dyno tuning and figuring out what rear end gear size to run, back when I used to race shifter karts. __________________

02-24-2008, 11:02 PM	#20
racepar1 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Simi Valley, CA Age: 42 Posts: 9,006 Trader Rating: (106) Rides Gallery: racepar1 Feedback Score: 106 reviews	There are TOTALLY ways around it. But if I am going to spend a crapload of money on a dash, I am going to get EXACTLY what I want.

02-24-2008, 11:13 PM	#21
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Well here is the solution to all of our problems but this is like $2100 or so. Not including senders. And it doesn't have gps. Defi super sports cluster More info here. http://images.search.yahoo.com/searc...3d3e8&ei=UTF-8 __________________

02-24-2008, 11:37 PM	#22
racepar1 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Simi Valley, CA Age: 42 Posts: 9,006 Trader Rating: (106) Rides Gallery: racepar1 Feedback Score: 106 reviews	WOW! That is pretty cool, but I still think the stack looks better. That one is pretty cluttered. Also since I am not planning on going with a turbo set-up the built in boost guage would be useless for me. I think used stack unit is the way to go for me. When I win the lotto or rob a bank or some shit cuz that shit isn't cheap!

02-24-2008, 11:45 PM	#23
Gnnr Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: S. FL Posts: 3,960 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Yeah, Kuah posted an install on one of those: http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=169378 Shits baller __________________

02-24-2008, 11:54 PM	#24
blu808 Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Campbell, Ca Age: 42 Posts: 5,010 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Shit is baller indeed. I originally fell in love with the stack one originally. Just makes more sense to go with the racepak __________________

02-26-2008, 06:03 AM	#27
*S14DB* AFC #1 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: 昨晩あなたのお母さんの家 Posts: 20,181 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Do any of these have Hobbs meters? __________________ Comments should be taken as Opinions not as Statements of Fact

02-26-2008, 12:14 PM	#29
Dousan_PG Post Whore! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Orange County, California Age: 46 Posts: 16,640 Trader Rating: (23) Rides Gallery: Dousan_PG Feedback Score: 23 reviews	no shit get over it. haha i like analog tachs id totally get the AIM if i was datalogging but im not. __________________ Aaron Pink GodziRa www.geocities.com/pink_godzira

02-26-2008, 12:45 PM	#30
fbiphil Zilvia Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sacramento Posts: 199 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	A little off-subject, since this thread is about the digital dashes, but old hot rods and many motorcycles used a cable-driven, true analog tach. I believe the reason was that you couldn't pull a tach signal off the magneto-style ignition... but I could be wrong on that. Again, not trying to get too off topic or start an argument!