Setting Up Dynolicious
Required Setup
Calibration
Before using Dynolicious for the first time*, you need to calibrate the accelerometers.
The iPhone’s accelerometers are not calibrated from the factory. For any given axis, the value returned from the accelerometer may be off by as much as 33%. The calibration function allows Dynolicious to compensate for this error and generate accurate results.
To perform calibration, press “Perform Calibration” from the Setup screen, then perform the following:
- Hold the phone in the orientation shown on screen. For each direction, the phone should be held as level and steady as possible. Best results will be achieved by resting the phone on a level surface during the test. Hold the phone in the orientation until you hear a beep and the screen changes.
- Once all seven orientations have been calibrated, you will see “Calibration Successful” on the screen. You may now use the button in the top left to return to the Setup screen.
NOTE: Although it is imperative that you calibrate the iPhone before using Dynolicious for the first time, you may want to take note that the accelerometers in the iPhone are somewhat temperature sensitive. For best results, you should consider recalibrating Dynolicious in the same environment in which the test will be performed.
Optional Setup
Several settings are available in the Setup screen which allow you to configure Dynolicious. These settings are described below:
Rollout
Rollout is the distance the car travels before the timer is started. This is derived from the timing equipment at a dragstrip, where the wheel typically needs to move about 12 inches before the light beam is cleared which starts the timer. This effectively gives a bit of a rolling start, which affects the test results.
If you are a drag racer looking to simulate "deep staging", or you testing against other equipment which uses different settings, then the rollout parameters can be changed. Otherwise, the default values are generally accepted, and should be correct for most purposes.
Rollout (speed tests) applies to all of the 0-60 MPH type tests.
Rollout (distance tests) applies to all the quarter-mile type tests.
Rollout has no effect on horsepower calculation.
Trigger
The trigger setting specifies the level of acceleration that Dynolicious must see before it starts timing a test run. If you are experiencing false triggering, which can sometime be caused by vehicle vibration, you may increase this value. The default setting will be appropriate for most users.
Units
The user can select between SAE (Imperial) and Metric units for for several of the software features:
- Speed (mph or km/h) - Affects the speedometer display and all recorded results.
- Power (HP or kW) - Selects which whether power is presented in Horsepower or kilowatts.
- Weight (lbs or kg) - Selects units for entering vehicle weight.