Racelogic VBOX 3iSL User manual

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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01/12/2011
VBOX 3iSL 100Hz GPS Data Logger
User Guide

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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01/12/2011
Contents
EC Declaration of Conformity..................................................................................................................................................................4
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................................................................5
Features.....................................................................................................................................................................................................6
Quick-start Guide......................................................................................................................................................................................7
For Slip and Pitch measurements................................................................................................................................................................................................7
For Slip and Roll measurements..................................................................................................................................................................................................8
Antenna Placement...................................................................................................................................................................................8
How to setup Dual Antenna VB3i SL using VBOX Manager .................................................................................................................9
Antenna Separation .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................9
Roll Mode ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10
Swap Antennas..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................10
Align Antennas...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................11
Level Antennas...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................12
Parts Supplied with VBOX 3iSL.............................................................................................................................................................13
Optional Accessories.............................................................................................................................................................................13
Operation.................................................................................................................................................................................................14
Power .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................14
Buttons .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
Logging.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
LED Indicators............................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
Memory Cards............................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
GPS Antenna .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................19
Analogue and Digital outputs (AD1 & AD2) ...............................................................................................................................................................................20
Digital Inputs (D IN)....................................................................................................................................................................................................................21
Analogue inputs (A In)................................................................................................................................................................................................................22
RS232 Serial / CAN....................................................................................................................................................................................................................23
CAN Pass through......................................................................................................................................................................................................................25
Dynamic Modes..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Slip Angle Noise.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................27
Satellite Elevation Mask.............................................................................................................................................................................................................28
USB............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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Bluetooth....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................29
Audio ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
 .....................................................................................................................................................................................................31
VBOXTools Software..............................................................................................................................................................................32
Software Installation...................................................................................................................................................................................................................32
IMU Integration........................................................................................................................................................................................33
Hardware configuration..............................................................................................................................................................................................................34
Hardware Set Up........................................................................................................................................................................................................................36
Upgrading the VBOX 3iSL’s Firmware ..................................................................................................................................................37
How to Upgrade the Firmware...................................................................................................................................................................................................37
Troubleshooting Guide ..........................................................................................................................................................................38
VBOX 3iSL Specification........................................................................................................................................................................41
Connection Data .....................................................................................................................................................................................43
Analogue Input Connector.....................................................................................................................................................................46
CAN Output................................................................................................................................................................................................................................47
Contact Details........................................................................................................................................................................................49
Document Updates.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................49

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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EC Declaration of Conformity
We declare that this product has been tested to and meet the requirements of:
EC Directive 2004/104/EC
y) of vehicles and amending directive
70/156/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to the type-
And has also been assessed, via Technical Construction File, by an independent DTI Competent Body and found to be in conformance with the essential
requirements of:
EC Directive 89/336/EEC (and amending directives)

DTI Competent Body responsible for issuing certificate of compliance:
3C Test Ltd,
Silverstone Technology Park,
Silverstone,
Northants
NN12 8GX

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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Introduction
 
the VB3i SL combines high level accuracy and test repeatability with the ability to measure slip and pitch/roll angles at 100Hz. The data can be shown live (using
USB/RS232 serial connection) and be logged data directly on to a compact flash card for easy transfer to PC.
The VB3i SL also includes 4 high-resolution analogue input channels to record data from external sensors and 2 CAN bus interfaces to allow connection of
Racelogic input modules while simultaneously transmitting GPS data on the second CAN bus.
In line with previous VBOX models, the VB3i SL is compatible with existing peripherals, including Multifunction display, ADC03, TC8, FIM03, IMU03 and Yaw rate
sensor.
The VB3i SL package includes a VBOX Manager, which enables the user to setup the dual antenna separation, change the dynamic modes, level and align the
antennas, show speed and control file creation and logging.

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Features
Non-contact 100Hz speed and distance measurement using GPS
Dual antennas for 100Hz vehicle attitude measurement
IMU Integration with GPS data (with optional IMU)
4 x 24bit synchronous differential analogue inputs ±50v
Brake/Event trigger input of 10ns resolution
Voice Tagging of Data
2 x CAN Bus interface
RS-232 serial interface
USB Interface
Bluetooth Interface
Compact Flash Interface
2 x 16bit User configurable analogue outputs
2 x Digital outputs
Brake trigger Input with 100KHz scan rate
Wide 7V to 30V operating range *See Note
Low current consumption
Logging rate selectable from 100Hz, 50Hz, 20Hz, 10Hz, 5Hz, 1Hz

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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Quick-start Guide
For Slip and Pitch measurements
Required equipment (All supplied as standard unless specified):
VB3i SL
12V Cigar Lighter adapter lead
VBOX File Manager
2 x GPS & GLONASS ground plane antenna (RLACS156)
Blank Compact Flash Card
Laptop PC (not supplied)
RLVBCAB001 or RLCAB066-2
Tape measure
1. Place VBOX in vehicle then mount the GPS/GLONASS antennas on the vehicle roof in-line with the direction of motion, and clear from any obstructions (see
image right).
2. N
3. Make sure the antennas are rotated so the wires exit in the same direction as each other.
4. Accurately measure separation distance to the nearest 5 millimetres, for best accuracy measure from the point at which
the cable exits the antenna.
5. For normal operation, place the primary antenna (Socket A) at the rear of the car, and the secondary antenna (Socket B)
at the front. All measurements are made from the primary antenna.
6. If you want to measure slip at the front of the vehicle, swap 
feature on the VBOX Manager.
7. Power up VB3i SL.
8. Connect VBOX Manager to VB3i SL port dedicated to Racelogic CAN bus (determined in CAN tab of VBOX Tools
Setup)
9. Go into SETUP->VBOX->DUAL ANTENNA->SEPARATION and enter the separation of the antennas.
10. Allow the unit time to acquire full satellite lock. The number of satellites in view is indicated by the SATS LED; the total of green flashes indicates GPS
count, whilst an orange flash indicates the GLONASS satellite count. If the VBOX has not used for a long time, or the location where it is being tested has
changed drastically, a GPS coldstart may be required.
11. Move forward in a straight line, in an open area, and the green DUAL LED should turn green to indicate dual antenna lock has been obtained. Once the
DUAL LED is lit (green) you are ready to begin testing. Note that it takes around 30s-1m to reach full accuracy on the pitch measurement.

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For Slip and Roll measurements
1.  that the primary antenna
(Port A) is on the left hand side of the roof. Minimum recommended separation between the antennas is 0.5m on a level plane, but the greater the
separation distance, the better the accuracy.
2. Using the VBOX Manager, go into SETUP->VBOX->DUAL ANTENNA-
3. Go into SETUP->VBOX->DUAL ANTENNA->SEPARATION and enter the separation of the antennas.
4. Try to avoid placing the antennas close to the edge of the roof as this may result in poor dual lock. This is because reflections from the ground will disturb
the signals.
5. Driving forward should now bring on the green DUAL LED.
Antenna Placement
Whilst installation and use of the VBOX3iSL is intended to be fast and simple, careful attention must be paid to placement of the antennas.
It is essential that the separation of Antenna B from Antenna A is exactly the same as the separation value set inside the VBOX3iSL via the VBOX Manager. If the
separation is incorrect, data may not be given or may be inaccurate. The measured distance between the antennas should be the straight-line distance between the
antennas regardless of the mounting angle. It is not the 2D distance between the antennas as viewed from above.
The supplied tape measure will help ensure an accurate antenna separation.
Antenna A is the primary antenna, from which all calculations are based. Therefore the primary antenna should be placed relative to where you wish to make your
measurements from. For example, If you wish to make measurements from the centre of the vehicle, the primary antenna should be placed at the centre of the
vehicle.
When measuring Slip angle, Antenna B can be placed either in front or behind Antenna A (when in pitch configuration). If it is placed behind Antenna A then the
.

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How to setup Dual Antenna VB3i SL using VBOX Manager
The VBOX Manager has been developed to control the operating functions of a VB3i SL. Under the VBOX Menu, there is a Dual Antenna sub-menu, allowing the
user to configure their VB3i SL unit for dual antenna testing purposes.
Fy enabled, the user should see the full
Dual Antenna menu system, wi
Antenna Separation
The most important factor for dual antenna testing is the correct configuration of the separation distance between the two antenna centre points. This allows the
VB3i SL to acquire and maintain dual antenna lock. The physical separation distance between the two antennas should be measured as accurately as possible, and
entered in to the Separation option of the Dual Antenna menu. Distances can be incremented in millimetre steps.
Note: Whenever the physical antenna separation is altered, this should be changed accordingly within the VBOX Manager.

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Roll Mode
The VB3i SL allows the user to separately test roll and pitch measurements during their testing. By default, the VB3i SL will be setup for pitch determination. If the
user wishes to setup their antennas across the width of the car to measure roll angle, then the Roll Mode option must be toggled in the Dual Antenna menu. Click
this option to toggle between Pitch Mode (no-tick), and Roll Mode (tick).
Swap Antennas
When swap antennas is enabled (ticked), this allows the primary antenna A, to be mounted ahead of secondary antenna B (pitch configuration only), by configuring
a 180° offset to the slip channel. Scrolling to this option and clicking the rotary knob will toggle between on/off.

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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Align Antennas
To measure the slip angle with the most precision, try and get the alignment of
the antennas as close as possible to the centreline of the vehicle. Any residual
errors in this alignment can be removed using the AUTO ALIGN feature available
in the VBOX Manager.
The calibration process requires the driver to drive in a straight line for a short
period of time, whilst maintaining a constant speed, greater than 25km/h. Note
that any camber on the road or a strong side wind will affect this alignment.
Note: You must have dual antenna lock to be able to perform this calibration.
Selecting the CLEAR option will remove any offset applied to the slip channel.

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Level Antennas
The Pitch measurement uses the relative height difference between the antennas to calculate the Pitch Angle relative to the ground. If the roof of your vehicle is not
perfectly flat in relation to the ground, then this will show up as a Pitch offset. You can automatically remove any offset by performing the AUTO LEVEL feature
available on the VBOX Manager.
It is recommended that you perform the AUTO LEVEL on a flat, level section of road.
Selecting the Clear option will remove any offset applied to the pitch channel.

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Parts Supplied with VBOX 3iSL
Description
Qty
Racelogic Part #
Description
Qty
Racelogic Part #
VBOX 3iSL Data logger
1
RLVBOX 3iSL

1
RLVBCAB01
Mains Charger/Power Supply
1
RLVBACS020
25 Way D Connector
1
ADC25IPCON
2-way LEMO to cigar lighter plug 1m
1
RLVBCAB010
VBOX 3iSL User Manual
1
RLVBACS030
GPS Magnetic Antenna
1
RLVBACS001
Bluetooth Antenna
1
RLACS119
2GB Compact Flash Card
1
RLVBACS107
USB 2.0 cable
1
RLVBCAB066
PCMCIA CF Adaptor
1
RLVBACS028
Rigid carry case
1
RLVBACS113V4
VBOX Tools Installation CD
1
RLVBACS030
VBOX 3iSL Audio Headset
1
RLACS120
Optional Accessories
Description
Racelogic Part #
Description
Racelogic Part #
Brake Pedal Trigger
RLVBACS004
4 Channel Frequency Input Module
RLVBFIM03
Hand-held brake trigger
RLVBACS009
16 Channel Vehicle CAN Interface
RLVBCAN02
Logging Start/Stop Switch
RLVBACS010
8 Channel Thermocouple Interface
RLVBTC8
GPS Antenna Bundle x 5
RLVBACS0505
Can to Analogue Output Module
RLVBDAC01
GPS Antenna Bundle x 10
RLVBACS05010
Single Yaw Rate Sensor + 2 axis G Sensor
RLVBYAW03
Multifunction Display
RLVBDSP03
Inertial Measurement Unit. 3 Yaw Rate Sensors & 3
accelerometers*
RLVBIMU03
8 Channel (16bit) Analogue Interface
RLVBADC03
8 Channel (10bit) Analogue Interface
RLVBADC02

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Operation
Power
Included with a VBOX 3iSL is a cigar lighter power cable, which is the primary source of power input. This is terminated in a 2-way connector and mates with the 2-
a VBOX 3iSL.
A VBOX 3iSL can be powered from a wide range of voltage sources, when considering batteries as a power source please note that the minimum operating voltage
of a VBOX 3iSL is 7V. The maximum operating voltage input must not exceed 30V DC. Failure to observe this could result in damage to the VBOX.
Warning
The VBOX can be connected to other Racelogic input modules including the ADC03, ADC02, TC8,
FIM02/3 and Multifunction display. Please note that the voltage supply to Racelogic modules
connected to the VBOX will be at the same level as the VBOX power input. Therefore when using
any of the Racelogic peripherals with VBOX 3iSL, the input voltage must not exceed 15 volts.
Failure to observe this could result in damage to the module and possibly the VBOX 3iSL.
When running the VBOX from a battery pack, the VBOX will sound a warning tone to indicate when the battery voltage is reaching the minimum operating voltage
level. When this tone is heard, the battery pack requires re-charging or replacing.
A VBOX 3iSL has been designed to generate as little heat as possible and it has a wide operating temperature range, however it is good practice to mount the
VBOX 3i in a position where it has sufficient airflow around the case.
You must connect the GPS antenna before connecting power to a VBOX 3iSL. This is necessary because on power-up a VBOX 3iSL will look for a connected GPS
antenna and automatically adjust its gain for optimum performance.

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Buttons
VBOX 3iSL has two membrane buttons on the front panel, LOG and FUNC. LOG is used to start and stop logging to the compact flash card, and FUNC is used to
switch between two sample rates, 100Hz and 20Hz.
LOG
The LOG button will override any of the automatic logging thresholds set in the VBOX. For example, if you have set the VBOX to log all the time, the LOG button will
ll stop the VBOX logging and close
the file on the compact flash. Logging will now not continue even if you are moving until the LOG button is pressed again or the compact flash card is removed and
reinserted. The VBOX will then continue to log only when moving.
Every time the logging is toggled with the LOG button, a new file is created.
When the VBOX is logging, the blue CF light flashes.
Do not remove the CF card or power down whilst this LED is flashing, if you need to remove the card or power down whilst the CF light is flashing, then
press the LOG button first to stop the VBOX logging.
FUNC
 
flashing (5 times a second) indicates a 100Hz sample rate. A running sequence of lights indicates a sample rate other than 100Hz or 20Hz. Pressing and holding the
FUNC button for 5 seconds toggles the current sample rate. The sample rate can also be set in the VBOX software.
Default setup
The default factory settings are restored to the VBOX by pressing and holding the FUNC and LOG buttons for 5 seconds. This will put the VBOX 3i into the default
factory settings, 100Hz logging when moving, and the standard logging parameters: sats, time, latitude, longitude, velocity, heading, height, vertical velocity, and
brake trigger event time. (DGPS will be off by default.).

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Logging
A VBOX 3iSL has three Logging modes that are selected and configured via VBOX setup with the supplied VBOXTools software
Logging Modes
Log Continuously:

Log Only when moving:

Advanced:
The advanced logging option on a VBOX 3iSL allows any of the logged data channels to be used to trigger the logging on the VBOX.
This is selected and configured through VBOX setup of the supplied VBOXTools software.
This facility allows a threshold value to be set as either > or < so that the logging will start or stop when a data value is exceeded or not.


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LED Indicators
There are a series of LED indicators on the front panel of a VBOX 3iSL, their functionality is as follows:
GPS:
Flashing Red indicates no satellites in view
Flashing Green sequence indicates the number of GPS Satellites currently being tracked. Each flash indicates a satellite with a short pause between each
sequence.
Flashing Orange sequence indicates the number of GLONASS Satellites currently being tracked. Each flash indicates a satellite with a short pause between
each sequence.
Sequence showing 1 Satellite
1
1
1
1
Sequence showing 4 Satellites
Delay
1
2
3
4
Delay
1
2
3
4
Sequence showing 0 Satellites
Delay (Approximately 1 second )
Delay (Approximately 1 second )

DIFF:
Solid Orange indicates a DGPS lock (either SBAS or 40cm Local
DGPS)

DUAL:
Solid Orange indicates that dual antenna mode is enabled.
Solid Green indicates dual antenna lock is fixed.
PWR:
Solid GREEN indicates that a suitable power source is connected.
Solid Red indicates that the VBOX is not ready to operate either
because it is still booting up or because there is an error condition.
D IN:
Solid GREEN indicates that the Brake trigger input has been
activated/triggered.
CAN:
Flashing Yellow indicates that expected incoming CAN data has been
decoded properly and is being logged.
Flashing Green indicates that there is incoming Serial traffic through
this socket.
SER:
Flashing Yellow indicates that expected incoming CAN data has been
decoded properly and is being logged.
Flashing Green indicates that there is incoming Serial traffic through
this socket.
BLUETOOTH:
UNLIT indicates Bluetooth waiting for a connection.
Solid BLUE indicates the VBOX 3iSL has a Bluetooth connection with
another Bluetooth device.
CF:
Flashes BLUE when data is being written to the card
LOG:
Lights solid GREEN when data is being logged to the CF card.

press, fast for 100Hz, slow for 20Hz
IMU: (for future development)
Solid Orange indicates that IMU integration is enabled.
Solid Green indicates IMU is active.
Memory Cards
A VBOX 3iSL stores logged data onto CF cards. The CF cards available from Racelogic are already optimised for use on a VBOX 3iSL and as such do not need
formatting before use. Should the CF Card need formatting due to card errors it can be done through Windows, as a VBOX 3iSL supports the following format type:
FAT
FAT16
FAT32
Racelogic strongly recommends the following media card brands:
SanDisk
Kingston
Lexar
Ultra
PQi

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GPS Antenna
The GPS antenna supplied with a VBOX 3iSL is a 3.5V active antenna. For the best possible signal quality, it is important to maintain a clean connection between
the antenna and a VBOX 3iSL. Before fixing the antenna to a VBOX 3iSL, ensure that there are no dust particles in either connector. Replacement antennae are
available by contacting your VBOX distributor.
The antenna is a magnetic mounting type for quick and simple mounting to the vehicle roof. For optimum GPS signal reception, make sure that the antenna is fitted
to the highest point of the vehicle away from any obstructions that may block satellite reception. The GPS antenna works best with a metal ground plane underneath
(a metallic vehicle roof is perfect for this).
Please also note that when using any GPS equipment, a clear sky view is important. Objects in the surrounding
area such as tall buildings or trees can block the GPS signal causing a reduction in the number of satellites being
tracked, or introducing reflected signals that can decrease the accuracy of the system. Note that clouds and other
atmospheric conditions do not affect a VBOX 3iSL
GPS antennas require a ground plane to operate correctly. This helps to reduce unwanted reflections of the GPS
signal caused by nearby objects, and usually the metal roof of a vehicle performs this function. However, if a test
requires an antenna to be placed either off the vehicle, or on a vehicle that does not have a metallic roof, a special
ground plane antenna must be used. This has an internal ground plane and can operate perfectly without the need
for mounting on a metal surface. Ground plane antennas are available from your VBOX distributor.
NOTE: VBOX3iSL can struggle with maintaining dual lock if the antennas are placed too close to Roof Bars.
If a poor mounting position cannot be avoided then the use of elevated GPS/GLONASS ground plane
antennas, RLVBACS068 may be required.

VBOX 3iSL User Guide
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Analogue and Digital outputs (AD1 & AD2)
The AD1 and AD2 connectors each have 1 analogue voltage and 1 digital output. The digital output on connector AD2 is a frequency/pulse output corresponding to
velocity. The pulse per meter range is adjustable in software. The digital output on connector AD1 is a simple on/off state output. This digital output can be
associated with any of the data channels being logged by the VBOX. A threshold level can be set for the selected data channel where a true condition gives a 5v
output and a false condition gives a 0v.
i.e. Data channel Speed, threshold 40Km/h. When speed is >40 output = 5V, speed , 40 output = 0V
A hysteresis and tolerance value can also be associated to this condition.
The default function of this digital output is to indicate the current logging status of the VBOX.
The analogue outputs on connectors AD1 and AD2 are both user configurable. For example, analogue output 1 could be configured to output velocity while
analogue output 2 might be configured to output lateral acceleration. The voltage range of both analogue outputs is 0 to 5v DC.