Second Monitor - Timing/Telemetry App

I've been working on the fuel and remote issues. But is it hard to tell if it is really fixed.
So, if you want to try, there is a test build available
SecondMonitor.msi

Just download and install. You should still get a notification should a proper update version be updated.

 

I gave this a go on practice servers before some races last night (so all in free practice mode). That was with the AMS2 beta - but there haven't been any shared memory changes noted so that shouldn't matter (also Simhub et al work as with the non-beta, as does Second Monitor timing UI when on the same PC).

There's a clear change in the behaviour of the remote timing UI with this build. This is the same setup as before, i.e. AMS2 and Second Monitor broadcast server running on desktop PC, Second Monitor timing UI running on a laptop, wired gigabit ethernet network.

Before in multiplayer once two or more other players joined, the timing UI would reset the connection timer in the bottom left corner a few times per minute, and the UI would redraw as it does when a session starts.

With this build that connection timer does not reset, and it continues to increment as you would expect it to. So an improvement there. However the rest of the timing UI still exhibits issues a few times per minute. It flashes something up in the lower panel for a frame or two and then redraws the timing UI. I think the thing it flashes up is the fuel calculator - so it acts as though the game is paused or the car is in the pits for a frame or two.

I also noticed that the live map and possibly other elements did not work reliably. So for example I saw a known fast driver connect to the server and saw in the game HUD that they had left the pits but they never appeared on the Second Monitor live map. Then they set the fastest lap, so they were out on track.

Please find attached log files from the server and client for this.

The server one was manually edited to exclude anything from the older build (also because of beta NDA reasons). Nothing after the entries from this build started was removed. The client one was edited just to replace my Windows username (which is my real name) with my online handle.

On the client one the session where I saw the above behaviour starts at around about timestamp 2024-05-28 18:49:05.9991. The third driver joins at about timestamp 2024-05-28 19:06:05.6882, and it would have been some time after that that it started.

Thank you for your efforts on this

 

Hi very impressed with Second Monitor, just started using it
Question though, is there any way to configure the Excel output reports ?
I'd like to add the total race time (as a time) and not just the relative to myself, is this possible ?
I know the data is on the screen as a race finishes so I assume it must exist
Thanks

 

Thanks for trying it out, and for the next log . If you're still running with Network Conservation Settings enabled, then maybe try to disable it. I'm finding it is not so reliable with 'noisy' data, like MP sessions.

Thanks for the nice words There currently isn't a way. I was thinking about doing some kind of template, but it is a lot of work for it to be usable to a user. There also currently isn't total run time, just how long you were in the session. I will try to add it somewhere.

 

No problem. I may try that out the next time I am involved in MP races (unsure when that will be). The reason I had network conservation on was that I was getting the issue I'd seen noted elsewhere (though I cannot find where now) where a remote Timing UI falls behind the live data without it, which I gather would be no small job to address.

That said, I see that you've committed some network conservation fixes to the feat/9.25.1 branch

 

That's weird that it falls behind, as the amount of data shouldn't be that large... look like more issues...

Yep, I've made few fixes, but now I'm fighting random disconnects when outside of session....
So, still more work to be done.

 

I think this is the "noted elsewhere" that I couldn't find when replying:

Possible RF2 laptimes incorrect when enabling Network Conservation Settings and timing lagging behind without it enabled (#76) · Issues · Matus Celko / SecondMonitor · GitLab

 

Another experimental build :
SecondMonitor.msi

I've made few more fixes, also restored the functionality of random inputs when no session is running to better indicated that a connection is working.

Edit: I pushed the changes to new release, so no need to use the experimental build.

 

Hi Matus, Installed your app on two computers today and followed your instructions to set up second computer to display the app. Unfortunately not working by not detecting the client computer IP address. There has also been some changes in your plugin client app since you made the instructions wiki, as there are other checkboxes there. Perhaps the instructions have changed? Also I am only running AMS2 so in both the client and the server plugin I unchecked all boxes except the PCCars2 amd AMS2 sims, perhaps there was a need to have all the sims checked for it to work? Let me know. Cheers

 

Hey, I updated the wiki today, so it now reflects the UI changes that happened since it was first written.
Setting up Second Monitor on separate computer · Wiki · Matus Celko / SecondMonitor · GitLab

If the databroadcast sever is not showing any address, than most likely either an antivirus, or firewall is preventing the app to create a network connection.

On the PC where the sim is running, the Data Broadcast sever plugin should be enabled, and AMS 2 enabled (and any other game, doesn't matter if they are all enabled).

On the PC where the app is running, Data Broadcast plugin should be disabled, Timing UI Enabled... And only the remote connector needs to be enabled (other connectors can still be enabled, they will not interfere).

Hope that helps.

 

I had a chance to try 9.25.2 (I guess - the latest at the time) in a couple of beta multiplayer races on Tuesday evening. As suggested earlier I disabled network conservation.

I didn't notice any of the timing UI flashing "pause" type data as I'd described a few posts up.

The constant session restarting issue was greatly improved. Although it did still happen, that seemed to coincide with new drivers joining the servers mid-session, and perhaps not every time (~20 drivers eventually).

I also didn't notice the issue where the timing UI lags behind, but also I was driving at the time so I wasn't paying close attention to that.

No log file this time, for beta confidentially reasons.

 

Thanks for the info, I've another look on the previous logs, and it looks like AMS 2 is also having some issues. It looks like it is temporarily reporting wrong session type (invalid session type).. this gets identified as a session change and timing resets. I've seen something similar happen also in SP, when pit presets are saved (it also happened in pcars 2). Looks like it's typical behavior when some loading/saving happens.

I will think about how to filter it out. The issues that exact sequence of session type changes happens when session is restarted.

 

Here is my log file. Today I have to MP races without the fuel calculator showing the quantity.

 

Thanks for the log, I had a quick look and it looks like something fishy is going on with AMS 2 data. I'm seeing short lived (around 1second) player car switches i.e in the last race between BMW M4 GT4 and Porsche Cayman GT4.

If there is not enough runtime between these phantom switches then the fuel data are considered not relevant and not stored... so no fuel calculation...

I will think about how to filter these small duration switches out.

 

I've made few improvements in the last patch, these shortlived car changes should now be ignored. Hopefuly it will improve the reliability of fuel tracking in MP

 

Hey, just wondering if there is a way to adjust the window size circled below to make the widgets in it wider across the screen and lower in height?

 

Yes, you can customize the size, you can also remove widgets you do not want..
Not the most intuitive way, but it can be done
Layout Editor · Wiki · Matus Celko / SecondMonitor · GitLab

 

Thanks for that, will check it out