DIY Simulator route?

[Timmeh!]

Hi all, new forum member from Australia here. Congratulations on such a great discussion board!

My question is, I have a budget of around $3.5k and am wondering whether I can get a better deal by going down the DIY route than buying one of the off the shelf simulator packages? Ideally, I'd like something like Protee but am baulking at the $5.5k price tag. My main purpose for a simulator is to use it for swing feedback, I'm not too fussed about playing for entertainment. Any advice on where to go and what to buy would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
Tim

[CPA]

Get Swingbyte2 Tim.
Data and video for $150 ( presuming you have iPad)
Will fix your swing as much as anything. Can send swing including video to your coach.

[Timmeh!]

Swingbyte looks good and a i had a serious look at the 1st version but ideally I'd like to know, with reasonable accuracy, distances and ball flight. I'd prefer an impact screen so i can get immediate feedback without having to go back to a computer or ipad as well.

[CPA]

IPad has video out. Still use impact screen and projector if you want. Spend the $150 now, save and upgrade to the latest launch/club monitor later.

Edit; and for distance and flight use it on the range.

[Timmeh!]

Yeah, its often inconvenient for me to get out on the range, hence i'm looking for something that can track distances and ball flight.

[CPA]

Does the 3.5K include price of projector, screen, hitting mat......computer.....?

[Timmeh!]

Not the computer, but ideally the rest. Though I can probably source a projector outside of that budget.

[CPA]

$1K will be for the bits then and you have $2.5 for the sensor. You had better pray Martin gets the LX to work accurately or something comes on the market.
If you want accuracy best to save or borrow.

[Timmeh!]

What about the Vector Pro? Though i understand it doesn't do club path/angle etc?

[CPA]

It fits your pricerange but see if anyone here will tell you to buy one.....

[CPA]

http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthre...-sidespin-calc

and this thread

http://forum.ottawagolf.com/showthre...ect-Vector-Pro

[Timmeh!]

Thanks.

[Timmeh!]

So, CPA, do you have the Swingbyte 2? Would like to hear some feedback on it. Just thinking this maybe the way to go in the interim.

[CPA]

Tim
I was a SB1 preorder.
Since then I have been making suggestions to them.
I was a SB2 iPad App beta tester. ( got excited when I saw Video with targetline but alas it did not work and is now removed.)
My SB2 arrived the other day. The attachment issue is gone but the targetline fix is still in development.
There are some connection problems but they will go soon.

Showed it to a coach of a well known Aussie golfer (US based) the other day and he was impressed. Have arranged for him to get one as he says the 3D image will highlight something he is working on.

You may not know but they do not send this side of the Pacific.
I will email SB and see what I can arrange for the growing interest over here.

Given the cost it is a no brainer as a stqarting point to fix a swing.

[Timmeh!]

Sounds interesting. I've also been looking into Skypro as well today but noticed it doesn't provide face angle at impact and apparently they gave the reason that they aren't confident it can give accurate data for face angle. That sort of worries me about these sort of devices but for $200 you can't really complain. I just wonder if something like the P3 or Optishot will give more accurate club data (swing path, face angle at impact) than these devices at the moment?

I know this is a Trackman comparison, but for instance - http://www.andrewricegolf.com/2013/0...e-vs-trackman/

As Andrew puts it, it would be fine if the "numbers indicated were close enough to “actual” in order to be actionable". In this comparison, apart from attack angle, they seem far from it.

[CPA]

The only real issue in terms of accuracy was path (yes it is important). With the SB2 video you can visually check the path. I have not done any testing as have always been waiting on the attachment and targetline fixes.
TM does not measure clubface but calculates it and it is questionable ball data indoors. Interesting given the price tag.
For the price it is worth a shot everything will work out.

[Frans@france]

TM does not measure clubface but calculates it and it is questionable ball data indoors. Interesting given the price tag.

yes, very questionable..... around 0.6degree with 95% confidence

[CPA]

Frans I meant the ball spin data indoors.....not the club.

[Frans@france]

Frans I meant the ball spin data indoors.....not the club.

I think dat the spin value is accurate. Spin-axis value....no idea...yet

[Crusty]

CPA, any updates on the SB2 fixes and availability in Oz?

[CPA]

Attachment fixed. Still waiting on targetline. Intend to email them re everyone else in Oz.

[CPA]

Just an update for Aussies. SB say they are arranging an Australian distributor but in the meantime buy it from the playbetterstore. Shipping to OZ is $28 but GST and distribution fee saving means it will be the best deal.

[Crusty]

Thanks CPA I will look them up, Re the targetline issue, Do you think it would simply be a software update which could be applicable to existing hardware?

[CPA]

Yes they are planning it all by software. The beta app had a choice to shoot video with targetline which showed a line on the video which set the targetline. The problem is they have to programme the link between video and graphic data. Which has been giving them issues obviously.......they keep saying soon. If this thing works out to be accurate Trackman is in trouble!!!!