SkyTrak PC & Android software

[PicoTTS]

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone has heard anything about a release coming out for Android or PC (Not a apple user). Last I saw, Skytrak has stated the were not quite yet ready for announce anything yet. But that was back in February. Any new info available since?

Thanks

[jacksonlui]

Still waiting. It feels like it's been forever. Wait. It HAS been forever!

[PicoTTS]

Seth,

Are you able to provide rough requirements for the Android or PC options? I mean in terms of hardware processing power so for those who are still waiting, we can be up and running as soon as the options are available?

[SkyTrak_Seth]

As far as PC is concerned, it's not much for our app. However, the real beauty of PC will be the many options for sim. So, if you have any intentions of running course play software on your PC, I would probably spec for that. I believe TGC provided their recommended specs in the sticky thread.

Android is tricky because they are rolling out so fast, but the ones we tested well on were: Samsung Galaxy Tab S, Fire HDX, NVidia Shield, Google Nexus 9, and Lenovo ideatab A10-70.

[jacksonlui]

It's been a month and no word. I was an early adopter and have been patiently waiting. What's going on? Pretty frustrated over here.

[Hoosierdaddy]

Seth,

Are you able to provide rough requirements for the Android or PC options? I mean in terms of hardware processing power so for those who are still waiting, we can be up and running as soon as the options are available?

Piccos,

to run TGC you need a pretty wicked rig. That is if you want to run it on max graphics. I had a 4 year old computer with a AMD not sure what it was anymore but it was close to the top of the line back then and it would not run it well I had a fair Graphics card and the rig would run TGC but I had to turn it down so bad that the shadows of the leaves on the trees were squares on the green. I built and new computer last fall and it has AMD 8350 and GTX770 graphics card. 900 watt power supply. 1tb hard drive running on windows 7. Find the thread that has the specs in it. Read what others have had to build. I can tell you that you don't want to be cheap on the computer. It slows the online play if you have a slow computer. the rendering of your shot will be jumpy and you will need to turn the graphics way down in order for you to have a fluid movement of the ball on the screen. The graphics card and power supply are important. Now once again I am speaking of the needs running TGC on a Protee. But I cant imagine it will be much different on the Skytrak. Anyone who builds computers will tell you that you don't need that big of a power supply to run the card and processor. But for some reason until you get one things will not run correctly. I started with a 650 watt and things would not work at all. then I got a 750 and it would run but not great. Now I have a 900 and a great graphics card and it will run it on max everything. no lag, no jumpy putts, just a smooth crisp picture that is amazing. When the image is projected on the screen it looses a lot but the better the projector the better the image. the better the computer the higher you can set the graphics. Now you say why do I need to set the graphics high if the image is not that great. and your correct you don't. but if you don't here is what happens. You scout out the shot, on the right you see water, so you look to the left side and see the fairway narrows on the left and the rough starts at 200 yards to carry the rough and get back to the fairway you have to land it in the rough one hop it out in the fairway, and no chance of carrying the water on the right. So your choices are layup on the left and have 280 in or one hop it back to the fairway. you elect to hit driver and one hop it. You tee off and as your ball travels through the air all of a sudden the rough on the left turns into a jungle. all because your graphics setting is to low to render an object at that distance. Tall weeds pop out of nowhere. even sometimes trees grow before your eyes. Thats why you need a very very good graphics card. And you need the power to run it at full song. then you need a processor that will process the information fast and send that image to the projector.

TGC is great but it requires a good rig to run it at max settings. And once we get the tour started you will see all the guys that have a slow computer. because a round of golf will take over an hour and two guys with a good rigs can do it in under an hour. If you figure it takes 5 seconds longer for each shot that is almost 15 minutes of wasted time per round for two players. And from what I hear you have a delay with Skytrak of 3 sec so that is another 8 minutes. So with those numbers it will take almost 25 minutes longer to play 18 holes. that's why it is important to have a good rig.

and when you go to build your own courses it takes forever to plant trees and bushes and add hills and such. Just another reason to get a good rig.

[Ironstrokes]

That was pretty insightful hoosier, was debating on what type of computer to try to do a first time build on. Gave me some good ideas on what to put the most resources into, especially not being very savvy on the specs side of things, didn't realize the bigger power supply made that big of a difference in how smooth tgc would run on the max settings

[SkyTrak_Seth]

It's been a month and no word. I was an early adopter and have been patiently waiting. What's going on? Pretty frustrated over here.

This is a very tricky stage in our development. Because everything we are working on is so intertwined, it's impossible to release features bit by bit. The good news is that there will be a LOT of new stuff (PC included for sure, hopefully Android) rolling out over the next 1-2 months in large chunks.

[ryanoneill1]

Skytrak any update?

[Hoosierdaddy]

That was pretty insightful hoosier, was debating on what type of computer to try to do a first time build on. Gave me some good ideas on what to put the most resources into, especially not being very savvy on the specs side of things, didn't realize the bigger power supply made that big of a difference in how smooth tgc would run on the max settings

I am not sure why anyone that is in the know on this stuff would tell you to use a power supply only big enough to run what is in the computer. the power supply is responsible for more than just what is in the computer. In our setup we use 2 cameras that require power. A microphone (not sure that would be a big drain on the power) but it all adds up. If you listen to music that drains power. But like I said not sure of any requirements using the Skytrak. I would imagine the best connection would be a USB between the unit and the computer so there will be usage but I have no idea how much. This is just my opinion, but when you are working the PS to death you build heat, and heat in a computer is when things go south on you.

In the thread on sim computers there is a couple video's posted on how to build a computer. And let me tell you it is easy. I don't think there are many on here that would have a problem with it. the biggest hassle is getting everything loaded once you get done building it. I had some help with that part. I got it all loaded but some of the settings are hard to find. the basic functions were a piece of cake. But teamspeak, and twitch, and some of the other stuff we used to use for online play gave me trouble.

All total I have $863.00 into my new rig. I got some stuff on amazon and some on ebay and the only thing in it that is used is the graphics card. If you look on newegg a comparable rig would be $2500. or at least it was when I built it. lol now it's probably $300.00

[jacksonlui]

This is a very tricky stage in our development. Because everything we are working on is so intertwined, it's impossible to release features bit by bit. The good news is that there will be a LOT of new stuff (PC included for sure, hopefully Android) rolling out over the next 1-2 months in large chunks.

Thanks. I'm actually more interested in Android. 2 more months it is.

[Spudly]

Thanks. I'm actually more interested in Android. 2 more months it is.

Yeah, I have to say that as long as they have the sim and PC versions out before the snow flies again I will be satified. I am only using my skytrak at the drivig range now and spending most of my time on the course, so Seth, as long as you can get these options to us by November that should be good.

[PicoTTS]

Anyone have any tidbits of info they can share if we are going to see anything for android or PC in august?

[mhoskins87]

Any updates?

[YonexMan]

I thought I read on another post on this forum that the PC version was going to be available at the end of this month?

I was also wondering if it was going to made available to Australia as well? As I , along with a few mates here in Australia own a skytrak and it would be great to run it from a PC instead of the iPad.

[goodmatt78]

Got my ST yesterday and bought an iPad Air 2 on Craigslist. It works great and I plan to hook up Apple TV today to project to a TV. I have very little delay with practice and wgt.

[paschmann]

Enjoy You may want to wait for the new Apple TV's due later next month

[Tbernardmd]

just use the hdmi to lightening. airplay will lag some

[Stiggity]

SkyTrak_Seth Seth, can you give us any updates? Can you tell us if there was a set back with testing, anything? Summer has past and we are officially in fall and no updates or info. It was stated that the end of summer to expect some big things but we only got the wgt challenges to demo. What are the set backs?