I used Traqmate for more than 4 years. Worked like a charm. Like it.
I use a Mac and run Parallels. Sadly thats probably the way all the software will be be for a
long time. There will be windows versions only. Parallels or VMware. Very fast, cheap and easy to use.
Traqate always worked. Never had an issue with it once.
Tried Race-Keeper and did have issues with it not getting a GPS signal within a certain amount of time and giving up. Ran it in manual record mode. Didn't like the video. Didn't think the software was useful. Disappointed and sold it and put my traqmate back in.
Other people love Race-Keeper so there you go.
I tend to look at the data before even glancing at video. The software is that useful.
Syncing video and software is relatively easy. Find a couple of data points, RPM, lateral load or friction circle and a few places to confirm that you have lined things up. Takes me about 60 seconds. Sometimes 2 minutes on a bad day. And thats only if I feel like having the video as a souvenir. You can learn quite a bit just by watching and listening to your video. But then you want to look at the data
As for the Traqmate software. I think its probably the easiest and most accessible of the bunch. Very easy to get up to speed with. If you are struggling just ask someone who has one to show you their process.
I have an AIM/MXL Pista now on my car (wiring issues required it). Love the Dash.. The AIM software (Same as for the SOLO/DL) is very powerful, but the learning curve is massive and I build analytics software for a living. AIM software is amazing and I can see things that I couldn't in the traqmate software, but it took a sizable investment in time to learn it. I wouldn't recommend it to a computer novice or data acquisition beginner under any circumstances.
Traqmate is just easier to use out of the box. Everything about it is easier. If you have trouble with it, there should be someone around who can show you how to quickly pull up your data and show you how to see some useful info.
AIM Software doesn't build video out of the box except with Smartycam, but you can use Dashware or Trackvision to build souvenir videos. A slight nuisance, both are equally easy to use. And frankly, I haven't bothered to build a video once in the last three months. To me, They are mostly for show and tell.
I would't give an absolute about which comes first the coach or the DA. Because frankly we never stop needing coaching or instructing from time to time. I tell students always to get a camera at a minimum (ASAP) and do suggest advanced studets to get some kind of DA system. It is incredibly useful at
that point. Thats also because the advanced students don't have instructors any more and the DA is there to help them.
But no matter what level of experience you have, no matter how good you are, no matter how fast, how much seat time you have - some right seat observation/coaching is useful
at least once or twice a year. We all need it from time to time. We never stop learning.
IMHO: Anyone who thinks that there isn't anything someone else can't teach them is kidding themselves.
I try to work with one of a couple of guys at least a once or twice a season. Never fails to help me. Just because you are "solo" doesn't mean that you don't need coaching/instructing - call it whatever you want from time to time. I need it for sure. Its amazing what someone can see, feel and recognize from the right seat.
It never ends...
And..... Its not like the highest top level pro or F1 driver doesn't have a team of people looking at their data and telling them what they need to do to go faster. There may be a point, because of car or whatever that someone can't actually physically ride in the seat next to you, but still someone is looking at your data working with you to be better. At some point your "coach" might not be as fast as you. But you still need it.
Because we all want to get better and better. Thats what we all want right??