Viewing the ARC app Screen
Part of creating the right atmosphere is being able to view and use the data on the ARC screen. When racing with four cars or less, a standard 9 to 10-inch tablet is sufficient - especially as the controller rumble acts as prompt to look at the screen. Even my 7-inch Amazon Fire 7 tablet is fine with up to four racers and other ARC users are happy with a decent-size phone. However, with more racers - and especially a long endurance race with team mates needing to view the race data and marshal a corner - a larger screen can be very useful.
There are various ways and means to project the screen image to a larger monitor or TV screen. It is possible to display an Android screen wirelessly via Chromecast or an iOS device via Apple TV, but there can be a slight time-lag which is not ideal for racing. The ARC screen is always in a 'portrait' (vertical) orientation, which means it appears in the middle of a standard horizontal (landscape) monitor with two black rectangles either side. That's not the prettiest display, but it works fine on a big monitor.
Display Monitor
Personally, I like how the ARC data is presented vertically - it is clearly laid out and easy to read. It is possible, but complicated to switch a standard monitor or TV to portrait mode. Again, it is specific to the device and the monitor / TV you have and may require additional hardware and software, which may cause a slight time-lag. Another option is to use a compatible Android media player box. One ARC user in Denmark, Brian (aka Klitgaard), had success with installing and running the legacy app on his Minix X6 Neo box, which connects directly to a TV monitor - navigation in the app is via a wireless mouse. He posted a picture of his set-up on the Scalextric forum and I think it looks stunning.
Unfortunately, the Minix X6 box does not work with the latest ARC app version. Some users have tried newer, more powerful versions of the Minix boxes with very mixed results.
My preferred option - which works for any device - is to use a simple wired connection (Lightning/mini-USB to HDMI) and a digital projector that puts the ARC screen image onto a white wall or onto a projector screen. You will still get the ARC screen in the middle of a horizontal display, but the black lines either side will be much less visible. This works best in dimmed light - perfect for those endurance races!
Sharing Race Results
A feature of the ARC app that I really like is the ability to immediately share the race results via social media and by email - these can be shared to a dedicated facebook page or twitter account - or sent out to all the racers by SMS, messenger, whatsapp, email etc. The results - images and data - can also be saved to the device. After the race, it's simply a case of tapping Options and Share Results - then choose the way you want to share or save. You will need to have the necessary apps installed on your device and be logged on to the account you want to use. If you haven't tried this before, have a play next time you race.
Sharing Results
Being able to study the race results immediately is something that certainly adds to the excitement, the realism and the race day experience for all those involved. Of course, pictures and videos can be shared too - although you'll need to exit the app or use a separate device to do this. If you have the time and the inclination, you can collect all the results, pictures and stats, edit the video footage and write up a report. Here's the post-race coverage of the Digital Saturday I mentioned earlier.