PiTrac

PiTrac

DIY / open-source
$300One retailer
ComparePrice a build

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Where to buy

No retailer offers are tracked for this unit right now. It may be discontinued, trade-in only, or between stock cycles. Prices refresh automatically the moment a tracked retailer lists it again.

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Verified research

From the MSS study: what the sensor measures, what it costs to run, and what it needs from the room.

CameraClub data: NoneSpin: Measured

Free, open-source DIY monitor for tinkerers with soldering and 3D-printing skills.

The MSS verdict
$300Hardware, best price
NoneRequired subscription
$300Five-year cost
Free (Open Source): free, required.

Why people buy

Completely free, open-source, zero subscriptions
3-axis spin without marked-ball stickers
Working GSPro/E6 sim integrations
Fully hackable and customizable

Trade-offs

Early-stage codebase ('a bit dodgy', features barely work)
DIY build required: soldering, 3D printing, Linux skills
Ball-only; no club data measured
No independent accuracy validation published
Ball tracking
Ball SpeedMeasured
Launch AngleMeasured
Launch DirectionMeasured
Spin RateMeasured
Spin AxisMeasured
Club tracking
Club SpeedNot possible
Club PathNot possible
Face AngleNot possible
Attack AngleNot possible
From the verified MSS launch-monitor study: measured = read directly by the sensor; calculated = algorithm-derived.
PlacementSide, Floor-standing unit to golfer's side with stacked vertical cameras in 3D-printed enclosure. Exact room specs unpublished. Indoor-only setup.
EnvironmentIndoor
BallAny standard ball (marks optional, may slightly reduce accuracy)
Third-party simsSupported, GSPro (OpenConnect) and E6/TruGolf working but need polish. Network-based via Raspberry Pi.
The fine print
Project explicitly immature: 'really immature...current release is a bit dodgy.' Requires sourcing, soldering, 3D printing, and source build. ~$300, $400 BOM. No retail product; no tagged software releases. Completely free and open-source (GPL-2.0); no subscription or cloud service required. Self-hosted web app on Raspberry Pi; GSPro and E6/TruGolf sim integrations available.

Specifications

Core Technology
Core Tech TypeCamera
Technology DetailPhotometric (camera/optical), NOT radar; officially "a photometric-based system." Uses two Raspberry Pi Global Shutter cameras (1456x1088) with high-speed infrared (IR) strobe-based image capture.
Performance Data
Ball DataBall-only: ball speed; launch angles (vertical launch angle and horizontal launch / side angle); spin in 3 axes (spin rate + spin axis). Carry distance is derived/estimated. Viewable in PiTrac's standalone web app and passed to sims.
Club DataNone, ball-only; PiTrac does not measure any club data.
Compatibility
Sim Readiness and Software IncludedGSPro and E6/TruGolf interfaces are working (described as functional but needing polish). PiTrac also has its own standalone web-based app for viewing shot data. Internally it uses ActiveMQ messaging to relay shot data to simulators.
Device / PC ReqsOnboard/self-hosted web app plus PC sim integration. PiTrac's output is a stand-alone web-based GUI (served by Tomcat/TomEE on the 'smaller' Pi), accessed from a browser on the network; it also feeds GSPro and E6/TruGolf running on a sim…
Subscription CostNone, software is free and open source (no subscription, no required cloud service). GitHub repo licensed GPL-2.0 (confirmed in LICENSE file: "GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE, Version 2, June 1991").
Special Balls/MarkersCORRECTED: Marked/registration balls are NOT required. An explicit project goal is to "accurately determine the spin rate of balls in 3 axes without requiring any registration marks or other modifications to the ball." Per the project:…
Physical
Typical PlacementBeside golfer
PortableSemi-portable
DisplayOnboard touchscreen
Value
GradeConsumer
Best ForDIY builders & tinkerers who want an open, low-cost unit

Manuals and setup

User Manual Setup / Install Guide
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