Text Element

Updated on Mar 4, 2026

Text elements can either be used to display live channels from GPS, CAN, OBD, Lap Timing, Performance Tests, System sources or to show static labels. 

To add a new text element, click the ‘Text’ icon from the top panel buttons menu.
 

VBVS Mac Text Button

This will cause a new text element to be added to the main view window  Once a text element has been added to the scene, it can be clicked and dragged to the desired location. 
 

VBVS Mac Text Element

When an element is selected, its settings are shown in the right-hand panel.
 

VBVS Mac Text Main

To set live data to display on the text element, the two drop-down menus within the 'Parameter' section must be used.

The first drop-down menu defines the source. Select either GPS, Lap Timing, OLED, System Information, CAN, OBD or Performance Tests.

Note: CAN, OBD or Performance Tests options will only appear if they have been set up by the user.
 

VBVS Mac Parameter

The second drop-down list defines the channel to be shown. In the example above, GPS Speed is set to display in km/h.

VBVS Mac Channel Settings

Selecting the  button opens up a Channel Settings window where you can configure CAN and OBD channels.

A number of GPS parameters are available to choose from, such as the following:

  • Satellites
  • UTC time
  • Latitude
  • Longitude
  • Speed
  • Heading
  • Height
  • Longitudinal acceleration
  • Lateral acceleration
  • Combined acceleration
  • Vertical speed
  • Local time
  • Day of month
  • Month
  • Year
  • Distance since power-up
  • Distance since stationary
  • Time stationary
  • Time moving
  • Radius of turn
  • Gradient (%)
  • Solution type

More information on the parameters can be found here.

There are a number of lap timing-specific parameters which are typically used within on-screen lap timing elements such as the ones included within the default scene. As well as standard parameters such as completed laps and last lap time, there are also trip meter-type parameters such as current lap distance and current split distance, which are particularly suitable within rallying environments.

If an OLED display is being used with VBOX Video HD2, it is possible to add OLED-specific parameters as text items within the scene.

  • Delta t:  Presents a live difference in lap time between the current lap time and the stored and active reference lap at the current location on the track.

  • Reference lap time: Displays the current active reference lap time, which will update when the reference lap is superseded by a faster lap time unless the Reference Lap is Fixed.

Within the parameter section, speed, acceleration or distance channels can be set to display in different units.

The options available are:

  • Speed – km/h, mph, kts, m/s, ft/s
  • Acceleration – g, m/s², ft/s²
  • Distance – m, ft, km, mi, nmi

For static text elements, the parameter must be set to ‘None’. 
 

VBVS Mac Parameter None

To edit a label, type the desired text into the 'Text' box.
 

VBVS Mac Text Label

This area can be used to select the desired font, colour and size used by the text element.
 

VBVS Mac Text Font

To change the colour, select the existing colour and choose from the colour wheel. The opacity of the colour can also be changed here.

To set a specific RGB value, click on ‘Color sliders’.

VBVS Mac Text Colour
VBVS Mac Text Colour1
VBVS Mac Text Colour
VBVS Mac Text Colour1

These options change depending on the parameter that has been defined. The example below shows the standard setting for a ‘GPS Speed’ display. 
 

VBVS Mac Text Format

Elements and their associated settings can be duplicated within a scene by either right-clicking on the element, selecting 'Copy' from the dropdown then right-clicking in an empty area and selecting 'Paste' from the dropdown, or by using keyboard shortcuts 'Command + C' (Copy) and 'Command + V' (Paste).

VBVS Mac Copy
VBVS Mac Paste
VBVS Mac Copy
VBVS Mac Paste
 

Elements can be removed from the scene in two ways; either by right-clicking on the element, selecting 'Delete' from the dropdown and confirming the prompt, or by pressing the 'Backspace' key on a keyboard, and again, confirming the prompt.
 

VBVS Mac Delete