ISSA - International Slalom Skateboarding Association

I’d think Palm would be accurate enough for single-lane training/practice, because a latency problem in the timer would still be consistant during all timed runs.

I’ve heard that 0.01 seconds is the smallest increment of time that the internal clock of the Palm can measure, therefore this wouldn’t be for timing a race anyway but it is certainly sufficient for training/practice.

People could write apps that allow the results to be synced with Windoze, Linux, Mac, etc. The results could even be synced wirelessly with other Palm devices. So it seems to me to be all good, with exception of getting the physical interface built. I don’t know if a “desktop” palm timing app (Palm timing app on the laptop) is possible, but that isn’t the point. The purpose of this idea is to avoid bringing a laptop computer to the practice site.

Palm device vs laptop:
• Palm device is inexpensive.
• Palm device has better battery life.
• Palm device is easier to keep safe while at the practice site.
• Palm device has more cross-platform possibilities.


It would be great if someone with electronics experience can help with interfacing the timing cables to the Palm device. I believe that programming the timing app for the Palm device could be done easily by anyone willing to learn how to do it (me).

WesE wrote: A PalmOS-based practice system would be best for inexpensive / not fancy / accurate enough for practice / convenient timing - Something that would work on even the earliest Palm devices. Who can impliment this?

I'm thinking about that for long. Palm are affordable and easy to move. But as for PC, can we trust timing with Palm timing system??
Still enough accurate for training? Palm OS development is probably not more difficult than Windows develoment but the big problem in fact for me is electronic, don't know much about that...

(The best would still to have a compact timing system that can communicate with a PC and/or a Palm!)

Unfortunately, the most inexpensive is NOT the least fancy. If you have a windows-based laptop computer, the Chronocone software can be obtained for free, and then all that is needed are some video game controllers and your tapeswitches/infrared-sensors. See Pat Chewning about the Chronocone. The least fancy is probably the Trakmate timer, but for that you have to pay for the timer in addition to the tapeswitches. See William Tway about the Trakmate.


A PalmOS-based practice system would be best for inexpensive / not fancy / accurate enough for practice / convenient timing - Something that would work on even the earliest Palm devices. Who can impliment this?

what's an inexpensive and accurate timer? i'm just a novice rider that doesn't need anything too fancy. any good suggestions?