Trackmate and RU ready hybrid

[Michael Stride]

its simple. The start is triggering two relays 6v (though one SPDT, single pole double throw would be neater). One relay triggers the screen, the other relay triggers the trackmate.

My tests show that the difference between the two is minimal and constant.

To be honest If you have the RU ready screens with 6 digits you wouldnt need the trackmate at all, except for recalling previous races with its memory function, which I never use anyway.

And I still rather like the four digit ones... though I have seen the screens for sale for $160 without the clock timer electronics , so thats one for electronics experts I feel. Though 7 segment LEDs are also looking good value. I feel the standalone system from RUready represents good value at approx $750 for Screen and two gates, though the price for the 4 digit screen at $317 seems great value, as it has all the clock, and resetting systems built in, so all you need extra is two gates, or tapeswitches.

gunfighter.com for the timers, and screens with electronics.

Here is the screen without the electronics:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=020

[Marcus Seyffarth]

Wesley,

It'll be a standalone application to start with, so I hope that someone can lend you a PC when needed. Perhaps it can be incorporated into Excel but I'm not sure how Mac uses its com ports. That will be a later problem if anybody tries it out and figures its useful.

The first version of the program is ready and I'm just waiting for an OK from Dan to ship his spread sheets along as a template to use. I'll create a new thread when its ready and not try to hijack this thread anymore.

/Marcus

[Sj Kalliokoski]

I have managed to wire the Trackmate system to the RU Ready digital screen to display results to racers at a larger size than is usual, in effect using the RUready screens (4" LCD) to display at the head of each lane the elapsed time in to the 100th. (1000ths below 10 seconds)

Michael
Can you share how you did this, i would be very interested.

[Wesley Tucker]

I'm building an application that shoots the Trackmate data into one of Dan's spreadsheets. It'll be ready for download and test very soon.

Marcus,

Is this some sort of stand alone .exe you will create or is a part of Excel?

I don't mean to be a pill but a LOT of us (including Dan,) use Macintosh.

If it is a stand alone how difficult (or is it impossible) to make it compatible?

By the way, if you make it work we'll make it happen. Don't stop because of my one concern.

Thanks.

[Pat Chewning]

I'm building an application that shoots the Trackmate data into one of Dan's spreadsheets. It'll be ready for download and test very soon.

That is VERY good news ..... So we can have a low-cost hardware timer with computer interface. I am very interested in this.

[Michael Stride]

Thanks, certainly something to think about.

My aim is for a mid level system, where visual display of times and results is the focus. And that be used by 9v batteries if needed.

For example on the GS I hope to write times down on a magnetic strip, and diplay those times on a vertical board. The top 5 times in a seperate top area, the rest just place below that line, and if time permits, those times sorted out at intervals, but to maintain the top 5 should be easy (er). Someting like Top Gear (a UK car programme) use for lap times and celbrity laps:


For the Dual, I'll use a bracketing marked board (i'll need four, I think the Juniors and Womens can be from Quarter finals due to numbers involved) and just write the names in the spaces, so we have a record of the whole race, in addition to the spread sheets.

Good luck with your project too Marcus. Sound interesting.
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[Marcus Seyffarth]

Am I getting overworried about the rounding of say 42.432 to 42.43 and also 42.437 to 42.43 as well...as both times would be dispalyed as 42.43 on the natty screens? Or do we record the 1000ths times into the spreadsheet, and do it that way.....???

I think 42.43 would be the correct answer in both cases.
I don't think we should keep the third digit. It does not make sense, and no other sports use it (except F1 and bobsleigh).

I'm building an application that shoots the Trackmate data into one of Dan's spreadsheets. It'll be ready for download and test very soon.

[Wesley Tucker]

Michael,

If there is a way to interface a simple white and red button to add to either lane would work. Click once is a tenth, click twice is two and so on. Maybe even two buttons to RETRACT one tenth if the timing table guy gets carried away. Or a toggle: up for adding, down to CORRECT an inputted adjusted time (there should never be a circumstance to add or subtract to get a different raw time.

Donald,

I appreciate Michael's efforts and hope he succeeds. He asked for input. My first consideration is a system CONFUSING SPECTATORS more than informing them is counter productive. I also understand the system AS IS can be great for racers. Anyone can look at their raw time, see how many cones are in the air and get a final time in a heart beat. That saves trudging all the way back to the top of the hill to find out who won.

I would hope, though, Michael is thinking about this as a race-day enhancement for everyone on the hill ESPECIALLY spectators.

[Michael Stride]

OK, Im thinking that IF we have a light for the lane that wins that would be best. There would be the small time delay as we add up of course.

In the first instance we indicate the race winner. After the second leg, and adding the times up we then indicate the winner of the dual.

or will that confuse spectators...?

[Michael Stride]

Wes, NO, the display only shows elapsed time.

To display elapsed time, plus cone correction would take an interface with a computer.

BUT what I do have is a light that will indiacte who won after the judges have added it all up.

The adjusted times would be on the spread sheets of course.

But I will ask RUready if they could make a simple way of adding 10ths to a displayed time....

[Pat Chewning]

In my opinion, you should not throw data away.

If you have a clock that is recording a precision of 1/1000, then you should use the data and store it that way.

You might choose to display only the 1/100 (2nd decimal digit), and I'm sure the racers can be informed that the OFFICIAL time is the time in the spreadsheet (3rd decimal digit), which may not match the DISPLAYED time (due to truncation).

I would not recommend throwing away the 3rd decimal digit, if it is available.

[Claude Regnier]

Micheal wrote" This is where I need your collective thoughts Jani, Claude, Pat etc...

If we run the race recording the 4 digit 100ths time to the spread sheets , writing times to the displayed time on the RUready screens , ie rounding down to the 100th (not up, which might be 'nearer') and only using the 1000ths time in the case of ties at the 100th mark do you think this is a good way of working?

Yes this is what I would do. I think it is best to try and break down and avoid ties as much as possible. I've also noticed that when there is a case of 1000 th difference people apreciate it much more. Wow, you can't see that! 10th well you can see it.


The 6 digit RU ready displays cost $150 extra each and look more unweildy... Maybe someday,EH!


All Ive really done is work out how to trigger the Ruready at the same time as the Trackmate, and bo\th clocks have independent timing circuitry, not taking the display signal from one unit. But in my tests up to the 1 minute mark and beyond they are synchronised.

Am I getting overworried about the rounding of say 42.432 to 42.43 and also 42.437 to 42.43 as well...as both times would be dispalyed as 42.43 on the natty screens? Or do we record the 1000ths times into the spreadsheet, and do it that way.....???

Mike if you have a crouwd then you need to worry. No not really! An MC or good speaker can certaily explain the end result. Looking at the field I see some possibilities of ties but notheless it's your race. I'm pretty sure most racers would prefer the 1000th even if it is not displayed. Can you imagine two racers running a tie and seeing the display. The excitment they would have in having to wait for the little detail for the moment of truth? The Crowd? Excitment, maybe a bit!

PS-I really wsh I could make it but this year will be tough for anytingother then the Worlds, but hell, I'm going to win that one

[Donald Campbell]

wesley
why don't you just start on answering the original question first?
that would make so much more sense to the discussion.

[Wesley Tucker]

Michael,

Here's the question I know you've been waiting to answer: can the operator MANUALLY alter the display time?

We all know the raw time is where we start. It's the adjusted time, though, that matters.

You know the drill: two skaters go down the course and Racer A is .2 faster but hits two cones to Racer B's clean time. With a .2th penalty Racer B advances.

So the display would have to read:

A 15.29
B 15.49

Final time

A 15.69
B 15.49

So, the guy behind the table running the system should be able to input the new times to reveal who "really" won the race.

[Michael Stride]

I have managed to wire the Trackmate system to the RU Ready digital screen to display results to racers at a larger size than is usual, in effect using the RUready screens (4" LCD) to display at the head of each lane the elapsed time in to the 100th. (1000ths below 10 seconds)

As I am using the 4 digit display on the RUready timer they display 100ths, and the Trackmate display shows the time to 1000ths.

This is where I need your collective thoughts Jani, Claude, Pat etc...

If we run the race recording the 4 digit 100ths time to the spread sheets , writing times to the displayed time on the RUready screens , ie rounding down to the 100th (not up, which might be 'nearer') and only using the 1000ths time in the case of ties at the 100th mark do you think this is a good way of working?

The 6 digit RU ready displays cost $150 extra each and look more unweildy...

All Ive really done is work out how to trigger the Ruready at the same time as the Trackmate, and both clocks have independent timing circuitry, not taking the display signal from one unit. But in my tests up to the 1 minute mark and beyond they are synchronised.

Am I getting overworried about the rounding of say 42.432 to 42.43 and also 42.437 to 42.43 as well...as both times would be dispalyed as 42.43 on the natty screens? Or do we record the 1000ths times into the spreadsheet, and do it that way.....???

help!!!!!