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Timing Systems Types And Setting Up


SlotsNZ

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NOTE: I have updated this first post August 2017, so that anyone coming to the thread for the first time

can get a decent overview of where timing systems are at currently, instead of needing to pick through

all the updates. If you are new, don't hesitate to ask questions.

 

All updates are in blue, so others can see. Feel free to contact me if I have any factually inaccurate

information, and I'll update this "base post" to reflect your input.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

TIMING & RACE CONTROL

 

There are a number of free 'software only' packages available in Windows and DOS.

There are also pay to download Windows ones, and some systems you can purchase which consist of

both a hardware board or box, and a software package that controls it.

 

No one size fits all. ** The most commonly used packages

 

SOFTWARE ONLY

 

** Race Coordinator - Donationware - powerful and friendly, well supported. http://www.racecoordinator.net/

Race Coordinator now works as software only or using the Trackmate interface board, Arduino interface

boards, DS Systems, Slotmaster and other hardware boards. Widely used as alternate software with the

TRACKMATE hardware board below. Fully programmable screens, and there are many clever users offering

their customization for free on here. The developer often visits Auslot to support and interact.

rr_anim.gif

 

 

** Laptimer 2000 - Freeware, http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/ been around many years, doesn't

have a lot of fancy features, but for home racer who don't need lane rotation and totaling, is typically

the easiest to set up and use.

LapTimer2000.jpg

 

 

** Ultimate Racer 3.0 - Donationware http://www.uracerweb.org/ (includes powerful track designer)

ultimateracer.jpg

 

 

SCRaceTime - http://www.scracetime.de/ (German package, don't know anything about it)

 

SlotRaceManager - http://www.cenobyte....lotracemanager/

 

SlotCarManager - http://www.slotcarma...l_frames_e.html (Donationware, includes track designer)

 

 

HARDWARE BASED

 

** TRACKMATE - http://www.trackmateracing.com/shop/

A medium priced solution which is rock solid. The new version has CAT-5 cable connections to the

timing loom and USB connection to the PC, whereas older versions needed a serial to USB adapter

which often made matching it with modern PCs an issue.

Purchase of the board gives you the software as well, and free updates when they come out. It is also

widely used as the hardware package only, in conjunction with Race Coordinator Software.

 

trackmate1.jpg

 

trackmate2.jpg

 

** Arduino robotics boards

Arduino is the name of a line of Italian robotics boards, of which many Chinese factories make clones

- or close to clones.

With a firmware patch available from Race Coordinator, and the Race Coordinator software, two

versions of this board called UNO and Mega can be used as hardware to run the race control on tracks,

and perform the functions like track power switching.

The advantage is that they are much cheaper than a proprietary board made by a company specifically

for Slot racing.

The dis-advantage is that it takes a fair bit of computer savvy to configure the electronics side, and wire

them to the timing and power control correctly, and not all cloned Arduino boards work properly.

Also, some PCs seem to need certain windows updates and extensions manually installed to enable

them to work properly.

UNO.jpg

 

 

DS-RacingProducts - DS-Racing Products - Sophisticated and more expensive system made in Spain

by IBB Slotracing. More suited to large club or public raceway setups. The most favoured solution in

European clubs. It is now available in Australia.

I haven't used it, but those who do swear by it as being rock solid and capable of recording lots of data

- which they love analysing.

DSfront.jpg

 

IBB are currently developing a new race control system with smaller boards. I am not aware of when it will

reach the market.

 

 

Slotmaster - www.slotmaster.com

slotmaster.jpg

 

 

PCLapcounter - http://pclapcounter.be/ hardware & Software package, fairly pricey

 

pclapcounter.jpg

 

 

Startline http://www.startline.net.au/

Australian made hardware and software package, unsure if still available or supported.

 

 

Most of these can be used with several types of sensing to activate the software counting.

 

1) Photo-transistor sensors that respond by turning on and off in response to the presence and removal

of some kind of visible light, or infra-red light.

 

2) "dead-strip" which is a short section of track where the left and right rails are isolated from the rest of

the circuit (on each lane), The braids of the car short from one side to the other through the motor like

turning on a switch for a moment as the car passes over that isolated section of track.

 

3) Micro-switches or magnetic switches, which just act like the above, usually triggered by the car guide,

or the motor magnet.

 

In all these cases, the "sensor" is simply acting like an electrical light switch, ie, it completes the circuit

as when you turn on a light, or "opens" it, as when you switch off a light.

 

The software is "looking at" the wires connected to these "switches", and goes

"oh yeah, it turned on for a moment", - or "it turned off for a moment" - better add one more lap to that

lane count, and oh yeah, it's been 4.65 seconds since it last happened, so that's how long it took the

car to do the lap.. I better add all that into the race data for the guys and store it till the race ends"

. . . really, it's that simple.....

 

Some packages such as Ultimate Racer can also be driven by a web camera attached to the PC,

where a defined screen area of what the camera sees, gets triggered by the movement of a car.

[sounds weird, and I haven't tried it, but I've read a number of reports where people use it quite

successfully.] To me the downside is that between the car and the camera, hands can get in the

way and falsely trigger it, and also, if the camera gets bumped, you lose the actual correct "triggering"]

 

Ultimate Racer can also be configured to work with outside hardware boards to do more sophisticated

things. . . but that's another story.

 

1) PHOTO-TRANSISTOR SYSTEM WIRING SETUP

 

These days this is the most common way to trigger the race control software.

 

You wire up SENSORS to the appropriate pins on a lead which connects to the hardware board

of your timing system if you have that kind; or directly into a port on your computer which is specified

by a software only system.

 

SENSORS : You can use photo-transistors which sense visible light, or ones which sense "I.R."

Infra-red light which is invisible to the human eye. I.R. is popular because you don't have to "see"

the bright light shining down onto the track, especially if you do night racing, but you do need a bit

more electrical savvy and confidence to set them up. (They are visible as a pink light through the

lens of a digital camera or cell-phone, which is how I always check that they are working.)

Then; you supply a light source for the photo-transistors.

 

newcable4.jpg

 

A typical 4 lane timing cable/loom, wired with a Cat-5 connector to go into a Trackmate board, and 4

photo-transistors on the other end.

 

If you have a red coloured Trackmate board, or an older PC with a DB25 printer port, you can wire a cable to go directly into that DB25 port

You wire up the Photo-transistors to the appropriate pins on a lead connected to a DB25 printer plug (the old standard printer plugs.) These are SENSORS – a switch operated by light. Below is a 4 lane sensor wired up.

 

In the picture:

the Brown wire is connected to pin 10 for lane one of the sensor, and it's Brown/white "partner" underneath to Pin 22

the Orange wire is connected to pin 11 for lane two of the sensor, and it's orange/white "partner" underneath to Pin 23

the Green wire is connected to pin 12 for lane three of the sensor, and it's Green/white "partner" underneath to Pin 24

the Blue wire is connected to pin 13 for lane four of the sensor, and it's blue/white "partner" underneath to Pin 25

 

DB25-1.jpg

 

DB25-2.jpg

 

One quick note - Make sure you have the "legs" the right way around on the photo transistor, or it won't work.

The diagram below appears as being switched left to right because it is displayed from the PINS side of

the plug, not the REAR of the plug where I took the photographs.

 

DB25-3.jpg

 

But as it shows, you need the short leg of the sensor wired to the TOP pin, and the long leg of the sensor wired to

the BOTTOM pin. It also does show you the pin numbers each wire is connected to. You will need those numbers if

you use UR3.0, because that software package allows you to decide which pins are assigned to which lane counting.

 

I have run a software patch with my own old red "Trackmate" system which causes most PCs and versions

of windows operating system to recognise USB inputs as serial "com ports" for input, given that PCs

with old fashioned DB25 cables are becoming rarer. You use the DB25 to USB adapter lead that comes

with that software. This is called the PL2303, and the patch for various systems can be

downloaded from here http://www.prolific....loads.asp?id=31

 

 

LIGHT SOURCE FOR Photo-sensors

For visible light, some people just use a fluoro lamp across the track, built into a bridge, others use

some small LEDs which emit visible light, usually built into a bridge of some kind. I don't recommend

the basic room light, as it is often too low, and can be affected by people moving about.

if you use IR photo-transistors, you need to use IR frequency LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes.)

 

One quick note - Make sure you have the "legs" the right way around on the LEDs, or you will blow them up.

One side is positive, the other negative. Generally, the long leg is the positive side, but do check the

specification sheet that should come with them.

 

To power the LEDs you need a small DC source. This only needs to be about 30milli-amp output for each

LED, so if you have a 2 or 3 lane track, an old cell phone charger of 100ma or so will be fine.

You can adjust the value of resistors used, to work with anything from say 3 to 12 volts.

 

Here is a wiring diagram with some typical values and the very simple circuit outlined, and below is a link

for an excel spreadsheet which will calculate the resistor value needed to wire in with either visible

or Infra-Red LEDs

 

LEDcircuit.jpg

 

Click the link below to get a spreadsheet which will help you calculate the resistor value required to

use in a circuit with your choice of LED and power supply.

 

LED Powering Formula

 

Choose an old phone charger or similar wall-plug DC supply.

Input the nominal voltage of the LED (usually about 1.2 volts), and the current rating of the LED

- which is usually about 20 milliamps; then choose a resistor of near as value to the big blue figure

the spreadsheet kicks out at you.

 

Some common results would be

4.5 volts use 160 ohm resistors

6 volts use 240 or 270 ohm resistors

7.5 volts use 300 ohm resistors

9 volts use 360 or 390 ohm resistors

12 volts use 510 or 560 ohm resistors

 

These resistors values at the 1.2 stated voltage will give you a current through each LED of about 20ma.

This is the most common rated drive current for LEDs, but in practice, I have driven some myself at

up to 3 times that for short periods, and on my own track I have driven them at around 25ma for the

past 3 years, and none have failed – we never miss laps as we have plenty of "invisible" I.R. light.

 

srsb-3.jpg

 

The shot above is a custom PC board in which LEDs are mounted with current control resistors ready

for installation in some kind of light bridge. DC power can be fed to the + and - points at either end.

 

bridge.jpg

 

The shot above is what I made for one of my tracks. I mounted the LEDs poking out the bottom of this

bridge, then added the 2nd sidewall, and painted and decorated it. The power wires for the LEDs came

out one end and disappeared into the Superstructure of the track, where I connected them to a small

DC power supply robbed from a defunct cellphone.

 

The image below shows a start finish banner from anther track I built, which has the I.R. LEDs built in.

Wiring hidden, very simple - not flash modelling, others will do it better than my ham-fists can achieve.

 

front%20straight.jpg

 

 

There is another type of "all in one" photo-transistor unit with LEDs that can be mounted in a slot.

The wiring principles are the same but you need to know which side is the photo-transistor to connect

to your timing, and which side is the LEDs needing some DC voltage to drive them.

 

in-slotphoto.jpg

 

These need to be mounted in the slot so they are as near as possible to flush with the surface.

The advantage of these is that they are discreet and false triggers above the track by hands or

de-slotted cars passing under the light bridge are eliminated.

However as the light source is broken by the slot guide, which is a very short pulse, and blue

colour guides are often transparent to the IR light, laps can be missed.

 

For those who don't feel able to build the timing cable or light bridge for themselves, ask around

your club, or on forum for someone who could do it for you.If that fails, contact me, as I still make

up systems for people.

 

 

DEAD STRIP SETUP

------------------------------

The idea of a dead strip is that you have a short strip of the "track" where one side of the copper

tape/braid or rails of a plastic track is actually isolated from the power. So, as the car passes over

the "isolated" section of track which may be 5 to 10cm long (depending on things like typical car

speed on your track and the location of the dead-strip), the pick-ups of the car close/complete

that small length of isolated circuit from the left to the right side, and you run a wire from each side of that

small piece of track back to your timing software to the computer, where it is connected via a

printer cable as if it had the photo-transistor type of sensor.

So in effect, the pickups of the car become the "switch".

 

This USED TO BE the default system for counting laps, and in practice is very reliable if you set it

up with the right sort of length of "dead-strip".

 

If it is too short, and the cars go over it too quickly, it may not 'trigger", and if you out it somewhere

where cars may have just de-slotted, you can miss laps, or get a car straying from another lane to

create a false count as it's pick-ups brush across the dead strip. Too long, and the car slows more

than is desirable during the dead strip - or even stops ...... but done right, they are just fine, and

have the advantage of there being nothing needed above the track surface, and never needing

maintenance or alignment.

 

Dead strips are polarity sensitive due to the “back EMF” created by motors. Wired one way, the EMF

helps the switching, wired the other way, it tries to prevent it. If you connect a dead strip backwards

they will only count properly with very low powered or if the car is moving very slowly.

Many people that encounter that problem think that the dead strips need to be longer, but if the

polarity is correct dead strips as short as 1.5 inches will work perfectly.

 

Here is a diagram showing correct wiring, and some basic components to use, which are to protect

the PC input at the "other end" of the cable, and assumes that each of four lanes will connect to pins

4 - 7 on a DB25 printer port.

 

 

 

deadstrip.jpg

 

Also, you absolutely have to keep track voltage away from the dead strips.

 

This can be done by having a gap either side of the dead strip….. long enough to ensure that car

braids cannot simultaneously short out the dead strip while being on live track, ie a section say

20 - 25mm where there is no braid/tape at all.

 

If you want to run a track which has dead-strips for timing both ways; you will need to use some DPDT

switches to reverse the circuit so the wires still go to the right pin numbers on your computer, and the

PC is protected by the circuit drown above.

 

If using a DB25 (old parallel printer port, you may need to set the parallel port to 'SPP' mode in the

pc's BIOS, depending upon how many lanes you have, and whether you want to use the software

to do tasks other than counting laps.

eg, Ultimate racer is capable of running a lot of different add-on facilities, and Race Coordinator can work

with at least 8 lanes, requiring use of pins usually configured for the Bi-directional modes of printer ports.

 

You can then use pins 10-17 for triggers.

 

These three lanes are wired to pins 11/12/13 with a common ground to pin 25

Make sure you get the port address (ie 0x378) from there and enter it in the settings of Ultimate Racer

if you are using that package.

dead-strip-LPT-wiring.jpg

For use of Dead Strips with Trackmate, the correct protection module supplied by Trackmate is strongly

recommended. Also, Trackmate uses specific pins for input.

 

 

Lane 1 = Pin 10

Lane 2 = Pin 11

Lane 3 = Pin 12

Lane 4 = Pin 13

Lane 5 = Pin 6

Lane 6 = Pin 7

Lane 7 = Pin 8

Lane 8 = Pin 9

These are all tied back to the same common rail of pins 18 - 25

 

OTHER TYPES OF SWITCH

There are also a couple more sensors that can be used. One type has the lever arm of a micro-switch

down in the slot. Micro-switches work well once you adjust them properly. HO tracks mostly use

magnetic reed switches, those would work in 1/32nd scale if you always ran with traction magnets,

but motor magnets alone are not likely to trip them. SOME reed-switches are also polarity sensitive,

so you should check that point out if you plan to use these.

 

Whichever hardware and software combination you decide to use, you will need to configure the software

so that it is "looking at" the right pin numbers, on the right connector type and number on your PC.

Edited by SlotsNZ

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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great info slotsnz

 

what i did with my IR setup was use 2 pins to power the transmitters so there was no need for a extra power supply

 

Yep, I have heard of people doing that, but some ports on older PCs do not dish out power apparently they only accept the Pin-in data, - and others well, 20ma is enough to crap them out, so I didn't want to risk going there in this, as people of all abilities will be using it, and it might just create another layer of "where did I go wrong" - you know what I mean . . . . . :lol:

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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Thankyou SlotsNZ. I wasted the better part of a weekend trawling through the forums looking for this information.

 

I know most of you fellows all consider this basic Genesis type stuff, but if you're new to it all it's frustrating trying to link all the threads together into a homogenous and intelligent whole.

 

Sure it all comes down to Slot Car Tracks 101, but... we've all got to start somewhere. And not all of us have access to a handy local bloke to ask.

 

It's been said before... But your blood's worth bottling.

 

Hmmm... What else do we need in Tracks 101. Then it's probably onto Cars 101 and Techniques 101, perhaps even Slot-ettiquette 101 for those lucky enough to have people to play with. :huh:

 

Cheers

Embs

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

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Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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  • 2 weeks later...
from what i was told dick smith have stopped stocking the z1951 now :(

 

but great info

 

Hi there

 

they ARE going out of that component. Basically, as store get the new retail refit, they drop carrying most electronic "components" - well, that's what the 3 centre city stores in Melbourne told me last month when I went "trolling" to steal some more of your raw items.........

 

But I know Brett and Rick picked me up stocks from stores in Adelaide and Melbourne, Brett actually got a store to order some in from the warehouse, so if you check their store stocks you might find some at a shop near you. They won't ship onlne orders now, so I guess that indicates the warehouse is now empty.

Here's printout as at today. (BUT NOT ALWAYS CORRECT - HALF THE TIME THE "STOCK" was stolen or lost months ago)

 

Shop Instore:

Product is in-stock and only available from the stores below. Please phone your nearest store to confirm availabilty. Stock may be shop soiled, ex-demonstration or repaired. All products carry their normal manufacturers warranty.

 

Retail Stores in italics have 2 or less in stock as at 03:33 AM 11-Nov-2009. Please phone the store you intend to visit to ensure they still have stock. We will not ship or transfer this product to another Store.

 

NT:-

Darwin DSE, Mitchell Centre DSE

NSW/ACT:-

Albury DSE, Armidale DSE, Ashfield DSE, Ballina DSE, Bateau Bay DSE, Batemans Bay DSE, Bathurst DSE, Belconnen DSE, Brookvale DSE, Burwood DSE, Campbelltown DSE, Carlingford DSE, Castle Hill DSE, Civic DSE, Coffs Harbour DSE, Dapto DSE, Dee Why DSE, Dubbo DSE, Forster DSE, Glendale DSE, Gore Hill DSE, Greenhills DSE, Griffith DSE, Gungahlin DSE, Hurstville DSE, Kotara DSE, Lismore DSE, Liverpool DSE, Maitland DSE, Miranda DSE, Muswellbrook DSE, Newcastle DSE, Nowra DSE, Orange DSE, Penrith Westfield DSE, Port Macquarie DSE, Roselands DSE, Rouse Hill DSE, St Ives DSE, Tweed Heads South DSE, Windsor DSE, Wollongong DSE

VIC:-

Altona DSE, Bairnsdale DSE, Ballarat DSE, Box Hill DSE, Broadmeadows DSE, Camberwell DSE, Chirnside Park DSE, Dandenong DSE, Fountain Gate Dick Smith, Frankston DSE, Geelong Dick Smith, Geelong DSE, Glen Waverley DSE, Hamilton DSE, Highpoint DSE, Horsham DSE, Karingal Hub DSE, Knox City Dick Smith, Mentone DSE, Mildura DSE, Mornington DSE, Morwell DSE, Niddrie DSE, Northland DSE, Nunawading Dick Smith, Nunawading Large, Parkdale Plaza DSE, Prahran Dick Smith, Rosebud DSE, Sale DSE, Shepparton DSE, Sunbury DSE, Sunshine DSE, Victoria Gardens DSE, Watergardens DSE, Waurn Ponds DSE, Wendouree Village DSE, Werribee DSE

QLD:-

Booval DSE, Browns Plains DSE, Buranda DSE, Caloundra DSE, Capalaba Park DSE, Carindale DSE, DSE Bundaberg (FRN), Earlville DSE, Gladstone DSE, Gympie DSE, Hervey Bay DSE, Ipswich DSE, Kawana DSE, Logan Central DSE, Logan Hyperdome DSE, Maroochydore DSE, Maryborough DSE, Morayfield DSE, Noosa DSE, North Lakes DSE, Rockhampton DSE, Springfield DSE, Strathpine DSE, Toombul DSE, Toowoomba DSE, Townsville DSE, Underwood DSE, Warwick DSE, Wynnum DSE, Yamanto DSE

SA:-

Adelaide City DSE, Arndale DSE, Colonnades DSE, Elizabeth City DSE, Enfield DSE, Glenelg Dick Smith, Hollywood Plaza DSE, Ingle Farm DSE, Marion DSE, Modbury DSE, Myer Centre Adelaide DSE, St Marys Dick Smith, Westlakes DSE, Whyalla Norrie DSE

WA:-

Armadale DSE, Belmont-WA DSE, Cannington DSE, Claremont DSE, Fremantle DSE, Joondalup, Kalgoorlie DSE, Mandurah DSE, Midland, Midland Gate DSE, Morley DSE, Osborne Park DSE, Rockingham DSE

TAS:-

Glenorchy DSE, Launceston DSE, Rosny Park Dick Smith.

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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How's the z1950 compare with the z1951. And where does the z1955 fit amongst the scheme of things. And there's others that they have here that are supposedly ambient light filtered.

 

Local DSE (and I don't mean the Govt Dept of Many Names) has a few bits and pieces left but no z1951s. I can get 3 z1950s if anyone is interested. Will take a look tomorrow lunchtime and make a list of what else they have left if anyone wants.

 

Cheers

Embs

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

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Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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Embs, the big advantage the 1951's have over the 1950's is the former will run on off ambient light. The latter no chance. That is why most here on this board use them. If, however, you are going to be implementing a light bridge of some sort then that feature is probably irrelevant to you!

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Thank Yng. Don't need them myself, I purchased someones leftovers. But if anyone else is in need and can't get I have access to 3 z1950s

Computers. They'll never catch on.

 

_AM_sig_zps00cdfd1a.jpg

 

Tiny Tyers Targa - The build saga continues - Aging wood - A recipe for staining wood - Don't take a fence - Step by step paling fence - An old shed for my new cars - Wooden garage under construction

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big advantage the 1951's have over the 1950's is the former will run on off ambient light. The latter no chance.

 

Thanks Ywngie for that info. I have been trying to find some Z1951s for the last couple of weeks from DSE (from quite a few of those DSEs listed as in stock above) with no success. I need to use them for the pit bays and segment timing (I need 6 all up). I am happy to use infra-red LEDs, so you think the 1950s (readily available from Jaycar) will work OK? Is this informed by personal experience?

 

Thanks,

 

Count

mt1135840120-1.jpg

Ask not what MDF can do to you, rather ask what you can do to MDF!

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Count, I had the 1950's and yes they work fine but WILL need another light source such as bright LED's or infra-reds. I went for the 1951's as they are a little smaller and will trigger via sunlight, fluorescent light etc. Far more sensitive but as you already have a light bridge then it shouldnt be an issue for you!.

 

PS Love the track!

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  • 5 months later...

Hi Guys

 

Does anyone have a circuit diagram for the Dingo timer interface. I have one of these that I am hoping can be adapted to work with the SRM 2.5 program. My current first best friend Rick :huh: is having a look at it but we need the circuit diagram to see how it all works. I tried to find the website but it appears to have dissapeared so I can only assume that the program is no longer available.

 

She's right I found what I was looking for hiding away on a memory stick, thanks any way.

 

Cheers Alan

Edited by lenny broke
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I have just found this one

RaceManager X

http://www.scaleslots.com/Welcome.html

It works on Windows and Mac - it supports DS boxes and Phidgets and Parallel ports on Windows

I think it may soon support the new USB interface being developed my Carlson Computers

 

Haven't tried it yet

cheers

DM

 

Heya DM,

 

have you been using this package. I've been talking with the developer, but he's a mac guy,a nd not into hardware.

 

I can't get the parallel port to work, and I'm using PCs which are happliy sensing the same cable for LT2000 ad UR3.0.

There's just the one adress to choose- - 378, which is what the ports have, and you can invert, to get correct lap timing (versue one before), which is the same option as in LT2000.

 

I just can't figure out why it isn't picking anything up.

 

As a package, it has a lot to commend it. Easy to set up and use.

I'd like to see more race scoring options, lap and time accumulation, as opposed to just a points table, but it looks pretty good.

Recovering Lapsed Slot Addict :ph34r:  *  Custodian of many used screws (mostly loose :rolleyes:)  *  Total kidder  *  Companion of other delusional slot addicts :lol:  

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I have Been looking at buying the setup from www.slotmaster.com as the fuel usage us based on voltage supplied to the lane. It is pricey but is a feature I have really wanted. Anyone use it or know someplace that has. Wondering how it works and if it would work with how races are ran here with partial laps.

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  • 5 months later...
I have Been looking at buying the setup from www.slotmaster.com as the fuel usage us based on voltage supplied to the lane. It is pricey but is a feature I have really wanted. Anyone use it or know someplace that has. Wondering how it works and if it would work with how races are ran here with partial laps.

 

Did you end up buying this system GZ? I'm interested in getting something so the fuel burn is taken into account for 'endurance' races.

 

Anyone other options for systems incorporating this feature folks?

Captain's log: We are enroute to some planet whose name I cannot pronounce to do something really complicated that I don't understand.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi guy's,

for a light source for the timing circuit, i went an electrical trade supplier "Middendorp electrics" and purchased a strip of LED's with adhesive backing to put over my finish / start line. The beauty of this is not only did it look impressive when on, but it connected directly to the 12 Volt track power supply with no modifications or other electronic trickery. You could probably solder the wires to the light strip, but i chose to buy the lead for it and use that. i also went to my local Metal land and had them bend me up a simple light shade ? reflector out of stainless steel. I tried posting photos but photo but wasn't playing the game. follow the link to the website for the product. There are probably other uses on the track for their products, for those who are creative out there.

http://www.superlux.co.nz/products.asp?id=358&product=1164

nils

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