Timing system

[Logan]

I am under the impression that the "popular" timing system used at solo 2 events was written by Victor, and called the Victor system.
Am I correct?
Can someone tell me how it works? Is it windows or DOS based?
What equipment is needed to run two cars on a course?

I'm asking because we (PMSC) are trying to decide on a system to use for our regional, and I am pushing so that we can have two cars on a course at once, even if the second car goes on just as the first one is finishing.
Our current setup runs using one timing beam.

Anyone??

[tanney]

Victor's software is definitely used for after event scoring.

TAC has the Accucros system (HADA used it) that Victor built an input system for importing data into the scoring software.

Victor's timing software is used by WOSCA and OMSC and makes my life, as the chief timer and scorer, much easier.

Now, I don't know the specifics about how Victor's software runs (protocols and such). Drop him a line and I'm sure he will be able to answer any specific questions.

It is a DOS based, I do believe, but Windows can be convience to run it as well.

[Logan]

Is this Victor Del Col?
Do you have an email address for him?

[Marsh]

Victor's software can be setup to use one or two beams. I've never used anything else, so I don't know what else is out there, but my favorite aspect of Victors software is that it stores beam events and you can sperately assign what those events go to. I.E. if someone walks through the beam, the software will assume the car on course is done. But you can simply delete that beam event and the software goes back to timing the car on course. You can even do this after the fact. I've sorted out the beam events from 3 screwed up times without stopping cars and without having to do reruns, it's great. I can count on my hand the number of timing errors we've had this year.

[StewPiddass]

Timing Software??? What the hell is timing Software? LOL Us rednecks up here in the north just have a funky box with 2 stopwatches bolted to it that is wired to a beam (same beam for start and finish). It does allow two cars at a time and you can walk through the beam (I think), our problem is the times getting inputted manually onto paper, and the timer forgetting to put his finger on the button when you break the beam.

[gatherer]

Originally posted by StewPiddass
Timing Software??? What the hell is timing Software? LOL Us rednecks up here in the north just have a funky box with 2 stopwatches bolted to it that is wired to a beam (same beam for start and finish). It does allow two cars at a time and you can walk through the beam (I think), our problem is the times getting inputted manually onto paper, and the timer forgetting to put his finger on the button when you break the beam.

are you serious??? wow ... are they digital stop watches at least?

[Logan]

I don't see that as an issue when it's just a local club event.

However, if it were a regional, that's a different story!

[Marsh]

WOSCA had been hand timing all club events until last year. Once we were close to London again the events were getting popular enough that people were complaining. So we've adapted to using the lap top for every event.

I mentioned to a few people at the last regional. We now have a display that works with Victor's software to display the last completed lap time. But our timer also built the display to work stand alone. We can plug one or two beams directly into the display and use it as a giant beam activated stop watch. Very handy for fun runs, or for club events where the people that understand all the other timing equipment can't make it. So long as nothing goes wrong (like someone walking through the beam) then it requires no operator. It simply assumes that beam one is the start of a new run and beam two is the stop. It then displays that time until beam two is tripped again. Our timers love this for fun runs as it gives them time to print results etc. During fun runs the only worker is the start box.

[StewPiddass]

Yeah Jason, digital watches, it's not as archaic as you think, it's not like you have to push the button exactly when the guy goes through the beam, you just have to hold it while he goes through, the beam does the timing, this is just a precaution in case someone breaks the beam by accident. I'll show you how it works when you come to our event on July 12th, it's pretty slick.

[Taylor]

*whistle*

*tap* *tap* *tap*

*tumbleweed*

[Logan]

Still hoping has some contact info for Victor???

[Marsh]

Try emailing someone at OMSC, that's is home club.

http://www.omsc.ca/contactomsc.htm