3.2 Synchronisation
Timing signifies precision ! If you are timing with only one
, make sure that the date and time of day are
correct. If you are timing with several devices, it is necessary
to synchronise them before the competition starts, to ensure
that they will all give the same result. To do this it is
necessary that the « Start » of the synchronisation is the
same on each device (Note: have you correctly chosen the
type of contact – normally open or normally closed ? See 3.1).
How to synchronise
Settings
Synchro
Date
DD-MM-YY
Day, month, year all with two characters; for example
02-03-98 for the 2
nd
March 1998, 01-01-00 for the 1
st
January
2000.
Hour
HH.MM:SS
hours, minutes, seconds, each time with 2 characters; for
example 17.30:00 (use the 24 hour clock no am/pm).
The
will now be ready and will display ?start.
The internal clock will be synchronised when a start signal is
given, which can be either by the
key or the external
« start » socket.
To synchronise several devices together:
Connect all the start sockets together –
remembering to respect the polarity (red plugs
connected together, black plugs connected
together).
Program each device as detailed above.
Give an external start impulse.
3.3 Arming
Arming time is a concept that increases the reliability of a
timing service whilst simplifying the task of the operator.
Understanding the concept of arming time and using it
correctly is an important feature of high quality timekeeping.
To help understand this concept, here is an example:
Take a 1500m where the finish times are recorded by a
photocell. The race is about to start: the finish channel
should be disarmed. An official walks in front of the cells,
and the athletes are on their first lap; none of the times
are recorded. On the last lap the finish channel is armed
and all times are recorded. When the last athlete has
passed, disarm the channel again. The result can now be
printed.
The
allows operation in manual arming
mode, this means that the operator must press the OFF/ON
key before the times can be recorded, or in automatic arming
mode where the time will automatically be recorded after a
pre-determined arming delay of x seconds. In the first case
enter 0 as the arming time, alternatively the number of
seconds before automatic rearming. If you enter 10, the
arms the arrival channel 10 seconds after the
start impulse is received.
Note that all events occurring when the inputs are disarmed
are still stored in the memory (stack). The operator can see
these times and select them by using the modification menu
accessed by the « correction » key.
How to set an arming time:
Settings
Contacts
Arming
xx
Where xx is the arming time in seconds, in the range from 0 to
99.
3.4
Resolution and Rounding
The rules of the different sporting federations stipulate a
timing resolution and method of rounding that can vary
substantially.
Several examples:
Type of race
Resolution
Rounding Type
Swimming
1/100
rounding
Athletics 100m
1/100
rounding IAAF
Athletics 20 Km walk
1/10
rounding IAAF
The
can be used for each method of
calculating a result by offering a resolution from 1/1000 of a
second up to a whole second, and the following rounding
methods:
truncated (the fractional part is simply ignored)
rounded (if the fractional part is equal or superior to 0.5,
the whole part is increased by one)
rounded IAAF (if the fractional part is more than 0.0, the
whole part is increased by one)
For example, for a time measured to one thousandth of
12.128 with a precision of one tenth we will have:
truncated:
12.1
rounded:
12.1
rounded
IAAF:
12.2
How to configure the resolution:
Settings
Resolution
Choose required resolution
How to configure the rounding mode:
Settings
Rounding
Choose required rounding
3.5
Scoreboard and PC output
The
allows the distribution of timing data on
two separate lines – the scoreboard output and the PC output.
The scoreboard output uses an RS422 protocol and the PC
output uses an RS232 protocol.
The scoreboard output is defined by the data protocol used
and the desired scoreboard format.
Depending on the application, different protocols will be used,
which allow the
to control scoreboards of
different types (refer to specific program manuals for further
details).
The menu
Settings
Scoreboard
allows the selection of the
type of scoreboard as well as the manner in which the data
will be displayed on the scoreboard.
How to select the type of Scoreboard:
Settings
Scoreboard
Type
Choose the type of scoreboard
- 7 -
- 8 -
- 9 -
