I'm sure this has been asked at some time, sorry for the repeat, wouldn't an archive be great!

Are anyone, group, club, association or region using AutoX/TS auto timing and scoring software? If you don’t mind saying which club, association or region do you belong to? I am considering purchasing this software for our club and for this reason any feedback or comments you could provide on its performance and easy of use would be helpful, also if your group is using another timing package which one and why did you chose to use it?
Thanks!!

 

I'd like to get some info on this also. good question!

 

Tarheel SCC is not associated with the SCCA, but we use TS98. As far as I know, we like it very much. R2X knows it well and should be able to comment further.

 

THSCC uses ALMOST the same software as the SCCA National Office. We use the JACircuits timer box along with the TS98 software written by Paula Whitney. SCCA uses TS99, or TS2000+ maybe by now, but THSCC has opted to stick with the TS98 version since that version can take times directly from the timer box (via TimeQueue) and put them into the TS98 software. Read: No typing in of times, thus very little probability of typos. If you are interested in this system, you might ask whether this has been fixed since TS99 such that TimeQueue can be used to pull the times across from the timer box. We have found that it works quite well for our purposes.

Some hints if you choose to go this way (especially if you are using a paper system now):

(1) Have the software installed on a couple computers and have a "play" evening where people can familiarize themselves with it. (TS 98)

(2) Have training sessions at your local test and tune events so people can get used to it in a more realistic environment.

(3) ALWAYS keep some kind of written raw sheets that have raw times and cone counts on them.


I would be more than happy to answer any questions about our system. Ask away...

 

Ok, i'll go....

1) how much was the system, by component? (i'm sure this is the big Q)

2) where did you get it from?

3) what other systems did you evaluate before purchasing yours?

4) Has it caused you any headaches?

5) How hard is it to setup and get working?

6) Does it work in the rain?

7) What kind of laptop are you using in conjunction with the timing equipment?

I think thats all i have for now....

Ryan

 

1) how much was the system, by component? (i'm sure this is the big Q)

~Hum... I'd have to ask as I didn't do the actual purchasing. Maybe Matt, Rice, Whitney, Shawn, or Scott might know.

2) where did you get it from?

~JACircuits is out of someone's garage I think, and TS98 came from Paula Whitney (SCCA Timing Guru).

3) what other systems did you evaluate before purchasing yours?

~I wasn't part of that process.

~*not doing so well with answers so far am I...*

4) Has it caused you any headaches?

~Plenty, but most were learning without the benifit of knowing someone who had used it. The system itself is great, but the learning process was a pain. Biggest thing probably is that a car is limited to 6 runs on a day. If your club runs more than that on a regular basis, you'll need to think of a solution for that limitation.

5) How hard is it to setup and get working?

~Set-up is easy. Plug all the cords into the timer box, align the lights, plug it into the computer (gotta remember that part ), and start up the programs on the laptop. Also, remember to connect TS98 to the timer through TimeQueue.

6) Does it work in the rain?

~The JACircuts start/finish lights work in the rain. I wouldn't leave the box or the computer out to get rained on, but a canopy worked for us until we got our bus. Though the time the computer took a bath, it really didn't work very well the rest of that event. (*chuckle*)

7) What kind of laptop are you using in conjunction with the timing equipment?

~It's some kind of Dell. Everyone complains about the touch-pad mouse, but I like it.

I think thats all i have for now....

~Good thing since my answers were marginal at best.

 

I can probably take some of these questions:

Our JACircuits system was bought as an entire system, but I'm sure you could just get replacement components if something brakes. I want to say it was somewhere between 1-2 grand for the timer box, all the cables and photo heads. I can find out an exact price from our club president if you need an exact number.

JACircuits advertises in the back of GRM if I'm not mistaken. I think they have a website too. A google search should find it for you.

I think we looked at a Tag Hauer, JACircuits and one other who's name escapes me right now. We went with JACircuits because we knew ahead that the SCCA uses the same system and we could get TS98 from Paula and it would work.

Only that it was a new system to learn and people are a bit afraid to re-learn.

The JACircuits system is E-Z. The hardest part is aligning the photohead with the target. Bright sun sometimes confuses it and gives you false trips, especially on concrete surfaces.

The only time it didn't work in the rain was when it briefly rained so hard, we started builing an Ark. That was because the rain was hitting the runway and splashing so hard that it disrupted the laser beam.

I dunno. A Compaq maybe? Doesn't matter as long as you have the right ports and the software.


[Modified by MaddMatt, 2:26 PM 2/28/2002]

 

Thanks! You guys have all the answers... so you get a

One last question...

The TS98 Software - if you know - how was it written (C, VB, Java, etc) and is the source code published or included in the package. I could probably "fix" the 6 cars per day limitation if that were the case.

Ryan

 

No idea.

 

We (THSCC) had pursued getting the source code a while ago and don't have it. It's not an open source program, if that's what you're asking.

It'c certainly not Java - best I can tell it's VB or C++ using MFC and so on. It's just got that Win32 look to it. May even have been done with Borland C++ builder.

 

Dude, you have mad, mad skillz. Yo.

 

IIRC it's C++, and I do believe Carl got the code to TS99 (2000?) but never did anything with it? I could be sorely mistaken on the Carl getting the code though. I believe it took LOTS of convincing if he actually got it though.

PS - I have no idea what half the abbrevs Karl used are... *sigh*

 

Well only 6 runs in a day could be rectified by just adding an additional number to the car..... a very small limitation. Say you have 99 cars, so #'s 0-99 for runs 1-6, 100-199 for runs 7-12, etc....

Ryan

 

This is the software we use:
http://www.axwaresystems.com

I've never used the other programs, so I can't tell you how they compare.

Chris