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Post by slotcar58 on Jan 27, 2012 13:17:42 GMT -7
How about a complete timing system with a tree and timer tower for HO or 1/32 for less than $90.00 shipped!!! I just saw this posted on Old Weird Herald, a 1/24 Forum. I'm going to order one for my AW drag strip soon and upgrade!! I hope to review it in the summer issue of HORCTC. Here's the link: www.slotcardragon.com/index.html |
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kbuck
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"THUNDER BUCK RACEWAY"
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Post by kbuck on Jan 27, 2012 16:26:57 GMT -7
 I too saw that timing system. I'll wait to see how you like the one you get before I drop the dime on one. Hope it's as good as the vidio shows.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2012 19:50:05 GMT -7
Looks like it uses some kind of sensor to pick up the traction magnets. I wonder how well it will pick up a car like a stock tjet using the motor mags as the only downforce. I was saving up for the track mate system but I may have to pull the trigger on one of these to hold me over till I get a better system.
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Post by bondoman2k on Jan 27, 2012 20:13:57 GMT -7
Looks great, BUT.... You guys need to look at the vids and pics REAL close. The way this is setup, it is NOT for drags. There is only one sensor, and it records the et's based on starting at that sensor and finishing at that same sensor. Also, read the descriptions under the heading "Operation and Requirements". This will NOT work unless the car(s) have traction mags. The sensor does indeed read from those mags.  Now if the designer/ manufacturer can go back in and rework it, with a start sensor and another, seperate, win sensor, And make those sensors work without reading from the traction mags (since some HO cars, like stock tjets, do not have those), and make it work with 'dialing in' your et's (for bracket racing, but this particular thing could be overlooked if everything else worked), this will DEFINITELY be a hot seller to a LOT of drag racers!  Myself included! ;D Ron (Bondo)  |
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kbuck
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"THUNDER BUCK RACEWAY"
Posts: 437
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Post by kbuck on Jan 27, 2012 20:57:11 GMT -7
Bondo,
Your right, I did notice that it was only being shown using a loop track, I figured that was a little strange, but didn't say anything. I'll wait and check an independent review. Maybe and can be rigged up some how to work the way we need. You know how we are.
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Post by bondoman2k on Jan 28, 2012 0:26:10 GMT -7
OK, on closer 'inspection', they do sell another sensor to use for the finish line for drag racing on the site. It is, however, an extra 25 bucks. So, to me, thjis would come pretty close to the 'budget' Trackmate system, with the advantage being it is self contained (won't need to use a computer for the screen or the 'tree'), and that it has an actual christmas tree, and will show et's and reaction times on a small 'clock'. Downfall is that you can't run Tjet chassis without trac mags on this.  Now, to wait for some 'reviews'!  Ron (Bondo) |
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Post by TGM2054 on Jan 28, 2012 7:25:42 GMT -7
I've got one coming. The manufacture and I have E-Mailed back and forth several times about the system. Great guy to deal with. I'll let everybody know what it's like when I get it here. For the money I don't think you can beat it, the only glich is it uses the mags to trip the sensors. Maybe with enough requests they'll switch it over to photosensors and make everybody happy. If you have questions send them an E mail. They're really hyped up about being a part of our racing.
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Post by SKR on Jan 28, 2012 9:21:52 GMT -7
looks like a promising system. Looking forward to some reviews.
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Post by scottman2007 on Jan 28, 2012 10:24:55 GMT -7
Yeah I t hink it looks like a great little system.yeah i email them before i saw the drag racing add on for $25,But $89 and then $25..is like $114.00 for a stand alone timing system.. and bondo on trackmates website the cheapest timing system i saw for HO drags is $450.00 plus yo have to have a computer..ill tell you one thing if they could do an add on for MPH..WOW this could be very popular.and really help out HO drags racing all together.
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Post by Joe65SkylarkGS on Jan 28, 2012 15:54:24 GMT -7
It won't pick up non magnet cars. It has to go through the plastic track, chassis and then the actual box case the sensors are in? Not happening for our beloved Tjets.
I would rather get a budget Track Mate for 119. With that you get reaction time and et. Plus you get to run a race on the computer.
AlthoughI bet it will be altered a few times until he gets it where we want it to be.
For the same money, TrackMate for me.
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Post by bondoman2k on Jan 28, 2012 18:10:36 GMT -7
Hey Scottman, they do still offer their 'basic' system for 119.00. I know for a while they dicontinued it, but they had so many requests for it, they put it back on there (I think that's why). They have a new website, you may be looking at the old site. I won't post the link here, as I feel that would be 'hijacking' this thread. But if you should want the link, just pm me or post another thread about it. I will be glad to post it for anyone that wants it. And, I do agree with Joe that for that same money, the Trackmate is probably the way to go, at least for right now. But, as he said, I'm sure they will modify it as they go. Ron (Bondo) |
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Post by scottman2007 on Jan 28, 2012 18:48:59 GMT -7
yeah its $119 no tree and you haveto have a laptop or computer just to run it,plus if you want a external tree that another $145..all iam saying its not a bad deal for $114.00,plus what if they did MPH.sorry stand alone stystem,that doesnt need a computer. thats cool in my book.
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Post by Joe65SkylarkGS on Jan 28, 2012 19:54:45 GMT -7
yeah its $119 no tree and you haveto have a laptop or computer just to run it,plus if you want a external tree that another $145..all iam saying its not a bad deal for $114.00,plus what if they did MPH.sorry stand alone stystem,that doesnt need a computer. thats cool in my book. I'm totally with you on a good system with everything we need. If they get et mph with reaction too, then it's a no brainer. I will even have a portable set up if this is the case. But let's get there first. Most people have an old useable laptop laying around. I asked once on a buick forum and I had a bunch of people offering me their old one's so it's not too bad to get one if you don't allready own one. Desk tops are always readily available for next to nothing. But if thety upgrade it to what we need, I will own one at least. |
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Post by bondoman2k on Jan 29, 2012 23:39:48 GMT -7
Well guys, I just found out more info. I personally did not receive this info, but I got it off another site. I won't quote what that person said the reply was, since the email was to them. If they decide to put that here, I'm sure they will. But, basically the mfr. of this says that it WILL work on HO cars without trac mags. It's the motor mags that actually trip the sensors. They did say they are working on a better infrared system that will probly take them about 90 days. So, that means, at least from what I gather, that ANY HO car should work, even Tjets.  So, it looks like it will work as a GOOD 'starter' unit, and even a 'portable' setup. Only bad thing is, the 'stand alone' setup for the et and reaction time readouts will not include mph. GOOD news! ;D Ron (Bondo) |
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Post by estill on Jan 30, 2012 9:46:23 GMT -7
I've been working on building my own drag strip with a complete DIY stand-a-lone timing system. I've been discussing this with Ninjatek through PM's. While I have no interest in selling systems, I do intend on making my schematics and source code available. Now that the disclaimer is out of the way....
Adding a timing system to the AW set is not as difficult as you might think. The lane sensors go to a NAND gate of some sort on the small circuit boards. It can be tapped into with a small hot soldering iron. This will give you either +5V or 0V depending on if the sensor is covered or not. That signal can then be read by an Arduino or a similar type prototyping board. I'm not going to push any places to purchase these, but the Uno board can be had for under $50. This gives you 14 data points and about 2-4 microsecond resolution. (2-4 millionths of a second.) The Arduino provides a USB interface back to just about any computer and operating system. There are even pieces to get the data out via a network connection and to an Android phone.
Please keep in mind soldering onto the existing AW circuit boards is difficult. I recently ran into an issue where a blob of solder was hiding the fact that one of the chips I needed to tap was missing the wire "leg" going down to the printed board.
The last piece I need to solve is the reaction time. I'm having a difficult time figuring out exactly what is happening with the LED tree.
As a teaser, I have picked up the Arduino Mega. My intent is to build LCD scoreboards for each lane. Through the score boards and a small keypad, I will be able to select a race type, tree type, enter dial-ins etc. The whole project will probably be around $250-300 including building a track. When completed I will have a DIY tree, one stage sensor (I'm going to use a single blue LED for my stage light), starting line sensor, half track ET, a speed trap sensor and a finish line sensor. I could add 60' and half track spped later if I want to.
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Myself included! ;D
So, it looks like it will work as a GOOD 'starter' unit, and even a 'portable' setup. Only bad thing is, the 'stand alone' setup for the et and reaction time readouts will not include mph.