Mario has had the slot bug rebite him an he is gonna continue where he left off in beta 2.40 an update SRM WOOHOOOOOOO. This by far is the best free timing program I have used of the 3-4 I tryed

http://www.cenobyte.nl/slotracemanager/

I love this program!!! (no matter what people say about trackmate or LT2k)

Sorry for the NOOB question but how does the track "talk" with the computer?

through infrared LED's, dead strips or read switches

I love this program!!! (no matter what people say about trackmate or LT2k)

Me too, Ive tryed both those I think, I know I have LT2k, it was ok, It doesn't compare to SRM

Do those infrared LED's, dead strips or read switches have a USB interface?

Do those infrared LED's, dead strips or read switches have a USB interface?

Ropes,

Not exactly.. but, could. It depends on the software and hardware. I would say the norm is Trakmate using a serial port (Comm Port) or parallel port (printer) interface.. but, USB conversion interface cables are fairly common and cheap. You can also use game port communication interfaces. And, I know there is one software package out there that uses a common usb interface card (Phidgets), but I do not know much about it.

I think with any track counting system.. it is usually DIY project to interface with your track system.

Here is a thread on my build from last year.. using a joystick interface and infra-red sensors:
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=207244& (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=207244)

A lot of information can be found on HOSlotcarRacing (http://www.hoslotcarracing.com/) Site under the "Electronics->Lap Timer" section.

Good luck and feel free to ask questions!

-Robbie

I use the game port interface with a light sensor as sold through hoslotcarracing.com. It was easy to set up and has worked flawlessly since I got it several years ago.

Do those infrared LED's, dead strips or read switches have a USB interface?

No, But that is something I am going to suggest to Mario

Hee guys, it's Mario here!

Just stumbled upon this thread by coincidence.

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Right now I'm in the last stages of finishing my wooden 3 lane track that I also want to use as a testbed for SRM (and to have some ludicrous slot race fun ofcourse!). Check out the pictures here (http://gallery.me.com/cenobytez#100196&bgcolor=black&view=grid).

As soon as that's finished, I want to complete SRM v2.41. This version will not feature any new things (that is: if you are used to the 2.40 Beta version), but will be "release" ready. Version 2.40 Beta still has some non-functional things, an old manual, some bugs, etc. Version 2.41 should be free of these strange things :thumbsup:

I love this program!!! (no matter what people say about trackmate or LT2k)

That's good to hear. I would be disappointed if you based your affection for something on someone else's opinion. Look around and listen, but decide what you like on your own.

Hey Mario,
Glad to see you on the board!

Ropes - I use IRs with a parallel port. Absolutely no problems. I'm not sure about DOS and USB compatibility, I guess Mario could answer that one.

Rich

I have looked at USB often. Not only to expand the way SRM2 can read, but also for a possible successor in the form of SRM3 (Windows version).

For the question why SRM2 can't use USB (or the serial port for that matter): it's quite hard to use USB in DOS because of the lack of support in DOS. It can be done with third party software, but then reading from the USB port would be too slow/unreliable to keep SRM2's fast 0,001 second accuracy intact. That is because SRM2 is triggered by the input signal, so as soon as the sensor emits a pulse, SRM2 registers a time. Any delay in that results in a delay in the registered time.

Using the serial port is something I tried in the past, but then I would have to make the sensor readout routine longer (=less accurate) to incorporate serial port readout. Or I would have to write and maintain two separate readout routines. There are not that many people that use the serial port for the purpose of timing sensors, so I decided to leave that option out of SRM2. It is a program that I develop in my spare time and I only have so much of it ;)

HEY MARIO!!!!!!!!!!! Good to see you on the site. Your timing software is a valuable addition to all scale races
For those of you that haven't tried SRM your missing out. Its BY FAR the BEST free timing software available, an I have tried most of them out there an nothing compares to SRM!!!!!!

Thanks! :thumbsup:

Mario

SRM 2.41 is released: check this link (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=251075) out :)

I just downloaded SRM and would love to try it out but the thing is I have a Win95 based computer (currently running LT2k). I'm reading that it only works in a DOS environment. I'm very weak on knowledge of DOS compared to Windows. Can I get this to work?

You should be able to boot your Win95 machine to DOS 7.0.

In Windows 98 it would be something like this:

Press start button, choose shutdown, choose restart to DOS. Computer restarts to DOS.

Also when computer boots, a screen will come up that says "Starting windows 98". Quickly press F8 (you have about a 1 sec 'window' before the windows splash screen comes up). From the menu that pops up, choose the option "boot to command prompt". Typing "exit" or rebooting from either method will get you back to 'regular' windows.

I guess something like that should also work in Windows 95.

you have to unzip the folder in your c: folder.

After that, restart your computer in dos mode.

type : "DIR the_name_of_SRM_folder" (without the : and "")

type the name of the SRM executable (don't remember it), and it's done.

you can modify the autoexec.bat file too, to make everything automatic.

I thing Cenobyte will explain that better than me.

Thanks guys!! HT people are the best!