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Lap Timing Systems

Lap Timing Systems

Old 05-06-2008, 09:57 PM
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I've been using this one on temporary on road track that we have for timed practice sesion works just like AMB at low cost never mised a lap.You can also used every software that AMB uses.

Since I-Lap use a PT with unique ID# like AMB unlimited number of cars can be run at the same time.

Like I said this timing system it's just like AMB. I just open an off road track in my area and I intend to use this timing system but alot of guys already have an AMB transponder so we decided to go to that route. But I have to barrow my buddies AMB decoder.

I still use this I-lap timing system on my track for practice
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Old 05-06-2008, 11:53 PM
  #17  
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Light based systems might work in clean environment, but there's no way it would hold up in nitro offroad or even nitro onroad... I have one of the Orion LCS personal lap counters and while it worked almost perfectly on electric touring, it was crap on nitro touring... there's so much more dust and dirt everywhere on the car during the run, light just isn't reliable enough. The offroad cars sometimes come off the track covered in thick layer of mud, there's no way any light would pass through that.
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Old 05-07-2008, 12:01 AM
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olev - very good point...
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Old 05-07-2008, 01:38 AM
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While not a budget system a alternative to AMB is the Chronolec Protime Elite decoder with RCS transponders.
Neat thing about this system is that the decoder will carry on counting laps if the pc system goes down.
The transponders are cheaper than AMB by about 30/40% and the transponders are battery powered and have a 5 year lifespan after wich they need to be inductively charged for another 5 years. The timing system also monitors the battery status of the transponders.
The software looks interesting and can actually do your whole years championship points from the individual races held.

On the issue of sector timing it has the facility to connect up to 16 sectors by cable or wireless.
Fast becoming popular with uses in LeMans, and European motocross and rally scenes.Also getting very popular in Karting.

www.chronoelec.com
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Old 05-07-2008, 10:37 AM
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Now...there are plenty of race programs using beat up AMB systems or stuff like that. I can see this being a cost effective replacement but alienation of the AMB PT users becomes a problem. Wouldnt people with existing AMB decoder systems run their transponder loop as normal THEN add their I-Lap system over it be a solution?

Would lap counting software be able to work with both transponder types running at the same time?
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Old 05-07-2008, 10:44 AM
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Seems like our $90 AMB personal transponders will not work with this system?
ANYONE remember the year these came out...and were $49.00, and going to be SO AFFORDABLE all racers could have one.

Unlike EVERYTHING else R/C that has gotten better and virtually gotten less expensive - the AMB products continue to get MORE and MORE expensive.

I believe the AMBrc 'Personal Transponder' now retails for OVER $110.00, that's WORSE than the price of GAS!.
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Old 05-07-2008, 10:47 AM
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Originally Posted by SWTour
ANYONE remember the year these came out...and were $49.00, and going to be SO AFFORDABLE all racers could have one.

Unlike EVERYTHING else R/C that has gotten better and virtually gotten less expensive - the AMB products continue to get MORE and MORE expensive.

I believe the AMBrc 'Personal Transponder' now retails for OVER $110.00, that's WORSE than the price of GAS!.
$70 or $60 MRT transponders work for the same applications on the system timing systems for alot elss and are even more compact. I say for anyone who complains, just look into MRT. I have one and it works flawlessly.
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Old 05-07-2008, 10:51 AM
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I wish there was a U.S. distributor that carried the MRt units, for a fair price.

I think they could KILL AMB - but MRt doesn't have 'unique' numbers. So you either have to go CLONE what you have - or p/u one of the ones w/ 20 numbers in it.
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Old 05-07-2008, 11:47 AM
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To do split times you need 2 decoder boxes. You could use 2 loops but you are just asking for trouble, sooner or later a car will not count at one loop and will start counting at the other.

The AMBrc3 decoder box is currently $2980, + loop $165 + charging rack + house transponders = 2nd mortgage

The AMB transponder prices are going thru the roof, but a lot of the increase is the value of the dollar.
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Old 05-07-2008, 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by SWTour
ANYONE remember the year these came out...and were $49.00, and going to be SO AFFORDABLE all racers could have one.

Unlike EVERYTHING else R/C that has gotten better and virtually gotten less expensive - the AMB products continue to get MORE and MORE expensive.

I believe the AMBrc 'Personal Transponder' now retails for OVER $110.00, that's WORSE than the price of GAS!.
Our MRT PTX transponders are cheaper than AMB by about 40% making them more affordable to racers and by having custom ID numbers it means anyone can buy one and use it with AMBrc/AMBrc3 systems and existing PT owners can have cloned PTX versions.

From the comments made so far it appears that if there were an alternative reasonably priced timing system available for rc racing that was improved and enhanced but also compatible with existing AMB transponders and race control software it could possibly be welcomed. We are right to be thinking it's worthwhile and there would be a demand for such a system. It does look like light based detection and RFID technology is not the total solution to meet the demands and offer equal reliability across the whole of rc racing.

Last edited by Terry_S; 05-07-2008 at 02:14 PM.
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Old 05-07-2008, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Mason
so what happens when two cars are side by side.. it actually happens around here :P
They count
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Old 05-07-2008, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by olev
Light based systems might work in clean environment, but there's no way it would hold up in nitro offroad or even nitro onroad... I have one of the Orion LCS personal lap counters and while it worked almost perfectly on electric touring, it was crap on nitro touring... there's so much more dust and dirt everywhere on the car during the run, light just isn't reliable enough. The offroad cars sometimes come off the track covered in thick layer of mud, there's no way any light would pass through that.
http://www.rclapcounter.com/Videos/russ_0001.wmv
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Old 05-07-2008, 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Terry_S

From the comments made so far it appears that if there were an alternative reasonably priced timing system available for rc racing that was improved and enhanced but also compatible with existing AMB transponders and race control software it could possibly be welcomed. We are right to be thinking it's worthwhile and there would be a demand for such a system. It does look like light based detection and RFID technology is not the total solution to meet the demands and offer equal reliability across the whole of rc racing.

I'll agree with this 100%!

Someone mentioned running two different at the same time in parrallel... I don't see many tracks buying two systems.

And as a racer... these other systems seem to increase your cost.... means I have to buy more transponders. Now do I have the right transponder with me for the track I'm going to today?? I'd like to see something come out 100% compatable.
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Old 05-07-2008, 10:18 PM
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Originally Posted by RC Scoring Pro
To do split times you need 2 decoder boxes. You could use 2 loops but you are just asking for trouble, sooner or later a car will not count at one loop and will start counting at the other.

The AMBrc3 decoder box is currently $2980, + loop $165 + charging rack + house transponders = 2nd mortgage

The AMB transponder prices are going thru the roof, but a lot of the increase is the value of the dollar.
It would be impossible to be miscounted that way as thats combining RFID and IR at the same time, both of which are incompatibile with each other. The suggestion of having both systems runs in parallel is only for those who have aging AMB systems and cannot afford to "refresh" or renew their system but still want to keep their AMB PT customers happy...
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Old 05-08-2008, 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Syber Serulean
It would be impossible to be miscounted that way as thats combining RFID and IR at the same time, both of which are incompatibile with each other. The suggestion of having both systems runs in parallel is only for those who have aging AMB systems and cannot afford to "refresh" or renew their system but still want to keep their AMB PT customers happy...

What would you need to "refresh"??? It's just a red box thats been sitting on the shelf for 10 years. No need to do anything to it.... AMB didn't do anything to it for 8 years.
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