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Old 2009.11.23, 05:32 PM   #1
pinwc4
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Testing version 0.34

UPDATED 1/1/2010 with new build

A test version of 0.34 is available for download here for Windows:
http://www.flipsideracing.org/downlo...aceWin-441.zip

The Mac version is available here:
http://www.flipsideracing.org/downlo...aceOSX-441.zip

The utility to initialize generic RFID tags in Windows is here:
http://www.flipsideracing.org/downlo...hoRFIDInit.zip

For Mac it is here:
http://www.flipsideracing.org/downlo...IDInit-OSX.zip

I have not had a chance to test this thoroughly yet but as our next race night is a few weeks away I though I would publish it anyways.

New Features
  • Kyosho IC lap counter support
  • Support for a secondary lap counter so you can do rally style races or use 2 core lap counters to cover a wider track

Changes, Enhancements
  • Lap remaining annoucements at 50, 30, 20 and 10 laps remaining

Bug fixes
  • Fixed bug not showing lap 1 for individual lap times on graph

There are probably other things I have forgotten also. Again this is a test version, with the extended hardware support there will probably be bugs. Please provide feedback.

Last edited by pinwc4; 2010.01.01 at 09:32 PM.
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Old 2009.11.29, 12:31 PM   #2
Pierro
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Hello Pinwc4!

We installed the flip side racing software and tested it a little at the club.

First impressions are, the soft is good, very friendly and easy to understand.

A guy of the club has tested it alone and it was working efficiently. But as we tried it with two cars, the system get bugged.

In a little race, we manage to have some 1.5' laps and other 3' and 2' seconds.
After setting a minimal time of 11' per laps, we started again and have a few laps. Unfortunately, we get some best lap of 11'45 and 11'55 respectively.
The problem is that the track record is a 11'70 and with another car wich is much quicker than the two me were running.

Have you had such problems when running more than one car in a race?
I do not know if where's the problem. Perhaps a misreading of the tags in the area around the counter?

I can email you the data from the testing we've done if you're interrested in. let me know where I can e-mail it.

Anyway, your soft is really a cool work and we really wish the bugs can be fixed.
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Old 2009.11.30, 11:31 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierro View Post
Hello Pinwc4!

We installed the flip side racing software and tested it a little at the club.

First impressions are, the soft is good, very friendly and easy to understand.

A guy of the club has tested it alone and it was working efficiently. But as we tried it with two cars, the system get bugged.

In a little race, we manage to have some 1.5' laps and other 3' and 2' seconds.
After setting a minimal time of 11' per laps, we started again and have a few laps. Unfortunately, we get some best lap of 11'45 and 11'55 respectively.
The problem is that the track record is a 11'70 and with another car wich is much quicker than the two me were running.

Have you had such problems when running more than one car in a race?
I do not know if where's the problem. Perhaps a misreading of the tags in the area around the counter?

I can email you the data from the testing we've done if you're interrested in. let me know where I can e-mail it.

Anyway, your soft is really a cool work and we really wish the bugs can be fixed.
Thank you for the feedback. That is an interesting problem you are encountering. I expect that the errant short laps and best lap times problem are related. I have never seen a problem like it nor have I heard from anyone else encountering such a problem.

It is possible that the lap counter could pick up a tag if the antenna was close enough to another portion of the track, but I doubt this is the case for you as I think we would only see one of the issues you describe as cars get near the lap counter on another portion of the track. If the lap counter has not moved and you had not encountered this before it is probably something in the software.

Which lap counting hardware are you using, Core or Kyosho? Were you using a previous version of this software with no issues?

One thing that may help me a little bit is if you could send me your database file. It is in the software's directory and called flipsidedb. Email it to pinwc4 at flipsidehobbies.com
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Old 2009.11.30, 03:18 PM   #4
Pierro
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Hello!

You're right, I forgot to mention we use the kyosho system.
The only program we have used before with this is the kyosho original one.

Before, we were using the lap-z. The lap-z arch is at the other side of the straight, so it isn't a problem with these.

The counter is placed at the beginning of the straight, just after a large u turn. You can see the track layout here:
http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31835

On the picture, you can see the curves have a number. The lap counter is now set between N°6 and the finish line on the first picture.
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Old 2009.11.30, 03:51 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierro View Post
Hello!

You're right, I forgot to mention we use the kyosho system.
The only program we have used before with this is the kyosho original one.

Before, we were using the lap-z. The lap-z arch is at the other side of the straight, so it isn't a problem with these.

The counter is placed at the beginning of the straight, just after a large u turn. You can see the track layout here:
http://mini-zracer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31835

On the picture, you can see the curves have a number. The lap counter is now set between N°6 and the finish line on the first picture.
That antenna placement would not be a problem, especially with the Kyosho lap counter as it only has a range of a few inches from the antenna. I do like your idea of having the curve numbered like that.

Just to make sure, you are using only Kyosho RFID tags and not generic ones correct? I do not have the support done yet for the generic rfid tags.

From what you were seeing happen is it possible that some of the cars were getting laps counted when a different car crossed the line? For example lets say you have Car A and Car B. Car A crosses the lap counter and gets a lap, then a few seconds later Car B crosses the lap counter but both Car A and Car B get counted for a lap. If that is the case then I might have data getting stuck in the buffer and not being processed when it should have been. This is just speculation at this point though.

Go ahead and send me the flipsidedb file so I can look at it.

I guess I need to get more generic tags working, I only have 1 tag to test with and we had not had a race night yet for me to test with multiple cars.

I am sure we can get this straightened out.

Thanks for the help
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Old 2009.12.01, 09:09 AM   #6
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Hello!

You're right, we only use kyosho tags at the moment.

The problem might be like you said, but we need to test out more deeply on saturday wich is the club meeting. With someone cheching out as the cars crosses the lap counter.

We only race every two weeks (but some of us including myself are almost there every week^^) and the computer stay at the club so I won't be able to mail you the data until this week-end.
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Old 2009.12.02, 10:07 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierro View Post
Hello!

You're right, we only use kyosho tags at the moment.

The problem might be like you said, but we need to test out more deeply on saturday wich is the club meeting. With someone cheching out as the cars crosses the lap counter.

We only race every two weeks (but some of us including myself are almost there every week^^) and the computer stay at the club so I won't be able to mail you the data until this week-end.
Yeah, as I look at this more I do think that is what is going on. It appears as though the newest data in the buffer is not getting processed for some reason. I am still stumped why though. It is the nearly same code that I use for processing the data from the Core reader and I do not end up with data stuck in the buffer for that hardware. I am continuing to investigate and hope to have this resolved soon.
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Old 2009.12.05, 10:30 AM   #8
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OK, I have a new build available. Hopefully this will take care of the false lap problem with the Kyosho hardware. I added extra logic to try to prevent data from getting stuck in the buffer until another car crosses.

You can download it here:

http://www.flipsideracing.org/downlo...aceWin-433.zip

Those of you with Kyosho hardware please let me know how it work or you.

Thanks
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Old 2009.12.05, 04:10 PM   #9
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Is there a program difference between the flipside/core and the flipside/kyosho programming? If not I should be able to run my Dnano on the flipside/core set up. Correct? I'm using V33 and have nearly debugged the whole tag size/placement issues that I have run across.
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Old 2009.12.05, 04:19 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by mleemor60 View Post
Is there a program difference between the flipside/core and the flipside/kyosho programming? If not I should be able to run my Dnano on the flipside/core set up. Correct? I'm using V33 and have nearly debugged the whole tag size/placement issues that I have run across.
I do not think anyone has confirmed that racing the Dnano with a core lap counter and flip side software works. I had a Dnano for a bit and can confirm the core reader will read the Dnano tag but you have to have it closer to the edges of the antenna for it to pick up the Dnano, it does not detect it in the middle of the antenna loop.

If you find that it does fine during races let us know, it would be nice to know one way or another.

V34 does not add anything for this purpose, V33 should work for you and I am still debugging V34 so unless you are looking for the new features such as Kyosho lap counter support stick with V33 for now. Unless of course you are willing to test and give feedback, I always welcome feedback.

Thanks
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Old 2009.12.05, 07:42 PM   #11
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I'm sure the read issue with the Dnano is the same as the small generic tag placed on the bottom of a Z chassis. Poor results. I have found that if you get the tag higher off the track it will read every lap. Even the medium sized generics were intermittent at best when placed under the chassis. Only the large tags would read every time when attached to the bottom.

I will try to run my Dnano on V33 and see if it will read. I will report when I have results.
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Old 2009.12.06, 09:52 AM   #12
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Hello!

I just sent you the DB file you asked me.
We will test out this new release ASAP and give you our feedback.

Thanks a lot.
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Old 2009.12.06, 10:07 AM   #13
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i'm still using old core and flipside so not pressing to test the new beta unless new features have been added but it looks like this is geared toward the kyo system right now. i look forward to moving up with newer releases as they come along that add features

if you need the dnano again, all you have to do is ask
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Old 2009.12.06, 07:48 PM   #14
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i'm still using old core and flipside so not pressing to test the new beta unless new features have been added but it looks like this is geared toward the kyo system right now. i look forward to moving up with newer releases as they come along that add features

if you need the dnano again, all you have to do is ask
Thanks for the offer, I greatly appreciate you letting me borrow it. I would not have been able to get this working without it. I have figured out enough now to have generic tags working for myself so I do not need Kyosho tags anymore for my testing.

When .34 is officially out I would still recommend upgrading, it does have some other small bug fixes. The main things it brings though is the Kyosho support, multiple lap counter support, and text to speech for laps remain in a lap based race.

We ran our races last night and I tested the Kyosho lap counter with multiple generic tags and did not run into the problem of false lap counts so I think that bug is taken care of, I hope.

Generic tags are still not functional for other people though, right now I have to program them with my Core reader to make them work with the Kyosho. I will probably have a separate program in a few weeks so people can "initialize" generic tags to be used with the Kyosho reader. I am still trying to come up with a good choice of generic tags to use. The larger Core tags were mostly working, depending on the placement on the car.
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Old 2009.12.12, 11:34 AM   #15
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To upgrade from .33 to .34 do you only need to copy over the FlipSideDB to retain the Tags that are allready scanned in?
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