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Digital TimerAudio PlayerBig Timer
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Digital Timer - Open Timer

Digital Timer
This screen appears when you click on 'Open Timer' within GliderScore.
When you click on 'Start' audio output goes to the audio port of your computer.
Also, if selected, output will be sent to your computer's COM ports (via USB adapters).

 

Digital Timer - Start Next Group
After clicking on 'Start' the screen changes and reveals the 'Start Next Group' button (coloured red)
Click the 'Start Next Group' button to immediately start the Timer at the start of the next flight group.
There are no warnings or second chances with this button.
Be careful.

 

Scheduled Start Time

Scheduled Start
Right-clickingn the Start button opens the Scheduled Start Time screen.
Set the Scheduled Start Time (the time at which the Timer will start).
Optionally, elect to upload files to the cloud that are needed by GliderTimer devices.
Click the Start Countdown button.
This window will close and the Timer will start when the countdown reaches zero.

 

Serial (COM) Port Settings (for external devices)
From Version 1.10 the Digital Timer can output to two separate COM ports.
These are labelled USB1 and USB2.
This allows separate settings to drive your display panel and your Pandora devices.
For example:
    USB1 with 'Extended Protocol' to drive an Embedded-Ability display.
    USB2 with 'Extended+Pandora' to drive the Pandora devices.
Typically COM ports are made available by means of a USB to Serial port adapter.

If you only have one USB port available you will need to use a USB hub like this one.

 

DigitalTimer scans for connected devices as soon as the program is started.
Plug in all devices before starting the DigitalTimer.
To select your USB devices, hover the mouse over the DeviceID area.
A list will appear like the one shown. Click on your selection.
Click on 'None' to clear your selection. This does not clear the other port settings (Baud rate etc.).
To close the list, move the mouse away from the list.

 

If using two Silicon Labs devices.
Silicon Labs gives all CP210x chips the same serial number, 0001.
You will notice that 0001 is the last part of the DeviceID.

If you have two devices using the Silicon Labs chips
- the first device plugged in will have 0001 as the serial number.
- the second device will have a different serial number (allocated by Windows).

It is recommended to change the serial number on one of the devices to '0002'.
This avoids Windows having to allocate a (temporary) serial number.

You can change the serial number on your devices using a Silicon Labs program called CP210xSetIDs.exe.
Get the program from Silicon Labs website or download it here.
The download file is CP210x_LegacyUtilities.zip and includes a number of utility programs.

 

Output Format
If using an external display, select the Output Format that is specific to your display.
You can use a different Output Format for Pandora devices if required.
You can use one Port for the display and the other for the Pandora devices.

The currently supported formats are

  • mmss \r (the minutes digits, the seconds digits, the Ascii character for Carriage Return)
  • Ammss \r (the letter A, the minutes digits, the seconds digits, the Ascii character for Carriage Return)
    Both Aerobtec and Embedded-Ability displays work with this setting, but round and group numbers will not display.
  • Aerobtec for Aerobtec displays.
    This format displays round and group numbers during name announcements.
  • Embedded-Ability for Embedded-Ability displays.
    This format displays round and group numbers during name announcements.
  • Extended Protocol for displays programmed to show round, group and time data.
    This format has been created for a pilot who plans to share information about his display before December 2018.
    The output format is R99G99T9999+AA+CR
    R99 - 99 is replaced by the round number
    G99 - 99 is replaced by the group number
    T9999 - 9999 is replaced by two characters for minutes and two characters for seconds
    AA - two character code for the timer state (PT prep time; WT working time: LT landing time; ST sleep time; DT display time-of-day)
    This allows for the possibility of changing the display colour according to the timer state.
    CR is the ascii character for Carriage Return.
    A typical output string could be R09G01T0652WT+CR
  • Extended+Pandora to drive Pandora devices.
    With this output format two separate signals are sent with a 100ms delay between them.
    The first signal is exactly the same as the 'Extended Protocol' timing signal as above.
    100ms later a signal is sent that gives extra information for F3K/F5K pilots.
    The Pandora devices display this information provided that they have the latest updated software.
    The information sent is the round, group, flight number (for task C, otherwise 0), task code and description.
    Flight number is important for task C (both for F3K and F5K) where up to 5 flights may be involved in a round.
    The output string is P|RR|GG|F|TaskCodeAndDescription+CR
    P is for Pandora; RR is for round number; GG is for group number; F is for flight number (for task C, otherwise 0).
    A typical 'Pandora' output string could be P|05|01|1|C(3) - AllUp 3:00*5+CR.
    In the image '03' is the round, 'B' is the group (A=1;B=2;C=3,..) and '2' is the flight number.
    For more information about Pandora contact Robust at zhouyinghang(at)gmail.com.
  • Extended+RGB to drive colour capable displays.
    The output format is R99G99T9999+AA+RRR+GGG+BBB+CR
    The colour code that is output is the RGB code for the colour selected according to the timer state.
    R99 - 99 is replaced by the round number
    G99 - 99 is replaced by the group number
    T9999 - 9999 is replaced by two characters for minutes and two characters for seconds
    AA - two character code for the timer state (PT prep time; WT working time: LT landing time; ST sleep time; DT display time-of-day)
    RRR - three character code for the red
    GGG - three character code for the green
    BBB - three characted code for the blue
    This allows for the possibility of changing the display colour according to the timer state.
    CR is the ascii character for Carriage Return.
    A typical output string could be R09G01T0652WT255175084+CR

Embedded-Ability has updated software to take advantage of the 'Extended Protocol'.
Existing users will need to obtain a replacement chip.
Here is how it works

  • Prep Time - Round/Group displays for 3 seconds every 15 seconds but not when there is less than 2 minute left.
  • Working Time - Round/Group displays for 3 seconds every 20 seconds but not when there is less than 4 minutes left.
  • The decimal dots are turned on while Round/Group is being displayed.

The AerobTec LED Time Display uses the 'Ammss /r' format.
Unfortunately AerobTec no longer offer this display panel.

If your display needs a string format that is not listed, contact me and I will add it to the list and update the program.


Using the Timer

You can start at any point within the playlist. Either -

  • Click on the 'Start' button to start with the selected item.
  • Click on the item where you want to start, then click on the 'Start' button, or
  • Double-Click on the item where you want to start.

You can 'Go-To' to any Round/Group/ReFlight in the playlist.

  • Right-click on the playlist to see the Go-To screen.
  • The default values will be for the next flight group.
  • Click OK to go to the selected point.

The Round, Group, ReFlight information always shows where you are in the playlist.

When the playlist is running you can -

  • Pause, then Resume
  • Pause, then Cancel
  • Cancel

It is possible to display the Time Of Day.
It is possible to load a newly generated playlist without closing the Digital Timer.


You get this screen by clicking the small arrows at bottom right.
These move the DigitalTimer to a corner of your screen.
This makes it easy to see how the time is going while still making full use of GliderScore.

Click on the small arrows again to restore the screen to full size.

The colour of the computer clock digits will change -
- Orange for preparation time
- Green for working time
- Blue for the landing time (mainly for F3K)