SST version 6.07 rev 3 supports TIMY USB connection

I've did my own Vista trials yesterday during the rainy afternoon. I was amazed how many cars drove by my house. Nobody even noticed the eyes and TED's shooting across my road! Geoff will be adding the same connectivity to Ski Club shortly.

Where did you steal a Timy, photocells and a set of TEDs from? Attitrash or Someday Bigger?

Here are a few links to help with this thread:

Direct link to the latest Alge Timy driver (2.41) that supports Split Second: DOWNLOAD

Windows Vista Install Guide (PDF): DOWNLOAD

Install Guide, USB Driver update (PDF) : DOWNLOAD

Split Second Software Release Notes: LINK

Geoff Elder visited the VARA Clinic at Killington Mt. School today.

He is shown here showing off the TIMY that he used to create the USB interface.

TG users are encouraged to try the USB interface as soon as possible. The oldest TIMY yet interfaced is from 2003. The first one sold in Vermont was in 2001 to the Suicide Six Ski Club.

NASTAR users will of course have this feature in their new software as well.

Make sure that "Timer" Serial port is set to "None" if using the TIMY - USB option. You will end up canceling the ability to output to a Scoreboard with a USB > Serial adapter if the Scoreboard is set to the same Serial port as the Timer. While this is not an acceptable option anytime, the "USB" setting obscures the Serial drop down so you have to go back and check it.

I'm having connectivity issues with the latest SST 6.08 rev 3. The Timy isn't recognized by the software. I have updated the latest Alge driver and acknowledge Fred's comment above. Ski Club does work and National/FIS did previously. Anyone else having issues?

Matt, I know you know this, BUT----

Put a ALGE CD in your PC. If you do not have an Alge CD, you have to
download it from the Alge Homepage www.alge-timing.com. After
downloading the driver, you have to extract it: press unzip
2. Connect the Timy with your PC and switch it on. Please wait until Windows
finished searching for the driver. If Windows does not find the automatically,
open the device manager and make a double click to ”Unknown device”. Click
to „Locate and install driver”

We have a new "cheat sheet" on installing the TIMY to work via USB with Split Second.

Send us an email and we will flip it back to you.

phoenixspt at aol.com

I found the problem. The connection state did not open up automatically. Under Setup and Test, click Timy Control and Open the connection. That solved the issue. I haven't had to do this step before, as the connection was automatically recognized. I have informed Geoff, maybe he can diagnose why this happened.

Here's the thing

I have always done that

Some users have reported that using the ALGE Com to File program has helped speed up the USB interface install with Split Second software.

http://algetiming.com/alge/download/software/comf.exe

Select TIMY USB as the COM option by clicking one selection above the default of COM 1

There is no explanation why running Com to File first helps but it seems to "clear a pathway" for later on.

There are some great suggestions here that have helped, but I still can't quite get my TIMY to communicate with Split Second.

Here are my symptoms:

1. Running Split Second Version 6.10 Revision 3

2. When I first loaded the driver from the link in SplitSecond it showed in Device Manager, but not on the Open dropdown in the USB Timy Control dialog

3. I reinstalled the driver, but no change.

4. I installed and ran the Alge COMtoFile program as suggested by @FKP and made some progress:
     a. Timy1 now available in the Open dropdown.
     b.	Messages now includes:
            Driver API Version 231
            Driver Version 2.50 Build:0 Flogs:0
            Connection state is undef’ed
            Flash state is unknown
            OnPnPConnect
            ALGEUSB Version: 0.9.401

5. Timy itself reports on startup: TIMY V 0636

6. I hear an audible tone when unplugging Timy USB

7. When reconnecting Timy USB I hear audible and see in USB Timy Control dialog: OnPnPConnect

8. When restarting Timy it briefly displays USB Communication

9. Setup and Test Timing dialog continues to report ALGE Timy Status: not connected

Any thoughts on how to proceed?

Oh, I forgot something important. In the Errors list:

  
Connection could not be established ([-536829944] Error code 0xE000A008: USBIOCOM: Invalid pipe type.)!

OK, First things first
Will your computer run ALGE Com to File program

The TIMY will not communicate with ComToFile using USB, but it is working with SplitSecond in serial mode. However, I've dug myself a little deeper into trouble since my last post.

I started suspecting that the firmware on my TIMY was too old to work with the USB driver. I went to the ALGE site and downloaded timy.bin from the download link called "Flash update V09.B5 from 2009-11-24"

I then downloaded the program called "InstallManger (Via RS232)". I went to the tab called Firmware then clicked the link "Install Firmware from File" (thinking it would then prompt me for timy.bin). After selecting the serial port for my Timy, the update began and displayed a bold red message "Clearing Firmware" (or something very similar). After a minute or so, the red message changed to "Programming Device..." and I was prompted to "Please choose update file".

The big problem now is that the dialog is looking for a file called "UpdateDateien.exe" not timy.bin.

I don't know where to find this program. I've tried looking for it on my ALGE CD, but my computers cannot read the disk (ugh!).

So, at this point I am afraid to move backwards and reset anything for fear that I've already cleared the firmware on the TIMY. And, I don't know how to move forward without this program.

call me 802-672-2020

No worries -- problem solved. I restarted the TIMY and reloaded firmware from the internet using InstallManager and all is well now.

My hat's off to the guys at ALGE. Even though I reset in the middle of a firmware update, the device restarted to a state where InstallManager could still communicate with it. I also need to thank Fred Patton over at Phoenix Sports who assured me that I could safely reset the device. I write software for a living and have worked with a lot of embedded systems and resetting a device is the middle of a firmware upgrade is often the time when the device is most vulnerable and likely to become a useless brick. I was very pleased that the software was robust and coded to handle this scenario.

A question from a new member: I had the same problem as you. My ALGE Timy status is now: connected, but when I start a racer on the Timy, the time doesn't appear on Split Second. Any idea ?

Do you see the timy sending times to the software window, not the timing screen??

There's no time appearing on the software window, only on the Timy.

Ok, I solved 90% of the problem with the USB upgrade of the Timy (timy.exe). Thanks Geoff! The only thing now is that when I start a frontrunner or a racer, Split Second automatically start 3 other frontrunners or racers (one each 2 seconds approximatively)! Somebody has a solution for this ?

Are you experiencing this multiple start issue when you press the start button on the TIMY or with an external start gate connected to the hill wiring?

Bring the start gate down and plug it in right next to the TIMY and try it. You should not get any secondary pulses if the start gate is working 100%.

If you get false pulses you need to have the main circuit board in the start gate replaced. Sometimes the start gates with the amps have water damage from moisture entering around the headset socket which then shorts out the circuit.

If the start gate test works then the issue is outside. You will need to add an opto coupler to your wiring if you get these false pulses out on the hill.

The best one available is the Blinky Box.

http://thetimingguys.com/products/blinkybox.html

The multiple start issue occur when I press the start button on the Timy. I press the start button once and four racers start automatically on Split Second. That situation never happened before the upgrade of the Timy and the software and the gate was working properly. In that situation should I do the test with the start gate ?

What mode on Timy??

Stopwatch.

has to be in backup mode

pc mode will also work with usb.

Fred showed me the pc mode---looks very cool, but I have had no time to play with it.

Hope this helps

Chase

No multiple start in PC mode ! Thanks Chase. But the problem is the same in Backup mode. Anybody has an idea the solve the problem in Stopwatch or Backup mode? The stopwatch screen on the Timy is very useful.

NOTE: YOU CAN USE STOPWATCH/DUALTIMER WITH SPLIT SECOND. JUST TURN OFF THE RUNNING TIME OUTPUT.

MENU/INTERFACE/RS232/MODE and make sure that NETTO TIME is OFF

Sometimes you may see this setting also adversely effects how Split Second works and bibs will start automatically. The software is picking up parts of the running time string accidentally and using that fragment as another start.

YOU CAN ALTER THIS SETTING IN STOPWATCH/DUALTIMER , BUT NOT IN BACKUP OR PC-TIMER

Make The change and then go back to the other program.

Even with NETTO TIME at OFF, I still have multiple start problem in Stopwatch. A change in the DELAY TIME (in the Channels menu) wouldn't help ? I'm struggling here...

Ok, problem solved !! I know that there's probably a logical explanation but... I put the NETTO TIME setting back to ON and the multiple start problem simply stopped ! We'll be ready for our competition. Thanks everybody.

Windows 7 (32 Bit)

Download and install the TIMY or TIMY2 driver in the same manner as before creating the C:\driver folder.

• Plug the TIMY into the USB port
• You will probably get an error message telling you that the driver cannot be found.
• Go into Device Manager
• Click on Unknown Device with the exclamation point
• Update Driver
• Browse my computer for driver software
• Browse to C:\driver\TimyUSB
• Click NEXT
• Install this software anyway at error message
• You will see the label Timy USB device when you are done
• Close
• Close
• Open ALGE COM to FILE
• Download from www.algetiming.com pc software and install if needed
• The program comes up German (Deutsch)
• Click down to ??? and it will let you select English.lng
• Click up on COM port settings to select USB
• You will now see the “heartbeat” from the Timy
• Exit COM to File
• Open Split Second
• Timing/Setup and Test
• USB selection TIMY
• It may connect already, otherwise go to Timy Control
• You MUST see the “heartbeat” in Timy Control before continuing
• Reboot computer and try again if needed.