axti.me
Anybody ever use it? Our club has a FarmTek wireless timing system, but we do registration and scoring the hard way, by hand on site, and Excel for publishing results. I want to add integrated event management / T&S software.
The AXti.me website has me convinced over either of the old school fixtures, AXware or Pronto. I'd be open to any and all thoughts.
I'll simply say that AXware sucks. I'd rather make an Excel sheet with formulas to populate PAX and results tables than deal with AXware on anything more than an "I'm the dude running the computer" basis.
We haven't tried AXti.me yet, but I do know their source code is probably more open than it should and they support modification if that's your forte.
I haaaaaaate that none of these packages are a buy and forget deal. Annual subscription B.S. no matter what.
kylini wrote: I'll simply say that AXware sucks. I'd rather make an Excel sheet with formulas to populate PAX and results tables than deal with AXware on anything more than an "I'm the dude running the computer" basis. We haven't tried AXti.me yet, but I do know their source code is probably more open than it should and they support modification if that's your forte. I haaaaaaate that none of these packages are a buy and forget deal. Annual subscription B.S. no matter what.
back in 2007, our club made our own timing software. Using some basic National Instruments hardware + some light tirggers we had, it took some sorting, but it worked really well. I know we use the same thing, still.
the NI hardware does the actual timing, and then it's software puts that data as well as any and all penalty data into a simple database that we can open after the event to edit.
That REALLY helped things.
It helped that we had an engineer who was really familiar with National Instruments hardware and software.
AXti.me is a buy-once product ($699). They offer a web-based event publishing service for a fee, but as far as I can see, there is no yearly subscription for the software itself.
Pronto requires a $250/year (minimum) maintenance contract, just for the software.
AXware offers an update subscription, but it's optional. You can pay individually for updates if you want them, or you can skip updates entirely as long as you don't expect lifetime support. They do charge yearly for their web-based event publishing as well.
Duke wrote: AXti.me is a buy-once product ($699). They offer a web-based event publishing service for a fee, but as far as I can see, there is no yearly subscription for the software itself. Pronto **requires** a $250/year (minimum) maintenance contract, just for the software. AXware offers an update subscription, but it's optional. You can pay individually for updates if you want them, or you can skip updates entirely as long as you don't expect lifetime support. They do charge yearly for their web-based event publishing as well.
AXti.me told me differently when I called them on behalf of my SCCA chapter. If I'm wrong, tell me! I'd be thrilled to learn otherwise.
I haven't talked to them directly, but there is no mention of it on their website.
This seems like a problem that could be solved by a bored engineer with a hodgepodge of Arduinos and associated hardware for pretty cheap. I remember my friend made a single-car timer for a class, wouldn't be hard to expand from there with what's out there.
Duke wrote: I haven't talked to them directly, but there is no mention of it on their website.
Just called Chris at AXti.me. There is no required yearly subscription. They may add one for their web hosting services, but that is completely optional.
unevolved wrote: This seems like a problem that could be solved by a bored engineer with a hodgepodge of Arduinos and associated hardware for pretty cheap. I remember my friend made a single-car timer for a class, wouldn't be hard to expand from there with what's out there.
Absolutely DO NOT WANT a homebrew solution, but thank you for the suggestion. You are right, this could be hand built. I've suffered with the results of that for 10 years. I already have a new timing system, and I want an integrated registration / scoring / results package that connects to it.
In reply to Duke:
What you want is a better database tool.
If you have a timer that records the car number, the time, and any penalties (live)- that's the hard part. At least from a technical standpoint.
Integrating that database with one that is generated by a registration package is next.
The timer records elapsed time for up to 8 or so cars on course at any given time, but it has no method of knowing which car is which. There are a number of solutions readily available and in use. The primary 2 options are AXware and Pronto, but for various reasons I'm not crazy about them.
AXti.me looks like it does exactly what I need, and easily. It integrates natively with my preregistration service and my timing equipment. I just wondered if anybody had direct experience.
Thanks.
We have axware in our region. I've never ran the system, but there is frequent cursing emitting from the timing and scoring trailer.
Spoolpigeon wrote: We have axware in our region. I've never ran the system, but there is frequent cursing emitting from the timing and scoring trailer.
Funny, Ours too
We tried AXware, and it became unmanageable with two cars on course at the same time. I wrote a custom Linux-based system that works fairly well and has been running on netbooks and cheap laptops. If I can get the sensor applications running on the new Raspberry PIs, the cost will really come down for replacements.
I understand not wanting to roll your own. It's taken a few years to get our system stable and user friendly.
Axware is a PITA, but if you are patient, it runs very well. We have done up to 3 cars at a time with no issues, but you have to be organized with solid communication to grid and the starter. You've got to get the sensors just right as well. Trying to fix it on the fly is a recipe for disaster. I was the sole AXware operator for a season, so I became familiar with how to coddle it and it works flawlessly 80% of the time (I've run multiple events with zero Axware issues). The problems is when one little thing goes wrong (usually operator error), the entire thing goes bezerk, so you must let cooler heads prevail. Last year before the season started, we did an Axware class that focused on how to fix issues rather than simply how to run the program. It was very helpful.
That being said, as one of 2 guys who understands most of the program's issues, it'd be nice to have something more intuitive so I can get more folks into the trailer.
Duke wrote: The timer records elapsed time for up to 8 or so cars on course at any given time, but it has no method of knowing which car is which. There are a number of solutions readily available and in use. The primary 2 options are AXware and Pronto, but for various reasons I'm not crazy about them. AXti.me looks like it does exactly what I need, and easily. It integrates natively with my preregistration service and my timing equipment. I just wondered if anybody had direct experience. Thanks.
Do you know who wrote the code?
Being able to run 8 timers at once is pretty nice, although overkill by 4 IMHO.
But is there an option to modify the code so that some kind of identifier is on that car's running timer? Our NI set up allows us to have interaction with the timer- it's a GUI with text slots in each timer window that one can either just leave as what's displayed or enter data- most important to enter the car number as it's going around. We also have buttons along with text boxes for penalties.
In other words, can you edit the user interface? You've got the timer.
Again, it's just database manipulation.
In reply to alfadriver: Greetings from Brisbane Australia, I have been investigating buying or building a Timimg system for the local Lotus Car Club. Would you be interested in sharing your knowledge and experience on how you built your Timing system?
chrispy wrote: ... it works flawlessly 80% of the time ...
That's kind of humorous. 
In reply to SVreX:
Peripheral visionary.
Yes, an outstaffing company will include all of this in their costs, but it will be less costly than you would normally pay employees in the old fashioned way. I need to direct them to the new [canoeing company]. It is the E36 M3! Even if your office is in a big city, where rent charges are sky-rocketing.
Looking for this Canoe long time ago!! [Berkeley]
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