[Benjamin White]

Can non digital timers work on a digital layout, im geussing if you change tracks, then the timer will not record your time however, if you stay on the same track or change tracks but then return to the same one so you started on to finish, would it work. I would like this to get some 'fasted laps' for my 4 car digi layout.
Anyone know???
Benjamin

 

[DJ]

Doesn't the digital system give you lap times anyway?

 

[Benjamin White]

Yes but only the most up to date the old 4player version doesn't have this function - i should have said that
Thanks anyway
Benjamin

 

[Mr Modifier]

If its the 4 car powerbase. You need the separate digital lap counter for that.

Benjamin - I'm not sure but it might be a bad idea to put the analogue lap timer on a digital circuit simply because in digital mode the rails carry AC not DC. Your lap timer could end up on fire at worst or permanently blown at best.

You cannot run the 4 car powerbase in analogue mode.

Your only option with the 4 car base is to use the digital lap counter - it will time laps as well as report number of laps and race position regardless of the lane you cross it in.

There are lap timers such as the Ninco N Scorer which is a battery powered device that sits over the track and registers lap times for that lane but you would have to cross the same lane each time. However it is more expensive than the proper digital lap counter!

If you have an analogue lap timer then your cheapest option would be to use an analogue power base in place of the digital one (presumably you have one if you have an analogue timer). The track will be the same so the times should be about the same (given the different voltages the lap times may differ a bit). If your lane changers are all straight lane changers then you will be OK. If you have curved lane changers they electrically connect both lanes so you will only be able to run one analogue car at a time. Your chipped cars will run fine on the old powerbase with no problems - they will simply behave like ordinary analogue cars.

An upgrade to the 6 car APB will give you lap times and an extra two cars (if you add the optional second power supply). It also has an analogue mode to allow you to use unchipped cars and the good news is that the lap timer and counter function works in both modes.

Hope that helps!

 

[Benjamin White]

Thanks MR modifier
that was a great help
i didnt realise the lap counter recorded times as well so thankyou!!!
Benjamin

 

[adriancmr]

You can in theory use an analogue lap counter (C8215), although as you say the car would have to be on the same lane every time they cross the lap counter. There wouldn't be any power problems as the lap counter is powered by its own batteries not the lanes/track.

The digital lap counter doesn't give lap times, unless I've really mis used my own one!

Save your pennies and get a APB, its worth every single one of the 10,000 pennies!

 

[Mr Modifier]

OOPS! You are right - getting confused with another digital system. Apologies.

Seconded on the APB I run the 6 car APB with SSDC software on my laptop. It's a real game raiser.

Didn't realise the analogue lap timer ran off batteries - there's the solution then - if you don't have an analogue timer they are going cheap on evilbay at the moment.

 

[sealevel]

This is interesting as I just scored an analogue lap counter (C8215) plus track for a song and wanted to be able to run 2 analogue lanes with timing/counting by swapping in the analogue powerbase/track and use this timer with them.

Since there is no interference between this and the digital track (except maybe the depth of the slot) it is nice to know this can be left in when running digital.

Many thanks for this discussion.
Cheers!

 

[shaunbmx]

I bought the Ninco N-Scorer.

It doesn't suit my purposes as you must complete your race (finish all laps) and then it will show your fastest lap, for that given race period.
What i wanted was it to show each lap time as the car passes the timing bridge... Something like Rich G lap tower which does this job perfect.

N-Scorer will work in both analogue and digital (provided car passes bridge in same lane each time. It also can be placed anywhere you like to get a lap time, so absolute zero set up time.

Shaunbmx