[Chip of FDSC]

Yes it's me, the confused slot car fanatic who has barely enough skill and knowledge to solder a SSD chip in a Scalextric car.

I have many questions but one question will do for now....
I previously understood that there would be no need to buy the "O2 lane change driver" for the straight Scalextric lane changer?

How much is the O2 lane change driver?
My track design has 8 straight lane changers and I'm worried about money and having to solder. (my budget is limited and I have many chips, controllers and a dongle to purchase)

Thank you for your time and patience Slot Car Enthusiasts

PS. I am not going to race in analogue by the way if that's relevant

 

[RichG]

As far as I know your original assumption, that oXigen will work with a standard SSD Lane Changer, is correct. What has happened to make you doubt this?

Rich

 

[MrFlippant]

There was a post by someone else who found that they weren't working to set the flipper straight. This was because the O2 chips were shipped in "oXigen" mode, which is to have the LED off when going straight. With their updated software and firmware, you can reconfigure the car chips to be in one of 3 different modes, including one that is SSD or hybrid compatible, so that the LED is on when going straight, so that SSD flippers will flip straight.

So, no, there is no need to buy the O2 lane change electronics for your SSD track.

If you really want to know the price, it's at the end of the O2 FAQ.

 

[Chip of FDSC]

QUOTE (RichG @ 11 Apr 2012, 14:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>As far as I know your original assumption, that oXigen will work with a standard SSD Lane Changer, is correct. What has happened to make you doubt this?

Rich

QUOTE (MrFlippant @ 11 Apr 2012, 16:45) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>There was a post by someone else who found that they weren't working to set the flipper straight. This was because the O2 chips were shipped in "oXigen" mode, which is to have the LED off when going straight. With their updated software and firmware, you can reconfigure the car chips to be in one of 3 different modes, including one that is SSD or hybrid compatible, so that the LED is on when going straight, so that SSD flippers will flip straight.

So, no, there is no need to buy the O2 lane change electronics for your SSD track.

If you really want to know the price, it's at the end of the O2 FAQ.

Thank you both, that's a huge relief.

 

[Chip of FDSC]

Next questions coming up. Apologies in advance... I know, ignorance is not an excuse

- I know very little about the oXigen controllers, can you have Dynamic breaking off or on?? (not sure if the brake knob has anything to do with it)
I've seen and read the documentation a while ago but I know nothing about the some of the features such as power trim. Do I have to experience the oXigen controller to understand it?

- Will fuel strategy be present in the software in a year from now for all 20 cars??

Cheers,
Chip

 

[MrFlippant]

Using a slot.it SCP1, in any mode (analog, digital, whatever) is the best way to understand how it works. In short, you have adjustments for acceleration, min speed, brake strength, and how the curve moves between those settings. You have two lane change buttons. For oXigen, they are "move to the outside" and "move to the inside" (this only works when the lane changers have oXigen elextronics), or "hold to lane change" and "press to lane change for the next two seconds" (SSD mode). Then there's a brake button that enables brakes at the currently set level. It can take some getting used to, but once you understand the controls, it's very versatile.

Fuel Strategy will probably be supported by all 20 cars, but most likely via PC Lap Counter or other compatible software. I think the slot.it software will be primarily lap counting for a while. I think.

 

[Slot.it]

Hi
To have dynamic braking OFF, you must put the brake adjustment pot on 'Zero', and then use the round knob as a brake (100%)
Fuel strategy can be supported by external programs, as each car can have its speed and braking adjusted (see page 2 of the RMS). However, we have no plans to do it ourselves. We'll leave that to other software developers.
Note that in France, where the oXigen system is spreading quickly, which is interesting since France is where most clubs already are used to digital racing, there are at least two sw developers that are already writing sw for oXigen.

 

[Chip of FDSC]

QUOTE (MrFlippant @ 16 Apr 2012, 04:32) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Using a slot.it SCP1, in any mode (analog, digital, whatever) is the best way to understand how it works. In short, you have adjustments for acceleration, min speed, brake strength, and how the curve moves between those settings. You have two lane change buttons. For oXigen, they are "move to the outside" and "move to the inside" (this only works when the lane changers have oXigen elextronics), or "hold to lane change" and "press to lane change for the next two seconds" (SSD mode). Then there's a brake button that enables brakes at the currently set level. It can take some getting used to, but once you understand the controls, it's very versatile.

Fuel Strategy will probably be supported by all 20 cars, but most likely via PC Lap Counter or other compatible software. I think the slot.it software will be primarily lap counting for a while. I think.

QUOTE (Slot.it @ 16 Apr 2012, 09:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi
To have dynamic braking OFF, you must put the brake adjustment pot on 'Zero', and then use the round knob as a brake (100%)
Fuel strategy can be supported by external programs, as each car can have its speed and braking adjusted (see page 2 of the RMS). However, we have no plans to do it ourselves. We'll leave that to other software developers.
Note that in France, where the oXigen system is spreading quickly, which is interesting since France is where most clubs already are used to digital racing, there are at least two sw developers that are already writing sw for oXigen.

Wow, thanks yet again for the detailed helpful info. Is version 2.0 available now from the UK supplier? I shall put an order in very soon.

 

[Slot.it]

I don't know about UK availability - I need to check.
We are shipping out 2.0, but in any case, pleeease do not be afraid of upgrading. I think it's rather painless, and in any case, during the course of development, from time to time upgrades will appear, so it's a skill which is worth having.

Regards
Maurizio

 

[MrFlippant]

Interesting. oXigen is encroaching on the territory of Davic.

I know very little about Davic, but I have to assume that oXigen presents some advantages over it.

 

[Chip of FDSC]

cheers for info, much appreciated

 

[tamar.nelwan]

QUOTE (MrFlippant @ 16 Apr 2012, 16:04) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Interesting. oXigen is encroaching on the territory of Davic.

I know very little about Davic, but I have to assume that oXigen presents some advantages over it.

That would be putting it mildly

Having raced several endurance events in both 1/32nd and 1/24th on Davic they did some great pioneering work on getting digital racing on the map.
However the system has its flaws and needs a lot of care to keep it running proprly.
The biggest advantage of O2 would be the separation of the chip signal from the track current, and its easy installation (no need to rewire your track, ease of programming etc etc) and that it will be available via a well sorted dealer system.
I guess the biggest achievement of Davic would be that it inspired Maurizio to devellop Oxigen

with kind regards
Tamar

 

[Slot.it]

Credit where it's due - I raced three Davic 24 hrs a few years ago, and the experience made me understand the potential of digital slot racing.

 

[willem]

Some solid pioneers work has been done by everyone exploring the digital possibilities. As Tamar said. Davic were/are innovators on that part. oXygen is going to set or has set a new bench mark for future developments. This is just the beginning.....

 

[Profoxcg]

RE Lighting

If I purchase a light kit? (which one BTW) how does it get activated or switched on/off via the SPC ? (this is on o2 of course)
Thanks,

 

[Slot.it]

Switching the lights on/off: the car chip is compatible with the lights kit SP16. To turn lights on/off, release the trigger and press the circular 'brake' button.

Regards
Maurizio

 

[Profoxcg]

another question for you:

1) can SSD cars activate the O2 LC ? no right - but O2 cars can activate SSD LC's (this part i know from experience)
2) The O2 chip came with a 103 capacitor and a ferrite choke. I removed both elements on a chip as the whole thing just looked too bulky and in the past I have never found the need to run them even in SSD. However I noticed that when going full throttle the cars would stutter. Actually the more power I gave the car, the more it would stutter when I pressed the trigger.

What is this attributed to?
I solve the issue by adding a 104 Cap across the motor as pictures below (same idea as what comes with the O2 chip) I omitted the ferrite choke because I misplaced it.
I wonder if not having the Ferrite choke will cause any additional problems. The car accelerates very smoothly now.

please advice.

 

[RichG]

The ferrite bead & capacitor (low pass filter) are there fo good reason, to protect the electronics from inteference from the motor. Why would you not just use them? Highly recommended / verging on mandatory for SSD & oXigen.

Rich

 

[Profoxcg]

QUOTE (RichG @ 9 May 2012, 17:45) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The ferrite bead & capacitor (low pass filter) are there fo good reason, to protect the electronics from inteference from the motor. Why would you not just use them? Highly recommended / verging on mandatory for SSD & oXigen.

Rich

Ok so what i was experiencing prior to putting the cap on (where the car was stuttering) was interference from the motor.
I really wish I had not misplaced the ferrite beads. I originally remove it all because of a thread where the ferrite bead and cap shorted out a chip. In SSD I never had a problem but then again consider that in SSD I was running faster then 20K motor Ninco NC5.

 

[RichG]

The need for the supressor is not an exact science. With some motors & chips they will run fine without either fitted. In general the higher the motor RPM the greater the need, also for some chips such as the SSD F1 they are virtually always needed.

The ferrite bead & capacitor work in combination as a low pass filter. The capacitor offering a low impedance path to the interference (hence why it is connected across the motor) and the ferrite bead a high impedance path (hence why it is connected in series).

The capacitor is probably the most valuable of the two, if this is working for you then things will probably be fine as is, however I would always recommend fitting them as a pair, particularily when the manufaturer has gone to the trouble of providing them ready soldered to the motor leads.

Rich