DeHaardt - Power Kart Racing Group Timing Engine
DeHaardt - Power Kart Racing Group Timing Engine
Overview
The DeHaardt timing engine is a piece of software designed to run on any locally accessible PC and connect to a DeHaardt decoder. The software is then setup to emit the passings of multiple, grouped transponder numbers under a new, fake transponder number.
Example: Transponders 111, 222, 333, 444 (real transponder numbers as read from kart)
Transponder 111 and 222 should be “Group A” which uses a virtual transponder number of 999 and transponders 333 and 444 use the virtual transponder number of 888.
When the karts with 111 or 222 pass, a passing for virtual number 999 is also sent.
When karts 333 or 444 pass, a passing is also sent under the virtual number 888.
Setup Details
There’s an INI file in the same directory as the Grouping Engine exe. This INI stores the app settings along with the “client” (real decoder) ip and port. This should be .60 port 8888. It also lists the server (the program) port which should be 7777. These settings can be viewed in our TimerControls table and changed if necessary (restart Main Engine if any changes are made)
The INI file also contains a serial number which is a has of the serial of the decoder (I believe, but not 100%). This was done by Vincent to keep the software only used at Power Racing, so it should not be changed.
Club Speed will connect to the computer running the grouping engine in the same manner as it would a DeHaardt Decoder (it’s really a decoder as far as we know). The grouping engine connects to the real decoder.
Schematic of grouping engine connection:
[Club Speed] <——> [Timing Engine] <——> [DeHaardt Decoder]
When the grouping engine is connected, Club Speed should then look for the virtual transponder numbers under a virtual kart number. These will need to be added to Club Speed if they do not exist. The virtual transponder numbers may be found in the INI file for the program.
Troubleshooting
You can telnet around to verify the decoders connect.
Command “telnet <ip> <port>”
Ex (connect to decoder above): “telnet 172.1.0.60 8888”
This will give a blinking cursor — when a passing happens you will see it. Periodically a PING/PONG will go through also. If you type some random stuff and hit enter, the decoder will likely respond with “FORMAT ERROR”.
You can manually issue a PING by using this command typed into telnet: “#0:2\PING”
When you connect to the grouping engine, it gives a message at connect along the lines of “Welcome to the DeHaardt Grouping Timing Engine”. It will then issue passings as the “real” decoder does.