Skip to content
ChronoFEED SIM Help

Getting started

In five minutes: allow SIM in FINISH, launch SIM, connect FINISH to the simulated device as you would to the real one, then a first race that runs on its own.

Example: FINISH (named FINISH-Starford) is ready for the Coupe Hollywood, with the Decoder → RACE RESULT timing mode; the real decoder is not there. SIM is installed on the same computer.

1. Allow SIM in FINISH

  1. Accept ChronoFEED-SIM

    In FINISH, Broadcast module, Simulator (ChronoFEED-SIM) card: check Accept ChronoFEED-SIM. Without this box, FINISH refuses any SIM, whatever its mode.

  2. Everything else as for real

    The session, the timing mode and the device stay those of the competition: SIM emulates what FINISH uses.

2. Launch SIM

  1. The licence

    Like every product in the suite, SIM checks the computer's licence (or the trial) at launch; without a valid licence, it does not start (?Licence…).

  2. FINISH is found automatically

    SIM listens for FINISH announcements on the network. A single FINISH: that is the one. Several: SIM offers them (Several ChronoFEED-FINISH on the network). Nothing shows up? LinkFINISH address….

    FINISH light green: “Linked to FINISH-Starford (192.168.1.20:8210)”. In FINISH, the status bar shows “SIM connected” on an orange background.

  3. The same device

    SIM starts a fake RACE RESULT, on the device's real port.

    Simulated equipment light green: “Decoder (transponders) — RACE RESULT, port 3601”.

3. Connect FINISH to the simulated device

SIM never touches the FINISH settings: it tells you what to set there, just as you would connect the real device. Below the lights, in orange:

In FINISH → Timing mode → RACE RESULT: address 127.0.0.1 (or 192.168.1.20), port 3601. FINISH targets 192.168.1.50:3601 — that is not this computer.

  1. Enter the address in FINISH

    SessionTiming mode (decoder)…: address 127.0.0.1 (SIM on the same computer; on another computer, one of the addresses given), port 3601, Confirm.

  2. Switch to ON

    In the FINISH Configuration module, Decoder to ON.

    FINISH connection light green; the orange line disappears.

A serial device (USB Timing Box, FDS TBox, Microgate REI2) is connected through a pair of virtual serial ports: see Virtual serial ports (com0com).

4. A tour of the window

ChronoFEED-SIM 2.0.17 (4f2c9a1)
ChronoFEED SIM Simulates the timing equipment and the races of ChronoFEED-FINISH
Link 1
FINISHLinked to FINISH-Starford (192.168.1.20:8210)
Simulated equipmentDecoder (transponders) — RACE RESULT, port 3601
FINISH connectionFINISH receives the passings of the simulated equipment
SIM runs the transponders FINISH gave to the athletes.
Equipment photo 2
ModeRaceManual StartsManualAutomatic Realistic raceNo errorsFew errorsMany errors 3
FINISH racesDecoder (transponders)
Click “Start” on the race that is waiting. Next start: 500 m Women — P03 — click “Start”
500 m Women — P032 athlete(s) · 500 m · 400 m trackwaiting for startStart
4
LogEvery passingClear
14:02:57.990 FINISH race: “500 m Women — P03”, 2 athlete(s), 500 m. 14:01:12.551 Simulated equipment: RACE RESULT, listening on port 3601. 14:01:11.903 FINISH found: FINISH-Starford (192.168.1.20:8210)
5
FINISH race: “500 m Women — P03”, 2 athlete(s), 500 m.
Everything is ready: FINISH has loaded pair P03, SIM is waiting for the start (example data).
  1. The Link and ? menus (help, licence, language).
  2. The link: the three lights, and what remains to be set in FINISH as long as they are not green.
  3. The settings: Mode, Starts, Realistic race.
  4. The FINISH races, each with its status and buttons.
  5. The log.

5. A first race

  1. Load a race in FINISH

    As usual. It appears in SIM right away: “waiting for start”.

  2. Give the start

    In SIM, Start (the green button): SIM sends the device's start signal, like the gun connected to it.

    The race starts in FINISH; SIM sees the start time come back and runs the athletes: “racing”, “lap 1/2 · 3/8 passings”.

  3. Watch FINISH

    The passings arrive from the “decoder”: laps, tiles, ranking, exactly as with the real device. The race ends in FINISH on the last lap.

  4. What next

    Starts Automatic so that SIM keeps going on its own; Realistic race for missed passings, duplicates, delays; Mode Manual to send transponders yourself.

6. Going back to the real hardware

  • In FINISH, put the address of the real decoder (here 192.168.1.50) back in the timing mode.
  • Uncheck Accept ChronoFEED-SIM: SIM is sent away and stops its device; the orange FINISH banner disappears.
  • Close SIM.

To go further: the scenarios (training a team, rehearsing a competition, testing a device, passings by hand).