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So if you frequently run events run by different clubs (as I do, travelling to do National races), and if each club has a different version of the software, or just a different configuration, then there is not much predictability in the user interface. Right? Because that's my experience.
Is there a difference between "right arrow" and "B"? Or do they both just advance to the next screen?
When I say different versions, there are really 3 that I know of. One for drag racing, one with "driver pages" and one without. At our regional races with 100+ cars on the course. The system cannot handle data well enough to have a "driver page" for each driver. So, we have "class pages" and a "leaderboard." So depending on your organization, you may or may not have that option.
Now, a driver page has information particular to each driver. I have not seen one in over a year and cannot remember much about it.
A class page is a leaderboard for your class. It lists cars in order of position and shows either their last lap or fastest lap. I think its the last lap, but don't quote me.
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Does scrolling up and down before clicking "right arrow" or "B" actually affect the behavior of the click? If sometimes, then when?
When you scroll you should see a highlighted line move up and down. If your iCard person is not running driver pages, pressing B will take you to the class page of whatever car you selected. So, if you're looking at a leaderboard, and select your car, it will take you to the "class page" and show you all the cars in your class. If you do have "driver pages" I think it will take you to the driver page of the car you selected.
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What is the point of the class list page? It doesnt' appear to allow me to get to a particular class.
See above.
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How can I see results for the group that just finished?
This is somthing I personally am having trouble with. I think responsibility lies in the person upstairs. The system is supposed to automatically move the current session into internal memory on your unit, but I cannot figure out how to do it reliably.
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How can I see current qualifying results for a class that's on track right now? Sorted by time please. Can I sort by car number instead? Can I do the same for the whole group?
IF the people upstairs have the system setup right (the word "qualifying" has to be in the name of a qualifying session) then your "class page" should show you that information. You cannot sort by car#.
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Sometimes, right-arrow/B seems to just advance through all of the classes, showing varying information for each one. Sometimes it seems like I can switch between views of the same data, but sometimes I can't. I don't know if it matters whether it's qualifying or race, or if it's a difference with tracks, or it's that I've lost connection with the transmitter (which happens a lot), but the buttons just seem to do random, unpredictable stuff.
I know exactly what you mean about the buttons.
Perhaps if I explained how the system sees pages. On my laptop upstairs I get a list of iCard pages:
Page0=the first page you see when you turn it on. It has the name of the event and some other stuff.
Page1=the list of classes IIRC
Page2=the "leaderboard," a list of all the cars on the course, in order by position
Page3=either the first class page, or driver page. I'm really only familiar with the non-driver pages version so I don't know about the driver page stuff.
Page4+=more class/driver pages
If you press left and right, you can cycle through these pages in numerical order. If you look at the leaderboard, select a car, and press B you can go straight to the class/driver page for that car.
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Really, what I bought the system for was:
1) During qualifying, my crew should be able to see the live qualifying results fpr my class (ignoring the other cars on the track), in time order, and tell me where I stand over the radio.
2) During a race, my crew should be able to tell me the gap between me and the person in front of me (ignoring other classes), and the gap to the person behind me.
3) While watching a friend's race, I should be able to see the leaderboard, fastest lap times, last lap times, etc.
4) After my qualifying session, I should be able to see the results for my class, even though another group has already taken to the track.
5) After my race, I should be able to see the finishing order for my class, gaps at the finish, and fastest lap times, even though another group has already taken to the track.
I don't feel like the system consistently lets me do any of that. Seems like it's sometimes capable of doing some of that, but what sequence of steps I have to take to get to those screens seems totally inconsistent, so it's a matter of luck, literally, if I can get it to show me the data I want.
I know how you feel, I face it every time I run the system. I think I addressed all this stuff above, but remind me if I didn't.
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Keep in mind that I have zero control over what's going on in T&S ... I only have a gameboy in my hands.
There's a "class page" and a "leader page?" How do I get to them? What do they mean? Is there a manual somewhere that describes this stuff? I've never even heard of the concepts before.
Some of my terms are in my software, I believe most are on your gameboy, and some I just made up. This is the first time I've really had a chance to share my knowledge, you'll have to excuse me. :)
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My experience isn't that good. That light flashes all the time (I assumed it meant that it was receiving data, not that it was "connected"), and sometimes just ... stops flashing.
When it stops receiving data every 30 seconds, and it takes 30 seconds to boot it up, it's just better to throw it on the floor of the trailer and stomp on it. That it's common to just shut down on its own means it's not ready for prime time and no one should spend money on it.
It may be different on other versions, but the ones I have played with, the light stays on steady if it has a connection. If it flashes you may be on the edge of reception. Hold it up over your head and see if you can make it stay on.
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I thought that's what I was doing :-)
Seriously, who are you talking about? I know you didn't invent this stuff, you didn't sell it to me, and you aren't even at the tracks I'm at. So I'm just venting in general, not at you directly. I have no idea who I'm supposed to talk to.
Hey, I am more than willing to help you here. But when its not working at the track you should find the person in charge of iCard at that event and ask them. Remember, BE NICE, they're probably either as frustrated as you are, or have no idea theres a problem. I think that in most tracks they'll be in T&S but not nessecarily part of T&S. For whatever reason, my T&S crowd does not like iCard at all, and get a little testy about being bothered about it, but are more than happy to direct all questions to me.
Basically if it were me, I would go to T&S and politely ask them to refer you to the person in charge of iCard. They shouldn't bite. :) Also, I have seen quite a few iCard company types at events, so you might get to meet one of them.
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It says on their website that it works with the following clubs, at the following tracks, etc, etc. But HOW does it work at those tracks and clubs? I shouldn't have to go bug the T&S people ... they're busy, aren't they? It should "just work."
Yes it should "just work." But, it doesn't, and because of this a lot of people have gotten sick of messing with it. My region gave it to me and said "make it work." I happen to enjoy tinkering with and its my only job at the track so I can be gotten a hold of. I cannot speak for all T&S groups, but I wouldn't be scared of them. The worst they can do is tell you to leave them alone right? Some may be belligerent about it I guess. I dunno, perhaps I should get out more :).
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Okay, enough venting, I'm sure that wasn't the feedback you were looking for!
[EDIT: I just called and e-mailed the iCard people (a "C. Y. Smith"), the only name/address listed on the iCard website. That's who I really should be venting to. We'll see if I hear back. That there's no end-user manual that describes how to do the 5 things I listed above is really the core of my complaint.
Good idea, the more emails he gets about this the more likely it is it'll get fixed!
PS: I am in no way affiliated in iCard the company. I simply run the system for NCR at VIR. I want to connect with other iCard users and see what we can learn from each other.
Also, I cannot seem to make the quotes work to save my life. Just pretend!