Reading Out Cards

Updated: 2014-03-06

On the page SportIdent you can read out the SI-card when the runner has finished. Choose the function Readout/radio.

Note
Before using the SI-unit, make sure it is installed and properly programmed; in particular certain device drivers need to be installed if the device connects via USB. On the SportIdent website, www.sportident.com you can find device drivers and instructions.

To read out cards the SI-unit must be programed to read out cards and the function Auto send must be disabled. For radio controls and the finish Auto send must be turned on. Auto send is a function in the SI-unit, which is set when you program it. Use SportIdent software SI-Config to program SI-units.

Hint
We recommend that you use the extended protocol, which also set by SI-Config. It gives improved stability and much better performance, that is, faster readout, in some situations.

When properly attached, you need to activate the SI-unit in MeOS. Choose the COM port where the SI-unit is installed and click Activate. You can also ask MeOS to search all COM ports for SI-units, by clicking Automatic Search and Start. On some computers this can take time or even fail. Reports have also indicated that the unit may disconnect after a while. If you experience such problems we recommend that you restart the unit and activate it directly on the correct COM port. You can attach several SI-units to the same computer.

The option Interactive readout means that MeOS ask you to fill out any missing data directly at readout. If you haven&[Unknown function 039;t]registered runners in advance, this is the function that lets you build the competition as runners finish.

Hint
In a large event, you typically handle runners with missing punches, wrong card etc. in a special department. Then you should make sure that interactive readout is not active.

The option Use runner database means that MeOS uses the runner database to match runners and cards. If this option is active and combined with interactive readout, MeOS can lookup an unknown card, find a runner, check if the course in the card matches a class and register the runner in that class without any user interaction. Of course, this logic can go wrong; anyone can run with a borrowed card, for example. If so, you can manually change the name of the runner.

Hint
MeOS can read out cards in the background, while you do something else in the program. In particular it is not necessary that the page SportIdent is active. For example, you can show the result list, which is automatically updated as runners finish.

If you do not use interactive readout, unknown cards are registered as unpaired, see Unpaired Cards.

Comments

Mobile Read-Out

2016-05-01 16:40:29 av Yannis G�del

I was wondering if anybody already wrote an Android App for reading out cards from a Android smartphones? With this it would be possible to readout cards directly in the finish and not in the competition center (which is usaly not at the same place in Switzerland).

Solution for mobile Read-Out

2016-05-03 18:40:49 av Robert Carlsson

"SI-Droid ROC" should work fine.

That app connects to http://roc.olresultat.se/
(There is an option to choose English in the upper right corner.)

MeOS is easy to connect to olresultat.se.

Link to SI-Droid ROC:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.joja.sidroid.roc&hl=en

You need a compatible phone and an OTG cable.
A USB SI master or a RS232 SI master with an USB/RS232-adapter. You should be able to use multiple SI master units with an USB hub. (And extra USB/RS232-adapters if using RS232 version of SI master units)

//Robert

Read a card multiple times?

2016-05-08 01:35:38 av Ryan Hendrickson

We run an adventure race where all the competitors borrow cards, and we realized this year the cards we have only hold 30 punches - but we have 45 checkpoints this year (we of course only realized this after the checkpoints and race logistics had been figured out...)

Is there a way to read out a card part way through a race, clear it, and then read it again at the end, all for the same runner? All my testing has left me with two separate reads, only one of which can be paired to a runner.

Multiple card readout

2016-05-08 09:29:55 av Erik Melin

I would recommend setting up a team competition with two races (changeover on leg 2), but the same runner on leg 1 and leg 2. Then you split the course over the two races. For each race, the runner finishes, reads out the card, clears it, and starts the next race.

I have added such an example to the example section in "resources".

MeOS does not communicate with old BSF4

2016-06-02 16:13:23 av Martin Tichy

stations. Si-config does. Is there any way ho how I can fix it? We are still using the old units for trainings.

BSF4

2016-06-02 18:29:56 av Erik Melin

I believe this should work. Try to program the station using the old SIManager. When reading out cards, you must program it without autosend.

Re Using BSF4

2016-06-02 23:35:00 av Chris Bagge

The BSF4 will, as far as I remember, only operate on 4800 baud. You may have to set this baud rate in the Device Manager. Accessible from Control Panel > Devices and Printers > Device Manager. Select the COM port, go for Properties > Port Settings and set to 4800 BPS. This worked for my BSF7 with RS232 port on. I have no BSF4 to try with. Be aware that the BSF4 only is able to read SI5 and SI6 cards, not the new ones.

BSF4

2016-06-17 10:36:58 av Martin Tichy

Thank you for your answers.I have tried the suggestions, the program does communicate with the SI....

SI on COM4:OK
COM4 Old protocol. Unknown mode (2). Communication: [VARNING] none/unknown.

No big deal, will use the BSF7 :-)

To post a comment, you need to log in.