BoxScore 3 - Basic Race Day Functions

Introduction

This guide will walk you through the basic function of BoxScore 3 that you will likely use frequently on and before race day including:

• Event and Point Configuration
• Performing a Time Sync
• Setting the Server IP and Connecting
• Using the Reader Diagnostics Screen
• Creating a Gun Start or Marker
• Using the Live Tags Screen
• Using the Battery Status Screen
• Using the Messages Screen
• Copying Files to a USB Drive

These items are arranged in the order that they should be used on race day, and you can use this guide as a general walkthrough for running a simple race, from a controller perspective.

Event and Point Configuration

Configuring the Event and Point information on your controller is important for organization of hardware and data. Every time the controller is powered on, a new data file is created. The folder that contains that file will be titled with the Event name on the controller. Each session within the file will be titled with the Point name that was set on the controller at the time the session was created.

Each time BoxScore boots up, you will be asked to determine the Event and Point name. If you do not determine the Event and Point name at that time, the Folder will retain the "old" name, which may cause confusion when attempting to retrieve race data.

To change the Event and/or Point name AFTER the controller has finished its boot-up sequence:

1. From the main menu, press Configure > Point
2. Tap inside the white box for the field you would like to change.
3. Use the text entry screen to define the Event or Point name. Use the Alpha/Num key to toggle between entry modes.
   
4. Press OK to accept the change, and then press Done

Performing a Time Sync

Since Controllers collect tag reads based on Time of Day, it's vital to make sure your Controllers are synced to the correct time. Since setting the time on one controller will also sync the time on any networked controllers, it's best to network the Controllers together, either by "daisy-chaining" them together with LAN cables, or powering the WiFi modems on in each of them and then sync them. This will ensure that all controllers are on exactly the same time.

To Perform a Time Sync:

1. From the main menu, press System > Time.
2. Select one of the three available options:
   Manual allows you to type in the Date and Time.
   ChronoSync allows you to sync the time from an external ChronoSync device.
   If the time on the controller you are using is already correct, you can press Broadcast Time to send the current time to the other networked controllers.
   You may also connect the controller to a PC via a LAN cable or the WiFi modem and use the CCS Lite application to sync the time on the controller.

Manual Sync

1. After selecting Manual from the Manage Time menu, enter the desired time by touching the white Time box.
   
2. On the Enter Time screen, enter the correct time in [hh]:[mm]:[ss] format. Be sure to insert colons as appropriate.
3. When done, touch OK.
4. Enter the desired date by touching the white “Date” box.
5. On the Enter Date screen, enter the correct date in mm/dd/yy format. Be sure to insert forward slashes as appropriate.
6. On the Manual screen, make sure the time and date is correct or make adjustments.
7. Touch Set Clock to set the time on the controller.

ChronoSync

1. Insert a ChronoSync device into one of the available USB ports on the Controller.
2. After selecting ChronoSync from the Manage Time menu, press Discover in order to tell the Controller to search for the external ChronoSync device.
   
3. Once the ChronoSync is found the discover button will turn grey, and the “push” and “pull” arrows will become available. Press the Right facing arrow to set the time on the Controller based on the ChronoSync's time. Press the Left facing arrow to set the time on the ChronoSync using the current time on the controller.

Setting the Server IP and Connecting

In Controller networking terminology, a Server is any external source you would like the Controller to connect to, whether it's the ChronoTrack CCS Server or a PC. Before connecting to either of these sources, you must set the Server address to the appropriate IP to connect correctly. (Click HERE for a Server IP cheat sheet)

To set the Server IP for LAN or WiFi:

1. From the main screen in BoxScore 3 select Configure > Network. Select the desired connection option by pressing the corresponding radio button. The selected option's radio button will appear green.
   
2. If a change to the IP Address is needed, press inside the corresponding text box to change the selection or define a new address.
3. Remember to ensure that your PC has been configured to connect to the Controller.

To connect, press the Data Stack icon in the upper right corner of the screen, then press the Connect button. You should see the status change to 'Connected' to signify a successful connection.

If you are connecting to the ChronoTrack Server via a cellular connection, follow the steps HERE.

Using the Reader Diagnostics Screen

It is usually beneficial to check the Reader Diagnostics screen to ensure that your antennas are properly connected. The Diagnostics screen will have 2 tabs if the Controller is an 800 - one tab for each Reader. The screen will display a variety of information about the Readers and the connection status of each Port on the reader. OK indicates that an antenna is connected. An orange exclamation indicates no antenna connected.

Creating a Gun Start or Marker

Creating a Gun Start time stamp or a Marker in BoxScore 3 is very easy. A Gun Start creates a time stamp within the file, but does not affect the file itself in any way. Creating a Marker, however, will segment the controller's current data file and create a new 'Session' of data. Any tag reads that were collected prior to the marker will be isolated from any tag reads that are collected after the marker. This is useful for scenarios such as Wave starts or when a controller is being used at multiple Points. Changing the Point name on a controller will automatically create a Marker.

To Create a Gun Start time stamp or a Marker:

1. From the main menu, press the Markers button.
   
2. On the next screen, select the Marker Type. Manual is a normal Marker. Gun Start is, you guessed it, a Gun Start.
3. Choose whether to send the Gun Start/Marker command to This Controller Only, This Point Only, or All Networked. 
   This Controller Only will create the Marker/Gun Start only on the controller you create it on, regardless of whether other controllers are networked or not.
   This Point Only will create a Marker/Gun Start on any networked controllers that have the same Point name.
   All Networked creates a Marker/Gun Start on any controllers networked to the controller you are using.
4. Indicate whether you would like to Zero Counts when the Marker is created. Zeroing Counts will return the counters on the home screen of BoxScore 3 to zero. No tag reads will be deleted.

Using the Live Tags Screen

 

The Live Tags screen will allow you to view information for the last 5 tags that were read on the Controller including Time, Bib#, and the Timer Code and Event Code that are encoded on the tags. This is simply a more detailed version of the tags view on the main screen.

Using the Battery Status Screen

Using the Battery Status screen, you can view the current draw, capacity, voltage, and percentage of remaining power for each battery housed in the Controller. To access this screen, press Status > Power. Keeping an eye on the battery levels of your Controller is very useful for ensuring that you're not suprised by a dead controller on race day.

Using the Messages Screen

Sometimes during your race, the controller may experience an event or error that causes it to start beeping and flashing red lights. To view and acknowledge any alerts that arise, press the orange exclamation icon that appears at the top left corner of the screen. From this screen, you can acknowledge alerts to silence the beep by pressing the Acknowledge All button.

You can also view the time at which any Gun Start time stamp or Marker was created. By pressing any 'Gun' or 'Marker' entries.

This screen can be accessed at any time by pressing Controller > Messages.

Copying Files to a USB Drive

 After your race is over, we suggest that you extract the race data from the controller via USB, even if you were live-streaming the data from the controller via Cellular or other means. Having a copy for your records is a good data management practice.

To Remove Data from a Controller with a USB Drive:

1. Insert a USB drive into one of the USB ports on the Controller. 
2. From the main screen of BoxScore, press Configure > File
3. Confirm that the status line in the lower left corner states “Ready to Copy”. If the status line does not display “Ready to Copy”, try removing and re-inserting the drive. If it still does not say Ready to Copy, try a different drive.
   
   - To copy all the files stored on the controller, select Copy All.
   - To copy only a selected file, tap the file you would like to copy in the pane on the left, then press Copy Selected.
   - To copy the currently active file, press Copy Current.
4. Make sure to wait until you no longer see "Copying File..." before removing the USB drive.

On race day, you will likely use the Copy Current option. If you have powered the controller off since collecting the race data, the file containing the race data will no longer be the current file - you must select the correct file to copy. Files are named by the date and time they were created in the format MMDDHHMM