Time Drops

Hardware and Software Requirements

The Time Drops system cannot function without Wi-Fi (its own private wireless network). However, it will function without access to the internet. This is important to remember as your primary focus is on capturing times, not publishing to the internet! Time Drops does not include a Wi-Fi router with the system, as each team’s situation and requirements are different. Note: Do not use any type of ‘public’ Wi-Fi as it will most likely not work for Time Drops.

The system runs on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only, as 2.4 GHz provides better range than 5GHz. The system will not work on the 5GHz frequency band which is optimized for speed rather than range! Also, you as the timing operator should be in control of the Wi-Fi. Rule of thumb: if you have to ask someone else for the password, do not use it. 

Please refer to the Time Drops Manual for detailed instructions on setting up the Time Drops System and helpful hints for troubleshooting and configurations. It is recommended to configure your router for reliability vs speed.

The following hardware is required:

• A Router

• Android tablet

• Windows or Mac computer

• Start adapter and a backup start button *

• Timing controller (STC-1) *

• Time Drops lane timer buttons (up to 3 per lane) *

• Time Drops Console App (free in Google Play store)

• Time Drops MM-Link software (free in Windows and Apple App store)

• The desktop version of Swimcloud (included with your Swimcloud PRO subscription)

(* included with the Time Drops system purchase)

Time Drops System Setup

Step 1:

The first thing you need to do is get the router up and running to create the 2.4 GHz WiFi network that will run the system. The Tablet and STC-1 controller must be on the same WiFi network to talk to each other.

For example, use the GL.iNet SFT-1200 travel router or GL.iNet GL-MT3600BE (Beryl 7) travel router and power it with a Anker Power Bank (20,000mAh) Portable Charger and 10 meters of a USB-C cable to connect a phone hotspot. This allows you to keep a phone at the data table and also place the router in a position with a clear view of the pool, tablet, and STC-1 controller. Alternatively, use the router's tether mode to connect to a phone's hotspot without having to use a USB cable. 

*The Anker Power Bank (20,000mAh) Portable Charger was tested and provided power to the router for over 9 hours with more than 40% charge to spare.

Step 2:

Once the router is plugged in, find the router in your computer’s list of WiFi networks.

Step 3:

Now you can open an internet browser to set up the router. The first time you set up the router, it will ask you your preferred language and have you set an admin password. After that, you will log in with your admin password.  

This admin panel allows you to choose how you will get internet to the router. In this example, we will be using a phone hotspot tethered to the router. Click on the Tethering option.

Step 4:

Connect the phone you are using as a hotspot using Wi-Fi or the USB plug on the back of the router. Once the router connects, you will see a green dot next to “Tethering” and an IP address will appear.

Tablet

Time Drops requires an Android tablet. Log into the tablet and make sure it's fully charged before each meet. It is also recommended to disable the tablet lock screen to make it easy to quickly open the tablet throughout the meet.

Open the Settings on the Android Tablet. Choose Network & Internet and connect to the SAME WiFi network as created with the router.

Time Drops Console App

The Time Drops Console App should already be installed on the tablet. Below is what you should see when you open the Time Drops App:

Swim Timing (STC-1) Controller

Now we need to connect the STC-1 controller to the WiFi network. The STC-1 controller has a USB rechargeable battery so be sure it's fully charged before every meet (it should last up to 10 hours fully charged).

Turn on the STC-1 controller by pressing on holding the power button for 1 second. When turned on but not connected, the red WiFi light will blink slowly.

If you are using the SAME network that has already been set up, the STC-1 controller may automatically connect; if not, follow these steps:

Click the 3 vertical dots in the upper right of the Time Drops app to open the settings menu.

Choose Connect controller.

You will see a red sad face when not connected to WiFi or a WiFi network other than the one set up with the router.

Click the Choose button to select the correct Wifi network. Once you have selected the right WiFi network, click Copy to Controller:

 You should see a transmitting bar. Once the controller is correctly connected, a green happy face will display.

The red light on the STC-1 WiFi indicator should now be blinking rapidly. (See the Time Drops Troubleshooting guide if you are having trouble connecting the controller)

Time Drops Lane Timer Buttons

Next, you will need to configure the buttons and the start adapter. Time Drops comes with up to 3 buttons per lane. Each button hangs on a lanyard which is marked with a lane and button letter.

For example, Lane 1A, Lane 1B, and Lane 1C. The first time the system was set up, all of the buttons should have been assigned to the correct lanes. After that, you will just need to assign buttons if one runs out of batteries or stops working and you use the provided spare.

If you need to assign buttons, here's how:

Click the three vertical dots at the top right of the Time Drops tablet and choose Buttons.

In this example, lane one is not assigned buttons.

To assign a button, press and hold the Time Drops button until you see it appear on the tablet screen under unassigned buttons. Then drag it to the correct lane and letter:

As you drop it, you will see a green box. The grey square means you have added these buttons but have not Saved your changes. Be sure to SAVE.

The grey buttons tell us they are off, while white buttons mean they are on. To turn a button on, simply press the blue button. It will make a beep, and you should see a faint blinking red light. When you turn the button on, it should now show as white on the tablet.

You will also see a blue blinking light on the STC-1 controller telling you that the buttons are connected:

Time Drops Start Adaptor

As an example, if your team has a starter adapter that plugs into the CTS Infinity system to start the system. This is added to the Add Button page on the tablet in the same way that you added the lane timer buttons.

The starter adapter comes with the control box and the connecting cable(s).

There are two metal wires sticking ever so slightly out of the cable. These two metal pieces are how you will turn the adapter on.

Use a metal object to close the circuit between the two wire plugs. Keep a tiny screwdriver or paperclip in your Time Drops case for this purpose. When the starter turns on, you will see a blinking red light.

The cable plugs into the CTS Infinity starter in the Starter Output socket. When the starter presses the start button, the Time Drops system will automatically start.

The buttons have a range of about 1,000 ft in open terrain. The range can be reduced by obstacles such as walls or crowds of people. It’s recommended to place the timing controller at the long edge of the pool in an elevated position, from where it has a direct line-of-sight to the start and finish areas. The timers should not completely enclose the buttons with their hands as this may reduce the signal strength.

For example, hang the STC-1 controller from the shallow end backstroke flags in the provided waterproof plastic pouch with a plastic carabiner. This provides a good line of sight to all parts of the equipment.

You have now completed the hardware setup for the Time Drops System. We HIGHLY encourage you to complete the setup process a few times before the start of the season. Also, develop a plan with your referee & meet director on how to handle malfunctions and when to move to manual stopwatches.

Additionally, it is a good idea to make sure that you set it up in the actual location where you will be using it to be sure you have the right length cables, plugs, and a strong enough WiFi signal.

Connecting Swimcloud Meet to Time Drops

Important: Please refer to the Time Drops Quickstart Guide for detailed instructions on setting up the Time Drops System. The following steps assume that the Time Drops system is already configured and connected to the same network as the Swimcloud Meet computer.

You can find this entire setup guide, with supporting images, on Swimcloud's support page: Connecting Swimcloud Meet to Time Drops.

1. Download and Install Swimcloud Meet

• Begin by downloading and installing the Swimcloud Meet software on your computer.

2. Use Swimcloud online to organize, collect entries, and seed the meet.

3. Log in to Swimcloud Meet

• Open Swimcloud Meet and log in using your credentials.

3. Select and Open Your Meet

• From the dashboard, select the meet you are going to run and open it.

4. Access the Timing System Settings

• In the upper right-hand corner of the screen, click on the Time System button.

5. Create a new meet folder on your Windows Meet Manager computer

6. Choose Time Drops and Select the Folder

• Click on the Time Drops option.

• Click the Select folder button.

• Navigate to the shared folder on your computer or network that will receive the race data from the Time Drops system and select that folder.

6. Export the Meet Program

• After selecting the folder, click the Export meet program button. This action exports all pertinent swimmer, heat, and lane data to the Time Drops system.

• Once the export is complete, a message will appear in the lower-left corner of the screen.

• If you make any changes to the meet after you export the meet program, you will need to export the meet program again so that the changes can be reflected in Time Drops.

7. Set Up the Swimcloud Virtual Scoreboard

• Click on the Scoreboard button in the upper right corner of the screen.

• In the bottom of this dialogue box, enter the IP address of the Time Drops console. You can find this information in the Time Drops MM-Link program under Instant Scoreboard. The format will be similar to http://192.168.8.171:8080. Enter the IP address (the numbers to the right of the // and left of the :) into the box.

8. Verify Connection and Select Scoreboard Display

• Once the scoreboard is connected, a green dot will appear next to the Scoreboard button in the upper right corner of the screen.

• From this screen, you can select from three display options on the scoreboard: Live Heat, Team Scores, or Event Results.

9. Run the Meet

• Follow Swimcloud Meet’s standard procedures to run the meet.