7. Timer Training - Comprehensive Equipment Setup Guides
๐๏ธ Track Meet Setup โ Full Workflow
๐ 1. Arrival & Parking
- Park the timing vehicle as close as possible to the finish line or designated timing area, leave space for the camera and tent.
- Confirm access to power, press box, or scoreboard inputs if needed.
- Set up large gear first: tent, tables, tripods, display boards
๐๏ธ 2. Set Up Physical Base
- Set up the tent as your command post โ consider sun and wind direction.
- Place tables and chairs inside tent for equipment and operators.
- Hang tent walls if rain or sun is a concern.
- Set out trash bag, and tarp for gear protection.
- Lay out gear by category: camera box, computer bag, display board gear, clipboard bin, etc.
๐ฅ 3. Camera & Tripod Setup
- Set up Primary Tripod first โ tall and fully extended aligned straight to the finish line.
- Set up camera and remote positioner before mounting camera on tripod.
- Mount Primary Camera with gearhead and remote positioner.
- Align camera with lane 1 and check it's level.
- Repeat for Backup Camera with secondary arm extension and accessories.
- Mount IdentiLynx Tripod, Race Video Tripod, Starter Tripod as needed.
๐ป 4. Computer + Power Setup
- Plug in UPS battery backup, then plug into outlet/generator.
- Connect PoE switch and/or power strips for full gear.
- Set up Primary Computer, Backup, and Field Computer on table.
- Plug in mice, MiFi hotspot, and confirm charging where needed.
๐งต 5. Run All Cables
- Camera to PoE Switch
- Primary Computer to PoE switch
- Identilynx to PoE switch
- Backup Camera directly to PoE Injector to Backup Computer (this way backup is on it's own closed network)
- Extension cords where needed โ keep runs clean using zip ties or cable covers
- Connect RadioLynx receivers/transmitter and antennas
๐ฅ๏ธ 6. Launch Software & Sync
- Chrome browser and load the 4 main pages you will use for the meet
- athletic.live meet page (spectator page)
- admin.athletic.live (controls aspects of spectator page)
- RunMeet meet page (your control center for the meet)
- localhost:8150 (this controls the AthleticLive Local program)
- Launch RunMeet Local, select the meet and confirm race file locations, start Listen Live
- Launch AthleticLIVE Local, confirm correct meet is selected
- Start FinishLynx and load event file
- Open RunMeet web page to control meet flow
๐บ 7. Scoreboard & Display Clocks
- Display Boards will need to be set up with a MCTRL300
- The device mirrors your screen and crops to the appropriate dimensions.
- HDMI from Computer to DVI to MCTRL300, Ethernet from MCTRL300 to back of display boards.
- If using a LED or Flip clock, you will use FinishLynx settings instead
- Connect from the Clock to your PoE Network switch
- Use FinishLynx to test the display, load a race, start a clock
- Confirm clock visibility and positioning before cleaning up wires.
๐ฑ 8. Field Event Tablets (AthleticFIELD)
- Launch AthleticFIELD app, load a round using codes from admin.athletic.live
- Assign each tablet to correct event/sector (e.g., LJ, SP, HJ)
- Run a test mark entry to verify data posts online
โ 9. Final Checks
- Walk through each device
- Confirm all data paths are active (camera > Lynx > ALIVE > scoreboard)
- Do a test start/capture to ensure all systems are live
Now that everything is set up, let's talk about [Tagging with FinishLynx]!
