New SI cards

[Karen]

https://www.sportident.co.uk/equipment/ ... .php?id=91

A SI Card with a flashing nose!

Anyone seen/tried one yet?

[ba-ba]

This SI-Card only works in stations with firmware 5.74 or later

how many boxes won't it be compatible with when compared to SI9?

also, with it flashing, is there a battery in it which will need changing? In the market for a new SI so might as well get the one with all the bells and whistles!

[mikey]

This card does NOT work with the older BSF3/4/6 SI-Stations. All major worldwide events use the new style stations but a few organisations do still have the older stations which they use for low key/informal events. At these events you will need to be loaned an old SI-Card 5 to use. You should only purchase an SI-Card 6 if you require more than 50 punches or you need to use an SI-Card regularly with the older BSF3/4/6 SI-Stations

[King Penguin]

One possible issue under investigation following Castle Vale today.
One runner is positive his CARD flashed at one of the controls but the unit did not flash or beep. At download he was recorded as not having visited that control at all.
The unit will be interrogated to see if there is any record on that of his visit.
The only possibility I can think of is that maybe the card flashes when the unit sees it, rather than after the unit has written to the card - which would be a bit of a design flaw if correct.
No other problems with that control for anyone else, and no problems with that SI card at any other units, many of which were purchased in the same batch and should have the same firmware.

[AndyC]

I'd suggest taking that card back to the same control and see what happens - was anyone else using the new type of card and did they have an issue?
BTB I enjoyed the event- nearly last but my fastest mins/km for two years -if only medical problems had allowed me to get some training in!

[haloite]

That's a bit of a worry having just shelled out ££'s for one with a personalised number (Christmas pressie look forward with interest to the outcome of this thread!!

[King Penguin]

The update from Castle Vale is :
"I have looked at control 73 and 9005238 is shown with an ERR A marking – there isn’t a time but it is between a punch by 335230 at 11:32:37 and 50046 at 11:33:20.
The documentation states “If the read-/write process between SI-card and SI-station is interrupted before finished an error code will be written in the backup memory.
Dependent on the moment of the interrupt the error code mean ErrA, ErrB, ErrC or ErrD.” (not very helpful!) - but the bottom line is that the e-card was removed from the station too soon.
The Sportident.com website lists firmware 5.7.4 under the Si-Card11 – but this station, and I suspect all the others in use have firmware 5.6.8."

The SI v11 card in question had no problems at any of the other controls.

The details have been sent to the relevant SI personnel

... and we are reinstating the runner in the results.

[smf]

also, with it flashing, is there a battery in it which will need changing? In the market for a new SI so might as well get the one with all the bells and whistles!

The card has an LED which flashes when the card is successfully punched at an SI-Control. The flash illuminates the SI logo in the tip. Flashing continues for a short period after leaving a control providing reassurance that the card has been dipped. This feedback signal is powered by battery. Power consumption is very low. Based on calculations there is enough power to activate up to 30,000 flashing cycles. Should the battery fail the card will continue to record punches but the LED will no longer flash.

[kedge]

The Sportident.com website lists firmware 5.7.4 under the Si-Card11 – but this station, and I suspect all the others in use have firmware 5.6.8.

I'm a little concerned to hear that your control stations are still on a relatively old version of the firmware.

[geek alert} I received a control unit back from SportIdent UK yesterday, fresh from having a new battery fitted, with a note informing me that the unit had been updated to the very recently released firmware v 5.80 and a recommendation that my club update all our SI boxes to the new version of the firmware, including the printer download boxes. This should give better battery usage - and also corrects that very annoying problem with errors on long splits printouts from the GeBe printout set.[/geek alert}

As it takes the SIBoot program about 5 minute/box to do this, it looks as if I'm in for a very long & boring wet day job sometime in the near future!

[SIman]

As it takes the SIBoot program about 5 minute/box to do this, it looks as if I'm in for a very long & boring wet day job sometime in the near future!

Try to get hold of as many master stations as you can. I was doing four stations at a time yesterday.

[Big Jon]

Ahh the joys of reprogramming SI units, checking batteries, changing batteries, etc. Emit on the other hand, despite being the spawn of satan (according to many) has none of these time consuming issues, buy, use as often as you wish, 12 years later (or so) replace forest units.

[King Penguin]

Problem explained - checking firmware on other units shows them to be 5.74. Looks like we have one unit which at some point missed out on an upgrade. It will be corrected.
On the plus side, it confirms that new version 11 cards do work fine when the control units are at firmware version 5.74.

[m4rk]

One runner is positive his CARD flashed at one of the controls but the unit did not flash or beep. At download he was recorded as not having visited that control at all.

Same issue at the WIM event today; similarly with only one control having the issue (#191).

Please reinstate me, nice people at WIM

[Paul Frost]

Ahh the joys of reprogramming SI units, checking batteries, changing batteries, etc. Emit on the other hand, despite being the spawn of satan (according to many) has none of these time consuming issues, buy, use as often as you wish, 12 years later (or so) replace forest units.

I guess the real choice in the SI or Emit debate is if you prefer the problems/disadvantages to be weighted towards the competitor or the organiser.
As an organiser I don't mind the extra hassle of re-programming units to take advantage of improvements in the technology if it means that as a competitor I have the benefit of a smaller more user friendly card.

[kedge]

I posted too soon!

Today at the WIM Galoppen we had two competitors with these brand new SI cards. One control unit (191), common to Brown & Blue courses, didn't register on them. On investigation, it proved to have evaded the last upgrade and had firmware v5.68: all others were 5.74.

m4rk wrote

Please reinstate me, nice people at WIM

Already done and results posted on WIM website. On BOF website later once I've had my supper.