Haverhill, MA – A quick note to the FinishLynx community that our Headquarters will be closed for an extended winter break during the 2017-18 holiday season for the chance to spend extra time with family and friends. Our Haverhill office will close on Friday, December 22nd at the end of the work day. The office will reopen at 9:00 AM (Eastern Standard Time) on Tuesday, January 2nd.
This year, the employees of Lynx will be celebrating our holiday party at Board & Brush. We’ll be testing our creativity to paint personalized signs to either give as gifts, or decorate our own homes. We’ll enjoy a nice lunch together while showing off our artistic abilities.
Limited technical support may be available by calling the office and following the prompts to leave a message: (978) 556-9780. You can also submit a tech support web form and may receive a response via email.
2017-18 Holiday Schedule
Close: Friday, December 22nd at 5:00 PM (EST)
Re-Open: Tuesday, January 2nd at 9:00 AM (EST)
From everyone here at Lynx, we wish you and your family a very happy holiday and wonderful new year.
The topic of insurance has been brought up many times within the race timers’ community. What type of insurance is needed? Who is responsible for providing insurance at events? Is insurance needed at all? With so many questions in mind, it can be difficult to get a straight answer – especially with how complicated the general topic of insurance can be anyway. We spoke with Scott Sutter of Strategic Risk Transfers, an insurance company offering coverage specifically for Race Timers, to see if we could clarify some of the more common questions.
The first question that can be asked is, “Do we even need insurance?” While not all race timers choose to get insurance, the majority of events and venues putting on a race will require it. There is just so much that can possibly go wrong. When looking for insurance, be sure to read up on any exemptions listed on insurance policies if you are planning to host a mud run or bicycle race, for example, because some insurance policies won’t cover those.
So, who is responsible for providing insurance? Below is a handy breakdown from Scott to have a simple way of answering that exact question:
This Insurance Guide has been prepared specifically for Race Timing Providers. The timer’s insurance related responsibilities are dictated by the timing contract, as well as best practices and State Statute. This guide is designed to generally guide the Race Timer in their initial engagement with a Race Director.
Choosing Insurance Coverage for Race Directors and Timers
The options for race timing insurance can be fairly limited. For Race Directors who are hosting events, you may opt to just get single-event insurance for each one. Another option is to get a single, year-long event liability policy which covers all races. As for insurance on the race timing side, it could be a smart idea to have general liability insurance that would provide coverage if you are liable for non-race related bodily injury or property damage (ie; your inflatable arch falls on someone’s car, etc). It could also be a good idea to look for a policy that has professional liability coverage which would cover instances such as the timer releasing incorrect results, the wrong runners are then issued prize monies, and the RD cannot get those monies back – professional liability coverage could activate in this case.
According to Scott, “General liability policies specifically exclude ‘participation in and/or practice for athletic events.’ If you are a race timer, this exclusion isn’t a big deal, since the timer is only responsible for recording the performance of the participant. However, this exclusion is a huge deal to the race director, who is responsible for the runner – while that runner is in between the start/finish line, as well as at associated race exhibitions, post-parties, etc. This is why the race director must buy an event liability policy. The event liability policy will defend the race director if they are sued by a participant (or spectator or vendor) for bodily injury or property damage.”
Exploring Race Timing Insurance Options
Two of the more well-known options are offered by the USATF and the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA). One detail to note with these options is that membership may be required in order to get insurance from either organization. On another note, some race timers have found that the insurance providers they already use for Auto/Home are able to provide the adequate coverage needed. This is less common though, and unfortunately, a general insurance company typically won’t be as knowledgeable of the intricacies involved with race timing.
This lack of race timing insurance options brings us to Scott Sutter.
Scott Sutter has always been involved with the track and field world. Previously a Division I track athlete, he has since founded the race production company Southern New England Athletic Association (www.sneaa.org). Alongside the race production company, Scott also owns and operates Strategic Risk Transfers, a commercial liability insurance brokerage out of Worcester, MA. Scott shared with us his realization that there was a real need for race timing insurance:
A couple of years ago, the timing company that we historically hired to time our races asked me to quote their insurance. This is when I discovered that an insurance program for race timers did not exist on the market. The timer’s current insurance program did not insure their off-site exposure – essentially, they had zero coverage while timing a race on someone else’s property – which is every race! Crazy!
– Scott Sutter, Strategic Risk Transfers
Since Scott is deeply embedded within the race timing community, he fully understands the frustrations and complexities of the industry that many other insurance companies simply don’t have experience with. In talking with Scott, it’s clear that he holds a true passion for providing complete solutions as well as a better understanding for those who may not know where to start. Scott provided us with a list of deliverables from Strategic Risk Transfers which can be viewed here.
Please feel free to reach out to Scott with any questions you may have about your options: scott@srtins.com
If you operate a race timing company and regularly time, score, or host events, we recommend you explore all your insurance coverage options. They will vary by your needs, location, sport, and the nature of your events. But at the very least, you should be aware of your choices. Plans can start at as a little as a few hundred dollars annually. And that’s a small price to pay to protect your company, employees, and participants.
CS-Mount and C-Mount Lenses are two different lens mounts used for Lynx cameras. As most Lynx timers know, it’s easy to accrue many different event-specific lenses over time. The type of lens used is a crucial factor in optimizing your photo-finish camera.
What’s similar between a CS-Mount and a C-Mount?
C-Mount and CS-Mounts are very similar; ‘C’ and ‘CS’ Mount devices all have the same screw thread. They both have a 1-inch threaded screw-on attachment.
What’s different between CS-Mount and C-Mount?
The difference is that a C-Mount Lens needs to be 5mm farther away from the Image Sensor in order to focus properly.
Why is the difference between these two lenses so important?
The CS-Mount Lens is 5mm smaller than a C-Mount Lens. An easy way to think about it is that the S in CS-Mount stands for Small. The regular C-Mount is 5mm larger. This is important because the type of lens on each camera requires a certain distance between the Image Sensor and the lens.
When to Use Which Adapter
Because Vision cameras have a CS-Mount, you need to add the CS-C Mount adapter if you install a C-Mount Lens on a Vision camera. The table below shows which mount goes with each Lynx camera. As seen below, our Vision-series cameras have a CS-Mount on the camera. You can use a C-Mount lens on Vision cameras, but a CS-to-C Mount adapter is needed.
The EtherLynx-series has a C-Mount on the camera. This allows it to use C-Mount lenses. Unfortunately, a CS-Lens cannot be used on a C-Mount because the focal distance wouldn’t be correct. The C-Mount wouldn’t allow the CS-Lens to be close enough. It would be 5mm too far from the sensor.
Optimize Captures By Taking Full Advantage of the Smaller Image Sensor
Optimize Vision PRO Captures
The EtherLynx Vision-series cameras (Vision and Vision PRO) offer many new features and functions that were previously unavailable with older generation cameras. Of these, EasyAlign and Power-Over-Ethernet are favorites among FinishLynx timers. Just as well, these photo-finish cameras use the latest, most advanced image sensors on the market that allow frame rates never previously imaginable (up to 20,000 fps) as well as setting new benchmarks for light sensitivity.
Another major difference with these new image sensors is their size. For example, the sensor in the Vision PRO is about 27% of the size of the sensor in the old EtherLynx PRO.
The objective of this post is to demonstrate how to leverage this difference to capture better photo-finish images with the EtherLynx Vision PRO camera.
Advantages
The main advantage of using a smaller sensor is that it requires a smaller lens to cover the same view. When a 200mm lens was previously required on an EtherLynx PRO, the Vision PRO will display the same content with only a 55mm lens.
This advantage is compounded by the fact that a smaller lens can be:
More light sensitive
Remote controlled
Less expensive
Example
EtherLynx PRO
Vision PRO
Required Focal Length
200mm
55mm
Common Lens
Nikon 80-200mm
Computar 12.5-75mm
Lens Light Sensitivity
f2.8
f1.2 (offers 4.5x more light)
Lens Cost
$1,410 USD
$800 USD
Remote Functions
Iris only
Zoom, Focus, Iris
Combined with higher available frame rates and improved light sensitivity—as well as tools like LuxBoost and the Double function—Vision PRO users are able to maximize the time resolution of captured images and easily split the difference of close finishes. When it comes to photo-finish, this is the name of the game.
Challenges
The advantage stated above becomes a challenge when the camera is set up close to the finish line and a wide angled lens is required. A good example of this is in cycling, when the camera is usually mounted on the gantry and a 24mm lens on an EtherLynx PRO is standard.
The Computar 2.8-10mm f1.2 (P-Iris) lens allows full resolution with Vision PRO cameras between ~6.5-10mm only. At a wider zoom level (<6.5mm), shading will appear on the edges of the image. This is referred to as vignetting, when the sensor size and lens format are incompatible.
NOTE: A 6.5mm lens on a Vision PRO is the equivalent of a 24mm lens on an EtherLynx PRO.
Video Tutorial: Set the Iris Type and Prevent Vignetting on Vision Cameras
Optimizing Vision PRO Image Quality & Time Resolution
Optimal image quality is obtained by maximizing the resolution of the objects of interest that are captured. A higher resolution means more details in the image and, in turn, a better chance of differentiating close finishes.
Key Steps
1. Select the Correct Lens
Because the smaller sensor requires a smaller lens, it should always be possible to use a lens with a focal length adequate for the camera position.
To calculate the right lens for your setup and application, download the Lens Focal Length & Frame Rate Calculator (LensCalc.xls). You can enter the different distance parameters to calculate the correct focal length (left), or simply select the current camera and lens to find the equivalent for the Vision PRO (right).
Detailed steps are described on the Lens & Mounts page of the FinishLynx Online Manual.
2. Use the Full Height of the Image Sensor
Avoid capturing dead space at the top or bottom of the image by zooming in as much as possible. The more you zoom in, without cutting off important parts, the higher the resolution of the captured object.
With previous cameras, this was often impossible because bigger, expensive, telephoto lenses were needed.
3. Use Digital Zoom to Boost the Resolution (Optional)
Start by setting the Pixel Mode to Zoom 200%. Then, double the Frame Height (2048 pixels) and the Frame Rate to maintain the same ratio. You will produce images that have 4 times the resolution of an image taken at Zoom 100% (2 in the vertical dimension X 2 in the horizontal dimension).
Video Tutorial: Optimize Image Quality & Settings on the Vision PRO Camera
Low-Light Tips
Of course, doubling the frame rate requires double the amount of light. In low-light environments, try clicking the Double checkbox in the Camera Settings to offset this requirement.
To further push the limits of Vision PRO cameras in low-light conditions, LuxBoost is a great tool. To keep images crisp when LuxBoost is used, ensure that the frame rate matches the speed of the objects being captured. At high LuxBoost values, a discrepancy may lead to increased image softness.
New Support Resource: FinishLynx Sports Timers Facebook Group
We’ve created a new Facebook group for the purpose of giving FinishLynx operators a space to post questions, advice, and event photos/setups. We hope that timers can use this group as a collaborative forum to find answers and share insights that other FinishLynx timers may not have heard or experienced before. We also have two members of FinishLynx tech. support, Paul and Dave, in the group who can help answer more complex problems or point you towards support documents/videos on our main site.
The goal of the new Facebook group is not to take the place of existing timers’ groups, but to provide access to more specialized FinishLynx technology, networking, and support discussions. We understand that there is a lot of information out there, so we wanted to create a place to post a question or topic of discussion and receive a response quickly. This group can also be used to find local FinishLynx timers near you.
June 21, 2017 – Version 10.03 of the FinishLynx photo-finish timing software is now available and we encourage all Lynx timers to update their software immediately. FinishLynx 10.03 has many new features, including:
RadioLynx performance indicator – displays packet number of the last wireless start signal received
LapTime offset – easily syncs laptime device with the official FinishLynx time
New scoreboard scripts for Daktronics, Lynx Laptime, and Video Display Module displays
Updated German language file
New Offline Help Files include a local version of the help.finishlynx.com manual for offline support in (help|contents)
Vision PRO Wide Pixels Mode available in 50%, 33%, and 25%
Vision PRO Black Levels control the brightness of the darkest portion of the image. Adjusting from zero affects the dynamic range and color saturation
F-Mount remote focus control – New F-mount adapters for Vision PRO cameras offer remote focus control for Nikon lenses with a built-in focus motor
New Advanced FinishLynx features (see release notes)
Find the finish line feature re-added due to customer demand. YMMV.
See below for a list of the all the relevant downloads. View the release notes PDF and video for more information about each feature.
A common support call coming into our office relates to an orange blinking boot light on FinishLynx Vision-series cameras which do not load into the FinishLynx software. The orange boot light indicates the camera is waiting for connection from the computer. In most cases, the WiFi adapter or Firewall is on and preventing the camera from loading.
To Disable the WiFi:
1. Navigate to the Control Panel.
2. Find the Network and Sharing center.
3. Look for the option to Change Adapter Settings on the left-hand side.
4. Right-click the WiFi adapter and click Disable.
To Disable the Firewall:
Navigate to the Control Panel.
Look for the Windows Firewall.
Click Turn Windows Firewall On or Off.
Turn off the firewall for each network type.
After doing the above, restart FinishLynx and attempt to load the camera. Failing that, restart the computer and attempt to load the camera. If you still experience issues, contact Lynx technical support at 978-556-9780 or support@finishlynx.com.
With Cross Country season just around the corner, it can be useful to have a few tricks up your sleeve to help solve some problems that may arise.
When capturing a race with a large number of athletes, such as Cross country or road races, timers are left to scroll through an entire image file looking for a specific runner within the image or using the time stamp. But there’s an easier way!
Notice the small magnifying glass in the results section of FinishLynx below:
The Find feature in FinishLynx will allow you to search for an athlete by ID number as long as the image has already been evaluated.
Simply enter the ID of the desired athlete and click Ok.
The vertical hash line will then jump to the corresponding time (and athlete) within the image.
Voila! A simple trick to save you some time during those big races. Contact tech support with any questions.
April 1, 2017 — We’re pleased to introduce two new products to the Lynx catalog: the HoloLynx Virtual Display Board and the High-Tech Disposable Camera Covers. With your suggestions and input, we believe we’ve really outdone ourselves here.
HoloLynx Virtual Display Board
Do you wish you could display results like a pro but just don’t have the money or space to do so? Or maybe you’re just looking for something with a bit more ‘wow-factor’ to truly set yourself apart from the competition? Look no further! The HoloLynx Display is your answer. Whether you’re plagued by dim lighting at an indoor meet or are a timing company that just doesn’t have the space or man-power to lug around a few scoreboards, the HoloLynx is for you. It boasts many impressive features including adjustable brightness, high-resolution images, and a wide-angle view option. The HoloLynx is extremely portable (just one small disk) and user-friendly. Similar to our Video Display Module, HoloLynx plugs directly into the camera’s HDMI port—and with the push of a button, you’re in business. Plus, the optional wireless upgrade makes the unit Wifi-enabled, providing better range and placement flexibility.
The HoloLynx is compatible with Vision-series cameras and can even display live video using the IdentiLynx. The high resolution holograms really add a sophisticated touch to any race (especially those captured with the new Vision PRO). Bring your equipment into the future of race timing!
High-Tech Disposable Camera Covers
FinishLynx timers of the world rejoice! Timers often disagree about the best method for protecting their hardware from the elements. We even have our own blog post discussing the many tools timers use to keep their cameras safe and dry, which includes everything from Tupperware containers to standard rain covers. While we believe our current covers do a superb job, we have been racking our brains to create theultimate solution for camera protection. We put our top engineers on the task and are thrilled to announce the result of many hours’ worth of brainstorms: The Lynx High-Tech Disposable Camera Cover
See some of the amazing benefits below:
Protects against extreme moisture and precipitation
Adjustable to fit any size Lynx camera
Hand-made from recycled materials
Dishwasher-safe, hydrophobic design
Moisture-wicking technology prevents mold
Lightweight, compact, and easy to transport
20 per box – or buy in bulk to save on shipping
Reuseable up to 7 or 8 times!
Definitely not just trash bags
[hr_invisible]If you haven’t guessed, April Fools! Please re-share on social media if you enjoyed! :)
