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Pre-Season Checklist: Tips to Test & Prep Your System for Another Year

Posted on February 6, 2014 - 3:54 pm by

12 Tips to Help you Prepare for Another Season of Flawless Results

For many Lynx users, timing is a seasonal job that comes and goes with the fall, winter, and spring. Some of our service providers are busy timing events year-round. But we know that many others, including high school and college customers, put their systems in storage all winter. If your FinishLynx system has been hibernating all winter, we suggest you look through the pre-season checklist below. It’s a great way to make sure your cameras, cables, and connectors are ready for the spring season.  Performing these twelve steps will help you identify and prevent any unwanted surprises during your first meet of the year.

1. Perform a visual equipment check

Gather all the FinishLynx equipment, cables, and any other additional equipment added to the system. Do a relatively thorough inventory of all equipment and cables. Visually check that there is no obvious damage, rust, or corrosion to equipment and cables. If you don’t already have them, it is always beneficial to have spare network cables, serial cable, null modem cable, gender-changers and a 4- or 8-port switch.

2. Update your FinishLynx software to latest version

Open the FinishLynx software on your computer and go to Help | About. Verify that the latest version of FinishLynx is installed. As of October 2017, the latest version of FinishLynx is 10.03. Be sure that any other computers also have the latest version of FinishLynx installed. The latest software is available for free and can always be found on the FinishLynx software page under the downloads tab.

3. Verify that any software plug-ins are installed and up-to-date

Check FinishLynx plugins installed

If you own the LapTime, TimeTrial, or any other FinishLynx plug-ins, you may want to ensure that you have the latest versions. These plug-ins tend to have new devices or features added from time-to-time. The latest version of these plug-ins can be found on our website under the “Software Plugins” page. Please note that FinishLynx plug-ins must be purchased and require a serial number.

To verify that a plug-in is installed properly, open the FinishLynx software and go to Help | About. If there is a serial number displayed next to the plug-in, then that means it’s installed and should be working properly. But as with everything else, we recommend you test it just to be sure. If it says <not installed> then this could be due to a serial number entered incorrectly or because the plug-in was never installed. Verify your plug-ins on all computers that may be used with FinishLynx during the season. If you believe you purchased a plug-in but don’t have the serial number, please contact our customer support team for assistance.

4. Boot camera

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Lynx Timing and Photo Finish Seminar in Mexico

Posted on December 17, 2013 - 4:13 pm by

Classroom at FinishLynx Seminar
Classroom Learning

In early December 2013, Lynx System Developers, Inc. collaborated with the International Association of Athletic Federations [I.A.A.F.] and the Federación Mexicana de Asociaciones de Atletismo [F.M.A.A.] at a Digital Photo Finish and Timing seminar in Mexico City.

The three day seminar ran over three days and the timetable included:

  • A full day of FinishLynx system explanation, and classroom training
  • A ½ day of practical training at the Centro Deportivo Olimpico Mexicano
  • A further ½ day of advanced system configuration and operation
  • An athletics competion at the Centro Deportivo Olimpico Mexicano that was 100% timed by the participants.

Lynx provided two instructors, one Spanish speaking, and one from the Lynx Headquarters in the USAto present the information at the seminar. The FMAA organized the seminar, arranged accomodation for the instructors and the participants, and secured the cooperation of the Centro Deportivo Olimpico Mexicano in the project. The 24 particpants came from all parts of Mexico for the seminar.

FinishLynx Cameras
Participants brought their cameras to learn how to get the maximum from them

 

The Art of Photo-Finish—Finding Beauty at the Finish Line

Posted on November 27, 2013 - 12:32 pm by

Here at the Lynx headquarters, we’re a little obsessed with finish line images. It’s our job. We think great photo-finish images really are a thing of beauty. Doesn’t matter if it’s a dead heat at the Track & Field Olympic Trials, or a horse winning $6M at the Dubai World Cup—we love them all. Maybe it’s the moment itself, the motion-distorted body parts, or the way each pixel is stacked together to create an image. We’ve always believed each FinishLynx image is a little piece of art. And apparently there are others who agree. Here are a few examples of how our photo-finish images have been immortalized as art.

Sports Illustrated Photography

Sports Illustrated magazine has printed several FinishLynx images over the years. It’s no surprise the sports publication loves Lynx images. The rapid frame-rate camera of Lynx cameras (2,000 – 10,000 frames per second) lends itself to producing beautiful high-resolution photos ready for print. And of course, the images capture the most important moment of every race: the finish. This FinishLynx image was captured by SI photographer Heinz Kluetmeier at the USA Diving Grand Prix. See additional images here.

USA Diving Grand Prix finishlynx photo
USA Diving Grand Prix. Courtesy of Heinz Kluetmeier, Sports Illustrated

Student Paintings

We came across this artwork on Instagram thanks to the #photofinish hashtag. User @Nienna4 painted these images as part of a project at the Sydney College of the Arts in Australia. No surprise, she is a runner. We love how she added the photo-finish distortion to the feet. Nicely done.

Photo Finish Art paintings
Photo finish paintings by an art student in Sydney, AU. Credit to Instagram user @Nienna4

 

Stained Glass Photo-Finish Art

We discovered this stained glass panel on Pinterest. It was created by UK artist Neil McCain and was displayed as part of a special sports exhibit at the National Waterfront Museum in Wales, UK. According to the artist’s website:

It evokes the spirit of competition and split-second excitement of the modern ‘Games’. Two athletes reach for the line in a photo finish. The freeze frame reveals the winner at the speed of light, depicted by a rainbow spectrum of light across the bottom.

Stained glass photo finish art created by Neil McCain
Stained glass panel created by UK artist Neil McCain. Originally on display at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, UK.

Have you seen some other photofinish-inspired artwork out in the wild? Share it on our Facebook page.

Software Update: FinishLynx 8.23 is Now Available

Posted on October 2, 2013 - 3:49 pm by

A new version of FinishLynx has been released and is now available for download. FinishLynx version 8.23 contains a number of updates, including support for the new IdentiLynx PRO XS & XR video cameras. FinishLynx 8.23 is free for all Lynx customers and we recommend you update your software in order to take advantage of new features and bug fixes. A full list of features can be found in the software release notes below.

Download FinishLynx Now

New Features in FinishLynx 8.23 Include:

  • The front LED of the 031 IdentiLynx camera is now turned off during boot.
  • This version adds support for the IdentiLynx-XR and IdentiLynx-XS Cameras.
  • Exported video (AVI) files that reach 2GB are now kept instead of being deleted.
  • Fixed a problem with combo boxes on Windows 8.
  • Hidden setting comments can now be formatted with newlines. The comment for MainFont takes advantage of this.

Tip: Enhance Low-Light FinishLynx Captures with an Ellipsoidal Spotlight

Posted on August 1, 2013 - 11:05 am by

Cycling photo finish with ellipsoidal spotlight
Cycling finish line with Ellipsoidal spotlight.

Capturing crystal-clear photo finish images can be especially challenging during low-light situations (e.g., night-time events or dim indoor lighting). Because the EtherLynx 2000+ and Fusion cameras are equipped with very light-sensitive image sensors, most Lynx users will never have issues with low-light conditions. The FinishLynx software also has built-in controls for adjusting the brightness, contrast, gamma, gain, and Phased Light Compensation. But adding artificial lighting to your finish line can also be a great way to enhance the clarity and contrast of your finish line images in low-light settings.

Flood lights and halogen lamps are both viable finish line lighting options. Lynx service provider Rob Whitacre from GC Racing has found an especially elegant solution for capturing low-light cycling events: an ellipsoidal spotlight. According to Rob:

A tool that has helped me a lot for low light situations is a theatrical ellipsoidal spotlight. Since I do many evening events at our velodrome and road cycling events at night the ellipsoidal light has been a very good tool. I used a Source 4 ellipsoidal made by ETC. What is nice with the ellipsoidal is it has shutters so you can create shapes with the light as opposed to a massive spot. I make a rectangle with the light focused only on the finish line.

The ellipsoidal spotlight allows for light to be focused across the entire length of the finish line. This produces image captures that are more uniform and evenly lit. Unlike stadium lighting, which can strobe 50-60 cycles per second and distort images, the ellipsoidal spotlight has a frequency that prevents any such distortion.  See the image below for a real FinishLynx capture taken with the spotlight in use.

low-light finishlynx cycling image
Low-light FinishLynx image captured while using an ellipsoidal spotlight.

 

Have your own lighting tips and tricks? Share them in the comments or on our Facebook Fan Page.

 

Remote Control Car Demo with FinishLynx, IdentiLynx, & RFID Chip Integration

Posted on June 24, 2013 - 3:02 pm by

We love testing hardware at our Headquarters in Haverhill. It gives all the employees a chance to have some hands-on time with the technology. Last Friday, we decided to have a little fun with the demo. So we setup the FinishLynx Triad (Photo-Finish + RFID + IdentiLynx Video) and attached RFID chips to a few very fast remote-control cars.

The afternoon demo gave everyone a chance to capture and evaluate races using FinishLynx. It was also a great opportunity to show off the integration of RFID tracking technology inside the software. People came for the pizza and stayed for the remote control car crashes. See below to view some images and watch the demo video:

Upgrade Now with the 2013 Summer Promotion For U.S. Customers

Posted on June 21, 2013 - 2:22 pm by

photo finish camera certification

For the ninth year in a row, we are holding a Summer Promotion for all our U.S. customers. We’re offering substantial incentives to those who upgrade their FinishLynx systems during the summer months. With U.S. high schools and colleges closed for summer vacation, things are much quieter here at our office in Haverhill. That means our support team and technicians have more time to spend on testing, upgrading, and recertifying FinishLynx cameras to make sure they’re working flawlessly for your next event. This year, the four promotions include:

  • Camera Upgrades
  • Extended Warranties
  • IdentiLynx Packages
  • Scholastic to Bronze Upgrades

Have you considered adding one of our popular camera upgrades like Color, Timing, High-Resolution, or FLEX? Have you been looking to buy an IdentiLynx head-on video camera? Or maybe the warranty on your EtherLynx camera has expired and you’d like to add a couple more years of protection? No problem. Now is the time to make your upgrades. Because when you purchase one of the applicable upgrades this summer, you’ll also receive a free bonus, like free Camera Service & Recertification or Free Standard Shipping.

The 2013 U.S. Summer Promotion runs from June 1 until August 31. Contact our Domestic Sales team to request the current status of your system, cameras, or warranties. See below for additional details on the promotion options available.

[button link=”mailto:domsales@finishlynx.com?subject=Summer%20Promotion” color=”#55009c” text=”light”]Email Domestic Sales Now[/button]

Allyson Felix Sprints to 150m World Record at the Great City Games

Posted on June 3, 2013 - 2:52 pm by

Manchester, England – On Saturday, May 25th, Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix won the 150m sprint at the Great City Games. Her time of  16.36 also set a new world record for the event. The competitors ran the 150m event on a straight track surface laid down on Deansgate, a major road in Manchester’s city centre.

Felix has admitted that she loves running outside the typical stadium environment. Her world record performance at the Great City Games on Saturday will only further reinforce that preference. While there had been some headwinds at the outdoor venue throughout the day, Felix’s 16.36 WR was recorded with a small tailwind of (+0.2 m/s). (more…)

On the Beach with Usain Bolt in Brazil

Posted on April 10, 2013 - 11:12 am by

The Confederação Brasileira de Atletismo Times Usain Bolt on Copacabana Beach.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – On Sunday March 31, the timing team affiliated with the Confederação Brasileira de Atletismo went to the famous Copacabana beach for a unique event. With an EtherLynx PRO as the primary timing camera, an EtherLynx Fusion for reverse angle images, ReacTime (mounted without the speaker units as audio was sent through the Public Address system), a Lynx electronic starting system, and multiple Microgate photocells, this event may have been taking place on a beach famous for its parties, but the technology in use was definitely serious. (more…)