RaceAmerica Online Forum

Our track has a combination of Track Safety Lights and a couple of Digital Safety Flags. The Digital Flags have the standard 10-button hand controllers hardwired with a 50 foot cable. Can I replace or update these hand controllers with the new 15-button hand controllers I see in your product catalog? Would be nice to have a few more flags to select at the turns.

Richkim wrote:Can I replace or update these hand controllers with the new 15-button hand controllers I see in your product catalog?

When RaceAmerica introduced the Digital Safety Flag version 2, one of the expanded features was the choice of standard 10-button hand controllers wired to the DSF, and the new 15-button hand controller. Same connector, same connection to the DSF but capability to access an addition 5 flags from the handheld.

The hand controller does not store the flags for each button, the flags are stored in a lookup table in each DSF internal Flash memory. The new hand controller incorporates three new or expanded designs retaining full compatibility with the DSF version 1 and 10-button hand controllers.

First, the DSF internal code was expanded to store the additional flag selections as displayed on the hand controller buttons.
Second, a new hand controller was designed to handle the additional buttons and still fit in your hand.
Third, the PC software was enhanced for selection of the additional 5 flags while retaining full compatibility with both DSF versions.

To use the new expanded 15-button Hand Controller, your existing DSF v1 would need a code update and the PC software controlling the DSFs would need an upgrade. This in addition to the purchase of the 15-button hand controller. The new PC software is fully compatible with DSF v1, DSF v2, and all Track Safey Lights as well as both Hardwired Hand Controller models.

Will the bigger hand controller work with our TSLs? Two of the TSLs have the ten button hand controller connected. We have the 6752 wireless TSLs on track.

Dakimmer wrote:Will the bigger hand controller work with our TSLs?

The 15-button Hand Controller was designed for compatibility with the DSF product line. It is possible for the hand controller to be modified to be compatible with the TSL product line. The code running in the TSL would also need enhancements to handle the higher number of flag selections the new hand controller offers.

I will check with the owners if they want local light control with any of the TSLs. I had suggested the larger selection of flags could be available local to the DSFs and that is what drew the original question.

Great idea to add the hand controller to the TSL. I will bring that up to our membership and equipment committee. Thanks.

Do all the hand controller use the same 15 flags or can each hand controller have different flags? I want to be able to assign some flags to specific corner marshal and not be available to others.

Dakimmer wrote:Do all the hand controller use the same 15 flags or can each hand controller have different flags?

One button on each of the hand controllers is reserved to clear the DSF or TSL.

This results in the 10-button hand controller has 9 assignable buttons or 9 different flags available. The 15-button hand controller has 14 assignable buttons or 14 different flags available. Not all the buttons need to be assigned on the hand controller, in fact, the unassigned buttons will act the same as the button to clear the DSF or TSL.

Remember the assignment of buttons on a hand controller is stored in a table in the Flash memory of the DSF or TSL and not in the actual hand controller. The hand controller does hold the flag image at each button. If two hand controllers have different flags assigned, they will have different flag images installed at each button. Swapping the hand controllers on their DSF or TSL will NOT move the assigned buttons functionality. The DSF or TSL holds the assigned flags in Flash memory. The hand controller is simply an electronic switch to tell the DSF ot TSL what button was pressed, then the DSf or TSL make the flag selection from the flag assignment table in their Flash memory.

So the table in the light is bigger for the larger hand controller than when the 10 button hand controller is connected. Right?

Richkim wrote:So the table in the light is bigger for the larger hand controller than when the 10 button hand controller is connected. Right?

Yes, this is why the code in the DSF and TSL must be updated. The Flash table is bigger and the ability to use it is added.