All the user interfaces are terrible. Over 2 years I have figured out how to use the end user, it will do all the things you want it to do relatively predictably. I think the designers had never seen a gameboy till they made the system.
The other end, the transmitter software isn't any better. There are a couple different versions depending on what kind of event you're running, and the end user views change with that. You also have no indication of whats being run except some of your options might be different.
[/b]
So if you frequently run events run by different clubs (as I do, travelling to do National races), and if each club has a different version of the software, or just a different configuration, then there is not much predictability in the user interface. Right? Because that's my experience.
Rememer that B is select, and A is back. That is the hard part for me. From the start page (when you first turn it on) you can press the right arrow once and get a class list, press it again and you should get the leaderboard. If you highlight your driver and press B, it will either take you to a class leaderboard, or his personal driver page. That depends on whats going on upstairs.[/b]
Is there a difference between "right arrow" and "B"? Or do they both just advance to the next screen?
Does scrolling up and down before clicking "right arrow" or "B" actually affect the behavior of the click? If sometimes, then when?
What is the point of the class list page? It doesnt' appear to allow me to get to a particular class.
How can I see results for the group that just finished?
How can I see current qualifying results for a class that's on track right now? Sorted by time please. Can I sort by car number instead? Can I do the same for the whole group?
Sometimes, right-arrow/B seems to just advance through all of the classes, showing varying information for each one. Sometimes it seems like I can switch between views of the same data, but sometimes I can't. I don't know if it matters whether it's qualifying or race, or if it's a difference with tracks, or it's that I've lost connection with the transmitter (which happens a lot), but the buttons just seem to do random, unpredictable stuff.
Really, what I bought the system for was:
1) During qualifying, my crew should be able to see the live qualifying results fpr my class (ignoring the other cars on the track), in time order, and tell me where I stand over the radio.
2) During a race, my crew should be able to tell me the gap between me and the person in front of me (ignoring other classes), and the gap to the person behind me.
3) While watching a friend's race, I should be able to see the leaderboard, fastest lap times, last lap times, etc.
4) After my qualifying session, I should be able to see the results for my class, even though another group has already taken to the track.
5) After my race, I should be able to see the finishing order for my class, gaps at the finish, and fastest lap times, even though another group has already taken to the track.
I don't feel like the system consistently lets me do any of that. Seems like it's sometimes capable of doing some of that, but what sequence of steps I have to take to get to those screens seems totally inconsistent, so it's a matter of luck, literally, if I can get it to show me the data I want.
Keep in mind that I have zero control over what's going on in T&S ... I only have a gameboy in my hands.
As far as seeing last lap/fastest lap that is also controlled upstairs. They may show one on the class page and one on the leader page, I cannot remember for sure right now. [/b]
There's a "class page" and a "leader page?" How do I get to them? What do they mean? Is there a manual somewhere that describes this stuff? I've never even heard of the concepts before.
As far as reception, my experience is this: It will go a LONG ways if you have line of sight. Remember that the red LED on the iCard unit itself has to be light.[/b]
My experience isn't that good. That light flashes all the time (I assumed it meant that it was receiving data, not that it was "connected"), and sometimes just ... stops flashing.
It is common for the iCard to randomly shut itself down. If you stop recieving data in the middle of the session, turn it off and back on.[/b]
When it stops receiving data every 30 seconds, and it takes 30 seconds to boot it up, it's just better to throw it on the floor of the trailer and stomp on it. That it's common to just shut down on its own means it's not ready for prime time and no one should spend money on it.
If still no good, find your iCard guy or gal and bother them.[/b]
I thought that's what I was doing
Seriously, who are you talking about? I know you didn't invent this stuff, you didn't sell it to me, and you aren't even at the tracks I'm at. So I'm just venting in general, not at you directly. I have no idea who I'm supposed to talk to.
It says on their website that it works with the following clubs, at the following tracks, etc, etc. But HOW does it work at those tracks and clubs? I shouldn't have to go bug the T&S people ... they're busy, aren't they? It should "just work."
Okay, enough venting, I'm sure that wasn't the feedback you were looking for!
[EDIT: I just called and e-mailed the iCard people (a "C. Y. Smith"), the only name/address listed on the iCard website. That's who I really should be venting to. We'll see if I hear back. That there's no end-user manual that describes how to do the 5 things I listed above is really the core of my complaint.]
