slot dragon timing system

[dave632]

Yes I heard nothing good about the old Summit system, pure junk.

Did not know TrakMate had a 120.00 system.


Here is what the Trakmate add says:


Drag Basic

Basic Drag system.  Does Reaction Time and ET times.   Supports Pro Tree and Full Tree with Dial-in for Bracket Racing.   Does not work on newer computers.  Requires DOS or Windows 95 or 98.....

[AJR]

Trackmate Basic is what I have been using for the last 4yrs or so. I found an old IBM laptop on Ebay at the time for around $50 that ran Win 95. The system has operated flawlessly this whole time. Only had problems with a couple of the IR sensors, but that is normal wear and tear. Trackmate sent me replacement sensors and I have since found them from another source at a much reduced cost if ever needed in the future. I started with on earlier version of the Slot Dragon, but moved onto the Trackmate system. No regrets on that! Trackmate has the best timing systems out there from the $120 version to the $700+ version....hands down.

[440gtx]

I've been using the Trackmate basic for 10 years now. I have never had any problems with it. There is actually a thread from back in 2008 about this system. I don't think you can beat it for the money.

www.nitroslots.com/thread/739/trackmate-drag-budget-timing-system

[woodcote]

I am very close to replacing the Auto World modules on my 1/8-ish mile strip and have been looking at the Slot Dragon system and the Trackmate Drag Basic in some detail, including on here.

As far as I can see for my needs, the big advantage the Drag Basic package is that it gives me dial-ins for bracket racing. Slot Dragon does not, although it does everything else Drag basic does - ETs, reaction time, staging, Pro Tree etc.

Although the system is for my permanent strip at home, I will also need to take it to public events at my club, local fairs and big slot car events where we run a very popular twenty-foot scale quarter-mile...

Slot Dragon certainly holds the trumps card here, I think - as I can easily unplug the Control Tower and Tree and fit it to the other strip with extra sensor cables provided by Slot Dragon. I also like how Slot Dragon is stand-alone and how both the Tree and read-out look cool - important for those public events, when computer glitches are the last thing you need and the eye-candy draws people in. Having said that, the Drag Basic retro-look is so old that it isn't totally uncool.

With the Trackmate Drag Basic, I do have an early pentium laptop running Window95, so that is portable. However, I can see that I'd need to buy a whole extra Drag Basic system to use in public - unless the sensors are straight hardwired into the parallel port. Then I could make a second set myself. Has anyone tried that?

Thanks, in advance, for any help - I want to upgrade soon!

[dave632]

I know Jeff, JJWallace, has used the TrakMate basic and he would be the one to ask there. I would suggest sending him a PM.

[440gtx]

Apr 12, 2017 6:15:48 GMT -7 woodcote said:

I am very close to replacing the Auto World modules on my 1/8-ish mile strip and have been looking at the Slot Dragon system and the Trackmate Drag Basic in some detail, including on here.

As far as I can see for my needs, the big advantage the Drag Basic package is that it gives me dial-ins for bracket racing. Slot Dragon does not, although it does everything else Drag basic does - ETs, reaction time, staging, Pro Tree etc.

Although the system is for my permanent strip at home, I will also need to take it to public events at my club, local fairs and big slot car events where we run a very popular twenty-foot scale quarter-mile...

Slot Dragon certainly holds the trumps card here, I think - as I can easily unplug the Control Tower and Tree and fit it to the other strip with extra sensor cables provided by Slot Dragon. I also like how Slot Dragon is stand-alone and how both the Tree and read-out look cool - important for those public events, when computer glitches are the last thing you need and the eye-candy draws people in. Having said that, the Drag Basic retro-look is so old that it isn't totally uncool.

With the Trackmate Drag Basic, I do have an early pentium laptop running Window95, so that is portable. However, I can see that I'd need to buy a whole extra Drag Basic system to use in public - unless the sensors are straight hardwired into the parallel port. Then I could make a second set myself. Has anyone tried that?

Thanks, in advance, for any help - I want to upgrade soon!

I built a second cable and photoeye setup for a portable track. The cable plugs into the parallel port. 4 eyes, some cable, a parallel connector and a little bit of work and you are set.