V&V Systems 100C

100C Knowledge Bowl Timer

The 100C is used in Knowledge Bowl competition to determine which team responded first second and third and then to measure the time for a team to provide their answer.

New Features

The 100C has several new features to improve functionality and maintenance

Removable cables - All 100C cables are now connectorized. This not only removes one of the most common points of failure, but also allows for easily replacement and packing:

• Bars - The bars are now equipped with a modular connector compatible with telephone or Ethernet cables.
• Power and Control - Power is now supplied using a standard micro-USB cable
• Moderator Control - The moderator control plugs in with to a standard 1/4" phone connector

Five second countdown - Assisting the moderator to time the interval from the end of asking the question and waiting for a team to respond, the five second countdown timer will beep if no team has responded in the allowed time.

Single button moderator control - The moderator can now control the 100C with a new streamlined single button control. A single click will start the five second countdown (above) before a team has responded or reset the clock once a question is active. A click and hold will reset all in preparation for the next question.

Setup

The 100C kit consists of:

• 100C main unit
• Three team response bars in storage tube
• Three 14' modular cables
• Single button moderator control
• USB power supply and 10' micro-USB cable

Connections:

• Plug in the Moderator switch cable to the round jack on the back of the timer
• Put each of the three bars on a table for each team and then connect each bar to the back of the timer using a modular (telephone) cables.
• Connect the micro-USB cable from the 100C to the USB power supply and then plug the power supply into a wall outlet.

The timer is very light-weight and the cables weigh more than the timer does so a book or a piece of gaffer’s tape on the cables may prevent the timer from sliding around.

The connection to the 100C is standard USB so as an alternative to the wall mounted power supply, you can also power the timer with a USB battery pack or laptop's USB port.

Operation

Front Panel Display

The front panel display has five digits - a two digit time display on the left and three team displays to the right.

When the timer powers up, it takes a number of actions:

• Scans the local environment for electrical noise and displays a rotating pattern while doing so. If environmental noise is detected, the timer will display a notice for a few seconds:
  • On the left most two digits, a value between 1 (low level of noise) and 3 (severe noise).
  • On the three team digits, a value between 1 (low level of noise) and 9 (severe noise) to assist the moderator in determining the source of the interference.
  • Example:
    • 1 4 1 1 – low level interference likely near bar "A".
    • 3 4 5 9 – severe interference likely near bar "C".
• After checking for noise, checks that the team bars are properly connected.
  • u – (lower case U) – the timer measurement indicates that the bar is unplugged.
  • L – (upper case L) – the timer measurement indicates that the cable to the bar is too long.
  • . – (decimal point) – the timer measurement indicates the bar is connected correctly.
  • Example:
    • . u u L – The timer is ready and detects that team A and B are unplugged and team C cable is too long.
    • . . . . – The timer is ready and detects that all the team's bars are properly connected.

Moderator Control

The moderator control manages all the functions of the timer. The moderator pendant switch can do three things:

• When the timer is idle, a single click will start the five second countdown timer.
• When the timer is active (a team has buzzed in), single click will
• If another team is waiting to answer, reset the clock and advance the flashing indicator to the next team
• If no team is waiting to answer, stop the clock. Note that if a second or third team has not yet buzzed in, they can still buzz in and the clock will restart and flash their place digit.
• A press and hold will clear both the clock and place displays and is ready for the next question.

Software Version

The 100C timer is continually improving and each software version adds new features and services. To determine the software version, press and hold the moderator control button when powering up the timer. The software version will be displayed on the front panel display for five seconds before continuing on with the normal power up process. When reporting any troubles, please include the version along with any other symptoms.

Remote Control

The 100C is now equipped with a micro-USB connector for both power and control. Power can be provided by an wall mounted power supply (included), a USB battery pack (for mobility) or a laptop. The USB port, when connected to a PC, can also control the 100C as well as provide the moderator with an additional view of the front panel information. For more details, download the 100C Application Note (PDF)