Basic settings

Basic settings

Time parameters

Set the time parameters:

Custom start interval

Parameter setup:

In this example, the start beeps will be given at …11:58:15, 12:00:00, 12:01:45 … 12:59:30, 13:01:15… Note that the start beeps will sound at different minutes/seconds in the hours that follow.

The custom setting is valid from 12 hours before First start time to 12 hours after First start time. Start Clock will then transition from after to before First start time, which may cause a time shift of the next start beep.

For Time zero, first start time is given by the zero time point.

Custom start interval

Sound

Set sound volume of Start Clock:

Sound off

Off.

Sound on

On.

Max volume

Maximum.

Select type of sound:

Loud and clear beeps

Loud and clear beeps.

Subdued beeps

Subdued beeps.

Ding-dong beeps

Ding-dong beeps.

Maximize

Automatically maximize in main timing window:

Full screen

Fullscreen. In fullscreen mode, there is no menu available in the main timing window. To enter Settings, long press (tap and hold) in the main timing window. For devices that do not have physical back and home buttons, Swipe upwards from the bottom edge of the screen to show these buttons.

Max brightness

Max brightness.

Colours for text and background

Choose colour theme:

Light theme

Light theme.

Dark theme

Dark theme.

Custom theme

Custom theme.

Tap custom to pick text and background colours for:

Start colour

The Normal, Ready, and, Start colours can be chosen to resemble a traffic light (for example, red-orange-green backgrounds).

Information texts

Edit a short message, which is displayed in the main timing window.

Info text

Select info text colour Select info text colour

Select text colour.

Align info text left Center info text Align info text right

Align text (left, center, right).

Delete info text Delete info text

Delete text.

Decrease info text size Increase info text size

Adjust the text size.

Move info text up Move info text down

Position the text vertically.

Steady info text Flashing info text

Control if and how fast the text is flashing.

Transparent info text Opaque info text

Adjust text transparency (opacity).

The background colour is defined by Normal, Ready, and, Start background colours, respectively.

Advanced settings

Advanced settings

Function

Time zero

Enter zero time point hh:mm:ss.

If using Time zero together with Start list, read more under Start list below.

Time adjustment

The entered value ±hh:mm:ss.ss is added to current time.

Background image

Display a picture or a logo.

Select and preview background image

Select and preview background image.

Position background image upper left Position background image upper center Position background image upper right

Where to place the image. Tap to toggle between the 9 different positions. Works best for small images that don't fill the screen.

Cropped Entire image Fitted

Display a cropped image, the entire image, or a fitted (stretched) image. Tap to toggle. Works best for images that are larger than the screen.

Auto rotate Rotate 0° Rotate 90° Rotate 180° Rotate 270°

Rotate image. Tap to toggle between Auto, 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°.

Stop displaying the background image

Stop displaying the image.

Decrease image size Increase image size

Reduce image size (1—100%). Use decrease/increase buttons or move slider.

Start list

Display an imported start list, or try this function with the built-in demo start list.

Interval start — Start Clock shows the participants who will start at the next start signal. All contestants start with a fixed time interval.

Chasing start (pursuit) — Start Clock displays each competitor as his/her start time is approaching, then gives a start signal. Settings for chasing start:

The number of participants that can be displayed simultaneously is maximum 30 (15 if one column landscape), but is usually limited by the screen size.

Start list settings

Import start list Import start list

Import start list from XML or CSV file.

Info about imported start list Info about imported start list

Show details about the imported start list.
Show the start list.

Specify how to display the participants Specify how to display the participants

Specify how to display the participants. Tick the data fields to be shown. Tap, hold and drag to change the order.

One column displayed in landscape orientation Two columns displayed in landscape orientation

Select one or two columns in landscape orientation. Always one column in portrait orientation.

Speech synthesis Speech synthesis

The names of the participants are read out by speech synthesis (speech services by Google).

Decrease text size of start list Increase text size of start list

Adjust text size of start list.

Decrease text size of clock Increase text size of clock

Adjust text size of clock.

Display participants as

Workflow overview

Start list workflow

Prepare start list

Create the start list, either in XML format, or, in CSV format (Comma-Separated Values).

Transfer start list to phone/tablet

Transfer the file to be imported (the start list) to the device (phone/tablet). This can be done in several ways, for example, by emailing or downloading the file.

Import start list

The start list can be imported from within Start Clock, from your email, or, through a file manager.

During the import:

How to find the import file

Troubleshooting import

When tapping on an XML/CSV file, Android uses the file extension to determine that the file is handled by Start Clock, and then sends the file to Start Clock. If there are several apps that can handle this filetype, Android will ask which app to use.

If another app (not Start Clock) starts when you tap on the XML/CSV file, then that app has been set as the standard app for this filetype. It could for example be the MS Excel app, an office app, or any similar app. Go to Android's settings, select Apps, and tap into the app that starts instead of Start Clock. Now clear this standard setting.

Note – This is a description of Android's handling of filetypes (MIME types), which is used when opening a start list from an email app or a file manager. It is not applicable when importing from within Start Clock (or, from a file manager if Open with is used), because the picked file is then directly sent to Start Clock.

Supported file formats

How to use Time zero together with Start list

Time source

Select time source:

Position upper left

This device. Use the internal clock of the device.

Position upper center

Use GNSS time (Global Navigation Satellite System; GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, and/or, INRSS).

GNSS time

Start Clock adjusts the time given by the device's internal clock with a correction, which is updated once per second with GNSS time. If no GNSS update is received, the built-in clock is used, adjusted with the latest correction.

Place the device in an open area with a clear view for a large part of the sky. Trees and buildings as well as weather conditions may prevent accurate timing. Reliable GNSS time is achieved only after several minutes of use. Do not use indoors!

Tap on the satellite icon in the main timing window (upper right corner) to display GNSS status:

Locating satellites (blinking)

Locating satellites (blinking).

Running, fair quality

Running, fair quality.

Running, good quality

Running, good quality.

GNSS unavailable. Android™ Location switched off

GNSS unavailable. Android™ Location switched off.

Android permission Location not granted

Android permission Location not granted.

GNSS failure

GNSS failure.

Time capture

Timestamp a series of events, for example, capture finish times (or, split/lap times).

Capture the time when the button is pressed Capture the time when the button is released

Time captured manually when button pressed/released.

Time capture triggered by an external gate Time capture triggered by an external gate

Time captured by an external gate, for example, triggered by breaking a laser beam.

One column displayed in landscape orientation Two columns displayed in landscape orientation

Select one or two columns in landscape orientation. Always one column in portrait orientation.

Speech synthesis Speech synthesis

The captured times are read out by speech synthesis (speech services by Google).

Decrease text size of captured times Increase text size of captured times

Adjust text size of the captured times.

Decrease text size of clock Increase text size of clock

Adjust text size of clock.

Icon in the main timing window

Time capture button

Press (or, release) the button to capture the time.

Menu items in the main timing window (not visible in full screen mode)

List captured times

Show a list with the captured times.

Share captured times

Share the captured times by email.

Delete all captured times

Delete all captured times.

External gate interface

The external gate is connected to the device through the headset interface. The signal from the gate shall correspond to the button Play/Pause/Hook (the centre button) of the headset.

Resources:

Try the function by connecting a headset and use the centre button to simulate the signal from the gate.

Start window

The start window is used when it is allowed to start before and/or after the start signal.

Start window custom parameters

The custom parameters control when the colours of Ready, Start, and, Normal are used.

The parameters t1, t2, t3 are relative to Go! (the start signal).

Start window custom examples

Custom configuration examples.

False start

Detect a false start by connecting an external start gate to the device.

False start

False start.

If the gate signal is received before the given reaction time has elapsed, a false start is signalled:

The false start detection is activated at the first Get ready beep and is deactivated during the start second when the reaction time has elapsed. Outside that time window, any signal from the start gate is ignored.

The start gate is connected to the device through the headset interface. The signal from the start gate shall correspond to the button Play/Pause/Hook (the centre button) of the headset.

Resources:

Try the function by connecting a headset and use the centre button to simulate the signal from the start gate.

Camera

Automatically take a picture at the start signal using the back facing or the front facing camera. If False start is enabled, pictures will only be taken at false starts.

Icons in the main timing window:

Picture taken Picture taken

A picture has been taken.

Show preview Hide preview

Show/hide preview.

Camera error Camera error

Error when taking picture. Click on the icon to display an error message.

Camera custom parameters

Customize camera settings:

Back facing camera Front facing camera

Select rear or front camera.

Preview position Preview position

Position of the image preview. Tap to toggle between the different positions.

Decrease preview size Increase preview size

Adjust size of the image preview.

Timestamp Timestamp

Insert date and/or time on each picture. This post-processing of the picture is resource-intensive for old devices.

Timestamp position Timestamp position

Position of the timestamp. Tap to toggle between the different positions.

Format controls date and/or time format. The date formats shown below are the English UK versions. They will be adapted to the language settings of your phone/tablet.

Decrease text size of timestamp Increase text size of timestamp

Adjust text size of the timestamp.

Flash off Flash on Flash auto

Set flash option (off, on, auto).

Low latency High quality

Request the camera to prioritize speed (low latency) or quality. Some cameras ignore this setting.

Menu

System settings

If the start clock in the main timing window is not properly displayed, try to switch off the graphics hardware acceleration for the clock. Normally, it should be enabled.

To open the system settings dialogue, enter the settings window and tap 7 times within 17 seconds on the blue ribbon at the bottom of the screen.

Attribution

Android is a trademark of Google LLC.