Ready, Set, Go! Start Your Race with Infinity Start System
For competitive swimmers, time is everything. A difference of even 1/100th of a second can determine the winner of a race. Many small and medium-sized facilities rely on manual and hand-held timers and stopwatches for practices and swim meets. While these can be accurate to a point, you can elevate the competitive experience with an automated swim start system such as the Infinity Start System.
The Infinity Start System from Colorado Time Systems is an excellent, entry-level choice for small swimming pools and recreation centers. It consists of a start module with a handle for easy portability, a 40-watt corrosion resistant speaker, a wired microphone with start button, an internal gel-cell battery with 115V charging capability (240V available). A secondary 40-watt speaker can be added to the Infinity along with an additional strobe (sold separately).
The strobe light aids in the accuracy and accessibility of the Infinity Start System. While the horn sound is a highly audible trigger to begin the race, the strobe provides accessibility to athletes that are deaf or heard of hearing.
It’s also recommended that coaches and referees using manual stop watches to begin timing with the strobe instead of the horn. In the poor acoustical environment of a swimming pool facility, the sound of the horn will reach ears with a delay, while the speed of light is unaffected by acoustics, humidity, and other environmental factors.
Infinity Start System Integration with Existing Swim Timing Equipment
The Infinity Start System can be integrated easily into any existing timing equipment at your aquatic facility via the connection panel on the front of the module. This allows all your timing equipment to communicate and synchronize for a more accurate read. For example, if your facility is using the Dolphin Wireless Stopwatch system, the Infinity will synchronize its start automatically for accuracy and ease. The Infinity system can be connected at a deck plate, wall plate, or cable harness so all your timing equipment will be synchronized and automated.
While the Infinity Start System itself is not a timing system, you can still benefit from the Infinity even if your swimming pool doesn’t have any other timing equipment beyond handheld stopwatches. The module comes with a special microphone, allowing you to use the Infinity as a limited public announcement system. The microphone also has a start button. To begin a race, hold down the push-to-talk button and then hit start. The Infinity Start System will automatically signal with the horn and strobe combination, regardless if other equipment is attached. The Infinity Start System is also equipped with a false start recall system, which enables the starter to stop the race and immediately alert the computers and other equipment that a false start has occurred. This is also signaled from the microphone by holding down the push-to-talk button and pushing start a second time.
The Infinity Start System’s battery will last approximately eight hours on one charge. However, repeated use of the microphone depletes battery life. To reduce the possibility of shock, the Infinity system will not operate if it’s plugged in, so make sure your battery is fully charged before you need to use it. A handy battery-life indicator light to let you know approximately how many hours of use you have left. A green light indicates a full charge, while a yellow light indicates that the battery has approximately five to six hours of use left. A red light indicates that the Infinity has one to two hours left and should be plugged in as soon as possible. Additional and replacement batteries can be purchased separately, but the gel batteries will lose 20 percent of their charge in 2 to 3 months if not plugged in.
Because the Infinity Start System is battery powered, it can sit directly on the deck. The Infinity is water and corrosion resistant, but we recommend that you mount your start system on a table or a specially made Infinity Start System tripod (sold separately) to reduce the likelihood of damage.
Even if your aquatic facility is small you can still provide swimmers with a top-notch competitive experience with the Infinity Start System. This versatile module is made specially for portability and ease of use. With a battery life that can support a full work-day, coaches can train their swimmers with the Infinity and use it for meets too. Enhance your competitive swimming capability with improved accessibility and more accurate timing with the purchase of the Infinity today from Recreonics — your aquatic authority.
