Seven Ways to Stay Safe and Make Your Console Last Longer

1 - Don't remove the grounding pin from the power cord. It's there to help keep you from getting shocked. If your receptacle only handles two-pronged power cords then your wiring was probably installed sometime before President Hoover left office. It's time to upgrade.

2 - Keep your console dry. We've designed our consoles with outdoor activities in mind, but find some shelter if it is raining. The box is not waterproof. Drinks spilled over the keypad can lead to trouble too.

3 - Unplug both the power and data cables when you are not using the console. Noise over these cables -- either from lightning, glitches in the power line, or some other accident -- can damage the console. Leaving the console connected 24-7 just increases your risk of getting it fried.

4 - Store the console in a clean, dry, secure area. Leave it where somebody can kick it, drop it, pile stuff on top of it, or steal it, and you can expect your console will get kicked, dropped, piled on, and stolen. See also the "keep your console dry" tip above. Neither sprinkler systems nor natural sources of precipitation are beneficial to your control console.

5 - If you must open the console box, unplug the power and data cables. Yes, it is possible to get shocked if you go poking around inside the console.

6 - Don't plug something into the console that doesn't belong there. Those stereo connectors in the back plate of the console are the same kind used by audio equipment. The RJ-45 connectors for the hand-held devices are the same type you often see in wired computer networks. Accidently plugging an audio amplifier or Ethernet access point into your scoreboard control console can cause problems -- both to your console and to your audio and networking equipment. A common mistake we see our customers make is to accidentally plug public address equipment into the junction box that leads to the scoreboard. This often fries components in the scoreboard.

7 - Check out your equipment before game day. We're always happy to answer questions, walk you through solutions, repair damage, or send replacement parts. But if your game starts in ten minutes, there is often not much we can do to help you. Make sure your scoreboard is in good working order a few days before the game so that, however unlikely the chance of a problem, there will be time to solve it.

Console Parts and Accessories

This is a generic set of photos identifying parts of the console and accessories. You should receive a packing slip or other paperwork with your order that tells specifically what parts you are supposed to have. Your configuration may be different.

Hooking Up and Powering Up the Console and Accessories

1 - Apply power to the scoreboard.

2 - Place the console on a sturdy desk or table so that you have a clear view of the game's action as well as the console's keypad and LCD screen. You may hold the console in your lap, if you find it comfortable that way.

3 - Attach hand-held devices. You may have an external switch to start and stop the Game Clock on the scoreboard. You may also have a three-button device to control Play Clocks (also called Delay of Game Timers, 25- second Clocks, etc.). These devices plug into the RJ-45 connectors on the console's back plate. It does not matter which device is connected to which RJ-45 socket.

4 - Attach one end of the stereo data cable to one of the four data output connectors on the back plate of the console. Your console may have two outputs designated for the scoreboard and two for Play Clocks or other optional displays. It doesn't really make a difference; all four outputs are the same. If you have multiple displays, go ahead and hook them up to whichever outputs are convenient.

5 - Attach the other end of the stereo data cable to the junction box. If you have more than one scoreboard or optional display, each one will typically have its own junction box and its own stereo data cable. If you have the ScoreLink wireless RF system, refer to the ScoreLink owner's handbook for details.

6 - Plug in the console power cable to a standard electrical outlet.

About one out of every few hundred customers asks us the question, "How do you turn the console on and off?" There is no power button on the console. If it's plugged in, it's on. The logic here is that, for most installations, the scoreboard is not used very often. During the down time, the console needs to be disconnected from the scoreboard and from power to prevent damage from line noise and power surges. A power switch would discourage that good habit and provide a false sense of security.

Likewise, the scoreboard should be disconnected from power when not in use. Therefore the console has no means of turning the scoreboard on or off. However, a freshly powered on scoreboard will display no information until it receives a good signal from the control console. So in order to "turn on" the scoreboard display, you have to power up and connect the control console.

Control Console Initialization

Be quick. You only have about three seconds to see the splash screen when your console powers up. It should look like this:

ELECTRO-MECH 402
MULTISPORT  0000

The splash screen is telling you four things:

The software author

ELECTRO-MECH

The software version

402

The selected scoreboard type

MULTISPORT

The selected option jumpers

None selected

This information is important for diagnostics, and you can get back to this splash screen by pressing [NEW GAME] [1] [ENTER] on the keypad. If you see something different on your display, either this is the wrong owner's handbook for you or your console is not configured to the expected standard.

If your console has data from the previous game, you will be prompted to restore that data. Press [1] [ENTER] to reload the old Scores and other information. Press [0] [ENTER] to clear out memory and start over fresh. If you do not respond to this prompt, the console will restore the previous game data automatically after a few seconds.

  RESTORE GAME?
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

If your console was previously in Practice Segment Timer mode, you will be prompted to restore the PST Program you were running when you unplugged the console.

 RESTORE PGM  01
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

This document will discuss the Practice Segment Timer Mode in detail a few pages later. For now, let's focus on how the console behaves in Soccer Mode and assume you are starting with new data rather than restoring a game.

If you are not restoring from a previous game or PST, the console will prompt you to choose a sport (Football or Baseball):

CHOOSE GAME
1=FTBL 0=BAS <1>

The first section of this document will discuss Football Mode, which you can select here by pressing [ENTER] to accept the default value, by pressing [1] [ENTER], or by just waiting for the prompt to time out.

Initializing In Football/Soccer Mode

After the splash screen clears, you will see the main scoreboard information screen:

00  D12:00 01 00
3  1 10 20   3

The scoreboard will display the following information (some scoreboard models do not display all the functions listed):

Left (Guest) Score

0

Left (Guest) TOL

3

Left (Guest) Possession

blank

Right (Home) Score

0

Right (Home) TOL

3

Right (Home) Possession

blank

Game Clock

12:00

Quarter (Period)

1

Down

1

To Go

10

Ball On

20

If you have Play Clocks connected to the control console, they will show 40 seconds.

Control Console LCD Screen - Football/Soccer Mode

The LCD screen primarily shows you the main scoreboard data screen. Information shown here corresponds closely (but not exactly) to information shown on the scoreboard.

Numbers that display as "0" on the LCD may display as blanks on the scoreboard. For instance, when the Down Count reads "0" on the control console, the display on the scoreboard will be blank. Some scoreboard models do not include features like Time Outs Left and Possession Indicators, so, of course, the scoreboard will not match all the information on the LCD in those cases.

The illustration above refers to "Left Team" and "Right Team" to be as generic as possible. In most cases, the Left side is for the Guest team and the right side is for the Home team. Some scoreboard/console pairs ship with the positions swapped.

Key-By-Key Operation - Football/Soccer Mode

This section will provide a key-by-key explanation of the console features. Use the [0] ... [9] buttons to respond to prompts, pressing [ENTER] to complete or confirm your response. The [CLEAR] button backs you out of a prompt without making changes.

[SET CLOCK] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running. This button allows the operator to edit the time shown on the Game Clock. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET CLK  <15:00>

To set the time to 5:30, press [SET CLOCK] [5] [3] [0] [ENTER]. The console rejects time entries with a Seconds part greater than 59.

[SET CLOCK .1 SEC] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running and the Game Clock is in Down-Counting Mode with Tenth of Second Mode enabled. This button allows the operator to edit the time shown on the Game Clock, including the Tenth of Seconds digit, during the final minute of the Period or Quarter. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET SECS  <00.0>

To set the time to 14.7 seconds, press [SET CLOCK .1 SEC] [1] [4] [7] [ENTER]. The console rejects entries greater than 59.9 Seconds.

[.1 SEC ON / OFF] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running and the Game Clock is in Down-Counting Mode. This button allows the operator to set the behavior of the Game Clock during the final minute of a Period. By default, during the final minute, the Game Clock shifts into Tenth of Second Mode, displaying Seconds in the area that usually shows Minutes, and Tenths of Seconds in the place where the Seconds Tens digit is otherwise seen. The operator may override this feature by disabling Tenth of Second Mode so that the Minutes and Seconds stay put and Tenths of Seconds are not displayed at all. Pressing the button brings up a two-line prompt on the LCD screen.

 1/10TH SECOND
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

To turn off Tenth of Second Mode, press [.1 SEC ON / OFF] [0] [ENTER]. To turn it back on, press [.1 SEC ON / OFF] [1] [ENTER] or reset the console with the New Game function.

[CLOCK UP / DOWN] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running. This button allows the operator to change the direction of the Game Clock. By default the Game Clock counts down until reaching 0:00. The operator may set the Game Clock to count up starting from any valid time. Pressing the button brings up a two- line prompt on the LCD screen.

COUNT UP OR DOWN
1=UP 0=DOWN  <0>

To count up, press [CLOCK UP / DOWN] [1] [ENTER]. The Game Clock on the LCD screen will show a "U" prefix to indicate Up Counting Mode. A "D" is for Down Counting Mode.

In up-counting mode, after 99:59, the Game Clock cycles to 0:00 and continues counting.

[PLAY CLOCKS] - Allows the operator to edit the current display value and the programmable reset values associated with Play Clock displays, also known as Delay of Game Timers. You must have these optional displays and the three-button handheld controller that ships with them for this function to be of any use. As long as the Play Clocks are not running (actively counting down), pressing the button produces this prompt:

CURRENT TIME<40>

To set the Play Clocks to show 12 Seconds, press [PLAY CLOCKS] [1] [2] [ENTER]. You can press [ENTER] at this prompt to skip to the next prompt without making changes. If the Play Clock had been running when the operator pressed [PLAY CLOCKS], this would have bypassed the first prompt, leading us to the second:

RESET 1 TIME<40>

This is where you program the first (top) button of the three-button handheld controller. If you want that button to reset the Play Clock to 60 seconds every time you press it, type [6] [0] [ENTER] at this prompt. You can press [ENTER] to skip to the next prompt without making changes.

RESET 2 TIME<25>

This is where you program the second (middle) button of the three-button handheld controller. If you want that button to reset the Play Clock to 5 seconds every time you press it, type [5] [ENTER] at this prompt. You can press [ENTER] to accept the current value without making changes.

Any changes you make to the values associated with Reset 1 and Reset 2 will be saved by the control console and used as the default values in the future.

[AUTO HORN] - Allows the operator to set the behavior of the Horn. By default, the Main Horn attached to the scoreboard is activated for about four seconds at the end of each Period (Quarter). That is, when the Game Clock counts down to 0:00, the Horn sounds. You can turn off this feature by using the [AUTO HORN] button. Pressing it brings up this prompt:

AT END OF PERIOD
1=AUTO 0=OFF <1>

To turn off the Automatic Horn at the End of Period, press [0] [ENTER] at this prompt. You can press [ENTER] to skip to the next prompt without making changes. The next prompt offers you control of the Horn at the end of a Time Out.

END OF TIME OUT
1=AUTO 0=OFF <0>

By default the Automatic Horn at the End of Time Out is disabled, but you can enable it by pressing [1] [ENTER] here.

[TIME OF DAY] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running. This button allows the operator to use the scoreboard Game Clock to show the time of day. Since accidentally sending the scoreboard into Time of Day Mode in the middle of a game could be confusing, this function requires a confirmation before it will let the operator continue.

TIME OF DAY CLCK
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

Press [1] [ENTER] to continue. The next prompt is asking whether Scores, Period, and other features should remain illuminated on the scoreboard during Time of Day Mode or be blanked to show that a game is not underway.

 BLANK OTHERS?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

Press [1] [ENTER] to turn off the rest of the scoreboard. This blanking feature doesn't work on many older scoreboards with incandescent light bulbs.

Finally, you will be prompted to enter the current time of day (in 12-hour format).

SET CLK  <12:05>

Press [3] [4] [5] [ENTER] to set the clock to 3:45.

While the console is in Time of Day Mode, the Clock on the LCD display will have a "C" prefix. Most other keys on the console will work and update the values of their respective functions while the Game Clock is in Time of Day Mode. For instance, you can still change the Scores. You can even change the value of the Game Clock using the [SET CLOCK] button, and your new value will be in place when you exit Time of Day Mode.

To exit Time of Day Mode, press [TIME OF DAY] [0] [ENTER].

[TIME OUT TIMER] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running and the console is not in Time of Day Mode. This button allows the operator to initiate a countdown of any duration less than ten minutes without losing track of the Game Clock information.

 TO SCOREBOARD?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

The first prompt asks the operator if the Time Out Time should temporarily replace the Game Clock display on the scoreboard. Otherwise the countdown will be seen only on the control console LCD. Press [1] [ENTER] to display the Time Out Time on the scoreboard.

SET T-OUT <1:00>

At the second prompt, the operator should enter the duration of the Time Out (or whatever is being timed). To count down from Two Minutes, press [2] [0] [0] [ENTER]. As soon as you press [ENTER] the Time Out Countdown begins. The Clock on the LCD display will have a "T" prefix to indicate Time Out Timer Mode.

To stop the Time Out Countdown, press [TIME OUT TIMER] again. Pressing the [CLOCK ON / OFF] button while the Time Out Timer is running will abort the countdown and start the Game Clock running.

If the Auto Horn at End of Time Out feature has been turned on, the Horn will sound when the Time Out Timer reaches 0:00. The Time Out Timer is not affected by settings for Tenth of Second Mode (never shows Tenths) or Clock Direction (always counts down).

[BALL ON] - Allows the operator to set or edit the Ball On display. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

BALL ON     <20>

To set the Ball On display to 29, press [BALL ON] [2] [9] [ENTER].

[YARDS TO GO] - Allows the operator to set or edit the Yards To Go display. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

YARDS TO GO <10>

To set the Yards To Go display to 15, press [YARDS TO GO] [1] [5] [ENTER].

[DOWN +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Down count by one.

[SET GUEST SCORE] - Allows the operator to directly set or edit the Guest Score. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET SCORE   <00>

To set the Guest Score to 35, press [SET GUEST SCORE] [3] [5] [ENTER].

Some scoreboard/console pairs ship with the positions of the Guest and Home keys swapped.

[SET HOME SCORE] - Allows the operator to directly set or edit the Home Score. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET SCORE   <00>

To set the Home Score to 42, press [SET HOME SCORE] [4] [2] [ENTER].

Some scoreboard/console pairs ship with the positions of the Guest and Home keys swapped.

[GUEST TIME OUTS] - Allows the operator to decrement the Guest Time Outs Left count by one.

[HOME TIME OUTS] - Allows the operator to decrement the Home Time Outs Left count by one.

[GUEST SCORE +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Guest Score by one.

[HOME SCORE +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Home Score by one.

[QTR. / PERIOD +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Quarter or Period display by one.

[HORN] - Sounds the Horn for a two-second burst.

[POSS] - Toggles the Possession indicator between the Guest and Home sides.

[CLOCK ON / OFF] - Starts and stops the Game Clock.

[NEW GAME] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running. The New Game button provides access to several functions that will be covered later in this document. One of those functions is to switch the console between its Football/Soccer Mode and its Baseball/Softball Mode. For now, let's focus on Football/Soccer.

Pressing [NEW GAME] brings up the following prompt:

RESET SCOREBOARD
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

Press [1] [ENTER] to reset scoreboard display information to default values. The next prompt allows the operator to switch the console into Baseball/Softball Mode.

  CHOOSE GAME
1=FTBL 0=BAS <1>

Press [0] [ENTER] to place the control console in Baseball/Softball Mode. The material that follows describes how the control console behaves in Baseball/Softball Mode.

Initializing In Baseball/Softball Mode

After the splash screen clears, you will see the main scoreboard information screen:

00 D12:00  -  00
00  0-0-0 00

The scoreboard will display the following information (some scoreboard models do not display all the functions listed):

Left (Guest) Total Runs

0

Home (Home) Total Runs

0

Inning

Blank (0 on some models)

Ball

Blank

Strike

Blank

Out

Blank

Left (Guest) At Bat Indicator

Blank

Right (Home) At Bat Indicator

Blank

Left (Guest) Pitch Count

0

Right (Home) Pitch Count

0

Single Pitch Count

0

Hit Indicator

Blank

Error Indicator

Blank

Game Clock

12 (minutes)

Control Console LCD Screen - Baseball/Softball Mode

The LCD screen primarily shows you the main scoreboard data screen. Information shown here corresponds closely (but not exactly) to information shown on the scoreboard.

Numbers that display as "0" on the LCD may display as blanks on the scoreboard. For instance, when the Strike Count reads "0" on the control console, the display on the scoreboard will be blank. Some scoreboard models do not include features like Pitch Count or Time, so, of course, the scoreboard will not match all the information on the LCD in those cases.

The illustration above refers to "Left Team" and "Right Team" to be as generic as possible. In most cases, the Left side is for the Guest team and the Right side is for the Home team. Some scoreboard/console pairs ship with the positions swapped.

Key-By-Key Operation - Baseball/Softball Mode

This section will provide a key-by-key explanation of the console features. Use the [0] ... [9] buttons to respond to prompts, pressing [ENTER] to complete or confirm your response. The [CLEAR] button backs you out of a prompt without making changes.

[SET CLOCK] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running. This button allows the operator to edit the time shown on the Game Clock. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET CLK  <12:00>

To set the time to 5:30, press [SET CLOCK] [5] [3] [0] [ENTER]. The console rejects time entries with a Seconds part greater than 59.

[SET CLOCK .1 SEC] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running and the Game Clock is in Down-Counting Mode with Tenth of Second Mode enabled. This button allows the operator to edit the time shown on the Game Clock during the final minute of the Period including the Tenth of Seconds digit. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET SECS  <00.0>

To set the time to 14.7 seconds, press [SET CLOCK .1 SEC] [1] [4] [7] [ENTER]. The console rejects entries greater than 59.9 Seconds.

[.1 SEC ON / OFF] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running and the Game Clock is in Down-Counting Mode. This button allows the operator to set the behavior of the Game Clock during the final minute of a Period. By default, during the final minute, the Game Clock shifts into Tenth of Second Mode, displaying Seconds in the area that usually shows Minutes, and Tenths of Seconds in the place where the Seconds Tens digit is otherwise seen. The operator may override this feature by disabling Tenth of Second Mode so that the Minutes and Seconds stay put and Tenths of Seconds are not displayed at all. Pressing the button brings up a two-line prompt on the LCD screen.

 1/10TH SECOND
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

To turn off Tenth of Second Mode, press [.1 SEC ON / OFF] [0] [ENTER]. To turn it back on, press [.1 SEC ON / OFF] [1] [ENTER] or reset the console with the New Game function.

[CLOCK UP / DOWN] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running. This button allows the operator to change the direction of the Game Clock. By default the Game Clock counts down until reaching 0:00. The operator may set the Game Clock to count up starting from any valid time. Pressing the button brings up a two- line prompt on the LCD screen.

COUNT UP OR DOWN
1=UP 0=DOWN  <0>

To count up, press [CLOCK UP / DOWN] [1] [ENTER]. The Game Clock on the LCD screen will show a "U" prefix to indicate Up Counting Mode. A "D" is for Down Counting Mode.

In up-counting mode, after 99:59, the Game Clock cycles to 0:00 and continues counting.

[PLAY CLOCKS] - Not used for this configuration of the control console in Baseball/Softball Mode.

[AUTO HORN] - Allows the operator to set the behavior of the Horn. By default, the Main Horn attached to the scoreboard is activated for about four seconds at the end of each Period. That is, when the Game Clock counts down to 0:00, the Horn sounds. You can turn off this feature by using the [AUTO HORN] button. Pressing it brings up this prompt:

AT END OF PERIOD
1=AUTO 0=OFF <1>

To turn off the Automatic Horn at the End of Period, press [0] [ENTER] at this prompt.

[TIME OF DAY] - Not used for this configuration of the control console in Baseball Mode.

[TIME OUT TIMER] - Not used for this configuration of the control console in Baseball Mode.

[BALL + 1] - Increments the Ball Count by one.

[STRIKE + 1] - Increments the Strike Count by one.

[OUT + 1] - Increments the Out Count by one.

[SET PITCH COUNTS] - Allows the operator to directly set or edit the Pitch Counts for both Teams. At the first prompt you may change the Pitch Count for the Team displayed on the Left side of the scoreboard/LCD (usually the Guest Team).

PITCH CNT L<000>

At the second prompt you may change the Pitch Count for the Team displayed on the Right side (usually the Home Team).

PITCH CNT R<000>

The Team At Bat function is tied to the Pitch Count function for scoreboards that display only one set of Pitch Count digits. For these scoreboards, Pitch Count is shown only for the Team NOT currently At Bat. So the [TEAM AT BAT] button toggles between the two Pitch Counts.

[SET GUEST SCORE] - Allows the operator to directly set or edit the Guest Score. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET SCORE   <00>

To set the Guest Score to 35, press [SET GUEST SCORE] [3] [5] [ENTER].

Some scoreboard/console pairs ship with the positions of the Guest and Home keys swapped.

[SET HOME SCORE] - Allows the operator to directly set or edit the Home Score. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET SCORE   <00>

To set the Home Score to 42, press [SET HOME SCORE] [4] [2] [ENTER].

Some scoreboard/console pairs ship with the positions of the Guest and Home keys swapped.

[GUEST PITCHES +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Guest Pitch Count by one.

[HOME PITCHES +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Home Pitch Count by one.

[GUEST SCORE +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Guest Score by one.

[HOME SCORE +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Home Score by one.

[INNING +1] - Allows the operator to increment the Inning display by one.

[HORN] - Sounds the Horn for a two-second burst.

[CLOCK ON / OFF] - Starts and stops the Game Clock.

[CLEAR / FLASH HIT] - Flashes the Hit Indicator four times, but does NOT affect the Total Hits for either Team. This button is also used while entering numerical data to exit the function without change.

[ENTER / FLASH ERROR] - Flashes the Error Indicator four times, but does NOT affect the Total Errors for either Team. This button is also used while entering numerical data to confirm the entry and continue.

[ASSIGN ERROR] - Indicates the Position of the Fielder who commits and Error. Pressing the button brings up a prompt on the second line of the LCD:

ERR POSITION <0>

Press [ASSIGN ERROR] [2] [ENTER] to indicate an Error committed by the person in Position 2. This causes a few things to happen. On the scoreboard, the "E" character (or other Error bullet) will flash four times. If your scoreboard has an Error Fielder Number display, it will flash (in this case, the number "2") along with the Error indicator. Also the console will automatically increment the Total Errors for the Team NOT currently At Bat. So, if it is currently the Top of the 5th Inning, the Bottom/Home Team Total Errors will increase by 1.

Here's a quick reference for the numbers associated with Fielder Positions: 1 = Pitcher 2 = Catcher 3 = First Base 4 = Second Base 5 = Third Base 6 = Short Stop 7 = Left Field 8 = Center Field 9 = Right Field

[SET BATTER] - Allows the operator to set or edit the Player Number of person at bat. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

BATTER NUM  <00>

To set the Batter Number to 35, press [SET BATTER] [3] [5] [ENTER].

[TEAM AT BAT] - This button toggles the Team At Bat Indicator from the Left (usually Guest) Team to the Right (usually Home) Team and back. You can see the results of pressing this button as a little arrow that appears on the left or right side of the LCD display on the control console. Most scoreboards do NOT have a corresponding indicator.

The Team At Bat function is tied to the Pitch Count function for scoreboards that display only one set of Pitch Count digits. For these scoreboards, Pitch Count is shown only for the Team NOT currently At Bat. So the [TEAM AT BAT] button toggles between the two Pitch Counts.

"New Game" Features -- Including Electronic Team Name Setup

[NEW GAME] - Available only when the Game Clock is NOT running. This button is the doorway to one fairly obvious feature and a few other hidden features. Pressing it brings up the following display:

RESET SCOREBOARD
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

Press [1] [ENTER] to reset all game specific data to default values. For instance, Guest and Home Scores will be reset to 0. Any Practice Segment Timer programs you may have created are NOT affected by this Reset function. If you have customized your Play Clock reset times, those numbers will NOT be changed. The console will also remember the current value for Time of Day.

In addition to this memory-clearing function, [NEW GAME] allows the operator to access other functions by entering other numbers at the prompt. These are listed below.

[NEW GAME] [2] - This sub-function controls the brightness (or dimming) of the scoreboard displays. You may set the brightness level to any value from 50% to 100% -- with 100% being the brightest.

 SET BRIGHTNESS
MAX=100%  <100%>

When you initially apply power to your scoreboard, the displays will always reset to 100% brightness. The scoreboard only receives a command to change brightness when you press [NEW GAME] [2] and enter a brightness value. So, if your scoreboard loses and regains power during a game, it will stay at 100% brightness until you walk through this function.

The brightness feature works on Electro-Mech LX-series scoreboards manufactured in 2012 or later. Older scoreboard models ignore the brightness command (and may flicker briefly in response).

[NEW GAME] [4] - This sub-function turns off all the scoreboard displays and shows the following message on the LCD screen:

***BLANK TEST***
**NEWGAME=EXIT**

Blank Test Mode is a diagnostic feature that allows you to check for display circuits that are damaged in a way that prevents them from being turned off. If anything remains lit on the scoreboard when the console is in this mode, there is a hardware problem that should be resolved by contacting technical support. The Decimal Indicators on Game Clock displays that include them will remain on in some cases.

Exit this mode by pressing [NEW GAME] again.

This is also a handy trick for blanking the scoreboard during halftime or whenever it is convenient. Just remember that the scoreboard is not truly off in this state. The electronic components are still energized.

[NEW GAME] [5] - This sub-function turns on all the scoreboard displays and shows the following message on the LCD screen:

***LAMP TEST****
**NEWGAME=EXIT**

Lamp Test Mode is a diagnostic feature that allows you to check for display circuits that are damaged in a way that prevents them from being turned on. If anything is blank on the scoreboard when the console is in this mode, there is a hardware problem that should be resolved by contacting technical support. Two exceptions: Horns are not supposed to sound in Lamp Test mode, although Visual Horn Indicators should light up, and the Decimal indicators on some Game Clock displays that include them will not light up in this mode.

Exit this mode by pressing [NEW GAME] again.

[NEW GAME] [7] - This sub-function controls Electronic Team Name displays. If your scoreboard does not have Electronic Team Names (or if your scoreboard with ETNs was manufactured before 2011), the data and commands generated by this console feature will be ignored.

SET TEAM NAMES?
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

The ETN feature refers to the Team displayed on the left side of the scoreboard as Team 1; the Team on the right is Team 2.

Team 1

Setting the name is much like using the text features of a phone that assigns text characters to the number keys. Each time you press a number key repeatedly, the next character associated with that key appears on the LCD display. For instance, to enter the name "BEARS" you would press... [7] [7] = B [8] [8] = E [7] = A [6] [6] [6] = R [1] = S If you make a mistake entering a character, press the [CLEAR] key to back up one space. To complete the text entry, press [ENTER].

The next prompt allows you to choose the font:

SELECT FONT
  1-9        <3>

As of this writing, there are three available fonts: 1=Condensed, 2=Regular, 3=Bold.

The number of letters your ETN can show depends on the font you choose as well as the size of your display.

After choosing a font style, you must select a justification:

SELECT JUSTIFY
1-L 2-C 3-R  <2>

Choose 1 for Left justification -- that is, the first letter in the Team Name will be flush with the left side of the display. Choose 2 for Center justification -- that is, the Team Name will be centered within the display. Choose 3 for Right justification -- that is, the last letter of the Team Name will be flush with the right side of the display.

The process is the same for Team 2. Note that font and justification settings for the two teams are independent of each other.

When your scoreboard with ETNs ships from Electro-Mech, the default Team Names are GUEST and HOME. Once you update the scoreboard with new Team Names, those names become the default that you will see when the scoreboard is

powered up. The console will only update the ETN displays when you work through the [NEW GAME] [7] function while the console is connected to the scoreboard. Because the text entry routine is designed to send characters to the scoreboard as you enter them in the console, it is not possible to program the Team Names "in advance" and update the scoreboard later.

Because of the occasional need to run a countdown time or other information on the Game Clock before the start of a game, you may be forced to program ETNs while the Game Clock is running. Since the [NEW GAME] button is disabled when the Game Clock runs, there is a "trick" to this. You must stop the Clock for the few seconds it takes to press [NEW GAME] [7]. Then you may start the Clock again. The Game Clock will continue to run while you update the ETNs.

There are a few ways to "turn off" the ETN displays. The [NEW GAME] [4] Blank Test Mode will blank the ETN displays (along with the rest of the scoreboard). Selecting the "Blank Others" option when entering Time of Day Mode will also blank the ETNs. In Practice Segment Timer Mode, the ETNs are blanked. If you disconnect the console while the ETNs are blank, reset the console, and then reconnect it to the scoreboard, the ETNs will remain blank. This is because the ETNs are only refreshed once, while the numeric scoreboard data is refreshed multiple times per second. You may restore blanked ETNs when the console is connected by entering and exiting "Lamp Test" Mode or "Blank Test" Mode or by resetting the console.

[NEW GAME] [8] - This sub-function configures the console to work with timing equipment provided by Precision Time Systems, Inc. You may confirm entry into this mode by typing [1] [ENTER] in response to this prompt:

PRECISION TIME?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

The practical results of being in Precision Time Mode are 1) the [CLOCK ON / OFF] button is disabled, and 2) the Game Clock only runs when the console hardware reads a switch closure from an external clock switch. You can simulate the behavior of the Precision Time equipment by plugging an Electro-Mech Hand-Held Clock Start/Stop Switch into one of the connectors on the back of the console and holding down the button on the handheld device to start the Clock. The Clock on the LCD screen will have a "P" prefix to indicate Precision Time Mode. To exit Precision Time Mode, press [NEW GAME] [8] [0] [ENTER].

[NEW GAME] [9] - This sub-function, which is available only while the control console is in Football/Soccer Mode, places the console in Practice Segment Timer mode. You may confirm entry into this mode by typing [1] [ENTER] in response to this prompt:

 SEGMENT TIMER?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

Practice Segment Timer Mode requires an in depth discussion that we will take up in the next section of this document. If you find yourself at the prompt by accident, press [0] [ENTER] to return to Football Mode. Otherwise you will need to work your way through the several questions required to set up the Practice Segment Timer before you can press [NEW GAME] [1] [ENTER] to return to Football Mode, which will also reset all your game data to the default values.

Summary of [NEW GAME] functions

[0] = Exit [1] = Reset Game Data [2] = Brightness [3] = Not Used [4] = Blank Test [5] = Lamp Test [6] = Practice Segment Timer blank select (PST Mode only) [7] = Electronic Team Names [8] = Precision Time Mode [9] = Practice Segment Timer Mode Long Press = Maintenance Sub-Menu

[0] = Exit [1] = ScoreLink Signal Strength (not currently supported) [2] = AC Supply Voltage (partially supported) [3] = PST Flags (partially supported) [4] = Radar Gun (not supported for this configuration) [5] = Not Used [6] = Not Used [7] = Not Used [8] = Not Used [9] = Not Used

Practice Segment Timer Mode

The Practice Segment Timer (PST) mode of your soccer/football console is a powerful tool for creating, saving, editing, and running a set of programs, each defining the times that make up a practice schedule. You may have a simple practice schedule with two hours of practice broken into four 30-minute Segments, for instance. Or you may have a complicated practice schedule with several longer Segments interspersed with shorter Segments, break periods, one-minute drills, and more. A PST Program can include up to 90 Segments. You can create up to 45 of these PST Programs (each containing 1 to 90 different Segments). That's over 4,000 individual Segments in all. You store these Programs by assigning them a two-digit Program ID. You may call up the PST Programs to be run as many times as you like -- days, weeks, or years later.

Practice Segment Timer Mode can be used to control a multi-sport scoreboard, displaying the Segment Time in the Game Clock area and the Segment Count in the Home Score area along with regular control of the Play Clocks. Or you may use your Play Clocks as Practice Segment Timer displays. Or you may have purchased a special Practice Segment Timer display from Electro-Mech in one of several possible configurations. The multitude of options makes for a slightly complicated setup process. But, once you understand the questions the console asks you, it should make sense. The diagram below gives you four examples of how your displays can be configured to use the Practice Segment Timer Mode.

Practice Segment Timer Setup

If you are in Football/Soccer Mode, press [NEW GAME] [9] [1] [ENTER] to go into Practice Segment Timer Mode. The LCD will prompt you to enter a Program ID.

ENTER PROGRAM ID
NUMBER:     <01>

You can get to this same prompt from within Practice Segment Timer Mode by pressing [NEW GAME] [9] [0] [ENTER].

This prompt is asking you to pick a two-digit number that you can use to refer to your collection of Segment Times. You can use this number to call up this Program over and over again in the future -- so you don't have to go through the setup process that follows every time you have a practice. You could use a different Program ID for each day of the week if your practice schedule varies by day. Or you could assign Program IDs to particular teams. If several people run practices using this control console, you can assign certain numbers to certain people. For instance, the athletic director might use Program IDs 10 through 19; another coach might be assigned Program IDs 20 through 29. Pick whatever two-digit number is meaningful to you (up to 45).

If you select a Program ID that has already been used, you will have the opportunity to completely overwrite that program with new information or edit the existing information.

OVERWRITE PROG?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

Press [0] [ENTER] if you want to edit the program, or press [1] [ENTER] to begin fresh. This document will assume we are creating a new Program. Editing an existing Program is similar enough that an example of it would be redundant.

The LCD will prompt you to enter the number of digits in your Practice Segment Timer Clock.

NUMBER OF DIGITS
IN CLOCK:    <4>

If you are using your multi-sport scoreboard only as your Practice Segment Timer display EVEN IF YOUR SCOREBOARD HAS A FIVE-DIGIT TRACK CLOCK, accept the default value of four digits by pressing [ENTER]. If you have a dedicated Practice Segment Timer display with a four-digit Clock, accept the default value by pressing [ENTER]. If you have a dedicated Practice Segment Timer display with a two-digit Clock or you want to use your Football Play Clocks as your Timer, press [2] [ENTER] here.

Selecting a two-digit Clock skips over the next prompt.

If you have a dedicated Practice Segment Timer, then the answer to the following questions is 1=Yes if your PST display includes a Play Clock section and 0=No if your PST display does not include a Play Clock section.

ENABLE PLAY CLK?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

If you are using your multi-sport scoreboard as your Practice Segment Timer display, this becomes a trick question. 1=Yes causes the Segment Count to appear in your Home Score position on your scoreboard so that your Play Clocks are available to use as Play Clocks. The tricky part is that if you DO NOT have Play Clocks, you'll want to answer 1=Yes to this question to make sure your Segment Count shows up on the scoreboard. If you answer 0=No here, the Segment Count will be sent to your Play Clocks -- whether they exist or not.

Next you will choose the total number of Segments to be used in your Program.

**90 AVAILABLE**
TOTAL SEGS: <01>

For a Practice that consists of five timed periods, press [5] [ENTER].

Now you enter the length of each Segment.

ENTER LENGTH OF
SEG #01  <00:00>

The length of a Segment cannot be 0 nor some time with Seconds greater than 59. Any valid time from 1 Second to 99 Minutes 59 Seconds will work. Whether you're programming a two-digit or four-digit Clock, you are prompted for four digits here.

Let's assume your first Segment needs to be 12 Minutes 30 Seconds long. You press [1] [2] [3] [0] [ENTER]. Now the LCD will prompt you to enter the length of the second Segment.

ENTER LENGTH OF
SEG #02  <12:30>

These prompts will continue until you have given a length of each Segment up to however many Segments you requested in the previous step. Notice that the default length for a given Segment is the same as the length of the previous Segment you entered, so you can just press [ENTER] at these prompts if all your Segments are the same.

Next up: Clock Direction:

CLOCK DIRECTION
1=UP 0=DOWN  <0>

Count time up from 0:00 or down to 0:00. Pretty straightforward.

Tenth of Second Mode:

1/10TH SECONDS?
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

This prompt only shows up if you choose a four-digit Clock and select Down Counting at the previous prompt. Up-counting Clocks always show time in the MM:SS format. By default (that is, if you press [ENTER] here) your Clock will go into Tenth of Second Mode for times less than one Minute. In this mode the Time is displayed as Seconds and Tenths (SS.t format) rather than Minutes and Seconds (MM:SS format). You can turn off this behavior by pressing [0] [ENTER] at this prompt. For scoreboards with 5- Digit Track Clocks, this prompt controls whether or not the fifth digit (Tenth of Seconds) is displayed.

If you are setting up a two-digit Practice Segment Timer or if you've disabled Tenth of Second Mode for your four-digit PST, you will next be prompted for the Flash Zone. You can ignore this prompt by pressing [ENTER].

 SET FLASH ZONE
(0=NONE) <00:00>

The Flash Zone feature allows you to make the Segment Time blink on and off during the final portion of a Segment. The idea is to get your attention when the Segment is about to end. So, if you type [3] [0] [ENTER] at this prompt, you are saying that you want the Clock to flash during the last 30 Seconds of each Segment. The Flash Zone feature works specifically for dedicated Practice Segment Timers and Play Clocks; it is not compatible with most scoreboards and will have no effect on the main scoreboard display.

Interval Time:

BETWEEN SEGMENTS
INTERVAL:<00:05>

This controls how long your PST Program pauses between each Segment. There are two reasons that you might want to change this value to 0. First, you may want the Clock to simply stop at the end of each Segment and wait for you to manually start it. Second, you may want to have absolutely no breaks between Segments. Setting it to 5 Seconds or more allows time for the Horn to die down between Segments. Or you could use the Interval Time to allow a break of several minutes between Segments. Whatever value you choose, it will be the same in between all Segments. If you want to stop between Segments and manually restart the Clock, set this value to 0, and disable the Continuous Play feature (more on this later). Remember that the Horn can be set to automatically sound at the end of each Segment but will never sound at the end of the Interval Time.

Display Interval:

DISPLAY INTERVAL
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

If you are programming for a four-digit Clock and you set you Interval Time to something other than 0 in the previous step, you'll be prompted to tell whether or not that Interval should be displayed on the Clock. The default is "No" -- meaning the Practice Segment Timer Clock will show 0:00 or 0.0 during the Interval (while the console's LCD will count down the Interval time). If you respond [1] [ENTER] to this prompt, you are allowing the Interval Time to be displayed in same places the Segment Time is normally shown. If you have a two-digit Clock, this is not an option, so the console skips the prompt. If you are using your multi-sport scoreboard to display PST information, the Interval Time displays whether you answer Yes or No to this question.

Automatic End of Segment Horn Feature:

END OF SEG HORN
1=AUTO 0=OFF <1>

By default (that is, if you press [ENTER] here) the Horn sounds at the end of each Segment. You may turn off this feature by pressing [0] [ENTER] here. If you have a dedicated Practice Segment Timer with a Visual Horn Indicator, the indicator will still illuminate at the end of the Segment no matter how you set the Horn to behave. You may still sound the Horn manually using the [HORN] button on the console.

Segment Count Direction:

 SEGMENT COUNT?
1=UP 0=DOWN  <1>

By default the Segment Count starts at 1 and continues up to how ever many Segments you programmed. You may select down-counting mode by pressing [0] [ENTER] here.

Continuous Play Mode:

CONTINUOUS PLAY?
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

You'll see this prompt only if you set the Interval Time to 0 a few prompts back. Continuous Play Mode means the Clock never stops (unless the operator manually stops it). Once Segment 1 is finished, Segment 2 automatically starts, etc. If you prefer to manually start the next Segment, press [0] [ENTER] at this prompt. By the way, because it only makes sense to have an Interval Time if you want Continuous Play, you will always be in Continuous Play Mode if you set Interval Time to anything other than 0.

Continuous Loop Mode:

CONTINUOUS LOOP?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

You'll see this prompt only if you've enabled Continuous Play Mode. If you press [1] [ENTER] the Program will automatically start over at the end of the last Segment and continue from the beginning.

Practice Segment Timer Operation

Once you've created, loaded, or edited a Program, your LCD will show something like this:

SEG 01     25:00
PROGRAM 35    40

"PROGRAM 35" tells you that you are at the beginning of PST Program 35. Later, this area of the screen will provide other messages. The Segment Count is shown in the upper left part of the LCD. During an Interval Time you'll see the Next Segment displayed here. The lower right part of the LCD shows the Play Clock time, if you have enabled that feature. The upper right part shows the Segment Time (or Interval Time).

The following buttons on the control console are available for use when you are in Practice Segment Timer Mode:

[CLOCK ON / OFF] - This may be the only button you have to use once you've loaded your Program. Press [CLOCK ON / OFF] to start the Segment Timer Clock. If you've enabled Continuous Play Mode, the Clock will continue to run until all your Segments have been completed.

Once you start the Clock running, only two buttons on the keypad have any effect. You can either use [CLOCK ON / OFF] to stop the Clock or use [HORN] to sound the Horn.

[HORN] - Sounds the Horn for a one- to two-second burst. If your Practice Segment Timer has Visual Horn Indicators, they will illuminate as well.

[QTR. / PERIOD +1] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. This button advances to the beginning of the next Segment. If you are currently showing the last Segment, pressing [QTR / PERIOD] will cycle you back to the first.

[CLEAR] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. This button allows you to reset the current Segment back to its starting time. If you press [CLEAR] at the beginning of a Segment, you'll go to the start of the previous Segment.

[SET CLOCK] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. This button allows the operator to edit the time shown on the Clock. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET CLK  <15:00>

To set the time to 5:30, press [SET CLOCK] [5] [3] [0] [ENTER]. The console rejects time entries with a Seconds part greater than 59. Any changes you make to the Time last only until the end of the current Segment or Interval. Afterwards, all times revert to their programmed values.

[SET CLOCK .1 SEC] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. The button is disabled for two-digit Practice Segment Timer Programs. It allows the operator to edit the time shown on the Clock during the last minute of a Segment including the Tenth of Seconds digit. Pressing the button brings up an input prompt on the second line of the LCD screen.

SET SECS  <00.0>

To set the time to 14.7 seconds, press [SET CLOCK .1 SEC] [1] [4] [7] [ENTER]. The console rejects entries greater than 59.9 Seconds. Any changes you make to the Time last only until the end of the current Segment. Afterwards, all times revert to their programmed values.

[.1 SEC ON / OFF] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. The button is disabled for up-counting Segment Clocks, unless the control console is configured for a scoreboard with a five-digit Track Clock. It is also disabled for two-digit Practice Segment Timer Programs.

This button allows the operator to set the behavior of the Clock during the final minute of a Segment. By default, during the final minute, the Segment Clock shifts into Tenth of Second Mode, displaying Seconds in the area that usually shows Minutes and Tenths of Seconds in the place where the Seconds Tens digit is otherwise seen. The operator may override this feature by disabling Tenth of Second Mode so that the Minutes and Seconds stay put and Tenths of Seconds are not displayed at all. Pressing the button brings up a two-line prompt on the LCD screen.

 1/10TH SECOND
1=YES  0=NO  <1>

To turn off Tenth of Second Mode, press [.1 SEC ON / OFF] [0] [ENTER]. To turn it back on, press [.1 SEC ON / OFF] [1] [ENTER]. Any changes you make to Tenth of Second Mode will last only as long as you continue to run the currently loaded Program. If you reload the Program or load a new one, the Tenth of Second Mode will revert to the programmed value.

If you created a Practice Segment Timer Program with a four-digit Clock and you disabled Tenth of Second Mode during setup, you may have enabled Flash Zone. If you then use the [.1 SEC ON / OFF] button to enable Tenth of Second Mode, Flash zone will be disabled. The two features are mutually exclusive.

[PLAY CLOCKS] - Allows the operator to edit the current display value and the programmable reset values associated with Play Clock displays, also known as Delay of Game Timers. You must have these optional displays and the three-button handheld controller that ships with them for this function to be of any use. As long as the Play Clocks are not running (actively counting down), pressing the button produces this prompt:

CURRENT TIME<40>

To set the Play Clocks to show 12 Seconds, press [PLAY CLOCKS] [1] [2] [ENTER]. You can press [ENTER] at this prompt to skip to the next prompt without making changes. If the Play Clock had been running when the operator pressed [PLAY CLOCKS], this would have bypassed the first prompt, leading us to the second:

RESET 1 TIME<40>

This is where you program the first (top) button of the three-button handheld controller. If you want that button to reset the Play Clock to 60 seconds every time you press it, type [6] [0] [ENTER] at this prompt. You can press [ENTER] to skip to the next prompt without making changes.

RESET 2 TIME<25>

This is where you program the second (middle) button of the three-button handheld controller. If you want that button to reset the Play Clock to 5 seconds every time you press it, type [5] [ENTER] at this prompt. You can press [ENTER] to accept the current value without making changes.

Any changes you make to the values associated with Reset 1 and Reset 2 will be saved by the control console and used as the default values in the future.

[AUTO HORN] - Allows the operator to set the behavior of the Horn. By default, the Main Horn attached to the scoreboard is activated for about four seconds at the end of each Segment. That is, when the Clock counts down to 0:00, the Horn sounds. You can turn off this feature by using the [AUTO HORN] button. Pressing it brings up this prompt:

END OF SEG HORN
1=AUTO 0=OFF <1>

To turn off the Automatic Horn at the End of each Segment, press [0] [ENTER] at this prompt. You can press [ENTER] to skip to the next prompt without making changes. The next prompt offers you control of the Horn at the end of a Time Out.

END OF TIME OUT
1=AUTO 0=OFF <0>

By default the Automatic Horn at the End of Time Out is disabled, but you can enable it by pressing [1] [ENTER] here.

[TIME OF DAY] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running; disabled for two-digit Practice Segment Timer Clocks. This button allows the operator to use the scoreboard or Practice Segment Timer to show the time of day.

TIME OF DAY CLCK
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

Press [1] [ENTER] to continue.

At the next prompt, enter the current time. The LCD display on the control console will tell you that you are in Time of Day Mode:

     11:35
TIME OF DAY MODE

To exit Time of Day Mode, press [TIME OF DAY] [0] [ENTER].

[TIME OUT TIMER] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running and the console is not in Time of Day Mode; disabled for two-digit Practice Segment Timer Clocks. This button allows the operator to initiate a countdown of any duration less than ten minutes without losing track of the Segment Time information.

 TO SCOREBOARD?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

The first prompt asks the operator if the Time Out Time should temporarily replace the Clock display on the scoreboard. Otherwise the countdown will be seen only on the control console LCD. Press [1] [ENTER] to display the Time Out Time on the scoreboard.

SET T-OUT <1:00>

At the second prompt, the operator should enter the duration of the Time Out (or whatever is being timed). To count down from Two Minutes, press [2] [0] [0] [ENTER]. As soon as you press [ENTER] the Time Out Countdown begins.

To stop the Time Out Countdown, press [TIME OUT TIMER] again.

If the Auto Horn at End of Time Out feature has been turned on, the Horn will sound when the Time Out Timer reaches 0:00. The Time Out Timer is not affected by settings for Tenth of Second Mode (never shows Tenths) or Clock Direction (always counts down). Pressing the [CLOCK ON / OFF] button while the Time Out Timer is running will abort the countdown and start the Game Clock running.

[NEW GAME] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. As it does in

Football/Soccer Mode or Baseball/Softball Mode, in PST Mode this button servers

as a gateway to several menu functions including...

• [NEW GAME] [1] [ENTER] = reset scoreboard (returning to Football/Soccer

Mode).

• [NEW GAME] [4] = blank test.
• [NEW GAME] [5] = lamp test.

In addition, the New Game functions have special features available in Practice Segment Timer Mode.

[NEW GAME] [6] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. This feature allows the console operator to hide either the Clock or the Segment Count or both. The first time you press [NEW GAME] [6], the LCD will show you what is about to happen:

 HIDE CLOCK
SHOW SEGMENT

Press [ENTER] to continue, and the Clock section of the scoreboard will go blank. You will continue to see the Clock on the LCD screen. Press [NEW GAME] [6] [ENTER] again to restore the Clock and hide the Segment Count. Press these keys again to hide both, and a fourth time to turn both back on. You can quickly cycle through the various combinations by pressing [NEW GAME] [6], then press [6] repeatedly until the LCD displays the condition you are looking for. Press [ENTER] to accept that condition and complete the command.

The feature will not be available if you are using a Program created for a two-digit Clock.

[NEW GAME] [9] - Available only when the Clock is NOT running. This feature allows you to edit your current Program or load or create a new Program.

EDIT PROGRAM 36?
1=YES  0=NO  <0>

If you press [1] [ENTER] at this prompt, you will be taken through the same series of prompts that you saw when you set up the Program the first time. This time through, all the default values will be filled in with values from your Program. You can quickly cycle through your original Program values by pressing [ENTER] repeatedly until you reach a value that you want to change.

If you answer [0] [ENTER] to the "EDIT PROGRAM" prompt, you will be given a chance to enter a new Program ID. Here you may load an existing Program or start a new one.

Wired Handheld Clock Start / Stop Switch

Some of our football, soccer, and multi-sport scoreboard packages ship with a handheld pendant-style switch that plugs into the back of the control console and allows a separate operator the ability to start and stop the Game Clock (or the Segment Timer Clock). The RJ-45 style connector at one end of the handheld unit's cable can plug into either the console sockets labeled "H1" or "H2" in the "SWITCH INPUTS" area. On older control consoles, these sockets are labeled "CLOCK Hand-held" and "DGT / SC Hand-held". The pendant end fits nicely in your hand so that your thumb rests on the switch. Press the switch once to start the Clock. Press the switch again to stop the Clock.

Wired Handheld Three-Button Controller for Play Clocks

If you purchased a set of Play Clocks (also called Delay of Game Timers or 25-Second Clocks), your package includes a wired handheld three-button controller. This controller plugs into the back of the control console using the RJ-45 style connector at the end of the handheld unit's cable. You may plug into this device into either the "H1" or "H2" socket in the "SWITCH IINPUTS" area of the control console. On older consoles, these sockets are labeled "DGT / SC Hand-held" and "CLOCK Hand-held". Here's what the buttons do:

Top Button = Set the Play Clock to Reset 1 value (default = 40 seconds).

Middle Button = Set the Play Clock to Reset 2 value (default = 25 seconds).

Bottom Button = Start / Stop the Play Clock.

If you press and hold the bottom button for two to three seconds, the Play Clocks will blank. Then pressing any of the three buttons turns the displays back on.

Using the [PLAY CLOCKS] button on the main control console, you may assign any number, from 1 to 99 seconds, to Reset 1 and Reset 2. Unlike most other settings, these reset values are "sticky" through a [NEW GAME] [1] clearing of the game data.

Control Console Power Down and Storage

There is no "OFF" switch on the control console; nor is there a function on the console that turns the scoreboard off. The scoreboard should be disconnected from power when not in use. Electro-Mech recommends installing a disconnect switch for all permanently mounted scoreboards. You may simply unplug a portable scoreboard model and store it between games.

You should unplug your control console both from its power receptacle and from its data cable when you are not using it. Electro-Mech offers a carrying case that provides a convenient way to store and transport the console along with various cables and other accessories. Whether or not you have a case, you should store the console in a safe, dry location between games.

If the console loses its connection with the scoreboard while the scoreboard is powered, the scoreboard will freeze up -- showing the last known Time, Score, and other information it received from the console. The scoreboard will synchronize with the console again as soon as you reestablish the connection.

If the scoreboard loses power with the console still connected and powered, nothing will happen other than the scoreboard display going blank. Again, the scoreboard will synchronize with the console as soon as it receives power.

If the console loses power -- either because you intentionally unplug it or because of something unexpected -- it will save the current game information to its internal memory. When you next apply power to the console, the LCD will prompt you to restore the previous game or Practice Segment Timer Program. If you fail to respond to the prompt, the game data will restore automatically after a few seconds.

Jumper Settings

*** Important: If you plan to open up the console and do work inside the box, make sure the power cable is disconnected from the receptacle! ***

The PCB that is the heart of the CX console is called the CX driver. This driver contains a set of jumper pins that can be used to tell the software how to behave. By installing shunts across a pair of pins, you are, in essence, closing a switch that tells the program to do something. On some CX drivers these pins are labeled B through I, A through I, or A through J. On other drivers the A, B, C,... labels are missing, but you will find a corresponding diode next to pins B through I (A and J are not for jumpers). The diodes are labeled D8 through D1 (D8 = B, D7 = C, etc.).

Jumper pins A and J are used for attaching a programming cable to the CX driver and don't really do anything in this context. Pins F, G, H, and I are the "Board Type Jumpers" that determine the sport. So, for instance, by removing the shunt across the G pins, you can make your console think it is operating a standard Electro-Mech football scoreboard rather than a multi-sport scoreboard. This table summarizes the jumper settings for the Board Type Jumpers:

Pins B, C, D, and E are the "Option Jumpers". Each one typically controls one of four options for a given Board Type. This document discusses the options for the Multi- Sport Board Type only. You'll have to look at the Owner's Handbooks for consoles configured for the other Board Types if you are curious about their Option Jumpers.

Jumper B = LX3450 Mode (Add this jumper to operate LX3450). Jumper C = 2D/3D Clock (Install this to indicate MM or H:MM Game Clock). Jumper D = Not Used. Jumper E = B-S-O to 4-3-3 (Install this jumper for Balls to 4, Strikes & Outs to 3).