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Home-made stackmat timer

alexm

Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Messages
6
Now, I know there are other home-made timers out there, but most of them use buttons from game controllers and such. Mine's not like that, as it acts exactly like a stackmat timer does (not exactly in the way it works, but in how it feels/how you use it).

http://alexmeyer.wordpress.com/other-stuff/diy-stackmat-timer/

As it says in the description, I like using CCT, but I don't care for space bar operation, and it's a (very small) pain to enter the times by hand (and it looks cool on video to have a *running* timer on the screen ;)).


BTW, I'm not claiming to have an amazing site, or a great howto, or anything... I don't want a 72-point "comments" post from qqwref... :p ;)
 
D

Deleted member 2864

Guest
Does it start when you release the 2 outside buttons, and require both outside buttons to be pressed again later to stop the timer?

appears so... but it can't work with CCT since it's made from a mouse, not a keyboard =( Looks so good.
 

TomZ

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
294
Does it start when you release the 2 outside buttons, and require both outside buttons to be pressed again later to stop the timer?

appears so... but it can't work with CCT since it's made from a mouse, not a keyboard =( Looks so good.

Making a program that would convert the mouse signals into something CCT can understand wouldn't be hard at all. I'd be much like "if both mouse buttons pressed then send spacebar to CCT".

What about using a wireless mouse to make a wireless stackmat. That'd be cool! You could even use a stackmat enclosure and hack it so that the touchpads would activate the mouse buttons.

Hakan, Ron sells stackmats - at a bit lower price than €40.
 

felix

Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
54
Making a program that would convert the mouse signals into something CCT can understand wouldn't be hard at all. I'd be much like "if both mouse buttons pressed then send spacebar to CCT".
Does anyone want me to write one?
 

TomZ

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
294
Here you are: http://www.sendspace.com/file/gr20l1

It works very simple. All it does is wait for the two mouse buttons to be pressed, push the spacebar down, wait for either of them to be released and release the spacebar. To exit, just hit ESC.

It is important to have the mouse over the CCT screen as otherwise it will loose focus and not react to the spacebar once the left mouse button is pressed.

PS: I ran a quick virus scan here. One out of 40 scanners reported a suspicious file but I can guarantee it is safe. I think the suspicion is because of the function that is used for detecting mouse button presses is also used to make keyloggers.
 

Musje

Member
Joined
May 14, 2009
Messages
90
Maybe an idea to make this for it...

Too bad I don't have conductive fabric (do have a wireless mouse which I can use for the buttons...)

Any other idea's to make a nice looking thing to use as stackmat? (got a mouse, got separate buttons, just need something to make it look decent and easier to press as the buttons are very small)
 

TomZ

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
294
You could use a somewhat concave plastic lid as your button. Desolder the little clicky switch from the mouse, solder some wires to it, glue one of the leads to the plastic lid, glue the other to another piece of plastic just under it. By depressing the plastic you could have the leads contact each other, pressing the mouse button.

I think this would allow you to make a rather slick wireless stackmat.
 

Musje

Member
Joined
May 14, 2009
Messages
90
I'll try that :)

For now it'll have some wires running to the sides until I have a final design and work it all into a more neat box.

EDIT//

this is too unreliable, doesn't always respond and sometimes it responds double (restarting or directly stopping the timer)
 
Last edited:

prażeodym

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
136
Location
Poland, Bialystok
WCA
2008PADL01
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Here you are: http://www.sendspace.com/file/gr20l1

It works very simple. All it does is wait for the two mouse buttons to be pressed, push the spacebar down, wait for either of them to be released and release the spacebar. To exit, just hit ESC.

It is important to have the mouse over the CCT screen as otherwise it will loose focus and not react to the spacebar once the left mouse button is pressed.
but my stackmat work with this program http://web.ntust.edu.tw/~M8910202/rubixcube/download.htmlits Omega Studio Tournament Display
left buttom is start , right is reset
it's funny but it don't saving times and calculate average so it's like stackmat with display ;-)
 

Musje

Member
Joined
May 14, 2009
Messages
90
Made the touch pads out of old CD cases now :p

I can even slide in any picture I like and change then when I like :)
Now to work away the mouse board and batteries (no idea how I'm gonna pull off the battery part)
 

panyan

Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2008
Messages
892
Location
London, England
i cant wait until i can mod my bluetooth mouse into a controller and use it like a stackmat.

On another note: isnt there a cheap alternative to stackmat timers that work with cct?
 
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