27 replies to this topic

[Zippity]

Has anyone had any experience with the Synapse hand controller as made by Joy Racing Products?

Their Facebook PAGE makes great reading.

[jasong]

Got this little fella in last week. Won't get to try it out till next month though

[Half Fast]

Brilliant!

 

However, the controller uses a small potentiometer coupled to the trigger as the speed controller. I wonder if such a small "pot" will hold up under the huge number of on/off cycles it will undergo in use.

 

Cheers

[jasong]

most commercial grade potentiometers are rated from 1-2 million cycles. On our track you are looking at probably 4 per lap. I will probably need a new hand before I need a new potentiometer. :D:D

[Bernard Powell]

Got this little fella in last week. Won't get to try it out till next month though

[Bernard Powell]

Do you like the controller so far I just received mine after a repair is going to really be the first time me trying to use it the first race I was in I loved it but I was playing with it too much to win the race LOL

[idare2bdul]

Looks really cool but not sure the Lucite(or whatever clear material) they use would survive long in my care.

It looks like it might be on the pricy side as well.

[Phil Beukema]

^^^ $650

[ThunderThumb]

Never heard of these , who sells or distributes them , thanks

[Jason Holmes]

They are from Brazil.

 

jason

[Erick Rodrigues]

Hi guys.

I'm Synapse controller engineer. any doubt just let me know.

thanks

Erick.

[Phil Beukema]

Hey Erick,

 

The whole trigger set-up looks unusual. Why the change compared to dragging an electrical connection a crossed a circuit board?

[Greg Erskine]

Hi Phil,

 

As Erik hasn't responded yet so I'll give you "my" answer. 

 

Using a potentiometer is cheaper and requires no maintenance. Now a days, there is very little current going through the wiper/wiper button/resistor assembly so they really are just left overs of the old days.

 

The Synapse hand piece is mainly 5 potentiometers that feed voltages into an Arduino. The Arduino reads these voltages and does all the clever stuff. I think the screen on the Synapse is also intelligent with its own processor!

 

I wish this was an open source project, I'd love to see the software.   

 

IMHO these controller are a great concept.

 

regards

Greg

 

 

 

 

[Kevan]

One of our club members recently bought one of these, I had a go and have to say it's the only controller I've tried so far that feels like you're actually holding the car all the way round the track, even when it's coasting.

...it's a wonderful bit of kit but way outside my budget at the mo.

[drrufo]

Half Fast, on 28 May 2018 - 2:54 PM, said:
However, the controller uses a small potentiometer coupled to the trigger as the speed controller. I wonder if such a small "pot" will hold up under the huge number of on/off cycles it will undergo in use.
 
 
It isn't the cycles, a pot will take a "set" if it is wire wound. Racers leave the pot in the same position and with the heat build up the part the wire is wound around will deform and could possibly break the wire. 
Just moving the rotating part will eliminate the set and breakage.
The trigger should be fine.
 
John Andersen

[Greg Erskine]

Hey John,

 

Did you post in the right thread?

[drrufo]

Go read Half Fast:s post about cycles.

John Andersen

 

(fixed post #15 -consider using the quote function when answering an old post-thanks, Moderating Team)

[Half Fast]

I am always happy to stir the POT-entiometer!

 

Cheers

[W. J. Dougherty]

Is there an owners manual that can be posted for our review?

[Dominator]

I think there may have been a video on YouTube. The function are pretty intuitive and after about 10 minutes you'll have it pretty well figured out.

[Matt Sheldon]

I think there may have been a video on YouTube. The function are pretty intuitive and after about 10 minutes you'll have it pretty well figured out.

Dom,

 

Are you using or have one?

[Dominator]

I took some practice laps at Retro Palooza last year and v.s. my original DR40 I was about .050 faster on white with the dynamic breaking.

Doug Griffinth let me borrow his for can am at Fall Brawl last year and it was really smooth out of the deadman. I think the biggest advantage with the controller is being able to set the dynamic breaking when it comes on as you release the trigger.

Only down size IMO is its bulky.

I ended up going with a CS4 just because I was just as good and it was more compact.

[MSwiss]

I ended up going with a CS4 just because I was just as good and it was more compact.

Probably a good idea.

 

I hear they make you pack quick, and travel light, when you go into witness protection.

[bbr]

 the biggest advantage with the controller is being able to set the dynamic breaking when it comes on as you release the trigger.
 

it is like trail-braking with a real car, you can brake deeper and not fall off the track.

 

I've heard there is a delay on power off/on (track call) situations. Have not notice it with mine, or I'm not that concern with it...

[Erick Rodrigues]

Hey Erick,

 

The whole trigger set-up looks unusual. Why the change compared to dragging an electrical connection a crossed a circuit board?

 

 

Hi Phil,

 

As Erik hasn't responded yet so I'll give you "my" answer. 

 

Using a potentiometer is cheaper and requires no maintenance. Now a days, there is very little current going through the wiper/wiper button/resistor assembly so they really are just left overs of the old days.

 

The Synapse hand piece is mainly 5 potentiometers that feed voltages into an Arduino. The Arduino reads these voltages and does all the clever stuff. I think the screen on the Synapse is also intelligent with its own processor!

 

I wish this was an open source project, I'd love to see the software.   

 

IMHO these controller are a great concept.

 

regards

Greg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Half Fast, on 28 May 2018 - 2:54 PM, said:
However, the controller uses a small potentiometer coupled to the trigger as the speed controller. I wonder if such a small "pot" will hold up under the huge number of on/off cycles it will undergo in use.
 
 
It isn't the cycles, a pot will take a "set" if it is wire wound. Racers leave the pot in the same position and with the heat build up the part the wire is wound around will deform and could possibly break the wire. 
Just moving the rotating part will eliminate the set and breakage.
The trigger should be fine.
 
John Andersen

 Sorry guys. i was not notified about your posts.

The  pot is the better way to get trustable reads of the position of the trigger. this technique is used hugely on RC controllers. the pot is made for this propose so i can handle more cycles than other audio pots.

As Phill said. It works with arduino nano and uses another processor to handle de screen. they run an OS that I made for the controller. unfortunately not open source. but I'm working on a update for all controllers around the world! It will add a brake function called "Smart-Brake". Computer will calculate the amount of brake to reduce the speed of the car based on how much you set the brake potentiometer.