[ale] 4 way timer

[arxion]

On 2009, Feb, 22, , at 9:08 PM, brobinso at tfn.net wrote:
>
> Hello, smart ALE'ers.
>
> Here's a strange request.  I need a timer, a bit like a chess  
> clock, but
> with 4 settings.  It must keep 4 seperate times, and beginning one  
> must
> stop the other.
>
> So, for example, if I press '1', it will begin the first timer, when I
> press '2', it will stop the first timer, and begin the second.   
> Same for
> the other 2.
>
> I'd probably be willing to pay for such a thing, and might even be  
> willing
> to buy a piece of hardware, but, of course, would prefer an open  
> source
> computer solution (one reason -- it will let me show off open source
> software to a bunch of scientists who will insist on buying  
> something).
>
> Thanks for any help.
>

Even if you don't find something in the free software domain
that specifically does this, it would be a dead simple programming
project (-: with standard caveat that nothing simple is easy ;^).

If the timers need to interact with the physical world (aka switch  
relays
or set analog voltages) you could use something like an Arduino as the
to interface USB output from the computer (though flipping lines on a
standard 9 pin serial port can control a 4 state relay switch as well -
we had an Amiga product that would route a single serial com to any of
4 seraial ports for multi device control and I even have one or two
around still). If you need something stand alone in this vein, look at
the Nerd Kits that James Kinney mentioned on the list a few weeks back,
as the support a simple LCD display.

http://www.arduino.cc/
http://www.nerdkits.com/store/

If you need more specific help with any of the above ideas, please feel
free to contact me off list:  arxaaron at gmail.com

peace
aaron