CompnTemp Timer - Compensating Developing Timer

[Curt Palm]

CompnTemp Timer - Compensating Developing Timer software application
Version 1.0 of the CompnTemp Timer (CT) and it is now available from the website:
http://curtpalm.com/Software.html
The CompnTemp Timer is a Java software application that uses a USB temperature probe to monitor developer temperature and runs the clock faster or slower to compensate for temperature fluctuations in the developer.
Features:
-Toggle between real and Comp Time
-Fahrenheit or Celsius temperature display
-User settable target temperature
-Keyboard or pull-down menu options to set time
-Optional remote USB 10-keypad start-stop & time input
-Programmable compensation curve
-User selected options (profiles) are savable
-Restorable default profiles
-Easily switch between profiles
-Count-down or Count-up timer modes
-Alert sound in countdown mode, at 00:05 sec. or user set interval
-Multiple print processing option in count-down mode

There is a review of the CT timer on pg 54 of the May/June 2008 View Camera Magazine: “A New Tool for the Darkroom” by Alan Ross and Eric Biggerstaff


The software costs $85 and the USB temperature probe can be purchased form Vernier Sci. for around $40. Details and more complete description of CT features and requirements are on the website. The manual and a demo version are downloadable for free from: http://curtpalm.com/Software.html. The demo version does not support use of the temperature probe, but one can set the temperature manually to demonstrate the compensation features.

You can see the software in action at the Foto3 trade show.

http://curtpalm.com/Software.html


Comments and/or suggestions are welcome.

[D. Bryant]

CompnTemp Timer - Compensating Developing Timer software application
Version 1.0 of the CompnTemp Timer (CT) and it is now available from the website:
http://curtpalm.com/Software.html
The CompnTemp Timer is a Java software application that uses a USB temperature probe to monitor developer temperature and runs the clock faster or slower to compensate for temperature fluctuations in the developer.
Features:
-Toggle between real and Comp Time
-Fahrenheit or Celsius temperature display
-User settable target temperature
-Keyboard or pull-down menu options to set time
-Optional remote USB 10-keypad start-stop & time input
-Programmable compensation curve
-User selected options (profiles) are savable
-Restorable default profiles
-Easily switch between profiles
-Count-down or Count-up timer modes
-Alert sound in countdown mode, at 00:05 sec. or user set interval
-Multiple print processing option in count-down mode

There is a review of the CT timer on pg 54 of the May/June 2008 View Camera Magazine: “A New Tool for the Darkroom” by Alan Ross and Eric Biggerstaff


The software costs $85 and the USB temperature probe can be purchased form Vernier Sci. for around $40. Details and more complete description of CT features and requirements are on the website. The manual and a demo version are downloadable for free from: http://curtpalm.com/Software.html. The demo version does not support use of the temperature probe, but one can set the temperature manually to demonstrate the compensation features.

You can see the software in action at the Foto3 trade show.

http://curtpalm.com/Software.html


Comments and/or suggestions are welcome.
Curt,

How does your software know how much time to compensate for?

Thanks,

Don Bryant

[Curt Palm]

Curt,

How does your software know how much time to compensate for?

Thanks,

Don Bryant


Don,


The CompnTemp timer software uses a compensation curve equation derived from temperature and development time data. The timer comes with two preprogrammed compensation curve settings and the user can add more. The first preprogrammed setting is modeled after the Zone VI timer paper setting and gives compensation results very similar to the Zone VI timer on the paper setting. The second uses data from an Ilford table of temperature and development time.


-Curt

[BigSteveG]

I like the Zone VI timer. It's easy to use. They seem to go for a lot of money on EBAY.

[D. Bryant]

Don,


The CompnTemp timer software uses a compensation curve equation derived from temperature and development time data. The timer comes with two preprogrammed compensation curve settings and the user can add more. The first preprogrammed setting is modeled after the Zone VI timer paper setting and gives compensation results very similar to the Zone VI timer on the paper setting. The second uses data from an Ilford table of temperature and development time.


-Curt


Thanks for the information Curt!

I've looked at your product web page and one thing that isn't clear to me is would it be feasable to wire a foot switch to trigger the CompnTemp timer.

Thanks,

Don Bryant

[Curt Palm]

Thanks for the information Curt!

I've looked at your product web page and one thing that isn't clear to me is would it be feasable to wire a foot switch to trigger the CompnTemp timer.

Thanks,

Don Bryant

Don,

there are several options for a foot switch or other remote start/stop switch.
one is the the delcom USB footswitch: cat #803661 USB HID Mouse Button Left Foot Switch
http://www.delcom-eng.com/productdetails.asp?productnum=803661

this is the most reasonably priced ($36) computer foot switch i could find. I have one on order. it sends a left mouse button click so it should start and stop the timer same as clicking the mouse button.


Someone at Foto3 told me it would be easy (for them at least) to open up a mouse and find the left click wires and wire this to one of their current foot switches. This is beyond my skill set though.

I use a usb mouse that i've attached to the front of my sink. i tap it with one hand as i put the print in the developer. I've disabled the tracking ability of the mouse by taping over the light on the bottom of the mouse ( it is an optical mouse) so it won't move the cursor on screen away from the start/stop button of the timer.

[D. Bryant]

Don,

there are several options for a foot switch or other remote start/stop switch.
one is the the delcom USB footswitch: cat #803661 USB HID Mouse Button Left Foot Switch
http://www.delcom-eng.com/productdetails.asp?productnum=803661

this is the most reasonably priced ($36) computer foot switch i could find. I have one on order. it sends a left mouse button click so it should start and stop the timer same as clicking the mouse button.


Someone at Foto3 told me it would be easy (for them at least) to open up a mouse and find the left click wires and wire this to one of their current foot switches. This is beyond my skill set though.

I use a usb mouse that i've attached to the front of my sink. i tap it with one hand as i put the print in the developer. I've disabled the tracking ability of the mouse by taping over the light on the bottom of the mouse ( it is an optical mouse) so it won't move the cursor on screen away from the start/stop button of the timer.
Curt,

For some reason I missed your post until today. Thanks for the information about the foot switch.

Good ideas about the mouse.

Don

[Curt Palm]

I have released version 1.1 of the CompnTemp compensating developing timer.
new features in version 1.1:

- Celsius slidebars are fully functional, when one switches to Celsius Temp. display for the timer, the slidebars now switch also
- Metronome feature, a checkbox in the pref. panel turns on the metronome, which sounds a beep (the system alert sound) at a user set interval
- Zone VI film compensation parameters has been added to the default profiles.

There are new three default compensation parameters. Zone VI paper, Zone VI film and Ilford film. A graph showing temperature vs time response for all three default settings is in the version 1.1 manual.
The CompnTemp Demo version 1.1 is available for free download from the website.

for more information:
http://www.curtpalm.com/Software.html

[Curt Palm]

CompnTemp 1.11 has been released. New features in this version are:

- single click to zero timer and restart in count up mode

- option for profile label in main window - shows current profile in main so you can easily tell which profile is currently active

- Start/stop beep in count down mode - option to have timer beeps at start and stop - very useful if using timer in total darkness



Details of the timer and free downloads of the pdf manual and Demo software are at: http://www.curtpalm.com/Software.html