Countdown Timer

The alphacoaster includes a countdown timer feature. This feature includes the following features:

• The coaster displays show the amount of time left in minutes and seconds.
• The coaster can be configured to use any available alert mode when the countdown timer expires.
• A warn alert can optionally be set. When the warn alert is reached, a short alert occurs, directing users attention to the timer on the coaster.

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Note

The countdown timer is only available in alphacoaster firmware versions 1.22 and later.

Starting the Countdown Timer

To start the countdown timer, a page is sent to the coaster with H and h alert override codes. The H parameter specifies the number of minutes for the countdown, while the h parameter specifies the number of seconds.

The page message is ignored when either the H or h parameter is encountered. Note that other LRS POCSAG pagers simply ignore H and h parameters. Any message text (portion before the form feed) will be displayed when the countdown timer expires. Alert override codes for scrolling the text and backlight can be used just like a normal page. If no message text is included with the start countdown page, then "0:00" is shown on the display when the countdown timer expires.

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Note

Alphacoaster firmwares prior to 1.25 will ignore any message text included in the countdown start page and will always display "0:00" when the countdown timer expires.

By default, no alert is performed when the countdown timer expires. In order to generate an alert, appropriate alert override codes should be included in the page along with the H and h parameters. Any alert that ordinary alphacoaster pages support can be used for the countdown expired alert.

Example

The following example sets a countdown timer for 7 minutes and 30 seconds, with an flash and vibe alert of 30 seconds when the timer expires.

C

\fH7h30F30Vv5

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Note

The alphacoaster is capable of counting down a maximum of 255 minutes and 59 seconds. However, any interval over 99 minutes and 59 seconds will not display properly.

Setting a Warn Time

Setting a warn time makes the alphacoaster perform a short alert when the countdown reaches the warn time. The I parameter specifies the warn time minutes, while the i parameter specifies the seconds.

Modifying the Warn Alert

By default, the warn alert is a 2-second flash. The warn alert can be modified with the J and j alert override codes. The J parameter specifies the warn alert duration, while the j parameter specifies the warn alert mode (e.g. flash, vibe, beep, or glow).

Example

The following example starts a 30 minute countdown timer, with a 5 second flash and vibe warn alert at 4 minutes and 30 seconds, and a 15 cycle LED and vibe glow when the timer expires.

C

\fH30h0I4i30J5j6G15g3

Cancelling a Countdown Timer

To cancel a running countdown timer, send a page to the alphacoaster with the H and h parameters set to 0. The alphacoaster stops the countdown timer and returns to displaying its pager number when such a page is received. Any page message in a countdown timer cancel page is ignored.

Countdown Timer and Receiving Pages

While the countdown timer is running, the alphacoaster continues receiving pages. If a page message is received while the countdown timer is active, the received message is displayed as normal. The countdown timer continues running in the background while the paged message is displayed. When the paged message times out, the countdown timer resumes.

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Warning

The alphacoaster cannot do Warn or Expiration alerts while a paged message is being displayed. However, as soon as the paged message expires, any warn or expiration alerts that have already passed are performed.