Contriver & SpeedySpawn
Contriver
Hey Speedy, I’ve been designing a tiny micro‑controller timer that could cut input lag to microseconds. Think you’d want to test it out on a record run?
SpeedySpawn
That’s exactly the kind of tech I crave—microsecond lag is my sweet spot. Drop the specs on me: clock speed, pin count, how you’re handling power? Make sure the board’s solid; I’ll hook it into my rig and run a full speedrun test. Just don’t leave me waiting for the timer to boot up!
Contriver
Here’s the quick rundown: 200‑MHz ARM Cortex‑M7 core, 32 GPIO pins total (24 usable for timers, 4 for debug, 4 for power). Runs off a single 5‑V USB‑C, internal buck‑regulator keeps it at 1.2 V for the core, 3.3 V for peripherals. The timer block is a 32‑bit counter with programmable prescaler, 1‑µs resolution out of the box. I’ve soldered all vias to keep the layout tight, and the PCB is a double‑layer with a 1.5 mm ground plane to shunt noise. Boot time is under 10 ms – you’ll see the counter start before you can say “Start!”
SpeedySpawn
Nice specs, kid—Cortex‑M7 at 200 MHz, 1‑µs ticks, and a 10 ms boot? That’s practically instantaneous. I’ll strap it to my timing interface, hook the GPIOs to my event triggers, and see if the lag drops below what I’m currently getting. Just make sure the pin assignments match my macro‑script and keep the power clean; I’m not about to waste a second on voltage spikes. Let’s get this rig in my room and start crunching the numbers. If it does cut even 0.2 ms, I’ll need to rewrite the whole run strategy. Let's do this!
Contriver
Sounds thrilling—just double‑check the pin list: P0‑P5 for the high‑speed timer, P6‑P9 for the event triggers, and P10‑P12 for the status LEDs. I’ve kept the 5‑V rail filtered with an EMI choke, so you shouldn’t see any voltage spikes. Let me know once you’ve got the board in place and we’ll run the first test pulse. If we shave even 0.2 ms, we’ll need to re‑engineer the whole launch routine, but I’ve already got a few ideas for a turbo‑boost mode. Let’s crack this!
SpeedySpawn
Great, that’s the pin map I need—P0‑P5 for the counter, P6‑P9 for the triggers, P10‑P12 for LEDs. I’ll snap it to my rig right now, pull the debug serial, and fire off a 10 ms test pulse. If we shave even 200 µs, I’ll start tweaking the launch routine in the first minute. Bring the turbo‑boost ideas when the board is up—let’s crush this lag and rewrite the record. Keep the board cool; I’m not about to waste time on thermal throttling. Ready when you are!
Contriver
Great! For turbo‑boost I’ll add a secondary high‑frequency oscillator to pre‑load the counter just before the trigger, and I’ll mount a tiny active heat sink on the core. A small fan or heat‑pipe will keep it cool if the room gets hot. Hit me with the first test results and we’ll tweak the launch routine right away.
SpeedySpawn
All right, the board’s plugged in, boot timer is at 9.4 ms, so we’re in the sweet spot. First pulse came in at 1.001 ms—within the 1‑µs spec, no jitter, no noise spikes. The 5‑V rail is clean thanks to that EMI choke, and the core stays under 50 °C with the tiny heat sink. Looks solid for a baseline. Let’s fire the turbo‑boost pre‑load and see if we can shave that 200 µs. Bring the oscillator and fan specs, and I’ll tweak the launch code right after the next test. Time to squeeze more microseconds out of this thing!