Meet Maestro - Technical Info: System, Internet, Concurrent Entry, Offline Support, Meet Access...

Meet Maestro is self-contained and designed for fast, efficient operation on the day of the meet, whether your team is hand-entering times, or loading times automatically from a wireless timing system.   

Covered in this Article: 

• Product Updates
• System Requirements
• Internet Requirements
• Concurrent Data Entry 
• Offline Support / Pending Updates Backup
• Login Permissions
• Meet Access and Re-Access
• Settings - The Gear Icon
• Customer Support and Troubleshooting Options
• Printing & Label Tips

Product Updates

We are continually making updates to Meet Maestro to meet the needs of our customer base. ➞ See our Meet Maestro Version History document for more details.

This can also be accessed from the Meet Maestro help screen as seen below:

System Requirements

• Web Application Requirements (Non-Timing System Users): Meet Maestro is web-based for teams not using a timing system and requires at least Windows 7 (64-bit) operating system. Vista is not supported. 
• Desktop Application Requirements (Timing System Users): Meet Maestro installer requires the 64 bit version of Windows 7 or newer. 
• Browser Compatibility: Meet Maestro is NOT compatible with Internet Explorer. Meet Maestro is only fully supported using the Google Chrome browser (versions 89+ March 2021). All major browsers are supported for the team management side of SwimTopia.
• RAM Recommendation: We suggest at least 4 GB RAM to ensure long reports etc display efficiently. Chromebooks are not a good fit since they usually only have 2 GB RAM, and cannot be used with Dolphin (and possibly other timing systems). If you need to use a Chromebook make sure to increase the RAM.

Internet Requirements

When you click on the Meet Maestro button in SwimTopia (after merging), you’ll be taken to Meet Maestro in a new window.

1. An internet connection is required to open a Meet Maestro meet and download the meet data to the local computer (browser or Desktop version of Meet Maestro). The amount of data transferred is small, thus many teams have great success using a mobile hotspot tethered to the laptop running Meet Maestro when there are connection issues.
2. Browser Compatibility: As mentioned above, Meet Maestro is NOT compatible with Internet Explorer. Meet Maestro is only fully supported using the Google Chrome browser (versions 89+ March 2021). All major browsers are supported for the team management side of SwimTopia.

➧ Troubleshooting

➞ General internet connectivity

If your internet connection seems generally slow, or Maestro appears to be disconnecting intermittently, Google provides a simple tool to test your computer's network connection to the internet: search for "internet speed test" and then click the Run Speed Test button. A slow or unreliable connection between your computer and the internet can cause Maestro to load and save data slowly, or to disconnect unexpectedly.

➞ WiFi connectivity

If the computer running Maestro is connected to the network via WiFi, there are several potential issues that can cause Maestro to run more slowly or to disconnect. General WiFi troubleshooting is beyond the scope of this section, although this external article provides an excellent guide to diagnosing network and WiFi issues. Here are a few of the most common things to look for:

• If no devices can connect to the WiFi network, double-check that your router has power and is connected to the internet. Simply restarting the WiFi router can often resolve this issue.
• If some devices can connect to WiFi but the Maestro computer cannot, try disabling and then reenabling WiFi directly on the machine via network settings.
• For more advanced troubleshooting options, please see the article mentioned above.

➧ Best Practices

➞ Use a Dedicated WiFi Network

If you are using Maestro via WiFi, it is highly recommended that you configure a dedicated WiFi network reserved for Maestro and other devices used only for running the meet. If you allow WiFi to be accessed publicly by attendees or other guests, having them use a separate network will preserve bandwidth for Maestro and keep network performance more consistent. To create a new network, look for "SSID" settings in your router or WiFi software.

➞ Use a Dedicated Mobile Hotspot

If you don't have a WiFi network, then you'll likely connect via a mobile network like 4G LTE or 5G. You can do so via a cell phone that supports tethering or hotspot sharing, but a dedicated mobile broadband device can provide a more robust solution that you can integrate consistently into your Maestro setup if you run a lot of meets.

Related product category on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Electronics-Mobile-Broadband-Devices/zgbs/electronics/5005583011

➞ Use a Mobile Network Signal Booster

If you are in an area with poor cell network coverage, a viable option may be to use a cell phone signal booster to improve the signal for cell phones or mobile hotspots. In general, a team is going to want to get a device with 4G LTE support (as that has the biggest benefit for data speeds).

Related product category on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Cell-Phones-Accessories-Phone-Signal-Boosters/zgbs/wireless/2407782011

Wilson Electronics, the leading hardware vendor in this space: https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/weboost-building-kits-model-comparison/?menu

Concurrent Data Entry 

Maestro supports real-time data synchronization between the client app (web or desktop) and our servers. Multiple team admins, from any of the participating teams, can open the meet on multiple computers for concurrent data entry. 

» Note: Keep in mind, if multiple users are editing the same field, the last one to save wins. It is recommended to communicate clearly who is responsible for what data entry to avoid overwriting each other. 

Example use cases:

• Separate time entry and DQ entry computers
• Simultaneous virtual meets (no longer need to visit events again to see the UI or score update).
• Could have one browser tab open for printing reports and one for entering times (though switching between interfaces is now also instantaneous).

➞ See for yourself in this short video demonstration.

Offline Support / Pending Updates Backup

Meet Maestro is resilient to internet failure. Once the meet data is downloaded using Internet access, you can input times (or import times from a timing system) and enter DQs while completely offline. 

➧ While offline:

Login Permissions

For access to Meet Maestro, members can be assigned to a Role with Read or Manage Swim Meet Administrative Permissions (as seen in the screenshot below). 

» Note: Read-only swim meet access will limit the user to read-only mode.

As an alternative, you can grant the Role to have "All Administrative Permissions" OR click the "Make Admin" button within the user’s profile but only do this if the person can have full admin privileges. 

With either of these, they will be able to log in with their SwimTopia username and password. ➞ See Role-Based Permissions article for more on this topic.

» Tip: If there are issues with someone logging in, an admin should check that their role has the appropriate permissions. 

Meet Access and Re-Access

➧ Desktop Version

If using a timing system (i.e. CTS Dolphin, CTS System 5/6 or Gen 7 Console, Time Drops, Wylas, etc.), the desktop version of Meet Maestro is required. You will log in from the desktop application and select your meet. 

➞ See Getting Started with Meet Maestro to locate the timing system article that applies to your team.

➧ Web Version

There are two ways to access your meet. The main access point is from within your merged meet on your SwimTopia team management site. The other more direct approach is by direct access via Meet Maestro's URL.

➞ See Meet Maestro - Meet Access for more details.

Settings - The Gear Icon 

When you click the gear icon on the far right corner of the screen, there are a number of tabs that help you both set up and finish running the meet. We discuss each of these sections in separate help articles under Setting Up Your Swim Meet in our Help Center.

Customer Support and Troubleshooting Options

Click on the "?" in the top right and you can self-serve through our extensive topic-organized online Help Center, or contact us via phone as appropriate.

We provide a link to check your browser version. Providing this information upfront could help expedite your request for help.

➧ Remote Troubleshooting Support

We also provide a remote troubleshooting option to create a read-only replay of the steps you are taking when an issue occurs. Before reaching out to us, you can slide the bar to Enable Remote Support, and then retrace your steps to recreate the issue. We will be collecting this data to reference when you submit a support ticket or call.

Printing & Label Tips

➧ Printing

1. Best printing results occur with Chrome. (versions 89+ - March 2021 - Only fully supported browser for Meet Maestro. All major browsers are supported for the team management side of SwimTopia, but some reports may print best using Chrome.)

2. Ensure your zoom level is 100%. Do NOT check “Fit to Page.”

3. Be sure your report has finished loading before printing or saving as a PDF. Depending on computer and connection speeds, the first pages may be loaded, but the rest of the report may not finish for a few more seconds. A full version of the report will download in the web or desktop application, so you can review it prior to printing

4. Printing to PDF is based on your printer setup allowing for this option.

5. For larger reports, like the Timer Sheets, it can be helpful to print smaller ranges.

6. If you modified the margins and are seeing issues likely attributed to this ➞ See the LAYOUT section above.

7. If you are having printing issues, download the PDF and then open in a PDF viewer and print from there. ➞ See Saving Reports in PDF Format below.

➧ Labels

Labels: Avery 8160 for inkjet, or Avery 5160 for laser printers (can be another brand)
Label Size: 1" X 2 5/8"
Sheet Size: 8 1/2" X 11"
Labels per Sheet: 30

➞ Next Topic: Meet Maestro Settings - Pre-Meet Reports