Hardware & Software Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following components and steps completed:

➧ The CTS System 5/6 or Gen 7 Console

➞ Recommended Swimming Software: Version 1.233 or greater

We support version 1.232. However, in rare cases, the instability will cause the Swim software interface to reboot. We highly recommend upgrading.

➞ Recommended Firmware Version: 1.44 or greater

➞ Software & Firmware Version Identification

If you need to set up your CTS timing system, ➞ see the Colorado Time Systems Support section at the end of this guide.

➧ A Computer or Laptop

• Meet Maestro is not designed to work efficiently with iPads or mobile devices for running your meet or printing reports.
• A 64 bit version of Microsoft Windows 7+ (preferably 11+) is required for the Windows Desktop Application Installer (next section).
• RAM Recommendation: We suggest at least 4 GB RAM to ensure long reports display efficiently. Chromebooks are not a good fit since they usually only have 2 GB RAM. If you need to use a Chromebook make sure to increase the RAM.

➞ See our Meet Maestro Technical Details - System, Internet, Offline Support, Meet Access... article for more technical information. 

» Tip: The timing configuration is per computer, not per session/team/meet. If you have a laptop set up to use a timing system, it will use that timing system for any session, so it's possible to configure two different computers to input times differently.

➧ Meet Maestro Windows Desktop App

The Meet Maestro Windows Desktop App must be installed on the computer or laptop.

If you have a Mac with software that runs Windows (i.e., Parallels), our Windows app can be run on a Mac. 

➧ A Physical Connection

A physical serial port connection between your computer and the CTS timing console via a serial RS-232 cable is required.

➞ CTS 5/6

• The type of connection used by the CTS System 5/6 is a serial RS-232 cable.
• Connecting a CTS 5/6 to a modern computer requires a special USB-to-RS-232 adapter cable, which also requires a software driver to tell Windows how to work with the cable (because it is not a normal USB connection). There are different vendors of these USB-to-RS-232 cables - example device on Amazon.
• On CTS System 6, you will connect the serial cable to "COM PORT 1".

➞ CTS Gen 7

• For CTS Gen7, the USB to serial port conversion is handled inside the timing console, so a simple USB cable is sufficient.

It is critical to ensure the cables are compatible with your computer and operating system, and to set up and test your system WELL BEFORE meet day!

➧ Access to a Merged Swim Meet in Meet Maestro

A swim meet in SwimTopia that has been merged to create a Meet Maestro meet must be completed before Meet Maestro and the CTS console can be connected.

➞ See our Quick Start Guide - Setting Up Meets if you need to complete this step.

Integration Setup

➧ Step 1: Download the Meet Maestro Windows Desktop App

➧ Step 2: Connect the Hardware (CTS and Your Computer)

• Connect the serial cable to the applicable port on your CTS console (System 6 is "COM PORT 1").
• If using a USB-to-serial adapter, connect the other end of the serial cable to the adapter.
• Plug the USB end of the adapter into a USB port on your computer.
• Power on your CTS System 5/6 or Gen 7 timing console.

➧ Step 3: Log in and Select the CTS Console in Meet Maestro

➞ Log In

After the desktop application is installed, log in with your SwimTopia credentials (you need to be a Site Admin for your team, or be assigned to a Role with permission to manage swim meets).

➞ Select a Team (if affiliated with more than one)

➞ Select a Meet

You will only see meets that have been merged in this interface. (if you use the same credentials to manage multiple teams, you will be prompted to select the team first)

➞ Multi-Session Meet (Optional)

If this is a multi-session meet (virtual or otherwise), you will be prompted to select your session. If not, this step is not displayed.

➞ Add Timing System Configuration in Settings

Timing Setup options are found under Meet Maestro Settings (gear icon). Select to Add Timing System Configuration.

➞ Select the applicable CTS timing console

Our desktop application is required to use a timing system with Meet Maestro. If you are on the web version, you will see a message and a link to download the Windows desktop app, as seen below.

➧ Step 4: CTS System Timing Console Detection

After you have selected the CTS System 5/6 or CTS Gen 7 option from the Meet Maestro Timing Setup screen, Meet Maestro will automatically detect and read the configuration of the CTS Console.

➞ Unable to detect CTS console

If Meet Maestro cannot detect a CTS console, it will display an error message. This could be due to a number of factors (unplugged cord, bad serial port cable, etc). After correcting the problem, press the retry button. For more troubleshooting information, ➞ see Unable to detect console.

➧ Step 5: Confirm or Update Event Sequence

The CTS Consoles have a meet configuration mechanism called Event Sequences. These sequences affect the event display in the console and define the expected length of the race. It is therefore important that your sequence is programmed properly.

➞ CTS Gen 7 Event Sequence 

Gen 7 stores the event sequence as part of the current session of the current meet. Transmitted event data always lands in the current session regardless of which slot is selected.

➞ CTS System 5/6 Event Sequence

Meet Maestro will select sequence slot 9 by default, but you can rename or change the event sequence. If you select a different slot, Meet Maestro will remember your preference for this meet even if you close the meet and come back again.

Meet Maestro does not write the sequence automatically.

To write the sequence:

• Click on the Write Sequence button (This can take many minutes to complete)
• Meet Maestro will write the event sequence to the selected slot
• Meet Maestro will automatically update the name to match the 1st 20 characters of the meet name

» Note: The current event on the CTS Console does not automatically update after the event sequence is written. To see it updated, you must change the event.

Click Done to exit the CTS settings screen.

➧ Step 6: Select the Meet

Meets are identified by timestamp in the CTS Console. By default, Meet Maestro will select the most current date as the ‘Selected CTS Meet.' 

Close out of the meet settings to return to the results entry screen

The Selected Meet will be displayed in the timing console bar on the time entry interface as a reminder of which meet is being utilized. This can be changed by clicking on the gear icon if incorrect.

You can select another meet using the "Next meet" and "Previous meet" options.  

» Note: The "Return to current meet" button is only displayed in Gen7.

➞ My meet is not in the list provided

If you cannot locate your meet, there are two possible causes to consider: 

1. The CTS date/time is not correct.

The CTS System 6 has a built-in battery. If the battery is not charged and dies, or is drained from being unplugged too long, the CTS will not have its system time set.

The list of CTS meets is named by their date (for example: 06/25/25 8:56 AM). If the battery is dead, the meet dates will automatically be set to 12/31/02. This date could display for multiple meets, making it difficult to know which meet is correct. ➞ how to set the CTS date/time

2. A test race is needed to 'write the meet'

The CTS console needs to first write the meet, for Meet Maestro to detect the meet from the CTS console. This doesn't take place until after the first times are captured. It's important to run a "test heat" on the CTS console to connect to the correct Meet from Meet Maestro. 

You do not need to progress to the next event/heat on CTS, but it must capture the times in order for the CTS console to begin writing the required files. If the CTS system date/time is not the issue, the need for a test race might be.

➧ Mobile App - Enable Live Event/Heat Bar

This setting gives the CTS software the ability to automatically send information about the current event and heat being swum to the SwimTopia Mobile Live Event/Heat Bar.

Wait to enable this setting after you have completed your testing. You can access your timing system settings from the CTS timing system bar on the results data entry screen.

Test the Integration (before meet day)

Once the setup is complete, you can run the meet. We highly suggest saving time for some test runs to ensure a smooth meet day!

To prevent premature delivery of upcoming swim reminders and live result notifications to Pro users of the SwimTopia mobile app during testing, an early start warning pop-up will display to confirm whether or not you intend to start the meet early.

This warning will only display if two conditions are met:

1. The "Mobile App: Enable the Live Event/Heat bar" setting is enabled
2. The meet or session start time is in the future (not earlier than or equal to the current time)

» Note: This warning will display for each test performed until the confirmation to start the meet is selected (or start the session in a multi-session meet scenario). When "Yes..." is selected, the estimated start times will be adjusted, and the notification process will begin. There is no option to revert back to a pre-notification state.

Run Your Meet

➧ Load/Enter Race Number

Maestro starts without knowledge of available race data for this meet in the CTS.

From the timing system bar, click on the arrow next to Load Times and then select Load Race Number:

Select "1" from the Race Number selector:

➧ Load Times

As each race is completed and the times are stored on the CTS console, Meet Maestro will receive the data automatically. 

Pressing Load Times (or F3) will read the available race data AND load times into the current event/heat if a race matches. 

➞ Event/Heat Mismatch

If there is a mismatch in the event/heat when you try to load times, a message will be displayed with an action to Reject or Accept the times.

You may need to Update the Event Sequence if you made changes to your events, which you can do from the timing system bar settings:

➧ Using CTS Touchpads and Backup Plungers

If your team is using Meet Maestro with CTS touchpads plus a backup plunger, the pad time is considered the official time, and the plunger time is recorded as a backup (but is ignored). 

If the backup time is needed, the meet admins can use the Time Adjustment form to select the plunger time instead.

➧ Combining Heats

Currently, the way you can combine heats in Meet Maestro is by moving individual athletes/relays to non-overlapping lanes within each heat (e.g. heat 1 to lanes 1, 2, 3 and heat 2 to lanes 4, 5, 6), so that both heats can swim simultaneously, and score separately.

There would be one race in the timing software that includes times for all the combined heats. You will need to import the same race data file for each heat that was combined in Meet Maestro.

To do that, you will need to click to edit the Race Number field in the system timing bar to match the race number of the file saved by the CTS software. You'll end up with two different heats in Meet Maestro that both load the same Race Number from CTS. 

Times from all lanes will be loaded into each of the combined heats -- you can either clear those times in the empty lanes, but that's not required (they'll be ignored).

Edit CTS Settings

All of the settings configured during setup can be changed by pressing the gear icon in the timing system bar. You do not need to go back to the Timing Setup screen under the main settings area.

Product Support

"Customer Happiness" is not just a team name at SwimTopia, it's our mission!

➧ Colorado Time Systems Support

If you have questions specific to your CTS system or setup, please reference their support resources below. Meet Maestro seamlessly integrates with CTS to pull in times, but they are the experts at helping you configure your CTS System.

• CTS System 6: https://coloradotime.com/products/system-6-timing-console?hsLang=en
• CTS Gen 7: https://coloradotime.com/products/gen7-swim-timing-serial?hsLang=en
• Product Support
  • 1-800-287-0653 or 1-970-667-1000
  • Email: support@coloradotime.com
  • https://coloradotime.com/support/support-request

➧ SwimTopia Support

If you run into issues during setup or while testing that seem related to the connection between the timing system and Meet Maestro (or you're not sure), we have multiple options to assist:

• Reference our CTS System 5/6 and Gen 7 - Troubleshooting Guide article.
• Submit a Support Ticket (Or click "Submit a request" at the top of any Help Center page)
• Business Hours Phone Support (M-F 9am-6pm CST): 877-856-2940 (Option 2)
• After Hours (Emergency Meet Day) Phone Support: 877-856-2940 (Option 6)

If you are experiencing issues with your connection, there is a Troubleshooting section in the timing system settings where you can Restart Connection, or select to Download Logs to provide in your support ticket.

➧ Help Resources in Your Meet

We're here to help! Click on the located at the top right, and you can self-serve through our extensive topic-organized online Help Center, submit a support request, or contact us via phone. 

We also provide a remote troubleshooting option under the Help icon to create a read-only replay of the steps you are taking when an issue occurs. Before reaching out to us, slide the bar to Enable Remote Support, and retrace your steps to recreate the issue. Include the "Session Id" in your ticket or call.

➧ Additional Resources

In addition to this checklist, we have training options covering all of the functionality Meet Maestro has to offer to make your meet day a splashing success!

• Help Center ➞ See the Meet Maestro section
• ▶️ Training Videos - Meet Management with Meet Maestro
• Additional Training Videos ➞ Check out our YouTube Channel
• Workshop Webinars ➞ Sign up for live Workshop Webinars (when available)
• Community Center ➞ Check out our Community section for many tips and tricks
• SwimTopia Reddit ➞ connect, and share tips on our Admin's Hub

➧ League Admin ➞ See the League Management section for league-specific guides

➧ Team Admin ➞ See our Meet Maestro - Essential Settings Guide for a Successful Meet (after meet entries are merged)