TD and Affiliate Support

If you have any questions or concerns with this information you may reach out directly via email

Updated December 16th, 2022

Welcome to the TD/Affiliate area for ChessNoteR. This area was designed for TDs and Affiliates so we can keep you informed of our products. This will include the security we have implemented and how to verify the ChessNoteR N6 and ChessNoteR N9 device is registered to the player.

Our hope as a software company is to create software as a solution for all things chess. Since we are not in the hardware business we have simply re-purposed easy-to-find hardware to deliver our software to chess players. Hopefully, after looking over this documentation you will see the value in our easy-to-use software which also includes extensive security and has also been certified by US Chess. The ChessNoteR devices create a PGN of the player’s moves along with a more legible scoresheet which can be signed electronically by both players in PDF format, and a log.txt file of all the touches made on the screen for TD to verify there was no cheating involved. In version ChessNoteR version 2.2.0 we also added the Replay capability for TDs to be able to replay the moves on the screen during tournament mode in the event there is a concern of cheating. This version of the software also allows the player to easily email the game to the TD.

If there are controls or features that TDs or Affiliates would like us to add, we are open to suggestions. Please feel free to contact us at the email address located on the left-hand side of this page.

Current Version: ChessNoteR 2.3.0

If a user is using the ChessNoteR in a chess tournament that player should be using version 2.3.0 as that is the current version that is certified by US Chess and was released to customers on December 4th, 2022. There are two ways to check the version easily.

If the device is on the home screen you can open ChessNoteR and go to the Menu icon, then on the Menu choose Update to see the current version

The other option is when the player is playing in a tournament it will list the version number at the top of the application

How to verify a ChessNoteR device

Each device we sell is only sold to Tournament Chess players that have a US Chess ID and or a FIDE ID. We will not sell our software to non-US Chess players or FIDE Chess players. If an Affiliate purchases multiple devices for their club our tournaments we will register each device to their Affiliate ID. Each device we build is compiled from source code and registered specifically to each user who has purchased a license. In the event a player sells a device, the new user will need to send the device back to Black Mirror Studio so we can re-register the device for that user (an additional fee is required).

We have created a 3-factor authentication on each device so TD’s and Affiliate’s know that the device is registered to the player using it.

– There is a tamper-proof sticker on the back of each device with a serial number and QR code. NOTE: All serial numbers start with a letter separated by a dash and are followed by 5 digits i.e. A-00001.

– Inside the application, under the ChessNoteR application menu, there is a serial number option that will list the date purchased, the user name (as listed on US Chess), US Chess ID, FIDE ID (if applicable), and serial number that appears on the sticker. There is also a QR code that can be scanned.

– Finally, if the QR code is scanned it will pull up a web page from the ChessNoteR website showing the same information under the serial number option. This will list the date purchased, the user name (as listed on US Chess), US Chess ID, FIDE ID (if applicable), and serial number that appears on the sticker which is the same serial number that is inside the software. NOTE: If do you not have a mobile device with QR code software you can simply go to our website and type in the serial number after the domain name (i.e. https://chessnoter.com/a-00018).

Here is a short video on how to verify a device:

Pictures of the ChessNoteR N6 device

The Motorola Nexus 6 comes in two color variations, the Cloud White and Midnight Blue. Users may have also installed skins or have a case on the device. Regardless of the customization’s the user should have the sticker on the back of the physical device. If the user has a case they will need to take it off to show you the sticker. We have advised our customers that if they do opt to purchase a case to they should consider purchasing a see-through case to make it easier for TD’s to verify the device. If the player is not willing to show the sticker, or the sticker is not present then the device should not be allowed in tournament play. This is no different than the eNotate device.

ChessNoteR N6 Cloud White

ChessNoteR N6 Midnight Blue

Pictures of the ChessNoteR N9 device

The HTC Nexus 9 comes in three color variations, the Lunar White, Sand, and Indigo Black Users may have also installed skins or have a case on the device. Regardless of these options, the user should have the sticker on the back of the physical device. If the user has a case they will need to take it off to show you the sticker. We have advised our customers that if they do opt to purchase a case that they should consider purchasing a see-through case to make it easier for TD’s to verify the device. If the player is not willing to show the sticker, or the sticker is not present then the device should not be allowed in tournament play.

ChessNoteR N9 Sand

ChessNoteR N9 Lunar White

ChessNoteR N9 Indigo Black

Internal ChessNoteR device security

The ChessNoteR operating system is built using the Android 5.1.1 operating system and devices purchased after 2/1/2019 use Android 6.0.1. To secure our platform we have made the following changes to the system:

Disabled Developer Options – The Developer Options are built into the Android operating system by default. This features normally allows users to access the Android’s file system through the Android Debugging tool ADB. We have disabled Developer Options so users do not have access to “enabling OEM Unlock”. Due to this, users cannot unlock the bootloader to modify the file system or gain access to the system through the ADB tool.
Disabled 3rd Party installer – a 3rd party installer is a normal option in the Android operating system, which offers users the ability to install custom applications onto the Android operating system. Since this option is disabled users cannot install any software onto our device.
Disabled Hardware – We have disabled all unnecessary hardware in the device. Therefore, when a Motorola Nexus 6 or HTC Nexus 9 is reloaded with our software it no longer functions as a cell phone or as a tablet, but can only be used strictly as an electronic notation device. Here is a list of the hardware that has been disabled from the kernel and software level: Cell Radio (so SIM cards for cell phones will not work), Front and Rear Camera, Camera light, Audio, NFC (Near Field Communicator), Bluetooth, Gyroscope, and GPS. NOTE: The volume rockers have been reconfigured to change the brightness on the device for higher or lower levels.
Disabled Software – We have disabled all unnecessary software on the device. Therefore, when a Motorola Nexus 6 or HTC Nexus 9 is reloaded with our software it no longer functions as a cell phone or as a tablet, but can only be used strictly as an electronic notation device. Here is a list of the software that has been removed from the operating system: Google Play Store, Calculator, Browser, Calendar, Contacts, Messenger (MMS/Text), Mail, Camera, Gallery, and Music.