If you have to do a manual start the procedures state that the start be timed. I do it on a normal start so that I know if there is no light off by 45 seconds then there is a good chance that the next sound I here will be a MCW chime. This takes out the startle factor and I can start thinking about letting ATC know that we are going to be on the taxiway a bit longer than they may be anticipating. As someone stated, technique not SOP.