Clock Question

Jim Thompson · Feb 2, 2004

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice

480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax

Sir Charles W. Shults III · Feb 2, 2004

A simple method would be to write a Basic or C utility to interrogate
the system clock and output the time string through the port in whatever
format you choose..

Cheers!

Chip Shults

Bill Garber · Feb 2, 2004

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message
news:d3kt10tkk52ccu6laninceu6cc9jeso0a9@4ax.com...
: Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock
information
: though the serial (or USB) port?
:
: My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a
wall
: clock with that accuracy.

How about this? Once a day look at the computer and
set your clock. Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry Jim, I just couldn't resist it, and if I had
a clue I would tell you, honestly I would. 8)

Bill @ GarberStreet Enterprizez };-)
Web Site - http://garberstreet.netfirms.com
Email - willy4SPAM6pa@comXcast.net
Remove - SPAM and X to contact me

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scada · Feb 2, 2004

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message
news:d3kt10tkk52ccu6laninceu6cc9jeso0a9@4ax.com...

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

You could write a VB script to poll the Datepart: Time(), or Now(). Send it
to the serial port though MSComm, as a byte or a sync pulse.

Russell Shaw · Feb 3, 2004

Jim Thompson wrote:

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

date > /dev/ttyS0

Jim Thompson · Feb 3, 2004

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 11:59:13 +1100, Russell Shaw
<rjshaw@iprimus.com.au> wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

date > /dev/ttyS0

480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax

Peter O. Brackett · Feb 3, 2004

Jim:

"Nice to have a clock with that accuracy... Heh, heh..."

Seems like you have a yen for clock accuracy...

Jim, to really appreciate what it means to be an amateur with a "yen" for
accuracy you should visit...

http://www.leapsecond.com

You will be impressed...

--
Peter
Consultant - Signal Processing and Analog Electronics
Indialantic By-the-Sea, FL.

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message
news:d3kt10tkk52ccu6laninceu6cc9jeso0a9@4ax.com...

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Mike Rocket J. Squirrel E · Feb 3, 2004

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 11:59:13 +1100, Russell Shaw
rjshaw@iprimus.com.au> wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

date > /dev/ttyS0

In Analog language this means what ???

Analog it ain't. If I remember my UNIX days, that command redirects the
OS's date function to the serial port. Beats me what you'd do with it then.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 VW Type 2 -- the Wonderbus (AKA the Saunabus in summer)

Martin Riddle · Feb 3, 2004

Do you dislike WWV?

www.klockit.com have some Atomix clocks fairly cheap.

Other wise you'd need to parse a serial string sent out from a vb script or a plain old windos app. Cable length of usb would be too
short for most clock locations. Blue tooth would be nice tho (c;

Cheers

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message news:d3kt10tkk52ccu6laninceu6cc9jeso0a9@4ax.com...

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

petrus bitbyter · Feb 3, 2004

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> schreef in bericht
news:d3kt10tkk52ccu6laninceu6cc9jeso0a9@4ax.com...

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Jim,

It's easy to write a program that, receiving a message via the serial port,
gets the system time and sends it back. So you need to get (build) a clock
that is relatively accurate on its own and sends a message every now and
then, receives the system time of the computer and synchronises itself
accordingly. The message can be a byte (a special one like a question mark
or a random one) or even a pulse pulling a modem control line of the serial
port. I'd use a micro containing a UART (PIC or any brand you like) and
clock it with a clock x-tal from an old watch or something like that. If you
like it a more oldfashioned way, you still need a UART. But you can build
the clock using (synchronous) counters with a parallel load. A carry
pulse - from the tens minutes counter or instance - can be used to activate
the computer. That has to send the time bytes in BCD. Shift them in a shift
register and load them into the counters when the last one has been
received.

petrus

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Garrett Mace · Feb 3, 2004

"Peter O. Brackett" <no_such_address@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news

CCTb.7733$GO6.3898@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...

Jim:

"Nice to have a clock with that accuracy... Heh, heh..."

Seems like you have a yen for clock accuracy...

Jim, to really appreciate what it means to be an amateur with a "yen" for
accuracy you should visit...

http://www.leapsecond.com

You will be impressed...

Indeed...I think the site can be summed up by the following picture:
http://www.leapsecond.com/images/LabJan2001r.jpg

Spehro Pefhany · Feb 3, 2004

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 02:13:59 GMT, the renowned "Garrett Mace"
<g.ryan@macetech.com> wrote:

"Peter O. Brackett" <no_such_address@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
newsCCTb.7733$GO6.3898@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
Jim:

"Nice to have a clock with that accuracy... Heh, heh..."

Seems like you have a yen for clock accuracy...

Jim, to really appreciate what it means to be an amateur with a "yen" for
accuracy you should visit...

http://www.leapsecond.com

You will be impressed...

Indeed...I think the site can be summed up by the following picture:
http://www.leapsecond.com/images/LabJan2001r.jpg

Aye, now *that*'s a lab.

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

Gary Richardson · Feb 3, 2004

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message
news:d3kt10tkk52ccu6laninceu6cc9jeso0a9@4ax.com...

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.

www.atomictime.com

Chuck Harris · Feb 3, 2004

Uhmm? Go to costco, and buy their WWVL synchronized wall clock
for $17?

-Chuck Harris

Jim Thompson wrote:

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson

Gregg · Feb 3, 2004

Hi Jim,

I too sync my computer using NTP.

A few lines of Perl should do you bud

--
Gregg
*It's probably useful, even if it can't be SPICE'd*
http://geek.scorpiorising.ca

Robert C Monsen · Feb 3, 2004

"Jim Thompson" <thegreatone@example.com> wrote in message
news:gnst109sbr9ehcs8srs174ogjt27ui5jf4@4ax.com...

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 11:59:13 +1100, Russell Shaw
rjshaw@iprimus.com.au> wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

date > /dev/ttyS0

In Analog language this means what ???

Its 'unix' (or linux) for 'spit the ascii representation of the date down
the serial port'. You would need hardware on the other side that could parse
the ascii and determine the date.

Why not just buy a WWF clock? Actually, maybe this one would be better:

http://www.itsapolka.com/catalog/The-Wine-Enthusiast/Home-Decor/Wine-Bottle-Wall-Clock.html

Regards
Bob Monsen

Mike · Feb 3, 2004

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 15:37:24 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote:

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock information
though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to have a wall
clock with that accuracy.

...Jim Thompson

I'm sure I could write you a program to do something like that pretty
quickly. The question is, what clock is going to read data from a serial
port?

An even more important question is, isn't it going to drive you nuts
knowing that any clock you drive from the serial port is going to be
milliseconds (yes, milliseconds, and probably many of them!) off target?

Just think about it. You'll end up sitting in your rocking chair, staring
at the clock, thinking, "Damn, that last tick should have happened
earlier... damn, that one too... damn, that one too... damn, that one
too..."

In the morning, your wife will find that you've spontaneously combusted,
and all that's left is your slippers, part of your robe, and what many
people will come to believe was simply an urban legend all along.

"Jim Thompson? Hell, son, he's like Bob Widlar. He never really existed,
it's just a bunch of stories that got handed down through generations of
engineers."

Is that what you really want, Jim? Even your kids would begin to believe
the legend after a while. One day, your daughter would recount the story of
how you died: "Well, dad had bought this JATO rocket at the swap meet, and
he welded it to his old Impala one day... You can still see the hole in the
side of South Mountain where he augered in."

Trust me. What you want is a Westclox Big Ben. They're simple. They're
cheap. They're probably not made any more. But I'm sure you can find one on
Ebay. They need to be reset every week. But who cares? You'll never look at
one of them and say, "Damn, that last tick should have happened earlier..."

-- Mike --

Garrett Mace · Feb 3, 2004

Trust me. What you want is a Westclox Big Ben. They're simple. They're
cheap. They're probably not made any more. But I'm sure you can find one
on
Ebay. They need to be reset every week. But who cares? You'll never look
at
one of them and say, "Damn, that last tick should have happened
earlier..."

-- Mike --

You should have clicked "Send" a lot earlier.

(couldn't resist)

Richard Crowley · Feb 3, 2004

"Jim Thompson" wrote ...

Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock
information though the serial (or USB) port?

"Off the peg" USB-powered 7-seg LED displays...
http://www.delcom-eng.com/products_USBNDisplay.asp
Docs & software downloadable. Routine to spit out computer
clock time is relatively trivial.

Richard Crowley · Feb 3, 2004

Jim Thompson wrote:
Anyone have an idea how one might output their PC clock
information though the serial (or USB) port?

My PC clock is NIST-synchronized and it would be nice to
have a wall clock with that accuracy.

"Mike" wrote ...

I'm sure I could write you a program to do something like that pretty
quickly. The question is, what clock is going to read data from a serial
port?

An even more important question is, isn't it going to drive you nuts
knowing that any clock you drive from the serial port is going to be
milliseconds (yes, milliseconds, and probably many of them!) off target?

You can write the software to take any time delays into account.
You can even compensate for the speed of light from the display
to Mr. Thompson's retinas (including the delay through his optic
nerves to his cereberal cortex. Of couse, it will be *slightly* off
for others!

Clock Question

Jim Thompson

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