Chicago sang:

[ceagle]

"Does anybody really know what time it is?"

Well... have you seen http://liveclock.com/ ?
It always seems to be identical to the sync on my computer clock... which has led me to believe that both are synchronized up with the big daddy of time servers somewhere... and thus, accurate (effectively at least).

After my recent experiment with timepieces, uh, I got one of those Casio satellite watches (not terribly expensive these days :> )... and it arrived today.

But... after IT does its sync, it seems to be about 23 seconds slower than the online live clock! 8| *boggle*

Then again, *this* site ( http://www.time.gov/timezone.cgi?Eastern/d/-5/java ) does seem to sync up exactly with the little watch. So is the site Microsoft syncs its clock up with... always 23 seconds fast?

We used to have at least two methods of getting what was thought to be rather accurate time... the phone service (discontinued here), and shortwave radio. Do I need to fire up my old shortwave radio to check these out? rarrgh.

Thoughts and info welcomed.

Comments

[aldi.livejournal.com]

Finding anything recently-made that can keep time accurately is a goal I find wildly optimistic.

Good luck. *hugs*

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I miss "Popcorn"!


Since I'm perpetually late, I like watches and clocks that gain time (run fast) so that I'm never -quite- as late as I think I am. But then, I'm neurotic...

[orv.livejournal.com]

I let my alarm clock run fast, for exactly that reason. But if I manually set it fast, it doesn't help, because I know I set it fast. So I set it accurately, but then don't reset it after the first power outage...'cause it always runs fast on battery.

[angelbear-oh.livejournal.com]

On Windows XP Pro, I can synchronize my system clock by double-clicking it, clicking on the Internet Time tab, and clicking "Update now" or checking the box labeled "Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server".

I checked it against the Time.gov site, and I don't see any difference.

[atkelar.livejournal.com]

On Windows 7 (maybe even Vista but who cares :) you can open a command line and type:

w32tm /query /status

to get some useful information about time keeping. Use "w32tm" without any arguments to see some (looong) help message.

The time source on the web page might be your local computer's clock after all - which sort of would put them in sync.

[makovette.livejournal.com]

The caveat on w32tm is that it's an ntp server daemon err, service, so some cognitive thought is required to set it up properly so it can provide the correct time to all the Win boxes on your network.

If you hare in a Windows domain, you should NOT run w32tm on a client PC, things will get confused :D

CYa!
Mako

[atkelar.livejournal.com]

I semi-agree :) If you're in an Active Directory domain, you should sync your time with the domain controllers - wich is what w32tm does on my machine, according to the status display. Cerberos relies on a somewhat synchronized time between the machines so the authentication tickets can be validated. I don't know the default tolerance window for newer Windows versions but with Windows 2003 the default tolerance was five minutes(!) which should be fine even for PCs without a working time synchronization. Which is why nobody notices anything wrong with the domain time sync until it's gone for a looooong time :P

[makovette.livejournal.com]

Liveclock is just a java app that uses your local system time.

Linux boxes use ntpd: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ntpd

What you want is the equivalent of ntpd for Windows and the best choice for that is Tardis:

http://www.kaska.demon.co.uk/download.htm

I have used Tardis for over a decade now. Reliable and solid stuff.

Mako

[whitetail.livejournal.com]

Time for the old WWV.

[makovette.livejournal.com]

Massive points for knowing WWV - Ft. Collins FTW :)

I used to use WWVH when I was stationed in Pearl, the signal was somewhat stronger ;-)

CYa!
Mako

[stoda.livejournal.com]

Any GPS device will know exactly what time it is. 'cuz that's how they work.

[androgynism.livejournal.com]

I think in Europe, the most accurate time pieces are radio clocks that sync with a system of atomic clocks located.
They broadcast in a 2000 km radius from the DCF77 transmitters in Frankfurt, so most of Europe is covered.

[eagle-bird.livejournal.com]

Liveclock is just using your system time. Set it to something wonky and refresh, see for yourself :P

[telbert.livejournal.com]

Technology may be advanced, but some of it does not seem to be as solidly built as it once was. I used to have a boombox that picked up the shortwave band ;)

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

What's up with your time man :)