Is there a way synchronize the CPU clock and the TV clock?

[daphatty]

I'm having an issue with my GeeBo PC's clock getting out of sync with my cable providers clock. Every few weeks I notice a big difference in the time difference between the two and I am forced to roll back the CPU clock. I've tried using the built in WinXP time synchronization feature but that seems to make things worse, usually offsetting the time but 5+ minutes. Has anyone had success with this?

Note: Yes, I use the padding feature but more than 1 minute on each end seems excessive to me, especially since I only have 1 tuner. Recording back to back shows on different channels is a PITA.

[capone]

The built in sync is crap. It works if and when it wants to.

http://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock/

That is a free atomic time sync program. Runs once a day, in the background, and updates the time w/o prompts. Keeps my house in order.

Only downside is if you're offline, it keeps prompting it can't find a connection. Just turn off atuoupdate when you're offline, or ignore. I imagine new versions will fix, because it is annoying.

This will fix your problem, if your cable company uses atomic time servers, too (good odds).

[daphatty]

Thanks a ton capone! I'm going to install this right now!

[jsteele]

You might also like "AboutTime.exe". It can be configured for multiple time sources which it tries in order until it gets a response. It also provides a local time SERVER that you can use to feed time to other local PCs. It can be configured to update at just about any interval you like, it minimizes to the system tray, etc.

My experience with the windows time service is terrible. None of the systems in my office use it, it's the 'pits.' My HTPC is on my home WAN and is configured to make a VPN connection to a server in my office so that it can do periodic backups of configuration data, databases, etc. I found that with windows time service running the VPN was constantly busy and in a 12 hour period it moved 100MB of "garbage" data over the VPN for no apparent reason --- and it never did set the time properly :-) I disabled it and used AboutTime and the problem went away.

[bgowland]

My experience with the windows time service is terrible.

Hmmm. Can't say I've noticed any major problems. I'm a W2K/W2K3 sysadmin - we have a root domain and two child domains. The root DCs use W32Time service to sync. to an external registered time source (UNIX box of some sort) which itself syncs to an atomic clock source. The child domain DCs all sync. to the root domain DCs and all member servers (W2K/W2K3) and client machines (W2K/XP Pro) sync. to their logon servers in their own domains - basically the default W32Time heirarchy.

My home office machine is a member of our root domain and syncs over an ADSL connection with a VPN to our root DCs (whatever its logon server is). My mediaserver PC syncs to that. It works for me.

Cheers,
Brian

[jsteele]

Brian

KI'm glad it works for you, we've had nothing but trouble with it. Aside from the incident I related we have problems getting the root time and keeping the domain servers in sync. We installed AboutTime and configured time service on Cisco router as the default source and NIST/USNO as backups and we haven't had a problem in 6 months. I guess your mileage will vary, batteries not included, some assembly required :-)

[bgowland]

I guess your mileage will vary, batteries not included, some assembly required :-)

I hear that!

Now if only I could get the rest of the system to work...

Cheers,
Brian

[MaBo]

HI,
Since you (daphatty) have a Hauppauge device, you may also have teletext. Using vtplus, you can synchronise your pc clock to the teletext one (see the vtplus helpfile). Maybe the tv, internally, does the same.

Make a vtplus script for the synchronisation, and then schedule that task for once a day, or so...

Greetz,
MaBo

[daphatty]

HI,
Since you (daphatty) have a Hauppauge device, you may also have teletext. Using vtplus, you can synchronise your pc clock to the teletext one (see the vtplus helpfile). Maybe the tv, internally, does the same.

Make a vtplus script for the synchronisation, and then schedule that task for once a day, or so...

Greetz,
MaBo

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think I will be trying much else since capone's atomic clock suggestion worked so well. I installed it, configured it, and haven't had to even think about it since. It really is an excellent app.