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Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

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Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#111
post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Hey, someone on the Internet used decent diction! Obviously, this means I must accuse them of being a bot!" (Hey Dang. Can we get a ban button? There's a few people here that are impossible to conduct rational discourse with. My sanity would improve if they were simply gone from my view.)

You've edited the response since you posted it. I think there's a difference between diction and the standard output of ChatGPT et al.

[dead]

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#112

I want to see someone convert one of those cheap projection clocks like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/La-Crosse-Technology-5-in-Color-... The red projection is just the right brightness (at night) but it sucks that it's not wifi-enabled so you can't just get it to NTP sync (or hook up a GPS receiver). The projector part of the clock is a separate device that's attached to it via a ribbon cable. I would reverse en…

The one you linked claims to have "Atomic Time" which usually means syncing by radio from WWV/WWVB. I have several cheap wallclocks like this (though none with a projector) and they are always accurate with no noticeable drift AFAICT. Have you tried that particular one and found its accuracy wanting? I think, in principle at least, there should be less jitter in this method than using NTP over a computer network.

Right. WWVB clocks running off the 60KHz pretty much solve the clock problem in the US. All my clocks at home are basic LaCrosse analog clocks. They have the internal sensors needed to tell when each hand is straight up, so they can set themselves without user input. On power up, they step until the hands are straight up, then sync when they get an update. You have to set the time zone with a switch when installing. Only the four US time zones are available. Battery life is 1-2 years, which is pretty good for a device with a radio.

There are UK and Japan clocks that work similarly, but use national time sources. There are G-Shock watches which synchronize from multiple sources. While running on solar power. Those keep accurate time with no maintenance. That's an impressive achievement.

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#113

I'm mostly interested in what goes wrong. I've made enough of these projects to know that ~75% need modifications that were not anticipated. For instance, I made a freezer temp sensor to php email for cases where the freezer stops working... but when I opened the freezer, it would send an email. I needed to sample for 30 minutes or something. Maybe this was simple and you will be part of the 25% that work perfect and…

Yes most things that monitor a sensor in the real world can't react to instantaneous readings. They need to use an average of samples over some time period. Also due to hysteresis, you have to allow time to see any changes in state in response to changes in inputs. Most real-world systems don't respond immediately.

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The one you linked claims to have "Atomic Time" which usually means syncing by radio from WWV/WWVB. I have several cheap wallclocks like this (though none with a projector) and they are always accurate with no noticeable drift AFAICT. Have you tried that particular one and found its accuracy wanting? I think, in principle at least, there should be less jitter in this method than using NTP over a computer network.

Right. WWVB clocks running off the 60KHz pretty much solve the clock problem in the US. All my clocks at home are basic LaCrosse analog clocks. They have the internal sensors needed to tell when each hand is straight up, so they can set themselves without user input. On power up, they step until the hands are straight up, then sync when they get an update. You have to set the time zone with a switch when installing.…

> WWVB clocks running off the 60KHz pretty much solve the clock problem in the US.

YMMV depending upon location. I've never gotten a WWVB clock to work in North Carolina. On the East Coast, the signal maybe sorta works for a few hours overnight:

https://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/wwvbmonitor_e.cgi

T̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶D̶S̶T̶ ̶a̶u̶t̶o̶m̶a̶t̶i̶c̶a̶l̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶p̶u̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶m̶ ̶o̶f̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶t̶w̶i̶c̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶y̶e̶a̶r̶ ̶u̶n̶l̶e̶s̶s̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶U̶S̶ ̶l̶o̶c̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶a̶d̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶D̶S̶T̶ ̶s̶i̶l̶l̶i̶n̶e̶s̶s̶. Edit: My bad, they can switch in/out of DST automatically, at least when they can work at all.

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#115
Related - we have an atomic Seiko wall clock expecting to have the time automatically adjusted by the WWVB LF atomic clock broadcast. Turns out, the signal is very weak where we now live. Manually setting the time on these atomic clocks is a HUGE pain (beware!).

Turns out it's possible to emulate the atomic clock signal quite easily with a Raspberry Pi, or in my case I put together Arduino code that can emulate atomic clock broadcasts from around the world using an ESP32 module using NTP servers: https://github.com/tanvach/clocksync

The history of these atomic clock broadcast signals and their differences in different countries is quite fascinating.

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#116

On this topic. Do WiFi signals contain time (unencrypted)? If so why does my oven not pull time from the air and needs adjustment every 2 months? If not, why are APs not defacto time beacons for all sorts of non-smart appliances (and clocks)?

I have thought that could use Matter for time sync. It works with both Wifi and Thread. I don't think there is a time message. I also don't know if it has public broadcast since Thread needs pairing to work.

The advantage is that smart devices might have Matter support already. People with Matter devices will have border routers, which are perfect place for running NTP and broadcasting time.

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#117
post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right. WWVB clocks running off the 60KHz pretty much solve the clock problem in the US. All my clocks at home are basic LaCrosse analog clocks. They have the internal sensors needed to tell when each hand is straight up, so they can set themselves without user input. On power up, they step until the hands are straight up, then sync when they get an update. You have to set the time zone with a switch when installing.…

> WWVB clocks running off the 60KHz pretty much solve the clock problem in the US. YMMV depending upon location. I've never gotten a WWVB clock to work in North Carolina. On the East Coast, the signal maybe sorta works for a few hours overnight: https://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/wwvbmonitor_e.cgi T̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶D̶S̶T̶ ̶a̶u̶t̶o̶m̶a̶t̶i̶c̶a̶l̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶p̶u̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t…

I'm fairly certain the radio time signal has a mechanism to convey daylight savings, I've had alarm clocks that managed DST without any input.

> The DST status bits indicate United States daylight saving time rules.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWVB

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#118
post #117
post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> WWVB clocks running off the 60KHz pretty much solve the clock problem in the US. YMMV depending upon location. I've never gotten a WWVB clock to work in North Carolina. On the East Coast, the signal maybe sorta works for a few hours overnight: https://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/wwvbmonitor_e.cgi T̶h̶e̶y̶ ̶a̶l̶s̶o̶ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶t̶r̶a̶n̶s̶i̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶D̶S̶T̶ ̶a̶u̶t̶o̶m̶a̶t̶i̶c̶a̶l̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶'̶r̶e̶ ̶p̶u̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t…

I'm fairly certain the radio time signal has a mechanism to convey daylight savings, I've had alarm clocks that managed DST without any input. > The DST status bits indicate United States daylight saving time rules. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWVB

You're right. I was wrong about that, mostly because I've never had a WWVB clock work for me at all.

Re: Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clock

#119

I want to see someone convert one of those cheap projection clocks like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/La-Crosse-Technology-5-in-Color-... The red projection is just the right brightness (at night) but it sucks that it's not wifi-enabled so you can't just get it to NTP sync (or hook up a GPS receiver). The projector part of the clock is a separate device that's attached to it via a ribbon cable. I would reverse en…

I love my WWV/WWVB clocks. It is nice never having to set them and they are all within a second of my NTP clocks.

Now if only I could turn off the clocks on my oven and microwave...

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