Live data from Hacker News

Casio G-Shock time sync radio

gshock.casio.com

151–160 of 191 posts

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It does feel like something that’s easy to cut from a bill of materials though, nothing else in the microwave relies on the time being accurate. Probably not expensive to implement, but if you’re building a lot of them, I imagine the ~4cents per unit (maybe more, just guessing) adds up fast.

My professor is a materials/mechanical engineer and in contact with many auto companies. He told me of the following dialogue: Prof: Why did you stopped adding passenger side handles? How much one cost? CarGuy: Around €1.50 Prof: That's not much? CarGuy: A new car leaves the factory every 60 seconds. Prof: Oh. For the lazy, that's €2,160/Day, €64,800/Month, €777,600/year.

Plus the time to install, which might make a car leave the factory every 60.07 seconds; which is much higher than the amount you receive.

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#152
For anyone in the Iberian peninsula, I've had some luck using UK's radio on mine. Be mindful to try it at night, and if the meteorological conditions allow.

Hope there were more stations...

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#153
post #131
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just looking at those maps should explain part of it. There isn't enough coverage. So you end up with poor experience with substantial amount of people who do not get good signal. This would likely result in lot of returns, warranty claims and so on. Just not worth it in general.

I have a 15+ years old G-Shock with this feature. When I was in Afghanistan in 2010, I would still occasionally get this signal. I suspect these coverage maps are quite conservative.

You can try doing it on clear nights, and outdoors, manually. It works most of the time for me if I'm back on my home country.

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#154
post #54

Yes, as others have stated this is an old technology. I don't really understand why this is not more common in the modern day. it's not really that expensive to implement and they did it with analog chips back in the day... Why do we have to set the time on our clock radios or on our microwaves or whatever? Why don't they just always use this Tech. I don't understand. All you have to do is allow people to store an of…

There is already a time signal in the electrical grid: https://www.meinbergglobal.com/english/info/time-synchroniza... > Why don't they just always use this Tech. I don't understand. The bit's that get your oven to work don't need the time. Adding the bits for this is a cost and a thing that can fail because it can't receive the radio signal that equals a Dead on Arrival for your oven and a service call at least. Whe…

Usually yes, the frequency in the electric grid is pretty stable but ..

.. it's not really precise 50Hz, just +/- 50Hz.

.. there are more than just proof of concepts, you can tell from a video, when it was made from the backround noise from the main grid.

https://www.umiacs.umd.edu/publications/seeing-enf-natural-t...

.. a few years ago, was the European electric network several minutes to late, because not every country did pay for the electric power.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/european-...

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#155
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My professor is a materials/mechanical engineer and in contact with many auto companies. He told me of the following dialogue: Prof: Why did you stopped adding passenger side handles? How much one cost? CarGuy: Around €1.50 Prof: That's not much? CarGuy: A new car leaves the factory every 60 seconds. Prof: Oh. For the lazy, that's €2,160/Day, €64,800/Month, €777,600/year.

€777,600/year seems negligible for the industry.

It is, but on other hand get one executive to present that and get extra 10% bonus because that... It makes sense to push for such change. Tangible numeric change you can present in your performance evaluation.

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#156
post #131
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just looking at those maps should explain part of it. There isn't enough coverage. So you end up with poor experience with substantial amount of people who do not get good signal. This would likely result in lot of returns, warranty claims and so on. Just not worth it in general.

I have a 15+ years old G-Shock with this feature. When I was in Afghanistan in 2010, I would still occasionally get this signal. I suspect these coverage maps are quite conservative.

Occasionally isn't good. It either has to work consistently or not at all. If someone has wrong understanding what the time is and their clock goes to "wrong" time occasionally it is bad.

And on other hand if marketed people expect such features to work. Even indoors or in basement. Next to window facing right direction in lucky meteorological conditions is tough ask for majority. Geeks will geek out when it works once in a bluemoon. But regular people expect it to work every day or even every week.

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#157
post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a number of DCF77 clocks in my home, including small alarm clocks. No external antennas. No issues whatsoever.

Experiences with these things vary a lot, depending on your location, the construction of your home, and (I assume) the cost of the receiver. I had a ~$15 radio-synchronised clock when I was quite a long way from the transmitter, in a solid brick building. It would get a signal in some locations and orientations in the building. I don't have firm information on how good the signal reception was, as of course it would…

Just to clarify, I always lived in solid-brick/concrete buildings and never had issues with DCF77 clocks (and never heard of anyone having issues), which usually cost in the 15-30 € range. It’s an inexpensive technology that just works, at least in Western Europe.

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#158
That was (and still is) a great technology, but in the last couple of years Casio has bluetooth-enabled watches that can sync with your phone (that is syncing with the base station, which syncs with GPS). Bluetooth adds about $10-20 on top, but works indoors and outdoors, day or night or on-demand, all around the world.

(The usual Casio G-Shock time deviation is under 20 seconds per month, so there's that.)

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#159
post #37

If you're interested in buying a Casio watch that does this they tend to be called Waveceptor, I'd recommend looking at one that's also solar powered (tough solar).

Or a G-Shock which uses the keyword "Multiband 6".

The only downside the G-shocks last forever and you'll never need another watch :)

Re: Casio G-Shock time sync radio

#160
post #156
post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a 15+ years old G-Shock with this feature. When I was in Afghanistan in 2010, I would still occasionally get this signal. I suspect these coverage maps are quite conservative.

Occasionally isn't good. It either has to work consistently or not at all. If someone has wrong understanding what the time is and their clock goes to "wrong" time occasionally it is bad. And on other hand if marketed people expect such features to work. Even indoors or in basement. Next to window facing right direction in lucky meteorological conditions is tough ask for majority. Geeks will geek out when it works on…

I disagree; a typical quartz watch only has a few seconds of drift per month, so if it only syncs once every few months it's still fine for most wrist watch applications. I never need second accuracy when I want to know what time it is.
Post reply on HN