[time-nuts] Affordable PoE 6-digit time displays?

[David Andersen]

I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?

(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)

Thanks!

-Dave
_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Bob kb8tq]

Hi

I think this is one of those really small market items. You can probably cobble one
together from bits and pieces for less than you can buy a good one.

Bob

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[David J Taylor via time-nuts]

From: Bob kb8tq

Hi

I think this is one of those really small market items. You can probably
cobble one
together from bits and pieces for less than you can buy a good one.

Bob
===========================

For example: http://www.satsignal.eu/raspberry-pi/DigitalClock.html

73,
David GM8ARV
--
SatSignal Software - Quality software written to your requirements
Web: http://www.satsignal.eu
Email: david-***@blueyonder.co.uk
Twitter: @gm8arv

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Chris Howard]

Maybe not exactly, but I use an app on an old Android cell phone as my UTC wall clock. Large characters in horizontal mode; NTP via WiFi.




⁣Sent from BlueMail ​

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to
https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Bob Bownes]

If you can snag something that will put out IRIG-B, there are lots of choices.

I’m still hunting for something that will take NTP in and put IRIG out. There is probably someone doing it with a Pi or an Arduino.

Bob

Post by Chris Howard
Maybe not exactly, but I use an app on an old Android cell phone as my UTC wall clock. Large characters in horizontal mode; NTP via WiFi.
⁣Sent from BlueMail ​

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to
https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[paul swed]

Interesting thread.
I guess I would look at things a bit differently.
Most of the IRIG clocks have nice displays and perhaps its a case of
hacking a device take you pick into those fine displays.
I have a really nice 3 RU bright clock that if the brains die thats what I
will do. Its a pretty easy task.
Currently it is being driven by a GPS module + processor jamming time into
Evertz LTC generator.
Its been working for some 20 years this way.
Regards
Paul

Post by Bob Bownes
If you can snag something that will put out IRIG-B, there are lots of choices.
I’m still hunting for something that will take NTP in and put IRIG out.
There is probably someone doing it with a Pi or an Arduino.
Bob

Post by Chris Howard
Maybe not exactly, but I use an app on an old Android cell phone as my

UTC wall clock. Large characters in horizontal mode; NTP via WiFi.

Post by Chris Howard
⁣Sent from BlueMail ​

On Jun 14, 2018, 20:15, at 20:15, David Andersen <
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to
https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/

mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

Post by Chris Howard
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/
mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Mark Sims]

You could also run Lady Heather on a PI with NTP and select one of the zoomed full screen clock displays (analog watch or digital clock).
_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Tim Shoppa]

At work we have POE LED clocks, I think 2.5", circa $400-$500. So your $300
price you've been seeing is about right.

In terms of homebrew:

I bought a bunch of 3.5" high green Seven-segment displays 10+ years ago.
Cheap, really cheap at the time!

Was always intending to build a 6-digit clock with them but never got
around to it.

I have been having fun with ESP8266's (small cheap microcontrollers with
WiFi) for other projects. If I were to do a NTP clock it would use the
ESP8266 and NTP protocol over Wi-Fi. Not real NTPD, just NTP UDP packets
plus a teeny bit of local dead reckoning.

Tim N3QE

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/
mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Bob Bownes]

IRIG-B generator/displays candy had on eBay for very little money. There’s one currently listed for about $10.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202337773272

Feeding one of these with the aforementioned NTP to IRIG – B is the easy solution. And they look great at the top of the rack!

I have a couple of these, and they drift significantly more than I would like, about 2 to 3 seconds a month. If anyone has seen the manual to one of these, I’d love to see a copy, as the input on the back are unmarked.

Post by Tim Shoppa
At work we have POE LED clocks, I think 2.5", circa $400-$500. So your $300
price you've been seeing is about right.
I bought a bunch of 3.5" high green Seven-segment displays 10+ years ago.
Cheap, really cheap at the time!
Was always intending to build a 6-digit clock with them but never got
around to it.
I have been having fun with ESP8266's (small cheap microcontrollers with
WiFi) for other projects. If I were to do a NTP clock it would use the
ESP8266 and NTP protocol over Wi-Fi. Not real NTPD, just NTP UDP packets
plus a teeny bit of local dead reckoning.
Tim N3QE

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/
mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[paul swed]

That is a great price and the shipping is $12 for a rack mount piece of
equipment.
How on earth can he do the shipping for that cost?
Regards
Paul.

Post by Bob Bownes
IRIG-B generator/displays candy had on eBay for very little money. There’s
one currently listed for about $10.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.
ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202337773272
Feeding one of these with the aforementioned NTP to IRIG – B is the easy
solution. And they look great at the top of the rack!
I have a couple of these, and they drift significantly more than I would
like, about 2 to 3 seconds a month. If anyone has seen the manual to one of
these, I’d love to see a copy, as the input on the back are unmarked.

Post by Tim Shoppa
At work we have POE LED clocks, I think 2.5", circa $400-$500. So your

$300

Post by Tim Shoppa
price you've been seeing is about right.
I bought a bunch of 3.5" high green Seven-segment displays 10+ years ago.
Cheap, really cheap at the time!
Was always intending to build a 6-digit clock with them but never got
around to it.
I have been having fun with ESP8266's (small cheap microcontrollers with
WiFi) for other projects. If I were to do a NTP clock it would use the
ESP8266 and NTP protocol over Wi-Fi. Not real NTPD, just NTP UDP packets
plus a teeny bit of local dead reckoning.
Tim N3QE

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how

seemingly

Post by Tim Shoppa

Post by David Andersen
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+

new

Post by Tim Shoppa

Post by David Andersen
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good

next

Post by Tim Shoppa

Post by David Andersen
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/
mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-

bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts

Post by Tim Shoppa
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-
bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Warren Kumari]

A while back I purchased a Symmetricom ND4 clock on eBay -- it was lasted
as "Not Working / for parts only", and it turns out that was true -- the
processor board had issues. I wasted much time trying to fix it, and then
simply removed it -- I'm now using a Raspberry Pi Zero to drive the display
part (over the SPI bus). It runs NTPD, and so is more than accurate for a
wall clock.

Total cost was less than $100 (if you ignore the money wasted on trying to
revive the old board :-) )
Some details here:
https://github.com/wkumari/symmetricom-nd4-python/blob/master/symmetricom_raspberrypi_clock.py

An example ND-4 on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Symmetricom-ND-4-820-1444-Digital-Clock-Time-Display-90-264v-ac/302748531081?hash=item467d37f989:g:GEUAAOSwpHpbBqm4
-- this one is new, if you wait a while you should be able to find a dead
one...

W

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to
https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

--
I don't think the execution is relevant when it was obviously a bad idea in
the first place.
This is like putting rabid weasels in your pants, and later expressing
regret at having chosen those particular rabid weasels and that pair of
pants.
---maf
_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Larry Sampas]

For that price (the ND-4), you can get a new NTP-synced PoE-powered clock:
http://www.brgprecision.com/products/synchronized_clocks/poeclocks.php

I built a time display with a Raspberry Pi, an Adafruit GPS, and a
Fundamental Logic USB7 serial LED display, but the numbers didn't flip
elegantly or at precisely consistent intervals, even after installing the
RT kernel mods for RaspPi. (That was also before they included the PPS in
the default RaspPi kernel.) I've been curious about trying again with an
SPI display and would be curious about what part numbers for SPI-driven LED
units had been successful.

I have an Inova LED PoE/NTP clock from eBay, next to a LaCrosse UltrAtomic
analog clock. Watching those two stay synced is better than most TV
programming these days.

LS

Post by Warren Kumari
A while back I purchased a Symmetricom ND4 clock on eBay -- it was lasted
as "Not Working / for parts only", and it turns out that was true -- the
processor board had issues. I wasted much time trying to fix it, and then
simply removed it -- I'm now using a Raspberry Pi Zero to drive the display
part (over the SPI bus). It runs NTPD, and so is more than accurate for a
wall clock.
Total cost was less than $100 (if you ignore the money wasted on trying to
revive the old board :-) )
https://github.com/wkumari/symmetricom-nd4-python/blob/master/symmetricom_
raspberrypi_clock.py
An example ND-4 on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Symmetricom-ND-4-820-1444-
GEUAAOSwpHpbBqm4
-- this one is new, if you wait a while you should be able to find a dead
one...
W

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how

seemingly

Post by David Andersen
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good

next

Post by David Andersen
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to
https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

--
I don't think the execution is relevant when it was obviously a bad idea in
the first place.
This is like putting rabid weasels in your pants, and later expressing
regret at having chosen those particular rabid weasels and that pair of
pants.
---maf
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-
bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Rob Seaman]

We have had good luck with several (8) of these SNTP POE units:
https://www.amazon.com/TimeMachines-Precision-Digital-Clock-Digits/dp/B002R7KHAM/
Sturdy black metal case. I don’t think we’ve fried any in a year plus. I knocked one or two onto a carpeted floor from a modest height and it survived.
Units are programmable (TZ, etc) via a flexible web interface and can display date instead of, or alternating with, time. As a handy setup feature you can double click a button in back to get it to scroll its DHCP address. Appears to have some features like countdown timer and options like an added relay to trigger alarms, but we haven’t used those. If your switch doesn’t do POE you’ll need a TP-Link or equivalent POE injector adding ~$15. They might offer a powered option, but not obvious why to prefer such to the injector option.
They have 4 and 6 digit models, two different sizes, and red/white/green. We don’t have any of the green, and generally prefer the red to the white. Like many LED devices the illuminated segments fade a bit as they are broken in, but can be programmed to a few different brightness levels, so start faint and crank them up later. Readable from across a pretty large room. The 6x2.5” are rack-mountable with a $15 kit; this unit is about 2-1/3U so will leave a little space above and below in a 3U section of rack.
SNTP seems sufficient to the job, at least with our reference clocks, and two units in the same control room set to UTC and local time will tick the seconds in lockstep with each other and external references to a small fraction of a second (hundredths or better).
Rob Seaman, University of Arizona
(No connection to the company.)
—

Post by David Andersen
I'd hoped that ebay or aliexpress would yield a bounty given how seemingly
simple these are, but I'm drawing a blank (and finding a lot of $300+ new
options). Anyone have a favorite source for either flat wall-mount or
rackmount displays that will pull from an NTP/SNTP/whatever server?
(if wall-mount, PoE is optimal). Used good. Cheap good. Looks good next
to my random collection of antiquated time measurement gear provides
amusement value but isn't really critical. :-)
Thanks!
-Dave

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Mike Feher]

Hi all -

Sorry for an ignorant question from an old man, but what does PoE stand for? Thanks & Regards - Mike

Mike B. Feher, N4FS
89 Arnold Blvd.
Howell NJ 07731
848-245-9115

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Bob Bownes]

Power over Ethernet. 48V shipped down the ethernet wires. Generally used to
power IP telephones, but WiFi Access points and other technologies have
jumped on the bandwagon as well.

Post by Mike Feher
Hi all -
Sorry for an ignorant question from an old man, but what does PoE stand
for? Thanks & Regards - Mike
Mike B. Feher, N4FS
89 Arnold Blvd.
Howell NJ 07731
848-245-9115
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-
bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Adrian Godwin]

Takes advantage of the isolated, balanced-mode twisted-pair ethernet wiring
standard to send power - like phantom power to a professional microphone.

Post by Bob Bownes
Power over Ethernet. 48V shipped down the ethernet wires. Generally used to
power IP telephones, but WiFi Access points and other technologies have
jumped on the bandwagon as well.

Post by Mike Feher
Hi all -
Sorry for an ignorant question from an old man, but what does PoE stand
for? Thanks & Regards - Mike
Mike B. Feher, N4FS
89 Arnold Blvd.
Howell NJ 07731
848-245-9115
_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-
bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-
bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.

[Mike Feher]

Thank you both for the education. - Mike

Mike B. Feher, N4FS
89 Arnold Blvd.
Howell NJ 07731
848-245-9115


_______________________________________________
time-nuts mailing list -- time-***@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to https://lists.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts
and follow the instructions there.