Sync'ing time with Cable Clock?

[kelemvor]

Not sure if there's anyway to do this but...

Since most cable systems have a "guide" channel that has the time on it.. Is there any way for Sage (or some other utility) to pull the time from that system so my computer clock stays in sync with the cable system's clock? I use Time Warner in WI and the time on my cable box is about 2 minutes off from most of the Time Internet Servers out there. I have manually adjusted my computer clock to match but yesterday noticed it was off by about 10 seconds or so.

Not sure if there's a way to do that but does anyone know?

On my systme it's channel 2 that is the "guide" channel that has the clock so thought maybe it could use that to sync the time somehow.

Thanks.

[zz5]

Why do you want your clock to stay in sync with the cable system's clock? My cable system's clock gets off by as much as 1:30 before they re-adjust it. I would never use the cable system's clock. It's strange, but for whatever reason they don't bother to sync it up. It looks like people who used their DVR's would complain. The cable company is just too lazy to sync up the clock I guess.

[kelemvor]

Originally Posted by zz5

Why do you want your clock to stay in sync with the cable system's clock? My cable system's clock gets off by as much as 1:30 before they re-adjust it. I would never use the cable system's clock. It's strange, but for whatever reason they don't bother to sync it up. It looks like people who used their DVR's would complain. The cable company is just too lazy to sync up the clock I guess.

Well, because the cable system is who plays the programs and I want to record at the right time.

Previously I used XPs auto-sync with an internet thing and it was off by 2 minutes so I missed the first two misnutes of my recordings. I then sync'd the computer with the time from the Guide channel of my Cable box and I recorded exactly what I was supposed to....

[src666]

Originally Posted by kelemvor

Well, because the cable system is who plays the programs and I want to record at the right time.

But that's not true, for the most part. Cable companies re-transmit programs from a live feed. They don't store the programs locally, then cue them up to play when their local clock says "8:00 PM" or whatever.

[dvd_maniac]

@kelemvor

do you use padding? This is what this feature is for.

[kelemvor]

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

@kelemvor

do you use padding? This is what this feature is for.

Yes I do but that doesn't help when recording back to back shows with only one tuner. Problem is I get the start of the second show tagged on the end of the first show and then have to manually cut/join them.

[Kanati]

Some networks actively start shows a few minutes late or a few minutes early and end them the same way... I think it's specifically to annoy people like us.

[salsbst]

I think it's so that we have to use up a 1/2 hour time slot in one of our tuners (which could have been used to watch something from another network) to correct for their timing. Supplier competition.

Padding and the addition of tuners are the only direct way that I know of to respond to games they play with the timing. Heck, maybe they do it because they get a kickback from Hauppauge!

Unless for some reason a cable provider is systematically not running their clocks accurately, then I think the padding/tuner issue is the problem to attack.

If a cable provider is systematically running its clocks inaccurately, and if you are a U.S. customer, then the government should get involved.

If you dislike the odd padding from a network, then the FCC should be asked to make a rule that prevents them from occupying any less than 7 [insert your number here] minutes of the next 1/2 hour [insert your number here] timeslot. Fat chance there, though.

[zz5]

Originally Posted by kelemvor

Well, because the cable system is who plays the programs and I want to record at the right time.

Previously I used XPs auto-sync with an internet thing and it was off by 2 minutes so I missed the first two misnutes of my recordings. I then sync'd the computer with the time from the Guide channel of my Cable box and I recorded exactly what I was supposed to....

Well, the cable system isn't "playing the programs"! They're just receiving a bunch of channels from satellite and antenna and sending them on. The clock that the cable company keeps doesn't make any difference!

Here's the way my cable clock works. Every so often, say once or twice a month, they set their clock. At that point the clock is within a second or two of standard time. The clock gradually drifts until it's a minute or two off. Then they reset it. What I think is really strange is that they allow this to happen. I'm just one guy and I keep my watch set to within 10 seconds of standard time. Can't they get someone to set the clock?? Is this the way it is with everyone's cable? I've read a few posts in places that seem to indicate it is.

[acrowe]

I think they are too lazy to setup NTP on their servers

[Menehune]

well, certain networks are up to 2 min off in my epg on my cable co's system. Fortunately the only thing I loose are the 2.5 min intro animation and the 3.5 min of commercials after that so the shows technically start 5 min after they're supposed to. I just played around with my PC's clock so it doesn't chop off any of the shows I want to record.

I think my cable co's epg is about 45 seconds slower than programming (compared to the major network's national news start times) and my computer's time is about 35 seconds faster than programming (compared to the national news start times). I never trust the clocks anyway. All the clocks in my house have differnet times on them-up to 5 min variation between rooms

[kelemvor]

Originally Posted by zz5

Well, the cable system isn't "playing the programs"! They're just receiving a bunch of channels from satellite and antenna and sending them on. The clock that the cable company keeps doesn't make any difference!

Here's the way my cable clock works. Every so often, say once or twice a month, they set their clock. At that point the clock is within a second or two of standard time. The clock gradually drifts until it's a minute or two off. Then they reset it. What I think is really strange is that they allow this to happen. I'm just one guy and I keep my watch set to within 10 seconds of standard time. Can't they get someone to set the clock?? Is this the way it is with everyone's cable? I've read a few posts in places that seem to indicate it is.

Well, I was editing some Shows last night and noticed that my back-to-back shows again were not cutting in between the shows but about 10 seconds after the second show started is when it's close the first file and open a second. So I checked the time from my Time Warner Guide screen and compared that to my Sage Computer, and they had gotten off by almost exactly 10 seconds. So I manually sync'd my sage computer's time to be the same as my Time Warner time and now everything should be fine again.

I don't know if the computer is losing time or if Time Warner is gaining time (I think it's Time Warner) but the shows are following the schedule from the cable time.

I guess I'll just have to check it every week to make sure it hasn't drifted.

[Scriber]

Ironcially, I've got the opposite issue with my Cable DVR. Since the Cable Co is nearly 2 minutes behind and no way to correct, I loose the first 2 minutes or so of every show if I forget to pad.


Of course, Sage, OTOH, records right on time since computer time and TV network time are close to the same.