The SkyX time synchronisation

[roughy (Mark)]

I have recently purchased a new laptop (Windows 8). I have been able to successfully instal all necessary programs and drivers.

However I am unable to verify the SkyX time. Dimension 4 is telling me that it is synchronised but when I endeavour to verify time in the SkyX, I receive a fail message that asks me to check my internet connection and provides a couple of error codes (209 and 206). The internet connection couldn't be better.

Can anyone shed some light on this please? Important at the moment because I recently had to dismantle everything to do some grinding and welding in the observatory and am now trying to get the PMX polar aligned again. I think the time issue is causing a bit of grief here.

Cheers

Mark

[Logieberra (Logan)]

Mark. I found the same on Win8 + TSX. I uninstalled it for this reason. Are you running it as administrator? Could also be a Win8 default firewall setting. I never troubleshooted that far.

Perhaps contact ThinkMan the developer?

Otherwise, just use Microsoft's time server. Go into Win8 calender/clock, and sync there?

[Logieberra (Logan)]

For general PA and pier/tripod alignment to the pole, refer to SBs advice on using a plum bob as the sun crosses the Meridian (using TSX). A great starting point.

[roughy (Mark)]

Hi Logan
Thanks for that. Same problem with the Windows time server. Beginning to wonder if, as the laptop synchs to Dimension4, I only need to check the box to force TSX to use the computer clock.
Mark

[Logieberra (Logan)]

'Only need to check the box to force TSX to use the computer clock.'

Correct. TSX and D4 work independently. Cpu clock is their common ground. Just force TSX to use Cpu clock. D4 takes care of the accuracy of that clock.

Note, the 'verify TSX time' function does not change a thing, it just verifies the accuracy of TSX time (drawn from cpu time) against some Internet time server used by SB.

[Terry B]

I have certainly had hassles with the time in TSXP.
My observatory puter doesn't have internet connectivity. I need very accurate time for imaging time series variable star data. To do this the puter has a GPS unit connected that updates the time every 10 mins on the computers clock. It is running XP
If I use the camera add on to take a long time series it often corrupts the time in the header of the images.
An example will be taking 60 sec exposures. The time stamp will be correct for a few exposures then it will do a number of exposures all with the same time in the header. After a variable amount of time it will then correct and restart putting the correct time in the header.
I have tried lots of things to find what causes this. I thought it might be when the screensaver kicks in but this wasn't the case. To save wasting more data I have gone back to using CCDSoft for time series imaging. For single images it seems Ok

[frolinmod]

I've never had any trouble with the time in TheSkyX. It uses the system time. I use a GPS receiver with a 1PPS output along with the NTP software to keep time on my observatory computer. The time does jump around a bit with extreme system activity, but even the worst of that jumpiness appears to be confined to plus or minus a few milliseconds from UTC. Most of the time it appears to be within microseconds. No Internet access required.

[glend (Glen)]

I have no problem with SkyX time, sometimes it does start up with the wrong time but just push the button to use the computer clock, and its in sync and moves everything to the current position.

[graham.hobart (Graham stevens)]

I am interested in this thread as I have the same error with Windows 7 and when trying to validate the time -
so correct me if I am wrong- I have dimension four running that corrects the computer clock so I just click the synch with computer time icon and it all should be correct?
Graham

[Cellofan]

One question: UTC time coincides with the GPS time or there is a delta t. From my experience there is a difference of 14 seconds, then using the time provided by the GPS you get an error fixed 3.51 arcseconds, after all it is acceptable to use the GPS time.

Clear Skies
Loris

[frolinmod]

Originally Posted by Cellofan

One question: UTC time coincides with the GPS time or there is a delta t. From my experience there is a difference of 14 seconds, then using the time provided by the GPS you get an error fixed 3.51 arcseconds, after all it is acceptable to use the GPS time.

Yes there is a delta T, the value of which is broadcast in the GPS data stream. Most inexpensive GPS receivers add the Delta T and output familiar UTC time rather than GPS time. I own a few GPS receivers that can be set on the fly to output UTC time or GPS time as desired. For example the u-blox LEA-6T.