Short List

Installation

Troubleshooting

Features

Order

External ClockCard - Advanced Features

Display Options

Connection Options

Graph Time Difference

Logging of Time Difference

Fine Tuning External Clock

Updating ClockCard or PC time
 

Software Utility

The Real Time Clock application provides a way to monitor and change the settings on Beagle Software External Real Time Clock. The application provides a way to change settings, view time or make changes on the PC, RTC or backup RTC.

This form is the main screen for watching the interaction with the real time clock.

Real Time Clock screen

The main display shows Real Time Clock activity and provides access to setup functions.

Options:

Display: what will display on the main screen and how often the RTC will be checked.

Logging: turns off or on logging function of the RTC admin program.

Connection: sets parameters used to connect the computer to the connection to the RTC.

Accuracy: Gives a graphical display of the difference of the computer clock and the RTC clock.

Fine Tune: Allows you to adjust the RTC to slow it down or speed it up.

The buttons on the Real Time Clock utility let you check or change the time of the ClockCard or the PC.

Check Time: get the time from the RTC and display it in the program.

Set PC to ClockCard: sets the computer clock to RTC clock.

Set ClockCard to PC: sets the RTC to the computer clock.

ClockCard & PC time diff: shows the difference (in ms) between the computer and RTC

Set Backup to ClockCard: set the backup clock on the RTC to the primary clock on RTC.

Set backup to PC: set the backup clock on the RTC to the PC.

Set ClockCard to Backup: set the main clock on the RTC to the backup clock.

Note: for automatic time setting of a computer from ClockCard use ClockWatch

The tabs on the main screen open the settings tabs:

Display
The Display tab in the Real Time Clock software utility  sets what will display on the main screen, and how often will the RTC will be checked.

Backup - selects the application display to the backup clock (located on the microcomputer) on the RTC
ClockCard - displays the time on the primary clock on the RTC
Backup and PC time diff: shows the difference (in ms) between the computer and backup clock on the RTC

LCD Display (option). turn on or off the LCD display on the RTC
Clock: Turn on or off the RTC
DST: turn on to use DST:
Time Check: check the time on the RTC every xx seconds.
Debug: have the program generate a trace file useful in debugging problems.

Connection
The Connection tab in the Real Time Clock software utility sets parameters used to connect the computer to the connection to the RTC.

Serial: set the serial port settings.
Note: use the default values for the serial port settings (115200 baud, n,8,1)
Serial port: select the number of the COM port in use.
 

The Logging tab in the Real Time Clock software utility turns off or on logging function of the RTC admin program.

Event Logging: have the RTC generate an internal event file.
Save time checks in log: save all the time checks made by the RTC in the RTC event log.
Run diagnostic trace: run trace on the RTC

The Accuracy tab in the Real Time Clock software utility gives a graphical display of the difference of the computer clock and the RTC clock.

Show graph: graphs the time difference between the PC and the RTC
Points: number of data points to display on graph
Reset: changes the number of data points without clearing existing data
Clear: clears existing data

The Fine Tune tab in the Real Time Clock software utility lets you adjust the RTC to slow it down or speed it up.

RTC offset value: index by which the RTC clock is adjusted. Clock can be slowed  or speeded up.

Setting to positive values, increases the clock's oscillator frequency speeding up the clock.
Setting to negative values decreases the oscillator frequency slowing down the clock.
The change in part per million (ppm) per index change is different at different temperatures.
One index change typically provides about 0.1ppm change in frequency.