Auto Time wrong by about 20 minutes

[PeteRyde]

I have noticed on two occasions over the last 3 weeks that the time on my S1 has been slow by about 20 minutes. Because it is 20 minutes it is not a timezone offset problem. I am still using the 1.3.84 firmware and am using AUTO time. Obviously this causes a problem with timers not starting at the right time.
I am thinking it may be an issue with where it is getting the time from. That is, a channel broadcasting the wrong time. I dont think it is the BW as I have never had this issue before.

Does the BW update its time from a particular channel or is it just the one it happens to be on at the time. Also what triggers the BW to update its clock when it is set to Auto?

(I did try to do a forum search but "Auto" and "Time" came back with too many threads.)

Thanks
Pete

[Gully]

It has to be the broadcast time as you were thinking.

It gets it from whichever channel you are on - not sure of how often.

[AndyCullen]

It is ridiculous as is sounds, the sad truth is that the networks can not be trusted to broadcast the correct time. They regularly broadcast the wrong time, sometimes a few minutes fast or slow, sometimes the wrong day and even the wrong year.

This is why many people use manual time. The time on a PVR does not need be accurate to the second as long as it is accurate within +/- 2 minutes you should not have any problems recording.

[madmax]

I still don't understand why people use broadcast time. The tiny advantage of accuracy is massively outweighed by the disadvantage of missing the occasional recording IMHO.

[Gully]

I still don't understand why people use broadcast time. The tiny advantage of accuracy is massively outweighed by the disadvantage of missing the occasional recording IMHO.

I guess I have been using it because it appears reliable. And I guess for me it has or I have just been lucky as I am not aware of any problems.

[DaveR]

Actually, from my tests, way back in Feburary, the S1 should ignore any incorrect time or date from the broadcaster. Occasionally you will see a popup message saying that the time was not changed because it differed too much to the existing time (or something like that). So I can't see how it could be using the incorrect time from the broadcaster - unless every few minutes it gained or lost 1 minute, totalling 20 minutes over say a 30 or 40 minute period.

I'm not sure what the exact forumula is for deciding whether to ignore the broadcast time or not. Maybe one of the beta testers could ask Steven to explain it.

[PeteRyde]

I also suspected the broadcaster. Usually it is spot on but as mentioned, occasionally it is out by about 20 min. Hopefully it will continue to be infrequent. If it continues to happen then I think I will also try the manual time setting.

Pete

[desm]

When I had my Toppy set on auto time it caused an incredible amount of problems from timers reset 10 years forward to the time being hours out, it was a nightmare. I adopted a solution of using manual time and checking it against the Teletext time every couple of days which always seems to be accurate.

I currently run my P1 on auto time and haven't had any issues with it to date. But in the past the network or networks have proven to be hopelessly unreliable with time stamps.

The want to promote digital television then 7 in particular run their programs so late it makes recording unnecessarily complicated. If the ABC and SBS can get it right what's wrong with the Seven network? Nine and Ten have problems as well but not to a degree which creates problems.