[time-nuts] US New Year countdown - accurate?

David J Taylor david-taylor at blueyonder.co.uk
Mon Jan 2 08:14:18 UTC 2012


> Hi folks,
>
> Ignoring the travesty of a lyric change on John Lennon's classic song, 
> did
> anyone check to see if the clock countdown in Times Square was actually
> accurate?
>
> In times gone past countdowns have been notoriously off (worst I saw was 
> a
> tv personality using his own watch and it was 25 seconds out).
[]
> Jim

Another example: Watching Formula 1 races (where the timing at the circuit 
is usually pretty accurate judging by the events I've attended) over 
terrestrial TV here in the UK usually results in an offset of 5-7 seconds. 
The radio feed is usually much less delayed.  Yes, there are satellite 
links, but also the digital TV compression and multiplexing etc. accounts 
for a significant delay.  The BBC always used to have a clock showing 
before the 21:00 news (for example).  All that stopped when TV went 
digital.

They have stopped sending the pips (Greenwich Time Signal) on BBC Radio 3. 
It might be interesting for someone with the right kit to compare the pips 
over AM or FM radio with UTC, and with the same pips over terrestrial 
(Freeview) or satellite TV distribution - that's if the pips are still 
broadcast anywhere ... yes, Radio 4 at 07:00, I am advised.

It's back to the old saying: If you want it done right, do it yourself!

73,
David GM8ARV
-- 
SatSignal software - quality software written to your requirements
Web:  http://www.satsignal.eu
Email:  david-taylor at blueyonder.co.uk 





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