Home› BSS User Forum › BSS Archive Threads› Discussion› London Architect with Soundweb London

London Architect wish list

SteVENSteVEN Posts: 27
in London Architect with Soundweb London
I read in another post that Dan Lynch knows of some cool things to come in future releases of London Architect. I hope it includes the following...

1. Playback of .wav files from internal memory (mono would be just fine - think voice alarm and automatic paging).
2. Ramping logic object - to enable a logic object to control a fader object for use with spin buttons.
3. Simple NTP (or complicated - whatever :shock: ) for synching the time to maintain accuracy of calendar logic objects.

Steve

Comments

  • Dan LynchDan Lynch Posts: 472
    \SteVEN\ wrote:
    3. Simple NTP (or complicated - whatever :shock: ) for synching the time to maintain accuracy of calendar logic objects.

    That suggests an inaccurate view of the BLU-80's clock. Just like every other clock in the universe, the clock in the BLU-80 does drift, but it's a stupidly small amount of drift and it automatically syncs itself to the computer's time every time you go online. How much more accuracy do you really need and what in the heck are you going to do with it?


    Dan
  • SteVENSteVEN Posts: 27
    Ouch!

    What about devices on ocean going vessels that sail through several time zones without a control pc or supervisor who is trained not to create problems when logging on?

    Also the fact that the clocks drift differently on each device and there are 30 devices spread around the vessel that each has it's own individual design file but is hooked up to a ship wide LAN to enable administration and updating of designs? Nice to have everything synching to the same time for regular funcionality checks/alarm tests don't you think.

    But as you said in your previous post in the other thread, this facility would only be useful to such a small minority of users that they won't bother.
  • Dan LynchDan Lynch Posts: 472
    That's a completely different issue. When moving from one time zone to another, the current GMT doesn't change, just your offset from it. So what you're asking for is a gps enabled device which will know which time zone it's in as it's being moved around the world. That would be kind of fun. We can't do that because Will already wants a BLU-16 in his car. If we add gps to it, he'll go insane.

    If you have 30 devices on one LAN that all need to be in time sync, then putting them in different design files is the start of your problem. Your requirement that they all be in time sync means that you want them to act like one system but you've decided to not make them one system. Put them in one design file and they'll all get synced to the exact same clock every time the computer goes online.

    To be clear, we're talking about a worst case scenario of a second or two each month and that can only happen if you get one device which is completely whacked out fast and another which is completely whacked out slow.

    End users are only able to do bad things if they are given a bad system design. If you create your design file properly and use the security tools which are already available, nobody can create a problem by logging on unless they intentionally change the time on their PC before logging on.

    The much bigger issue here is the fact that most systems don't have internet access in the first place. That means you'd be syncing to a local machine which is exactly what London Architect already does.

    Dan
  • HannaleeHannalee Posts: 56
    why not use a gps to sync the time on board ship. As the gps moves thru time zone it will change.

    http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Misc__Utilities/GPS_Time_and_Test.html
  • SteVENSteVEN Posts: 27
    \Hannalee\ wrote:
    why not use a gps to sync the time on board ship. As the gps moves thru time zone it will change.

    http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Misc__Utilities/GPS_Time_and_Test.html

    Nice suggestion. I think that type of update is probably already in place and updates the on board IT systems. we are talking about vessels with several thousand passenger and crew here so the IT infrastructure is substantial.

    My point for this would be that even if all the devices were in the same design file none of them require a PC to be logged on to operate and shouldn't have to wait of for a supervisor or the annual service technician to log on to stay in time. They are set and forget type setups. If the London units had simple NTP they could just periodically check in with the ship's time server. End of story.
This discussion has been closed.