Precision Clock, works with GPS. It has no controls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNqm5T5syTM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNqm5T5syTM
Kits available on the website.
Or you can simply order clock from Heathkit!*
Fran demonstrates how it (sort of) worked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muby4GDf9E8
*No you can't simply order one of these from Heathkit
If you want to drive the displays manually, you put in a bunch of shift registers and bit-bang the segments. The other way, which is much simpler, is to use a driver chip like a MAX7219 which handles the multiplexing of up to 8 digits x 8 segments on its own, and you just send serial data/clock to it from your microcontroller's GPIO pins.
I have a four-digit display (with huge 1.2" LED digits) and a driver chip.
At this stage of the build it's displaying a free-running software clock.
The accuracy is terrible, but since I will be picking up WWVB all day long it's not an issue. I could always toss in an RTC if I wanted to, or even go back to my original idea of using the 60 Hz AC power as a timing source.
In the future I want to build a GPS driven clock as well, but that one will have a 16x2 LCD display.
Surprisingly, nearly all LCD text displays use the exact same interface, based on the Hitachi HD44780 controller. I'm thinking that one will probably be built on a Raspberry Pi instead of an Arduino, so it can be attached to Ethernet and used as an NTP server.
There was some chat yesterday about that Fediverse in the i2p network. It looks like it is becoming a censorship fest. I did some research and found this blog entry:
https://blog.alexgleason.me/gab-block/
The TL;DR is that some administrators in that network will kick you out of their node if you publish something they dislike in your personal, external, conventional blog. Those administrators that don't partake in cancel culture will get harassed in order to be turned out of the network.
It looks like the behavior is so prevalent that you have to pledge alliance to their political causes in order to join or else they wil screw you big time.
Honestly, things like DoveNet feel more sane. But Dovenet cheats because, at its core, it is a network created for administrators, for administrators.
Now if some site operator decided to deplatform Alex Gleason because of something he posted on another site ... that site operator is an asshole and will hopefully fail. But the idea that a few people are saying "you can't connect with us if you also connect with Gab" is a completely bonehead idea, because it doesn't expose anyone to Gab (or whatever) if they've already blocked them.
I'm not going to participate in their cancel culture. If that means Uncensored can't be listed in their directory, I don't particularly care. If there are enough people like us (and I suspect there are ... or will be) then eventually there will be multiple directories of Mastodon servers, just like there are multiple IRC networks.
Perhaps they will then say "we will block any server that is listed on Freeiverse" or whatever. Who knows. I'm going to develop the technology and then see what happens.
This doesn't mean we can't *also* participate in DoveNet. I'm currently building the underpinnings to make these things easier.
This doesn't mean we can't *also* participate in DoveNet. I'm
currently building the underpinnings to make these things easier.
Hey, that would rock!
My counry is turning a hard turn towards turning into a dictatorial hellhole. It would be nice to get out of here and move to some place where hardworking people is appreciated. Or at least not incarcerated.
What does it take nowadays to be hired as a junior sysadmin?
If you move to India they will fire an American junior sysadmin and give you his job. They'll even force him to train you.
2020-04-10 14:47 from IGnatius T FoobarWhat does it take nowadays to be hired as a junior sysadmin?
If you move to India they will fire an American junior sysadmin and
give you his job. They'll even force him to train you.
I had heard something similar regarding devs. I should give it a try one day.
2020-04-13 07:27 from LoanShark
There are no Junior Sysadmins, there are only DevOps Guys
So, you go from DevOp to Senior Sysadmin? :P
So... I've noticed my Citadel runs a little slow - and I imagine that is on account of it running on a Pi.
Also - it feels like the issues that I encounter with setup, file sharing, attachments, etc. are related to Raspbian.
I'm considering an Intel NUC as a replacement. I considered a Pi 4 - but I get into the same problem - Raspbian - a non-standard ARM specific distro of Linux.
Thoughts?
And any suggestions on a very inexpensive NUC that would be a good replacement?
I'm partial to the plethora of "thinkcentre m93p tinys" out on ebay. They are small, run cool, cheap.. decent specs. ( and ya this is coming from the 'resident ARM fan' around here :) ). I have several in my closet running a PVE cluster.
Just watch which CPU you get ( more than one generation of i5 went into those things so some are better than others, but none 'bad' ). Or if you want to get silly, some xeons will run in there too.
Sun Nov 22 2020 18:02:44 EST from ParanoidDelusions @ UncensoredSo... I've noticed my Citadel runs a little slow - and I imagine that is on account of it running on a Pi.
Also - it feels like the issues that I encounter with setup, file sharing, attachments, etc. are related to Raspbian.
I'm considering an Intel NUC as a replacement. I considered a Pi 4 - but I get into the same problem - Raspbian - a non-standard ARM specific distro of Linux.
Thoughts?
And any suggestions on a very inexpensive NUC that would be a good replacement?
Mon Nov 23 2020 19:22:34 EST from Nurb432 @ UncensoredI'm partial to the plethora of "thinkcentre m93p tinys" out on ebay. They are small, run cool, cheap.. decent specs. ( and ya this is coming from the 'resident ARM fan' around here :) ). I have several in my closet running a PVE cluster.
Just watch which CPU you get ( more than one generation of i5 went into those things so some are better than others, but none 'bad' ). Or if you want to get silly, some xeons will run in there too.
Sun Nov 22 2020 18:02:44 EST from ParanoidDelusions @ UncensoredSo... I've noticed my Citadel runs a little slow - and I imagine that is on account of it running on a Pi.
Also - it feels like the issues that I encounter with setup, file sharing, attachments, etc. are related to Raspbian.
I'm considering an Intel NUC as a replacement. I considered a Pi 4 - but I get into the same problem - Raspbian - a non-standard ARM specific distro of Linux.
Thoughts?
And any suggestions on a very inexpensive NUC that would be a good replacement?
My ISP is actually absolutely having problems today. A persistent ping just returned 19% dropped packets pinging google.com, *after* a router reboot.
So... maybe the Pi has been doing a decent job - because it only really has bothered me today.
But that Lenovo does look like it would do the trick. Looks like going rate on Amazon is about $200. Any gotchas with these things? I've got a *small* Lenovo running something like a Centrino or Atom - but it isn't this small. The Tiny seems a little bigger than a true NUC - more like a Mac Mini - but that would work... and I don't want to sink a lot of money into running a Citadel... but I've got to find the balance between stability and performance that will encourage users to keep calling and keeping as much money in my pocket as possible.
Only gotcha i ran into was i didnt read the specs on a batch of 2 i bought, so i got the lower end I5. Still an ok CPU and nothing wrong with them, but now they are mis-matched to my 4 others in the farm is all. Ended up with 4570T on that 2nd batch instead of 4590T Totally my fault, as i went back and read the description of what i ordered, and bigger than hell, it was correct and i was just careless.
Also be sure the include power packs, that series uses a proprietary plug on the computer side. They are as common as dirt, ( even on Amazon ) but it means you cant scrounge one out of the parts box if you forget.
Not all modes have wifi/BT ( but they all have the socket ). So again, if you need it, just be sure to read closely or have a spare card somewhere.
I bought with minimal ram and added 2 16G modules, and bought them diskless so i could add 2TB SSD. I did not go for the ones with the CD caddy.. pointless for me.
For such a cheap machine, i have been quite pleased with them.
Mon Nov 23 2020 21:59:05 EST from ParanoidDelusions @ UncensoredMy ISP is actually absolutely having problems today. A persistent ping just returned 19% dropped packets pinging google.com, *after* a router reboot.
So... maybe the Pi has been doing a decent job - because it only really has bothered me today.
But that Lenovo does look like it would do the trick. Looks like going rate on Amazon is about $200. Any gotchas with these things? I've got a *small* Lenovo running something like a Centrino or Atom - but it isn't this small. The Tiny seems a little bigger than a true NUC - more like a Mac Mini - but that would work... and I don't want to sink a lot of money into running a Citadel... but I've got to find the balance between stability and performance that will encourage users to keep calling and keeping as much money in my pocket as possible.