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cheap clock suggestion — Parallax Forums

cheap clock suggestion

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2000-10-25 02:23 in General Discussion
Quite a number of times on this list I've seen
requests for an accurate timing source to use
with the Basic Stamp -

If you take the guts out of a "quartz" mechanical
clock which uses a crystal and 1.5 volt battery
you have a very accurate 1 pps source [noparse][[/noparse]substitute
a resistor for the solenoid second hand driver].
Put that pulse into a flip-flop and you have a
squarewave with a .5 Hz frequency which can be
sensed in a loop reading the Stamp pin connected
to this .5 Hz squarewave.

A detail - level translation from the 1.5v clock
to the 5V IC flip-flop which connects to stamp pin
can be accomplished by a transistor [noparse][[/noparse]NPN collector to
10K r to +5v, emitter to common, base to 1K resistor
to .5 Hz positive pulse - collector goes also to
flip-flop clock input pin].

These clocks are often found in wastebaskets [noparse][[/noparse]dead
battery!], thrift stores and yard sales for about $1.

Hope this suggestion is of use to some of you... you're
a wonderful group of old hands and new enthusiasts - thanks
for all the interesting posts!

________________________________________________________________
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Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-10-25 02:23
    Gawd! What a great idea, think I gotta couple of old swatch watchs just
    waiting for this mod.

    s promena, thanks.

    I too enjoy this board to no end!

    Trouble is I get very little time to enjoy it, arrrgh!

    Mark
    Original Message
    From: s premena <premzee@j...>
    To: basicstamps@egroups.com <basicstamps@egroups.com>
    Date: Monday, October 23, 2000 1:28 PM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] cheap clock suggestion


    >Quite a number of times on this list I've seen
    >requests for an accurate timing source to use
    >with the Basic Stamp -
    >
    >If you take the guts out of a "quartz" mechanical
    >clock which uses a crystal and 1.5 volt battery
    >you have a very accurate 1 pps source [noparse][[/noparse]substitute
    >a resistor for the solenoid second hand driver].
    >Put that pulse into a flip-flop and you have a
    >squarewave with a .5 Hz frequency which can be
    >sensed in a loop reading the Stamp pin connected
    >to this .5 Hz squarewave.
    >
    >A detail - level translation from the 1.5v clock
    >to the 5V IC flip-flop which connects to stamp pin
    >can be accomplished by a transistor [noparse][[/noparse]NPN collector to
    >10K r to +5v, emitter to common, base to 1K resistor
    >to .5 Hz positive pulse - collector goes also to
    >flip-flop clock input pin].
    >
    >These clocks are often found in wastebaskets [noparse][[/noparse]dead
    >battery!], thrift stores and yard sales for about $1.
    >
    >Hope this suggestion is of use to some of you... you're
    >a wonderful group of old hands and new enthusiasts - thanks
    >for all the interesting posts!
    >
    >________________________________________________________________
    >YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
    >Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
    >Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit:
    >http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.
    >
    >
    >
    >
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