How can N900 sync time? GPS, NTP, and/or GSM? - maemo.org

myk | # 1 | 2009-12-18, 13:43 | Report

I noticed the n900 clock had drifted a few minutes off.
Odd, since it has access to accurate time over the internet, the phone network (other phones use this), and the GPS.
The GPS should be obscenely accurate, so why does it let the clock drift? I've ticked the box now to update automatically, but am wondering what it does. There was no instant change, so will see in the morning if it has caught up.
Ntpd does not seem to be installed or in the repository.

The Following User Says Thank You to myk For This Useful Post:
maemo.it

jrkalf | # 2 | 2009-12-18, 14:37 | Report

BIG WARNING SIGN (devs want this or kill me if I don't):

NEVER USE MAEMO TESTING UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT RIDE YOU'RE IN FOR!

ntpd can be found in maemo testing

o/

Last edited by chemist; 2011-05-11 at 09:22. Reason: just don't provide a how-to and you keep the lazy ppl off testing

myk | # 3 | 2009-12-18, 14:43 | Report

OK, so that confirms that NTP is not standard.
Then what does the "update automatically" checkbox do then?

sjgadsby | # 4 | 2009-12-18, 14:46 | Report

Originally Posted by myk View Post

Then what does the "update automatically" checkbox do then?

It enables clock synchronization with the cellular network, if an activated SIM is in the N900.

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to sjgadsby For This Useful Post:
Bacco, maemo.it, myk

myk | # 5 | 2009-12-18, 15:46 | Report

Thanks, but I don't think my network (3AU) supports that. I just switched it over to roam on Telstra and the clock was corrected before it jumped back to '3'.

I don't suppose there is a way to use GPS for time? Nanosecond accuracy would be cool :-)

TA-t3 | # 6 | 2009-12-18, 15:59 | Report

My clock is also drifting noticably. I'm quite surprised by this because the N800 clock doesn't drift at all (and no, I don't have ntpd running). Either the N800 OS2007 uses some kind of built-in time synch whenever it's online, or that device's hardware clock is simply extremely stable. The N900 clock is drifting way too much.

ruskie | # 7 | 2009-12-18, 18:19 | Report

I tried getting ntpd working but it seems to fail. If anyone has any luck. What have you done to get it runnnig.

youxing | # 8 | 2009-12-24, 13:43 | Report

I got openntpd working!

This is what I did!
Make sure you have a working internet connection!
Install rootsh over application manager if you haven't yet.

Open XTerminal

type:

Code:

sudo gainroot

apt-get install openntpd

(wait until it's done installing)

Then type:

Code:

ntpd

after around 20 seconds, the time on the N900 should have updated!

You can check whether you suceeded using the

Code:

date

command!

Everytime you want to update the time on your phone, you need to type

Code:

sudo gainroot
ntpd

Last edited by youxing; 2009-12-24 at 23:51.

The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to youxing For This Useful Post:
c0rt3x, cheve, gandotratushar, goalain, maemo.it, marmistrz, Palleman, smoothc, strange1712

RobbH | # 9 | 2010-01-15, 16:50 | Report

Originally Posted by youxing View Post

I got openntpd working!

[much snipped]

Everytime you want to update the time on your phone, you need to type

Code:

sudo gainroot
ntpd

If this works for you, that's great. I'm not seeing any change when I run this version of ntpd. In addition, this is not the way it's intended to work.

I would really like to see a working implementation of ntpd or some other form of ntp on the N900. At present, if my N900 is set to update time automatically (from AT&T), it's consistently six seconds fast. Otherwise it's consistently four to ten seconds slow.

Rob1n | # 10 | 2010-01-15, 16:57 | Report

Originally Posted by RobbH View Post

At present, if my N900 is set to update time automatically (from AT&T), it's consistently six seconds fast. Otherwise it's consistently four to ten seconds slow.

Crikey, you must have a really tight schedule

The Following User Says Thank You to Rob1n For This Useful Post:
sjgadsby