Audio & Design NetClock User Manual
Audio & Design
NetClock
User Guide Rev 1.1.b
The Audio & Design NetClock is an accurate reference display clock for studios and broadcasters, it obtains its
reference time over your Ethernet LAN from either a local network time server or an international time standard
such as the National Physical Laboratory in the UK (ntp1.npl.co.uk) or the National Institute of Standards and
Technology in the USA (time.nist.gov).
Please read the installation & configuration instructions below, before installing your NetClock.
Power Supply
The NetClock requires a DC power source of approximately 12v DC @ 1A this can be supplied to the clock by two
methods.
1. Power Over Ethernet – either powered directly from an Ethernet switch (10/100) that has internal 802.3af
POE powering or by external “midspan” power injector such as Phihong PSA16U-480, PowerDsine PD3001/AC or any 802.3af compliant “midspan” PSU that can supply up to 12Watts.
NetClock
POE Power
Power Over Ethernet
802.3af LAN Switch
or
NetClock
POE Power
2. External 12v 1A DC PSU, this uses the PCB mounted DC connector that is accessible from the rear of the
clock. DC connector required is 2.1/5.5mm type with center pin wired as +ve (typically +12v).
Optional
DC PSU
NetClock
External DC Power
Optional
“MidSpan” PSU
LAN Switch
Non-POE
LAN Switch
Non-POE
Audio & Design can supply either of these types of external power supplies as an extra cost option.
Network
The NetClock uses standard Ethernet technology and components and can be connected directly to your network
using a “straight through” RJ45 to RJ45 CAT5 UTP lead. The NetClock uses a 10Base-T connection; if you use
managed switches then ensure that the port the NetClock connects to is set auto-negotiate duplex and speed.
By default the NetClock will attempt to get its IP address using a DHCP server when first connected to your
network. If this is not available the NetClock will use a default IP address of 192.168.0.27 and sub-net mask of
255.255.255.0 You will need to manually set a workstation to the same network but different host address in-order
to configure the NetClock. We suggest a workstartion setting of 192.168.0.1 you can use either a web browser
such as Mozilla Firefox (www.mozilla.com) or Microsoft Internet Explorer “point your browser to a URL of
192.168.0.27 and set the IP address, Sub-net mask & Default Gateway fields to match your network (note: you will
loose connectivity to the NetClock as soon as your change its IP address). Or you can use the NetClock.exe utility
program the most current version of which is available from www.adrl.co.uk/NetClock/
Advanced Network
In situations where you have many clocks that need special configurations such as time offset, daylight saving or
special display options. The NetClock can obtain its configuration via a file placed on a TFTP server. If the
NetClock has been given the address of your TFTP server either by DHCP or by the NetClock.exe utility, on power
up it will request file NETCLOCK.CFG from the TFTP server. This file contains 1 or more sections.
[CLKALL] Setting in this section affects all clocks.
[MyClockName] This is the host name of an individual clock and setting in this section only affect this clock. This
will allow you set any particular clock differently from the rest of your clocks, if say you want one clock displaying
London time, one New York time etc.
London
Hostname
CLKLON
New York
Hostname
CLKNY
Tokyo
Hostname
CLKTKO
LAN Switch
Local TFTP
server
Internet
Example NETCLOCK.CFG
File
[CLKALL]
:
:
[CLKLON]
LOCALE=0
:
[CLKNY]
LOCALE=-18000
:
[CLKTKO]
LOCALE=32400
Default SNTP Server 1
npl1.npl.co.uk
139.143.5.30
Default SNTP Server 2
ip-time-1.cern.ch
137.138.16.69
Default SNTP Server 3
time.nist.gov
192.43.244.18
Note:
Commands that exist in NETCLOCK.CFG override settings stored in Flash Memory on the NetClock and
commands in [MyClockName] section override commands stored in Flash Memory and also commands in
[CLKALL] section.
NETCLOCK.CFG is a plain ASCII text files that contain simple single line commands as below.
[CLKALL]
[MyClockName]
LOCALE=
SNTPENABLE=
SNTPINTERVAL=
SNTPSERVER1=
SNTPSERVER2=
SNTPSERVER3=
MYIPADDRESS=
SUBNETMASK=
Commands following this section header affect all clocks
Commands following this section header affect clocks with hostname
MyClockName
Local difference from GMT in seconds
1=Enable, 0=Disable (free running)
Time between SNTP requests in seconds
Overrides default server 1 address of 139.143.5.30
(npl1.npl.co.uk)
Overrides default server 2 address of 137.138.16.69
(ip-time-1.cern.ch)
Overrides default server 3 address of 192.43.244.18
(time.nist.gov)
Overrides default address of 192.168.0.27 or address obtained by DHCP
Overrides default subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 or subnet mask
obtained by DHCP
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