[Hornet99]

I came across this advertised on here and thought that it looked interesting:

https://frederiqueconstant.com/analytics

Has anyone used it and have any experience to share?

I also thought that this just like using the microphone on mobile phone headphones, so not exactly groundbreaking, and wondered if there are any cheaper/better offerings out there?

 

[sticky]

Supported devices list? Is it just me who can't find one. As the proud owner of a camera app that no longer plays with iOS 11 it would be comforting to know that the clip software will be updated to keep pace with the phone's OS and won't become obsolete in a year's time.

 

[ryan92084]

Supported devices list? Is it just me who can't find one. As the proud owner of a camera app that no longer plays with iOS 11 it would be comforting to know that the clip software will be updated to keep pace with the phone's OS and won't become obsolete in a year's time.

links to here for supported devices SUPPORTED DEVICES | SWISS CONNECT

 

[Hornet99]

Supported devices list? Is it just me who can't find one. As the proud owner of a camera app that no longer plays with iOS 11 it would be comforting to know that the clip software will be updated to keep pace with the phone's OS and won't become obsolete in a year's time.

Good point Sticky. I was wondering if it was possible to use one of the free apps and have a better microphone to pick up the sounds of the movement, might be cheaper than this.....

 

[Hornet99]

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/frederique-constant-analytics-watch-accuracy/?amp

https://monochrome-watches.com/fred...cs-clip-real-time-analytics-mechanical-watch/

 

[sticky]

Ryan, thanks a ton for the link.

H, the FC app looks to be free for iOS. I reckon it’s the clippy thing you have to pay for. The gadget sounds interesting but right now my main iPhone concern is the way that iOS 11 eats battery life after than I can eat pork pies.

 

[Hornet99]

I think that the clip is simply a piezo microphone and you can pick those up (for guitars and the like....) for very little money. Simple jack adapter and you can connect it to your phone and use it as the input for the many free timing apps. What I don't know is whether it would actually work........

 

[SimpleWatchMan]

Brother Hornet99, I would recommend that you get a more traditional timegrapher, like the one in this thread.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f21/weis...ting-my-seiko-watches-lot-photos-1837306.html

Mine cost about $169. But I saw some cost close to $100. I think this is better than the app, as the watch stand allow you to check 6 positions for the accuracy.

 

[SimpleWatchMan]

Brother Hornet99, I would recommend that you get a more traditional timegrapher, like the one in this thread.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f21/weis...ting-my-seiko-watches-lot-photos-1837306.html

Mine cost about $169. But I saw some cost close to $100. I think this is better than the app, as the watch stand allow you to check 6 positions for the accuracy.

 

[Hornet99]

Brother Hornet99, I would recommend that you get a more traditional timegrapher, like the one in this thread.

https://www.watchuseek.com/f21/weis...ting-my-seiko-watches-lot-photos-1837306.html

Mine cost about $169. But I saw some cost close to $100. I think this is better than the app, as the watch stand allow you to check 6 positions for the accuracy.

Yes, I'd considered one of those but I don't want another chunky bit of kit lying around. Something simple you plug into your phone appeals to me.......

 

[SimpleWatchMan]

Yes, I'd considered one of those but I don't want another chunky bit of kit lying around. Something simple you plug into your phone appeals to me.......

Let me know whether it is good if you got it. The ability of automatically record and store results seems appealing to me, as I'm now using Excel spreadsheets to record results which is kind of laborious.

 

[Hughes.]

I saw this advertised on FB and thought to myself "And if my watch is out of whack, what do they propose I do about it?"

I've regulated plenty of my own pieces, but I'd imagine FC would consider amateurs cracking open the caseback and poking around at the balance would not do much for the validity of the warranty.

Leaving aside the optimistic cost of something that probably has 2 bucks worth of technology in it, it's a nice earner for them if every fretful owner (the key target demographic for this, I'd think) sends it back for a service every time their watch runs slightly outside the margin of error.

 

[ffritz]

I saw this advertised on FB and thought to myself "And if my watch is out of whack, what do they propose I do about it?"

I've regulated plenty of my own pieces, but I'd imagine FC would consider amateurs cracking open the caseback and poking around at the balance would not do much for the validity of the warranty.

Leaving aside the optimistic cost of something that probably has 2 bucks worth of technology in it, it's a nice earner for them if every fretful owner (the key target demographic for this, I'd think) sends it back for a service every time their watch runs slightly outside the margin of error.

I see your point but I don't share your pessimistic view on the customer benefit.

I think it's a HUGE advantage for watch owners to get some quick data about their movements' health themselves, rather than being totally dependent on what retailers, watchmakers or selles of used watches tell them. If some of them draw the wrong conclusions, that's still better than being completely in the dark from the start.

So I totally agree with SWM: a reliable timegrapher is well worth the investment. Mine already paid itself many times over.

 

[Hornet99]

Let me know whether it is good if you got it. The ability of automatically record and store results seems appealing to me, as I'm now using Excel spreadsheets to record results which is kind of laborious.

Not really intending to buy one of these, but I might try and cobble together my own version......

 

[Iandk]

Have a peek at https://www.watchuseek.com/f6/open-source-timing-software-2542874.html

Can be calibrated as well.

I don't know which of the phone apps have that feature or not, but it is a concern, since there is very likely some slight error in the vibration rate of the quartz crystal used in the analog-to-digital circuitry of any recording electronics (which is *NOT* the same quartz clock as what keeps track of time), so that has to be accounted for.

There's a thread somewhere about types of microphones to use with that as well.

 

[SimpleWatchMan]

Not really intending to buy one of these, but I might try and cobble together my own version......

No problem. Till you do buy that then.

And good luck with your cobblering.

 

[ffritz]

Not really intending to buy one of these, but I might try and cobble together my own version......

..and you would trust its results?

Sound like a project I'd do for fun, but not if I was actually after a practical solution. Definitely not if that solution was commercially available for 100 bucks.

In fact, besides the beat rate and accuracy, timegraphers also evaluate the balance amplitude. That is a particularly handy feature to determine if the used watch you bought was actually recently serviced or if you got a lemon that was simply regulated..

 

[Hornet99]

Have a peek at https://www.watchuseek.com/f6/open-source-timing-software-2542874.html

Can be calibrated as well.

I don't know which of the phone apps have that feature or not, but it is a concern, since there is very likely some slight error in the vibration rate of the quartz crystal used in the analog-to-digital circuitry of any recording electronics (which is *NOT* the same quartz clock as what keeps track of time), so that has to be accounted for.

There's a thread somewhere about types of microphones to use with that as well.

I was intending to use tickoprint on my phone, it's worked quite well with picking up the watch movement via the headphone mic, but only if you have the caseback open. Which is obviously a pain to do.....

The open source software is interesting, but being honest isn't something I want to get into. I'm just considering trying to emulate the frederiqueconstant device but simply and cheaply using the items below......

 

[Hornet99]

..and you would trust its results?

Sound like a project I'd do for fun, but not if I was actually after a practical solution. Definitely not if that solution was commercially available for 100 bucks.

In fact, besides the beat rate and accuracy, timegraphers also evaluate the balance amplitude. That is a particularly handy feature to determine if the used watch you bought was actually recently serviced or if you got a lemon that was simply regulated..

It's purely a "project" for fun, especially as the basic components would cost £5. Whether it will work is another matter. I've managed to live without timing my watches till now and the two watches I've had that were poor timekeepers were noticed by some simple 24 hour experiments....