[adamant365]

I might be a little slow, but I'm definitely not computer illiterate...but I can't get the application to run at all. I'm using Windows 7 Pro 64-bit and when I extract the files from the .ZIP, install the font, and attempt to run the program, nothing happens. I don't see any errors in the Windows error logs. I get a second or two of Windows "spinning wheel" but the program never launches. Could I be doing something wrong?

 

[adamant365]

Weird, I don't get it. I have it up and running on a very old Toshiba "test" laptop running Windows 10 and my work laptop running Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit and it's working just fine. My powerhouse desktop PC won't even launch it. Go figure.

EDIT: For what it's worth, it is a brilliant program. A million kudos to you contrate_wheel. My Omega Speedy Pro shows beautifully. When I switch to my Omega AT8500, I get everything but balance amplitude, but I expected this due to the co-axial escapement.

Does anyone know why the CoAx amplitude can't be derived with the standard timing algorithms?

 

[adamant365]

Thanks. So there is a bug! It might be this font thing: I will get rid of that, as it is producing nothing but annoyance. I made a Windows build with the latest version, which has a little of error reporting. May I ask you to try again with the new version (just re-downoad, version number should be 0.2.2) on that desktop computer and tell me the error message?

I'm pretty sure the issue was that I didn't have a mic plugged in. Duh…your error reporting spotted this fact immediately and forced me to exit. I plugged in a mic and tried again and off she went. Brilliant! I don't think it was the font thing after all.

 

[adamant365]

Oh, and here's an obligatory screen shot. You think this 1860's pocket watch needs a service?? :-d

EDIT: I had the lift angle set at 38 previously to time my Co-Axial Omega. I think this old pocket watch is 50 degrees. Either way, 140 amplitude isn't very good.

 

[adamant365]

Your audio looks very clean!

May it be that the nominal beat rate is not 18000 bph? If you know the correct bph, you can just write it in the bph field, even if it is not among those in the drop-down menu. Tg should be able to work with anything in the range 12000-72000.

I would love if you could send me a 30sec sample of your co-axial to play with...

Believe it or not, I'm using my never-used iPhone headset mic and just holding it tight against the case. And I'm certain the bph of that pocket watch is 18000. It loses like 5 minutes an hour. It's been non running and I only wound it to get a reading since it's by far my loudest watch. Here is about 45 seconds of my Omega with the calibre 8500 co-axial.

 

[adamant365]

I just got to thinking...you probably meant an actual sound recording. I've PM'd you.

By the way, back to my "clean sound." There's actually quite a bit of background noise in my recording. So I have to conclude your program is exceptional at eliminating noise.

 

[adamant365]

@contrate-wheel again many thanks for the TG !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is the greatest Christmas gift for the low-budget hobbyist :-!

Cheers to this statement! I've purchased three movements to begin my hobby...a NOS ETA 6498 (most $), a "used" 6498 (much less $), and a Seagull ST36 (6497 clone...least $). I can tell straight away that the NOS ETA6498 and the Seagull 6497 clone are in good shape although could use some regulation. The "used" 6498 has about 30-40 degrees less amplitude than the new 6498 and is -20 s/day dial up and -55 s/day dial down and 4 ms beat error in all positions so I can already tell it will need a service. I stumbled upon this thread before I even have tools (Christmas present from wife hopefully..lol) and I'm glad I did. It will be interesting to see the results I get when I'm X months down the road and do a full service on the used 6498. A great way to test my new skills.

Anyway, thanks a million to contrate-wheel for the hard work! This is the PERFECT timing solution to the hobbyist looking to keep associated costs down. Tools are expensive enough without spending several hundred dollars on a timing machine. Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to all!

 

[adamant365]

In regards to the accuracy of the measurement: I just did a test and got an interesting result. I found 300 BPM (18000 BPH), 420 BPM (25200 BPH), and 480 BPM (28800 BPH) click tracks on youtube. They were all produced by the same user. Every one of them was showing exactly +33 s/day on TG. I can only assume that the software used to create these tracks was slightly off in their calculations introducing this error. In addition, using TG to measure the rate of my Speedmaster Pro in crown down position gives a result of +1.0 s/day. The observed time difference of the watch from 24 hours ago until now: 0.2 seconds fast. The reason it is +1.0 now is due to the slight increase in rate due to drop in amplitude from the watch being less wound.

I would say it's safe to assume the accuracy of this app is going to be well within 1 s/day, probably even better than that. I would also say the instantaneous measure of rate by TG is going to be way more consistent (precise) than manually measuring the rate after a 24 hour rest in any position.

I can't say this enough...but VERY well done!

 

[adamant365]

Hmm I am unable to get good graph using tg... But I am starting to really think that service is now necessary. I listened recording made using piezo mic and theres some extra noise, kling kling kling on some positions... Check this out:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tavp9t1nz2cbp6t/speedynoise.mp3?dl=0

I am rotating watch to different positions starting from 10 sec and sometims extra kling kling kling is heard. I know nothing about watch movements but I assume this is not normal. What do you say?

I'm no expert, but that does not sound normal. It's almost like the balance is hitting something...i.e. doesn't have enough clearance. Is there a dramatic decrease in amplitude when the pinging begins??

 

[adamant365]

Hi my friends!

Thanks for the suggestions, I just wanted to tell you that I have not disappeared, I just had a lot of work in the past months. There are new versions of tg to come: I have parallelized the algorithm, which makes it much snappier on multi core machines, and a fellow named wahlstedt on GitHub has made improvements to the user interface.

A question: does anyone prefer the tg-lt version to the regular one?

I only ever use the TG version. I don't use tg-lt at all. Is the new version available or is it "coming soon?"

 

[adamant365]

I would say you probably aren't magnetizing it with the microphone, but rather with the magnetic components inside the laptop. If your Mac has a headset jack that you can plug an iPhone headphone set (the ones with the integrated mic), try that and that will keep you away from the computer itself. I have a non-Mac laptop and I use the iPhone headset mic and it works really quite well. Even with my POS work laptop, I get a good clean signal through the iPhone headset.

EDIT: And I didn't even answer the question...no, I'm not magnetizing my watches by testing them because I keep them away from strong magnetic sources.