MakeIRIG v5.06                          Copyright 1995-1997, GTBecker
TakeIRIG v5.06                                    All Rights Reserved


MakeIRIG and TakeIRIG allow accurate time transfer between a master
and one or more slaved PCs by transmitting a slow serial time code
(IRIG-H100) over a simple two-wire interface that uses the standard
printer ports for I/O.  The machines will be synchronized within
0.001 second of each other.  For time transfer between two
machines only, a standard Laplink/Interlink parallel port cable can
be used.  The programs will run under DOS through Windows 95.

MakeIRIG generates time code on Pin 14 or Pin 5 of the printer port
selected by setting environment variable IRIGPort to 0, 1 or 2 for
3BCh, 378h, and 278h respectively.  Environment variable IRIGPin=5
on the source machine must be set when using a Laplink/Interlink
cable.

Environment variable IRIGZone or TZ may be set to the local time
zone offset from UTC (e.g. IRIGZone=-8 or TZ=PST8PDT) if the source
machine maintains local time.  If RighTime is resident, it's time
zone (set on its command line or via TakeIRIG or TimeSet) will take
precedence over IRIGZone and TZ.

Run MakeIRIG on the source machine as a transient with no active
screen saver.  MakeIRIG will move the display image periodically to
prevent screen burn.

A typical invocation might look like this:
     SET IRIGPort= 1
     SET IRIGZone= -5 (or TZ=EST5EDT)
     SET IRIGPin= 5
     MakeIRIG

MakeIRIG can also create a log file of TakeIRIG received time code
quality if both programs are running simultaneously.  File
MAKETAKE.SQ will be maintained if the MakeIRIG command line also
contains "Log" and an optional log period.  For example,

     MakeIRIG Log 5

will add a log entry every five minutes; the default period is one
minute.


TakeIRIG accepts time code on Pin 10 of a specified printer port and
uses that port's IRQ.  If the IRQ is 7 the port can be shared with a
printer.  You can make, or we can provide, a 25-pin ribbon cable
with a male and two female DB25 connectors to share the port.  The
interconnecting cable can be simply two wires: Pin 14 and Pin 25
(ground) on the source machine connected to Pin 10 and Pin 25 on the
receiving machine.  Several machines can be daisy-chained, provided
that none needs a printer.  An active port connection (a line driver
module at the source and line receivers at each receiving machine)
is available which allows printer operation on any machine and
distribution of time code over a long cable distances; contact us
for details.

DB25P (male) connectors can be soldered appropriately or a
conventional RJ11 to DB25P adapter shell with push pins can be
used.  RJ11 allows using regular modular telephone wire between the
machines - or even using existing telephone wiring - remembering
that a reversal is normal (i.e. Yellow becomes Black at the other
end, Green becomes Red).  To avoid accidentally connecting a real
telephone line to your printer port and doing potential damage, use
unpaired colors (pairs are Red/Green, Yellow/Black, Blue/White); for
example, using Red and Yellow should be safe since the telephone
line is normally across Red and Green.


TakeIRIG is a TSR that will continually listen to a parallel port;
it will have no effect unless valid IRIG data is available on that
port.  The receiving machine can be used as normal; TakeIRIG runs in
the background without affecting foreground operation.  Since a
frame of data is one minute long, it will take several (usually 5)
minutes from a cold start to synchronize, validate and set the
receiving system time.  Printing might cause a loss of time code
synchronization (the system clock will not be affected), but it will
be regained when the printer becomes idle.  If continuous data is
available, the time will be set every minute unless modified with
the /S switch; /S4, for example, will set the time once every four
hours.  Other command line options can be used: /? will show help.

For a normal system, invoke TakeIRIG in the Autoexec.Bat:

     c:\path\TakeIRIG

Since the IRIG code normally conveys UTC this will set the machine
to UTC.  Use /Z-8 for PST, /Z-4 for EDT, etc.  There is currently
(950403) no provision to accommodate automatic Standard/Daylight
time changes.

If RighTime is running on a receiving machine, TakeIRIG will 
appear as the time source in RighTime's log.  To exclude other 
potentially erroneous time sets, RighTime's /I"TakeIRIG" switch 
can be used.



The RighTime Company, Miami

Voice: (305)644-6500
Fax:   (305)644-6515
BBS:   (305)644-6185
Web:   www.RighTime.com
Email: GTBecker@RighTime.com

