Audi's "logic" on clock sources defies understanding IMHO.

...on the RNS-E the accurate GPS clock cannot be used to set the inaccurate instrument clock, the only option offered is the opposite, which means the accurate GPS clock is just "thrown away" - total folly IMHO.

... does the same "logic" apply to MMI?

 

...on the RNS-E the accurate GPS clock cannot be used to set the inaccurate instrument clock, the only option offered is the opposite, which means the accurate GPS clock is just "thrown away" - total folly IMHO.

Many things in Audi's infotainment systems are unreasonable... But this :-s ](*,)

Maybe friends A6 has this function because it was imported from Belgium and there are some other regulations? So the coding might be different,, too?

 

The radio clock seems to be available only in some markets and may be a hardware feature, not just a coding feature?

 

The radio clock seems to be available only in some markets and may be a hardware feature, not just a coding feature?

Yes, you need to install a DCF-77 radio controlled clock receiver, draw two cables and then enable it in the instrument cluster, to retrofit the radio controlled clock.

 

And even if you get that clock working it will always sync with German time. It will be fine if you are in same time zone with Germany. Otherwise not usefull.

 

Really? - most clocks that pick it up use it to sync but you can off set the hours.

 

And even if you get that clock working it will always sync with German time. It will be fine if you are same in time zone with Germany. Otherwise not usefull.

Not true, the receiver picks up the time transmissions from Cumbria and Braunschweig. So in the UK it will display UK time.

 

Structure of synchronisation signal:

The DCF-77 radio signal is emitted at a carrier frequency of 77.5 kHz. The radio clock signal delivers one pulse every second during a synchronisation. The time information is transmitted by lowering and raising the radio clock signal by at least 70% for 100 milliseconds or 200 milliseconds. The bit times of 100 milliseconds or 200 milliseconds respectively may deviate by as much as ± 40 milliseconds due to propagation times and distortions. The complete time information is transmitted in one minute. A new minute start is announced by the missing 59th second mark (no lowering of the radio clock signal to 0 Volts) .



The time for which current is applied to the radio clock receiver by the dash panel insert (that is, the actual synchronisation) is adapted in adaption channel 19. At the end of the preset synchronisation time the voltage supply (5 Volts) for the radio clock receiver is shut off by the dash panel insert.

If the time information (radio clock signal) has been successfully transmitted from the radio clock receiver to the dash panel insert, the radio clock synchronisation was successful. When the ignition is switched on the radio clock tower icon is shown on the left-hand side display.

Synchronisation sequence:

If the radio clock is active (value in adaption channel 19 > 0), the synchronisation sequence is as follows, with the ignition switched off:



When the terminal 30 supply is switched on a synchronisation attempt is started. In this, the radio clock receiver is supplied by the dash panel insert with voltage (5 Volt) and the signal sent from the radio clock receiver to the dash panel insert is evaluated. (Duration: preset adaption value in adaption channel 19).



The aim is to perform a successful time synchronisation once a day. The first synchronisation attempt begins at 3:00 hours. If this attempt is not successful, a further synchronisation attempt is made at 4:00 hours. If this attempt, too, is not successful, a further synchronisation attempt is made at 5:00 hours. If the third attempt also fails to produce a successful synchronisation, a further attempt is started after every trip (detected distance). The duration of the synchronisation attempts is dependent on the adaption value in channel 19, and can be altered at any time (0-50 min.).

As soon as a successful time synchronisation is performed, the supply to the radio clock receiver is cut and no further synchronisation attempts are made (until 3:00 hours).


If you get local time source you get proper time, otherwise the most nearest one to you. Coverage is about 2000 km.

 

For those of us that have designed time code receivers that's not new information, but I suspect many here will not have known that.

 

This has to be one of the most boring threads i have ever read, can we just agree that if your car does not auto update the clock, then manually do it........

A good time to close this thread down.

 

It is boring for you where you have local time source. For me it is not, because i face such problem and stupid audi does not accept time zone corrections.

 

This has to be one of the most boring threads i have ever read, can we just agree that if your car does not auto update the clock, then manually do it........

A good time to close this thread down.

It would be truelly boring if threads got shut coz someone didn't want to read it. The options there.

 

Dont you think the question has been answered already?

 

The clock source does bug me slightly that Audi have got it so wrong. Germany is not the center of the universe. GMT is

I hate the clock drift as my onboard camera detector has the right time, so does the radio announcer, but unfortunately the Audi doesn't. With all it's modern technology and gizmos surely the option to sync to GPS and add offsets for country would be an option.

But then again, not all cars come with sat nav as standard, so no GPS to sync to. But it should be an option in the MMI.

If I bought a receiver for the cluster, would it sync to GMT?

 

I found the coding documentation for an A4 (B7) where on channel 19 (module [17] cluster) the radio control parameter is for the clock.

[GERMAN - partially translated]
?xxxx: Illumination option
0 - Zeiger und Skala nur bei "Licht ein" aktiv
1 - Zeiger bereits bei "Zündung ein" aktiv
2 - Skala bereits bei "Zündung ein" aktiv
3 - Skala (2. Kennlinie) und Zeiger bei "Zündung ein" aktiv
x?xxx: Bordcomputer
0 - Level 2 only
1 - Level 1 and 2
xx?xx: Driver Information system
0 - DIS (9Q2 or 9Q4)
1 - w/o DIS (9Q3)
xxx?x: Outside temp
0 - No display, no Ill.
1 - Display and Ill. active
xxxx?: Radio clock
0 - No radio clock
1 - Radio clock active


On my 2006 A6 Avant it has value 10 in channel 19.

Hope this will help. Let us know, if it works.

[You may also need 4B0 919 145B Receiver, radio controlled clock]

 

Here is how it works: It is channel 19 of the cluster 17.


Activating radio clock mode:
By way of the adaption in channel 19 the radio clock function can be activated and the synchronisation time set. The time can be altered between 0 - 50 minutes (resolution: 1 min).
From the MMI menu (A4, A5, A6, Q5, Q7, A8) or the onboard computer menu (A3, TT, R8) a manual choice can be made between radio clock and normal clock mode.

Deactivating radio clock mode:
If the radio clock is deactivated via adaption channel 19 (synchronisation time 0), the radio clock icon on the dash panel insert display is cleared and the supply to the radio clock receiver is cut until the next activation by way of the adaption.
Important: If the radio clock is not set in the adaption, the "Radio clock"option is not shown on the MMI menu (A4,A5,A6,Q5,Q7,A8) or onboard computer menu (A3,TT,R8) as appropriate. The time runs in normal clock mode.

Synchronisation sequence:
If the radio clock is active (value in adaption channel 19 > 0), the synchronisation sequence is as follows, with the ignition switched off:

When the terminal 30 supply is switched on a synchronisation attempt is started. In this, the radio clock receiver is supplied by the dash panel insert with voltage (5 Volt) and the signal sent from the radio clock receiver to the dash panel insert is evaluated. (Duration: preset adaption value in adaption channel 19).

The aim is to perform a successful time synchronisation once a day. The first synchronisation attempt begins at 3:00 hours. If this attempt is not successful, a further synchronisation attempt is made at 4:00 hours. If this attempt, too, is not successful, a further synchronisation attempt is made at 5:00 hours. If the third attempt also fails to produce a successful synchronisation, a further attempt is started after every trip (detected distance). The duration of the synchronisation attempts is dependent on the adaption value in channel 19, and can be altered at any time (0-50 min.).
As soon as a successful time synchronisation is performed, the supply to the radio clock receiver is cut and no further synchronisation attempts are made (until 3:00 hours).

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I tired it on my 2010 A6 2.0TFSI. It is a non German model and did have <0> in channel 19. I set it to 10 and now I have the radio clock option in the MMI Time menu. Don't know if the radio clock actually works. It does not show the antenna symbol next to the clock. I am afraid I am missing the receiver.