Shift timer update

>
> _ wrote:

>>
>> On Wed, 14 May 2008 23:47:18 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
>>

>> >>
>> >> Tom Gardner wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> Thanks for all the ideas! We decided to dedicate an older PC running
>> >>> freeware
>> >>> "Perfect Alarm Clock".
>> >>> http://www.celescom.com/ It has infinite set point events that will
>> >>> play a
>> >>> .wav file (or do other stuff) for each event. So, after breaks it'll
>> >>> play
>> >>> the
>> >>> sound of a cracking whip, at the end of the day it'll play Taps, and so
>> >>> on.
>> >>> The
>> >>> sound card's output will just connect to our PA system. I'll put it on a
>> >>> UPS
>> >>> and run atomic clock software to keep it accurate. I'll have to buy a
>> >>> MIC
>> >>> connector to fit the PA amp, everything else is free or lying around.
>> >>
>> >> Well, don't forget the $20/month in electricity to power the overkill
>> >> solution. Much better to run that software on a machine that's already
>> >> up 24x365 like a web/file server.
>> >
>> > We don't keep any PCs up 24/7. All get shut-down at the end of the day,
>> > thus
>> > the old PC. Do you really think it'll cost $20/month? The HD will be in
>> > stand-by mode, monitor turned off and other minimalist measures.

>>
>> Probably not.
>>
>> 720 hours in a month, 10 cents a unit, a small pc ps uses a tenth of a unit
>> per hour.
>>
>> 7$.

>
> Try putting a meter on a PC, ~200W is typical. If you pay $0.10/KWh your
> closer to $15, and if your electric rate is higher (more like $0.12
> here) or you add in other items like cable modem/router/switch the $20 I
> indicated is pretty much it.

>>
>> _ wrote:

>>>
>>> On Wed, 14 May 2008 23:47:18 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
>>>
>>> >>
>>> >> Tom Gardner wrote:
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Thanks for all the ideas! We decided to dedicate an older PC running
>>> >>> freeware
>>> >>> "Perfect Alarm Clock".
>>> >>> http://www.celescom.com/ It has infinite set point events that will
>>> >>> play a
>>> >>> .wav file (or do other stuff) for each event. So, after breaks it'll
>>> >>> play
>>> >>> the
>>> >>> sound of a cracking whip, at the end of the day it'll play Taps, and so
>>> >>> on.
>>> >>> The
>>> >>> sound card's output will just connect to our PA system. I'll put it on

>>> >>> UPS
>>> >>> and run atomic clock software to keep it accurate. I'll have to buy a
>>> >>> MIC
>>> >>> connector to fit the PA amp, everything else is free or lying around.
>>> >>
>>> >> Well, don't forget the $20/month in electricity to power the overkill
>>> >> solution. Much better to run that software on a machine that's already
>>> >> up 24x365 like a web/file server.
>>> >
>>> > We don't keep any PCs up 24/7. All get shut-down at the end of the day,
>>> > thus
>>> > the old PC. Do you really think it'll cost $20/month? The HD will be in
>>> > stand-by mode, monitor turned off and other minimalist measures.
>>>
>>> Probably not.
>>>
>>> 720 hours in a month, 10 cents a unit, a small pc ps uses a tenth of a unit
>>> per hour.
>>>
>>> 7$.

>>
>> Try putting a meter on a PC, ~200W is typical. If you pay $0.10/KWh your
>> closer to $15, and if your electric rate is higher (more like $0.12
>> here) or you add in other items like cable modem/router/switch the $20 I
>> indicated is pretty much it.

>
> Hmmm, thanks for the heads-up.

> On Thu, 15 May 2008 11:50:47 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
>

>>>
>>> _ wrote:
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, 14 May 2008 23:47:18 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
>>>>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Tom Gardner wrote:
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> Thanks for all the ideas! We decided to dedicate an older PC running
>>>> >>> freeware
>>>> >>> "Perfect Alarm Clock".
>>>> >>> http://www.celescom.com/ It has infinite set point events that will
>>>> >>> play a
>>>> >>> .wav file (or do other stuff) for each event. So, after breaks it'll
>>>> >>> play
>>>> >>> the
>>>> >>> sound of a cracking whip, at the end of the day it'll play Taps, and so
>>>> >>> on.
>>>> >>> The
>>>> >>> sound card's output will just connect to our PA system. I'll put it on

>>>> >>> UPS
>>>> >>> and run atomic clock software to keep it accurate. I'll have to buy a
>>>> >>> MIC
>>>> >>> connector to fit the PA amp, everything else is free or lying around.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Well, don't forget the $20/month in electricity to power the overkill
>>>> >> solution. Much better to run that software on a machine that's already
>>>> >> up 24x365 like a web/file server.
>>>> >
>>>> > We don't keep any PCs up 24/7. All get shut-down at the end of the day,
>>>> > thus
>>>> > the old PC. Do you really think it'll cost $20/month? The HD will be in
>>>> > stand-by mode, monitor turned off and other minimalist measures.
>>>>
>>>> Probably not.
>>>>
>>>> 720 hours in a month, 10 cents a unit, a small pc ps uses a tenth of a unit
>>>> per hour.
>>>>
>>>> 7$.
>>>
>>> Try putting a meter on a PC, ~200W is typical. If you pay $0.10/KWh your
>>> closer to $15, and if your electric rate is higher (more like $0.12
>>> here) or you add in other items like cable modem/router/switch the $20 I
>>> indicated is pretty much it.

>>
>> Hmmm, thanks for the heads-up.

>
> I don't think it's that high.
>
> Old pc's had 200/250 watt supplies, but that was for motherboards boards
> full of stuff that was just past ttl, extra cards for every function, full
> or half-height 5.25 drives, lots of power needed. If you have a 3 to 500
> mHz machine with a smaller newer drive and integrated video, the monitor
> turned off, standby mode, as you say, I don't think it would be using
> anywhere near 200 watts - and even if it did, do you heat your shop?
>
> But as Pete says, you could put a meter on it.

>
> On Thu, 15 May 2008 11:50:47 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
>

> >>
> >> _ wrote:
> >>>
> >>> On Wed, 14 May 2008 23:47:18 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
> >>>
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Tom Gardner wrote:
> >>> >>>
> >>> >>> Thanks for all the ideas! We decided to dedicate an older PC running
> >>> >>> freeware
> >>> >>> "Perfect Alarm Clock".
> >>> >>> http://www.celescom.com/ It has infinite set point events that will
> >>> >>> play a
> >>> >>> .wav file (or do other stuff) for each event. So, after breaks it'll
> >>> >>> play
> >>> >>> the
> >>> >>> sound of a cracking whip, at the end of the day it'll play Taps, and so
> >>> >>> on.
> >>> >>> The
> >>> >>> sound card's output will just connect to our PA system. I'll put it

> >>> >>> UPS
> >>> >>> and run atomic clock software to keep it accurate. I'll have to buy a
> >>> >>> MIC
> >>> >>> connector to fit the PA amp, everything else is free or lying around.
> >>> >>
> >>> >> Well, don't forget the $20/month in electricity to power the overkill
> >>> >> solution. Much better to run that software on a machine that's already
> >>> >> up 24x365 like a web/file server.
> >>> >
> >>> > We don't keep any PCs up 24/7. All get shut-down at the end of the day,
> >>> > thus
> >>> > the old PC. Do you really think it'll cost $20/month? The HD will be in
> >>> > stand-by mode, monitor turned off and other minimalist measures.
> >>>
> >>> Probably not.
> >>>
> >>> 720 hours in a month, 10 cents a unit, a small pc ps uses a tenth of a unit
> >>> per hour.
> >>>
> >>> 7$.
> >>
> >> Try putting a meter on a PC, ~200W is typical. If you pay $0.10/KWh your
> >> closer to $15, and if your electric rate is higher (more like $0.12
> >> here) or you add in other items like cable modem/router/switch the $20 I
> >> indicated is pretty much it.

> >
> > Hmmm, thanks for the heads-up.

>
> I don't think it's that high.
>
> Old pc's had 200/250 watt supplies, but that was for motherboards boards
> full of stuff that was just past ttl, extra cards for every function, full
> or half-height 5.25 drives, lots of power needed. If you have a 3 to 500
> mHz machine with a smaller newer drive and integrated video, the monitor
> turned off, standby mode, as you say, I don't think it would be using
> anywhere near 200 watts - and even if it did, do you heat your shop?
>
> But as Pete says, you could put a meter on it.

>
> _ wrote:

>>
>> On Thu, 15 May 2008 11:50:47 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
>>

>> >>
>> >> _ wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> On Wed, 14 May 2008 23:47:18 -0400, Tom Gardner wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> Tom Gardner wrote:
>> >>> >>>
>> >>> >>> Thanks for all the ideas! We decided to dedicate an older PC
>> >>> >>> running
>> >>> >>> freeware
>> >>> >>> "Perfect Alarm Clock".
>> >>> >>> http://www.celescom.com/ It has infinite set point events that
>> >>> >>> will
>> >>> >>> play a
>> >>> >>> .wav file (or do other stuff) for each event. So, after breaks
>> >>> >>> it'll
>> >>> >>> play
>> >>> >>> the
>> >>> >>> sound of a cracking whip, at the end of the day it'll play Taps,
>> >>> >>> and so
>> >>> >>> on.
>> >>> >>> The
>> >>> >>> sound card's output will just connect to our PA system. I'll put
>> >>> >>> it on a
>> >>> >>> UPS
>> >>> >>> and run atomic clock software to keep it accurate. I'll have to
>> >>> >>> buy a
>> >>> >>> MIC
>> >>> >>> connector to fit the PA amp, everything else is free or lying
>> >>> >>> around.
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> Well, don't forget the $20/month in electricity to power the
>> >>> >> overkill
>> >>> >> solution. Much better to run that software on a machine that's
>> >>> >> already
>> >>> >> up 24x365 like a web/file server.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > We don't keep any PCs up 24/7. All get shut-down at the end of the
>> >>> > day,
>> >>> > thus
>> >>> > the old PC. Do you really think it'll cost $20/month? The HD will
>> >>> > be in
>> >>> > stand-by mode, monitor turned off and other minimalist measures.
>> >>>
>> >>> Probably not.
>> >>>
>> >>> 720 hours in a month, 10 cents a unit, a small pc ps uses a tenth of
>> >>> a unit
>> >>> per hour.
>> >>>
>> >>> 7$.
>> >>
>> >> Try putting a meter on a PC, ~200W is typical. If you pay $0.10/KWh
>> >> your
>> >> closer to $15, and if your electric rate is higher (more like $0.12
>> >> here) or you add in other items like cable modem/router/switch the $20
>> >> I
>> >> indicated is pretty much it.
>> >
>> > Hmmm, thanks for the heads-up.

>>
>> I don't think it's that high.
>>
>> Old pc's had 200/250 watt supplies, but that was for motherboards boards
>> full of stuff that was just past ttl, extra cards for every function,
>> full
>> or half-height 5.25 drives, lots of power needed. If you have a 3 to 500
>> mHz machine with a smaller newer drive and integrated video, the monitor
>> turned off, standby mode, as you say, I don't think it would be using
>> anywhere near 200 watts - and even if it did, do you heat your shop?
>>
>> But as Pete says, you could put a meter on it.

>
> A Kill-a-Watt meter is a handy tool for checking stuff like this. If you
> can find an old laptop you can probably cut the power consumption a bit
> over a desktop machine.