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Is it Time to Update Your Clock? Rely on These Tips to Make the Right Choice

poe clock

If you’re in business you’re going to need to measure time. Not any old wall clock will do. You’re going to need clocks that can standardize time. And if you have employees, at the workplace time is money.

Making sure that time is properly and accurately reported for the workers and the company is critical to budgets. Everyone is on a tight schedule, you can’t afford to take time for granted. Synchronized clock systems are critical for making every second count. The economy loses over $7 billion a day due to inaccurate timesheets — that’s a loss of 50 million work hours.

Whether you’re upgrading your current time system or in the market for a new one, before you buy, ask yourself:

  • Why do you need the clock?
  • Who will use the clock?
  • Where will the clock be displayed?
  • What is your budget?

The answers to these questions will determine the kind of product that fits your needs.
Your time system needs to be accurate, reliable, and synchronized. It must be identical for employees as well as vendors, contractors, and distributors. Here are a few options.

A PoE clock

It has nothing to do with a melancholy writer. A PoE clock stands for Power over Ethernet. It refers to any several standards or router-less systems that pass electric power together with data on twisted pair Ethernet cabling (think insulated copper wiring). This means that one cable can provide both internet connection and electrical power to devices so you have fewer wires to get in the way. A PoE clock is ideal for factories, hospitals, and schools.

Network time servers

Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an internet protocol used to synchronize clocks on computer networks within a few milliseconds of universal coordinated time (UTC). NTP is one of the oldest Internet protocols, dating back to the early 1980s. It enables devices to request and receive UTC from a server which acquires time from an atomic clock. Precision Time Protocol (PTP) synchronizes clocks throughout a computer network. Especially important if you have multiple locations. It’s suitable for measurement and control systems.

The value of a GPS antenna

You already know that GPS is a global satellite system used for mapping locations or identifying weather patterns. A GPS antenna can amplify the signal and send it through any PoE clock. A GPS antenna also utilizes atomic clock references to provide the most accurate time in your current location, in the country’s nine time zones, and time zones throughout the world. These antennas are easily mounted to the exterior of your facility.

WiFi clocks

These clocks are battery-operated, portable, adjust for the changes due to daylight savings time, sparing you the need for a master clock. Some clocks are practically maintenance-free, with an average battery life of five years. WiFi clocks can be made-to-order to receive the precise time signal from any network time server. A WiFi clock is ideal for network time display and management. WiFi clock systems are beneficial when it’s critical to time stamp communications and documentation, such as in schools and educational facilities.

Local products

Lastly, look for time products are made entirely in the United States. Find out if the manufacturer’s domestic production is important to their business. Whether it’s a PoE clock or a GPS antenna, look for a company that doesn’t hide their production location.

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