DIYbanter - View Single Post - Why aren't computer clocks as accurate as cheap quartz watches?

wrote:
Why do the battery powered clocks in personal computers tend to keep
worse time than quartz watches, even the $1 ones?

The computer batteries measure fine, at least 3.15V.

I thought that the problem was temperature swings in the computers
(25-38C), but a couple of cheapo watches taped inside the computers
kept better time.

I've often wondered the same thing...also why a $9 alarm clock will have
provision for battery backup, but $200 VCR (back when VCRs were $200)
needed to be rweset with each blip in the mains voltage.

FWIW, there are utilities which will update your computer clock from the
National Bureau of Standards over the web.....

jak