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.

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.

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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$.

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

On Thu, 15 May 2008 17:13:48 GMT, _ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

Check these urls - look for the box you might be using:

http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/computers.html

http://www.upenn.edu/computing/provi...owerusage.html

http://www.targetpc.com/hardware/pow...e/index3.shtml

Looks like it's pretty easy to get below 100 Watts, and while googling I
noted that there are new boxes that run at 25W or less. Video cards can be
really hungry.

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

I could set the PC up to turn off after the last buzzer and turn on before
the first. The clock will still keep time and would get an update as soon
as it boots.

Tom Gardner wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

I could set the PC up to turn off after the last buzzer and turn on before
the first. The clock will still keep time and would get an update as soon
as it boots.

Yes. You can also find other practical uses for the PC, like get a
security DVR PC to record from security cameras and let it run your
clock stuff as well.

On May 15, 1:33*pm, "Pete C." wrote:

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.-

This Dell GX150 shows less than 60W on a 'Kill A Watt' with the
monitor in standby.

Jim Wilkins

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

Tom Gardner wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

I could set the PC up to turn off after the last buzzer and turn on before
the first. The clock will still keep time and would get an update as soon
as it boots.

Yes. You can also find other practical uses for the PC, like get a
security DVR PC to record from security cameras and let it run your
clock stuff as well.

I forgot...I've got a dvr running 12 cameras 24/7, you should have reminded me
sooner. I shall use that!

"Tom Gardner" wrote:

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.

I plugged a kill-a-watt into my ups input. It will measure the power
consumption of two pc's, router, modems, external drives while I'm at work.
I'll give you numbers this evening.

Wes

Tom Gardner wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

Tom Gardner wrote:

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

_ wrote:

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

"Pete C." wrote in message
...

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.

I could set the PC up to turn off after the last buzzer and turn on before
the first. The clock will still keep time and would get an update as soon
as it boots.

Yes. You can also find other practical uses for the PC, like get a
security DVR PC to record from security cameras and let it run your
clock stuff as well.

I forgot...I've got a dvr running 12 cameras 24/7, you should have reminded me
sooner. I shall use that!

See, occasionally I have a good idea

"Tom Gardner" wrote:

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.


I left the kill-a-watt running for 10.88 hrs and consumed 2.83 kwh. This is
for two computers, two external drives, a router, LCD monitor, kvm switch,
and asdl modem. I wasn't home but I do run an irc server, mail server, and
a cron jobs during the day.

Dividing in half for one pc, I get 3.12 kwh day, 93.6 kwh month, or 9.36
dollars a month at .10 kwh .

Wes