Using just a video recording to calculate the daily rate of the watch?

[kaan]

I had this idea after @watchweasol suggested Watch-O-Scope to me, why not just record a watch close up with a phone, and then use the beats data, over, let's say 1 minute to calculate the daily error rate?

This is coming from a complete watch noob, so there's likely a reason it won't work, since it's not been done before, no such basic app on the App Store as far as I can see

But I recorded my 28800 beat watch in a room with AC running, and from the sound graph, you can clearly see 8 perfect beats every second

I guess the next step for me is to run it for 1 minute, and reach +6s/d - which is my watch's deviation

Before I count all those beats manually, just wanted to consult the community, how exactly does a time grapher work, why does it need a degree as an input etc.

[Vacheron7]

I use "watch tuner lite" on the iPhone which is free and probably uses the same principle, but just gives the rate in figures, 

The full version is around £12 IIRC with a timegrapher type display, but I haven't felt I've needed it yet.  

[handwound]

I can't explain in detail how a timegrapher works, but I guess with the "degree as an input" you mean the lift angle. It is the angle in which the impulse pin of the balance interacts with the crown of the pallet fork. This angle is needed to correctly calculate the amplitude of your watch.

This is the formula:

(3600 x lift angle) : (time between the first and the third noise in seconds x π x beats per hour) 

Here you can find a list with movements and their lift angles:

https://www.lepsi.ch/lift-angle/

[FLwatchguy73]

For android users the is the app Clock Tuner. It only cost $4.99. Absolutely worth every penny. I can get a rough idea of trouble in seconds, anywhere I am. unfortunately it isn't capable of displaying the amplitude and you can't adjust the lift angle, but everything else is there.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.athumbsoft.pendulumtuner&hl=en_US

[watchweasol]

Hi Kaan   As I dont use a timegrapher but use a Horotec unit but the enclosed witschi training document will explain in detail how the unit interprets the escapement , a little light reading.

Witschi Training Course.pdf

[kaan]

Thanks for the replies, sorry I was away as I was replacing my computer

Thanks for the last pdf too, just by glancing on it a bit, it indeed demonstrates all the basics

I guess I was searching the wrong terms, I ended up buying the "Watch Tuner" for $10+ - the Lite version is $4+ - thought I might as well go for the full version - but honestly, it was quite disappointing

It simply doesn't work, tested it on a fresh eta 2804.2 which gains 6s/d - used the built-in microphones, used in earphone microphones, it keeps on reading -10s/d - tested it on a king seiko that gains 10s/d-ish - again, it reads negative values for that one too - tested different positions and everything, always negative values

Am I doing something wrong, or is it just a bad app?

 

[jdm]

41 minutes ago, kaan said:

Am I doing something wrong, or is it just a bad app?

You should get a timegrapher or equivalent app with an external microphone to diagnose and regulate mechanical watches. Have a read of the many existing topics on the subject.