I think that's normal behaviour, as it doesn't know the time zone the car is in - only the time zone that it's picking up the signal from +++

Does this work in the US? Are the parts still available? Looks like we can't even order 4D0919145A here in the US.

I think USA and UK transmitters use 60KHz whereas Germany (covers much of Europe) is 77.5KHz.
Presumably the Audi units we buy in the UK are 77.5KHz so pick up from Germany. Explains my reset clock time too, Adrian. ;)

Ordinary wall clocks sold in the UK will presumably pick up the 60KHz UK transmitter which is now at Anthorn in Cumbria, no longer Rugby.

With a very long aerial it might ;)

There's a list of the different transmission systems in each country here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_clock

In the UK, the original Audi receiver gets its signal from Germany I believe, presumably 'DCF77':
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCF77

.. which isn't ideal because the signal from Germany here is weak. I have considered designing a UK 'convertor' as a interesting little electronics project (if I ever get time). All of the information is readily available so it should be fairly straightforward to do. A US version should be equally straightforward to design.

I believe the UK time signal is transmitted from NPL (MSF):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_from_NPL_(MSF)
And it seems the US time signal is transmitted from WWVB:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WWVB

In theory, all you would need is either a WWVB (US) or NPL (UK) receiver, and a small microcontroller to perform the conversion. It should be quite easy to capture the output of an existing Audi receiver on an oscilloscope to confirm the code format, voltage requirements, etc and then work out how to emulate that, given a UK/US time-code signal.

For the time-code receiver part, there are numerous example circuits online and even some off-the-shelf kits available, for both the UK and US.




Edited to add: And if you're feeling really ambitious, you could design a receiver that is universal (or rather, 'global') by using a GPS receiver module as the time reference:
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/gps-basics/all

Or you could just move the time twice a year in March & October, must take no more than 2 minutes to do and even I can manage it :ROFL:

Did you ever try this? Sounds like a cool little "extra" to add to the car. Just because :).

I don't think there's the equivalent radio data stream available in North America.

Am I cool now as well?

https://i.imgur.com/Oo6GJ57.png
https://i.imgur.com/NoXmcU6.png

Me too. Fitted mine during it's four month hiatus from being on the road, and fitted as per Andrew's post above. I have the heated front windscreen and the default location(s) never seemed to work.

Mine's tucked in to the top of the dash moulding between some of the foam blocks that live in there. Hard to tell how well it works tbh because the car lives in a big metal box 90% of the time, so it takes a while for the module to sync when it comes out on day trips etc.

Mine would always sync when garage stored (but mine wasn’t in a Faraday cage!) so with a degree of signal blocking was fine. Think I had to pull the fuse once when it got confused and needed resetting

Well done @ronin for finding the OEM bracket - I suspect they’re even harder to find now than when I fitted mine!

I’ve heard that there is a ‘short cut’ to accessing the proper location for the radio clock. Is it documented anywhere?

That's the actual same oem bracket from post #1 of this thread :ROFL:

I don't see any shortcturs to do this right.

Cluster out
both transmission tunnel covers out
Glove box out
Driver side knee panel out
head unit out
climatronic out
vents out
Whole stereo cage out
Fit radio clock module
connect clock module to cluster
cluster back in
put everything else back in

The only shortcut is to not put it in the oe location.

Cluster out
Tuck it in the top of the dash with the foam pads
Cluster back in
:D

Good to see bits of Sergey’s car live on ��

Mine was fitted on Sergey’s drive on a Saturday morning - it wasn’t that bad if you knew (as Sergey does) how everything comes apart. I would’ve broken something doing it on my own, for sure!

I also have his heated MFSW, had his MFSW clock spring (which i melted) and i think i have his diesel engine under tay :ROFL:

I fitted my clock unit without taking the cluster out, as I already had the knee panel off: http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showpost....20&postcount=7

Just to confirm for A8 D2 cluster 4D0 919 035 AJ no coding should be required? Just plug in the module and wait 24 hours?

I have designed a converter module for the UK MSF signal, much as moltuae suggested back in post #224. A prototype is currently working successfully with my TT 8N test clusters on my bench.

I can’t seem to get my A8 D2 test cluster to pick up the time though. It just won’t power the socket. Either I have the cluster wired wrong on the bench, or there’s some coding I’m missing. A TT 8N cluster requires radio clock feature enabling on channel 19, and for ignition to be off before clock will receive power. VCDS is very sparse on info for the D2 cluster coding for anything though, in fact almost totally non-existent.

Edit: And to clarify, VCDS gives an error that there is no such channel as 19 if I try that on my cluster?

Some production modules for UK MSF to German DCF77 conversion are on their way from China. Should be here early next week. :)

IIRC, there is a coding change required here for the clock to work on the D2. It’s mentioned in one of Sergy’s posts somewhere, but I’m sure that Sean will be along soon with a link as he seems to be able to find anything!

Here we go:


From here: http://www.vagcom.org/modifications/...trolled-clock/
(I think that's in instruments)

VAGCOM / VCDS changes

go to module 17, adaption 10, channel 19:
xxxx0 = disabled radio controlled clock
xxxx1 = enabled radio controlled clock

so change the last number to 1.

I was still in the land of nod Jim! As to the relevant post, it's post #6.

In summary, adaptation channel 19, and change the lower bit from 0 to 1.

If you need more detail on channel 19, check out post #77, which lists what the various bits do.

As for getting the module to 'scan' for a time signal, post #71 goes into a lot of detail. Post #88 provides a shorter version.

In summary, set the clock to 02:58, lock the car and leave it for 15 minutes.

Yep, I already knew about channel 19. Thanks guys.

Problem is that my cluster gives an error for that channel...
https://navpoint.co.uk/ttforum/a8d2-17.png
https://navpoint.co.uk/ttforum/a8d2-17-19.png

No problems coding channel 19 on my TT 8N cluster. It has the same format as you mention for the A8 with the "units" digit of 0=off and 1=on for radio clock.

A8 D2 colour cluster, no dice though. :mad:
ERROR: Channel 19 Not Available

The documented options in VCDS are very limited for the 4D0 919 035 AJ cluster. There's no bubble help for the 07 coding (so no idea what any of those digits do), and the only documented channel in 17 adaptation is channel 3 "consumption correction".
https://navpoint.co.uk/ttforum/a8d2-17-03.png