Where is TZ coming from?

PoP · 11-20-2011, 05:07 PM

Do you thing this is exact?

I think the time zone (located in /var/local/system/tz) is set when you initialy register the Kindle (based on "Your Kindle Account", "Country Settings") and is possibly also updated when you later synchronize.

I think that because one can only set the time from the Kindle Settings, Device Time menu, or alternately from a JB device, using the date and hwclock commands, or from synchronizing with a time server using the ntpdate command.

BTW, you can display the date and time from the home screen by selecting the first entry of a search for ;date. My Kindle has the correct time zone -- albeit without proper daylight saving time support -- and I don't recall ever setting it myself.

Matan · 11-20-2011, 06:33 PM

My kindle has a ridiculous timezone: GMT+01:18.

I also don't recall setting it, and I certainly did not set it to _that_.

I have no problem with unix programs, such as FBReader, since I set /etc/localtime correctly, but every reboot, the kindle sets /var/local/system/tz to GMT+01:18.

My country is set to Israel in the kindle settings on amazon.com.

geekmaster · 11-20-2011, 07:18 PM

The time information is also sent in 3G packets. If that information is used to set the time (like it is in cell phones) then perhaps a local cell tower has the incorrect time. On my kindle, the time and timezone can be viewed on Settings 611 Page 2 ( Home Menu Settings Alt-Y Alt-Q Alt-Q Next-Page> ).

NiLuJe · 11-20-2011, 08:25 PM

Like geekmaster said, I'm pretty sure it's based on the GSM/3G data, I've never had any issues when switching DST/TimeZones that spending a quick time with wireless enabled didn't fix (provided the local provider/tower doesn't suck too much). I can't remember if NTP is actually used on the Kindle by default, but it might be too.

PoP · 11-20-2011, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Like geekmaster said, I'm pretty sure it's based on the GSM/3G data, I've never had any issues when switching DST/TimeZones that spending a quick time with wireless enabled didn't fix [snip].

Experience might be better with GSM/3G data, but other than DST my wifi only device has no issue either.

teasonc · 11-21-2011, 12:06 AM

AFAICR (it is on loan to a friend) KKSO 3.1 (Wifi only) follows my wireless router's TZ.

I wanted this Kindle to be forced to UTC and it wasn't wanting to do so. I tried to define the router's TZ (and suceeded). Kindle followed nicely.

KDXG 2.5.5 needs 3G turned on prior to a forced menu restart and frequently gets set to Alaska time instead of EST5EDT.

KKSO3G 3.3 always gets TZ locally correct.

ryran · 11-21-2011, 09:16 AM

I can't speak to what teasonc said, but I know that my K3 gets its timezone set via 3g--I've never told it that I'm in Abu Dhabi (GST, i.e., UTC+4) but it knows. Since updating to 3.3 I've noticed the clock go bad a couple times, which is frustrating, but all I have to do to fix it is turn on 3g.

DustyDisks · 11-21-2011, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryran

I can't speak to what teasonc said, but I know that my K3 gets its timezone set via 3g--I've never told it that I'm in Abu Dhabi (GST, i.e., UTC+4) but it knows. Since updating to 3.3 I've noticed the clock go bad a couple times, which is frustrating, but all I have to do to fix it is turn on 3g.

Yes that is the way it is. The kindle clock is ether set by the user and have manual clock set turned on, or automatic, on your kindle. If you have automatic set time turned on when you turn on the wireless. The amazon servers use your information about where you live and maybe your IP address, to automatically sync your kindle to the local time.

lineage · 11-20-2012, 08:04 PM

In case anyone else finds this thread while hunting down timezones..

I also found my timezone was GMT offset by 3:02. This is an unregistered kindle 4 touch.

I connected over the USB net interface with ssh and tried the following;

I replaced the tz file with the one from my main linux distro (arch). I have a slight worry that its a much more complex file, but the kindle seems happy with it so far. Initially I just moved the tz file to tz.was and the time then looked to be in straight UTC.

I then used

Code:

ntpdate 192.168.15.1

to get the time from my connected linux machine then

Code:

hwclock -w

to write the time to the h/ware. Not sure if thats needed, but the hw time from

Code:

hwclock -r

was showing 1970.. At that point date returned a sensible time but the book reader still had the 3:02 offset. That seems to be stored in

Code:

/var/local/java/prefs/com.amazon.ebook.framework/prefs

There were 2 entires that had the offset in, device.tz.lasttz and the device.tz.ltosec which seems to be a seconds offset equal to 3:02. I edited the file with vi.

After that a reboot and all seems sane. At least for now.

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11-20-2011, 05:07 PM	#1
PoP curly᷂͓̫̙᷊̥̮̾ͯͤͭͬͦͨ ʎʌɹnɔ Posts: 3,021 Karma: 50506927 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: ♁ ᴺ₄₅°₃₀' ᵂ₇₃°₃₇' ±₆₀" Device: K3₃.₄.₃ PW3&4₅.₁₃.₃	Where is TZ coming from? Do you thing this is exact? I think the time zone (located in /var/local/system/tz) is set when you initialy register the Kindle (based on "Your Kindle Account", "Country Settings") and is possibly also updated when you later synchronize. I think that because one can only set the time from the Kindle Settings, Device Time menu, or alternately from a JB device, using the date and hwclock commands, or from synchronizing with a time server using the ntpdate command. BTW, you can display the date and time from the home screen by selecting the first entry of a search for ;date. My Kindle has the correct time zone -- albeit without proper daylight saving time support -- and I don't recall ever setting it myself.

11-20-2011, 07:18 PM	#3
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773670 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	The time information is also sent in 3G packets. If that information is used to set the time (like it is in cell phones) then perhaps a local cell tower has the incorrect time. On my kindle, the time and timezone can be viewed on Settings 611 Page 2 ( Home Menu Settings Alt-Y Alt-Q Alt-Q Next-Page> ). Last edited by geekmaster; 11-20-2011 at 07:23 PM.

11-20-2011, 08:25 PM	#4
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,506 Karma: 26047202 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Like geekmaster said, I'm pretty sure it's based on the GSM/3G data, I've never had any issues when switching DST/TimeZones that spending a quick time with wireless enabled didn't fix (provided the local provider/tower doesn't suck too much). I can't remember if NTP is actually used on the Kindle by default, but it might be too. Last edited by NiLuJe; 11-20-2011 at 08:28 PM.

11-20-2012, 08:04 PM	#9
lineage Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: kindle 4 touch	In case anyone else finds this thread while hunting down timezones.. I also found my timezone was GMT offset by 3:02. This is an unregistered kindle 4 touch. I connected over the USB net interface with ssh and tried the following; I replaced the tz file with the one from my main linux distro (arch). I have a slight worry that its a much more complex file, but the kindle seems happy with it so far. Initially I just moved the tz file to tz.was and the time then looked to be in straight UTC. I then used Code: ntpdate 192.168.15.1 to get the time from my connected linux machine then Code: hwclock -w to write the time to the h/ware. Not sure if thats needed, but the hw time from Code: hwclock -r was showing 1970.. At that point date returned a sensible time but the book reader still had the 3:02 offset. That seems to be stored in Code: /var/local/java/prefs/com.amazon.ebook.framework/prefs There were 2 entires that had the offset in, device.tz.lasttz and the device.tz.ltosec which seems to be a seconds offset equal to 3:02. I edited the file with vi. After that a reboot and all seems sane. At least for now.

11-20-2011, 06:33 PM	#2
Matan Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 39432 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	My kindle has a ridiculous timezone: GMT+01:18. I also don't recall setting it, and I certainly did not set it to _that_. I have no problem with unix programs, such as FBReader, since I set /etc/localtime correctly, but every reboot, the kindle sets /var/local/system/tz to GMT+01:18. My country is set to Israel in the kindle settings on amazon.com.

11-21-2011, 12:06 AM	#6
teasonc Member Posts: 24 Karma: 2082 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle DXG, Kindle Keyboard 3G	AFAICR (it is on loan to a friend) KKSO 3.1 (Wifi only) follows my wireless router's TZ. I wanted this Kindle to be forced to UTC and it wasn't wanting to do so. I tried to define the router's TZ (and suceeded). Kindle followed nicely. KDXG 2.5.5 needs 3G turned on prior to a forced menu restart and frequently gets set to Alaska time instead of EST5EDT. KKSO3G 3.3 always gets TZ locally correct.

11-21-2011, 09:16 AM	#7
ryran Connoisseur Posts: 79 Karma: 2718 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: Kindle 3G	I can't speak to what teasonc said, but I know that my K3 gets its timezone set via 3g--I've never told it that I'm in Abu Dhabi (GST, i.e., UTC+4) but it knows. Since updating to 3.3 I've noticed the clock go bad a couple times, which is frustrating, but all I have to do to fix it is turn on 3g.

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