Syncbox

Syncbox is the ideal time synchronisation solution for industrial control networks and CCTV systems. The NTP/SNTP port provides synchronisation to a large number of devices, enabling secure and accurate timing across your network.

Synchronise industrial control systems, legacy CCTV systems and other third-party devices using the RS-232 and RS-485 outputs. With user-programmable outputs and support for more than 25 serial data formats, the Syncbox provides a flexible solution to your timing needs.

High accuracy timing of third-party equipment can be achieved via the PPS (pulse per second) output. Class leading performance provides a PPS accuracy of 1 µsec and jitter of 30 nsec.

• Everything in sync

  Enforce time-based policies, coordinate assembly lines, ensure your access control audit trails are maintained and prevent credential misuse.

• Regulatory compliance

  Meet strict timekeeping requirements. Provide accurate audit trails for regulatory reporting.

• Legal admissibility

  Guarantee your CCTV footage is correctly timestamped for legal admissibility and effective incident investigation.

• 30 nsec UTC accuracy

  Accurate to with 30 nsec of UTC when synchronised to GPS satellites.

• Security hardened

  Purpose built secure network stack. Only implements essential timing protocols.

• Legacy outputs

  RS-232 and RS-485 serial outputs to synchronise legacy equipment. High accuracy PPS output for precision timing.

• Firmware updates

  Free-of-charge firmware updates for the lifetime of your Syncbox.

• Five-year warranty

  Backed up by an industry leading five-year warranty.

• Lifetime support

  Unlimited free-of-charge technical support for the lifetime of your Syncbox.

• SYNCBOX-S
• SYNCBOX-N
• SYNCBOX-SN
• Ethernet timing LAN Syncbox-N and Syncbox-SN models have an Ethernet LAN port with NTP/SNTP support
• Security hardened network stack Syncbox-N and Syncbox-SN models incorporate a purpose built secure network stack
• RS-232 serial data output The serial port provides a serial time and date output at RS-232 signal levels. Data can be transmitted in one of 27 different data formats
• RS-485 serial data output The serial port provides a serial time and date output at RS-485 signal levels. Data can be transmitted in one of 27 different data formats
• Pulse per second (PPS) output The serial port provides a high accuracy PPS (Pulse Per Second) pulse at the second edge
• 30 nsec UTC accuracy When synchronised to GPS, the internal time count is accurate to within 30 nsec of UTC
• 32 satellite parallel tracking The high-performance GPS decoder design provides 32 satellite parallel tracking
• 5-year warranty
• Free-of-charge lifetime firmware updates
• Free-of-charge lifetime technical Support

Antenna Options and Accessories

A GPS patch antenna with a 3 m (9.8 ft) cable is supplied with your Syncbox. For optimal performance, we recommend mounting the antenna outdoors. We offer a range of antenna options and cables to help in installations where the standard antenna is not suitable.

Special Order Options

Special order versions are available offering extended temperature range operation, high voltage isolation outputs, non-standard power requirements, logic level PPS/PPM outputs, 19" rack mounting and a railway installation specific version. Please contact us for further details.

Typical Performance Specifications

• NTP timestamp accuracy:
• Typically within 30 μsec of UTC
• NTP client accuracy:
• Dependent on network architecture, utilisation, delays and jitter. Clients typically synchronised to within 200 μsec to 2 msec of UTC on a LAN.
• NTP performance:
• 5000 NTP requests per second
• RS-232 / RS-485 output accuracy:
• 50 μsec
• PPS output accuracy:
• 1 μsec
• PPS output jitter:
• 30 nsec

Supported Protocols

• Ethernet protocols:
• NTP v2 (RFC 1119), NTP v3 (RFC 1305), NTP v4 (RFC 5905), SNTP v3 (RFC 1769), SNTP v4 (RFC 4330), DHCP
• Serial protocols:
• More than 25 serial data formats

I/O Connections

• Ethernet connection:
• 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX auto-sensing
• RS-232 / RS-485 / PPS:
• DB-9 (DE-9) female D-Sub
• Setup:
• USB 2.0 (full-speed)
• GPS antenna:
• SMA (supplied with active patch antenna and 3m captive cable)
• Power input:
• 5V DC power input, supplied with external power adapter

Mechanical & Electrical Specifications

• Dimensions:
• 112 x 33 x 92mm (excluding removable wall fixings)
• Weight:
• 0.5 kg
• Power consumption:
• 0.5 AMPS (@ 5 VDC)

Environmental Specifications

• Operating temperature:
• 0 to 50 °C
• Relative humidity:
• 0 to 95%, noncondensing

Warranty & Support

• Warranty:
• 5 years
• Support:
• Free-of-charge lifetime technical support

Standards Compliance (v2 hardware versions)

• Safety requirements:
• BS EN 62368-1: 2024
• Emission requirements:
• BS EN 55032: 2015 +A1:2020
• Immunity requirements:
• BS EN 55035: 2017 +A11:2020
• Radio equipment directive:
• EN 303 413: V1.2.1 (2021-04)
• CE / UKCA:
• Meets all applicable directives
• RoHS:
• RoHS compliant

Literature

Software

Compliance Documents