Hexadecimal Time & Retro Formats Converter
Retro and embedded systems timestamp in unusual ways: Hexadecimal time (day split into 0x0000–0xFFFF), GameCube system time (seconds since 2000-01-01), and Lotus 1-2-3 serial dates (days since 1899-12-30, like Excel).
This converter renders your date-time in each retro representation for game preservation, emulator development and vintage data files.
Hexadecimal Time & Retro Formats Converter Quick Reference
| Format | Pattern / Description | Example 1 | Example 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hexadecimal Time | 0x0000 - 0xFFFF | 0xF000 | 0x5555 |
| GameCube System Time | Counter from 2000-01-01 | 839946600 | 820540800 |
| Lotus 1-2-3 Serial | Bug Compatible (1900 Leap) | 46247.6041666667 | 46023.0000000000 |
* Examples are rendered in UTC for the fixed sample instants above.
When to Use Hexadecimal Time & Retro Formats
Emulator & homebrew development
Generate GameCube/retro timestamps for save files and RTC emulation test vectors.
Vintage spreadsheet import
Decode Lotus 1-2-3 serial dates when reading 90s-era financial spreadsheets.
Creative coding
Use hexadecimal time as a compact, cool-looking clock for art installations and demos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hexadecimal time?
The day is divided into 0x0000 (midnight) to 0xFFFF units (one unit ≈ 1.318 seconds). Popularized by hex clocks: 0x8000 = noon.
What is GameCube system time?
Seconds since 2000-01-01 00:00:00 stored in the RTC of the GameCube/Wii. The converter produces the integer for memory dumps.
What is a Lotus 1-2-3 serial date?
Days since 1899-12-30 — the same convention Excel later adopted (hence Excel's 1900 leap bug compatibility).
How do I read a hex time?
`0x8000` = noon. Hours = (hex / 0xB60) roughly; minutes = remainder × 60/0x5DC. The converter does the exact math.
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