diff --git a/hardware.c b/hardware.c
index 37cc1b6..ef962bb 100644
--- a/hardware.c
+++ b/hardware.c
@@ -315,4 +315,9 @@ char mmc_write_protected() {
 void MCUReset() {
   *AT91C_RSTC_RCR = 0xA5 << 24 | AT91C_RSTC_PERRST | AT91C_RSTC_PROCRST | AT91C_RSTC_EXTRST;
 }
+
+void InitRTTC() {
+  // reprogram the realtime timer to run at 1Khz
+  AT91C_BASE_RTTC->RTTC_RTMR = 0x8000 / 1000;
+}
 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hardware.h b/hardware.h
index b54ba3b..c646ec4 100644
--- a/hardware.h
+++ b/hardware.h
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ void USART_Poll(void);
 
 void MCUReset();
 
+void InitRTTC();
+
+int inline GetRTTC() {return (int)(AT91C_BASE_RTTC->RTTC_RTVR);}
+
 #ifdef FPGA3
 // the MiST has the user inout on the arm controller
 void EnableIO(void);
diff --git a/osd.c b/osd.c
index 97b42ae..336023f 100644
--- a/osd.c
+++ b/osd.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ static int quickrand()
 #ifndef MIST
 	int r=*(volatile unsigned long *)0x80000c;
 #else
-	int r = (int)(AT91C_BASE_RTTC->RTTC_RTVR);
+	int r = GetRTTC();
 #endif
 	r^=(prev&0xc75a)<<4;
 	r^=(prev&0x5a7c)>>(prev&7);
diff --git a/usb/timer.c b/usb/timer.c
index 32f6fa1..a67d1d4 100644
--- a/usb/timer.c
+++ b/usb/timer.c
@@ -1,20 +1,20 @@
 #include "timer.h"
-#include "AT91SAM7S256.h"
+#include "hardware.h"
 
 // this is a 32 bit counter which overflows after 2^32 milliseconds
 // -> after 46 days
 
 void timer_init() {
   // reprogram the realtime timer to run at 1Khz
-  AT91C_BASE_RTTC->RTTC_RTMR = 0x8000 / 1000;
+  InitRTTC();
 }
 
 msec_t timer_get_msec() {
-  return AT91C_BASE_RTTC->RTTC_RTVR;
+  return GetRTTC();
 }
 
 void timer_delay_msec(msec_t t) {
-  msec_t now = AT91C_BASE_RTTC->RTTC_RTVR;
+  msec_t now = GetRTTC();
 
-  while(AT91C_BASE_RTTC->RTTC_RTVR - now < t);
+  while(GetRTTC() - now < t);
 }