Inside a large "3D" digital clock.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- This is a very smart looking clock, and unusually for a generic eBay product it's actually got a good sensible interface with just enough features to make it useful.
That includes easy time setting and an alarm that is easy to disable.
Unlike many other clocks it doesn't display lots of random things like dates and temperature, although some can apparently display temperature. Instead it just displays the time all the time just like a clock should.
The construction also looks good, with a totally unexpected way of driving the display to avoid any flicker at all. The unit is powered by a 5V USB power supply, and draws very little current. Low enough to consider using the clock at events or as part of a costume with a USB power bank. (It would have to be the type that puts out 5V all the time.)
There is a hidden screw.... I broke it. No great deal, it went back together again OK.
Here's a generic eBay search link:-
www.ebay.com/s...
Target price is around $12.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
www.bigclive.co...
This also keeps the channel independent of TH-cam's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
Here's a link to my setting-guide video for this clock:-
• How to set your 3D LED...
I love these LED related vids
I always find them enlightening.
Love this clock. Have it next to my TV so I don't stay up too late, very easy to see in the dark!
My computer notifies me when it's bed time (12:30). So I'm usually in bed by 2am.
Via central heating, bedroom rad comes on 12:00(-01:30) and turns off when room up to temperature (24°C) (Stat set at 18)
"Should that be making scrunching noises?"
Well, it's a BigClive vid, we'd be disappointed if it wasn't.
That black hole maybe for temp sensor, I have this clock and mine shows the room temperature, keep up the good work Clive
If yours does temperature, does that mean you have the LED Clive is missing? For a decimal point in the temp?
That looks and sounds right. I was thinking as a second tick indicator. But I thinking you are correct.
its for remote control receiver. some of them have remotes. also some of them label that as TEMP. so it must also house the sensor.
@@tubejoust I have one with a temp sensor and can confirm that when on bright setting it reads 2 degrees higher than when on dim setting. When on dim it's about right, give or take a degree.
I put my finger into the black hole.... It was warm.
So yeah, perfect place for a temp sensor.
Lens - Autobrightness?? Unpopulated LED in the middle - decimal for temperature display?
The decimal could also be for a price display.
Or, more clocky, a decimal for 100ths of a second on a stop watch
I have had one for a year and it alternates between time and temperature. It also auto dims which is what the window will be for on different models.
I've had one of these (but white) on my office wall for 2 years now. I love it.
I have this clock in that big size as you have in the picture. You bought the small model, they have multiple sizes.
Where from
@@CrazeUK ebay, obviously
I have the large green Clock in my garage its great!
Remote controlled model = www.aliexpress.com/item/32898580496.html
Large 17" model = www.aliexpress.com/item/32534507831.html
Jumbo 26" model = www.aliexpress.com/item/32496237492.html
I have 2 different variations of the one in the video, one has a thermistor and I believe the extra dot is to indicate temperature mode. They're both so bright even in dim mode I had to cover the digits with tinted film.
@@WaffleStaffel The photoshopped picture with the couch shows the 26" version is as long as the couch.
What I hate is when they lead you from site to site for a data sheet, then want to charge you for it. That really makes me mad.
Electronic autopsy great to watch - Does the PM led light when we need a new Prime Minister?
It burned out years ago then...
It would be permanently on, and flashing!
For some reason from the thumbnail I was thinking and hoping it was a flip-disk style mechanism.
Ohh, I was considering one of these recently. Thanks for the upload, BigClive.
The one downside I see with that constant current intensity regulator for the LEDs is that the brightness might modulate depending on how many segments are lit.
Veraxis Indeed. Something needs to adapt the current selection to the number of lit segments. So either the regulator can be set to 28 different currents or there's a dummy load with 28 values, or it's actually multiplexed to light one segment at a time. Note 28=7+7+7+6+colon.
Lol, this so weird, I was just looking at these for Xmas presents..it looks good, though smaller than I thought!
Now, the question is, will you still it after realising the it is smaller than you thought? 🙂
I just read, below, that kickassdate says that they do offer a larger size.
@@busog97641 ooh, will look at them again, and decide! 😁 ♥
I have a clock like this in my room and I’ve always wondered what it looked like from the inside. Thank you for the amazing video!😁👍🏼
The lens could be for auto light level. A very useful feature. I bet it's really over bright at night.
It most definitely is. In its dimmest position, it lit the room up almost well enough to read by. I've got two layers of 5% window tint film on it so it doesn't keep me awake at night.
I’ve got the red version on my bedroom wall, it’s really good. The lowest brightness setting is too bright though. I put blue translucent film on the front to dim it more.
same here - If anyone knows a way to dim it down further electronically: I'm listening (I will try the blue film on occasion, too - it just disn't cross my mind to put blue film over a red clock).
J K I thought the blue would effect the clock colour as well, but the red stayed the same. It just dimmed it. I just used what I had laying around. An electronic alteration would be great.
Changing the resistor R9 for a higher one should dim the leds.
@@jk9554 change that common resistor he points out for all the LEDs. make it slightly larger resistance. a trimpot in series would make it adjustable but i don't think i've seen trimpots that low in resistance.
Blue LED light is allegedly the worst for sleeping.
I tested a red-amber-ish and a green one as backstage clocks a few times. Either one works okay, but the lack of seconds makes them of limited use, for backup, or for anything not too important. For serious time-keeping, better set up a Pi or something with an expendable TFT screen. Gets you seconds, networking and communication, VESA bracket mounting … the lot.
I'm just going to probe the colon, hold still please sir! Pure gold Clive
The closeup on the chip was very nicely focussed (at 9:06). The device you used for recording on was very good, both for sound and camera.
I have this clock, bought for six quid from a Facebook Marketplace seller. All seems ok except that on those two left hand numerals, ie the hour digits, the bottom right little white bars will suddenly change to very bright without any prompting, and will only revert to normal if the whole clock is twisted, when it will click and those two pesky bars revert to normal. I either twist it or tap it smartly on my knee. When these two bars illuminate so brightly the clock is useless as you cannot tell the hour. It's a shame as although it cost so little I had hoped it would be as good as it is in the videos and adverts, so am a bit disappointed. I bought it as a working item, but cannot be bothered to drive back to return it to the bloke, who surely was aware of this fault. Ah well, a lesson bought is a lesson taught, or whatever. Thanks Clive fr another really good mini documentary.
It might be worth looking at the PCB for a solder bridge near those LEDs.
@@bigclivedotcom Great idea, thank you Clive! Something's -joining the dots where it wasn't meant to.
It's very strange that having an ADC in the microcontroller, the developers of this clock didn't implement automatic brightness control based on ambient lighting, measured by an LDR or a photodiode.
That is my thought as well, and possible what the opening was for. Is there a more expensive version?
I have one of these, I took mine apart and fitted some green window tint to the panels, as even on low, it's still chuffing bright! Great clock though, very happy with mine. Oh, I also broke that post as well, no biggy.
a non multiplexed display cool
Originally these clocks came with a Infared remote control, hence the space for a ir led
Yep. The bigger versions have remote control too.
you can get quite a good phone like a galaxy s7 which is a few years old on ebay for very cheap like $80, and the cameras the galaxy S lineup is great. the google pixel phones also have been known to have really good cameras, especially at night.
I wonder if that chip has code in flash or in ROM? The 'data sheet' said it had both, and also had the magic number 8051 on it, so the CPU's completely standard. It'd be interesting to try and reverse engineer and reprogram. There are some interesting looking test points near the CPU which might be worth investigating.
That clock would would look incredible in a magic mirror :)
I'm partly blind, ......................that looks a good size to see
That black hole gives me the feeling of a hidden camera maybe? I used to work with a guy who used spy cameras for "work" reasons 😂 and that space you could easily install an IP camera in it with a little bit of modding but yer gives me spy vibes but it could be a temp sensor
The little dome might be for an optional auto-dimming circuit...some of the other listings have that feature advertised.
Yes, also I assume that extra LED is used to perform that, because despite what it's made to do, LEDs technically produce a voltage when exposed to light since they are really the same thing as solar panels, I assume they measuring the voltage of that led to sense the amount of light around the clock
Very nice clock thing!
Celsius to Fahrenheit mode -> (how to change) > PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
The person that designed that is a clever clocks.. sorry clogs :)
Hmm add a connector that taps on to the leds and feed that to mains triacs, large bulbs for a massive clock of epic proportions.... Or don't bother as it's old hat lol :-D
How about LED strip lights, use the 1.5M ones and you would have a decent sized clock!
@@dglcomputers1498 Nah live my childhood out, fluro fixtures where too expensive, but do a giant fluro clock, you know with the 3 ft fluro tubes? :D 6ft high 9 ish ft wide
The MCU seems to be 8051 compatible? Seems like a nice capable chip with lots of IO options.
In ham terms your audio is 5/9, Q=5 and signal = 9. Keep up the good work!
Now I know they are on eBay I might get one to shove a esp8266 in it for NTP reasons
I would love to find a cheap LED clock like this, but with a GPS chip in it so that it always has the correct time (with a way to select timezone or GMT offset).
If not GPS, there might be versions with the radio controlled time function out there (make sure it supports the frequency used in your area) - seems to be many variations on this style of clock just looking on eBay
12:12 Probing the colon.
Oh you.
@@Anvilshock XD
Kinda inevitable for this joke to happen on a Big Clive vid.
The hole in the plastic could be for a version of the clock with light sensor, so the brightness would be automatically adjusted.
Now I'm *really* intrigued what would happen if you populated those unpopulated LED locations. Perhaps the lower one flashes secret messages in morse code?
They're to use it as a numerical display instead of a clock. Bottom center one is a decimal point. 99.99 instead of 23:59
@@PsRohrbaugh Good point
that is what I use in my studio, looks awesome behind a vented rack panel !
I have a clock like this that I use when I'm stage managing live stages so the artist can see what time it is at a glance, it's very useful.
Those 2512 0R resistors are so handy when doing one layer metal clad PCBs!
And their other use as fuses in cheap Chinese products.
i wish more of these would use Radio Clocks
That would be nice.
I have one of these in front of my television and there does appear to be a light sensor which seems to be affected by my TV screen so it dims and brightens in tandem with my television depending on what I am watching and how bright the screen is...
Yeah, I was thinking that would be the reason for that opening, and the component that is missing on his was for a photo-sensor. I just bought two of these, and in the description, it has a night mode where you set the on and off time for this mode, where it will dim the light for part of the day. Yours must have this sensor and I assume you don't have to set this time span.
It is quite annoying to be honest but I like it where it is so what can you do apart from black tape over the sensor
Seems to be various control and sensor options on these if going by eBay listings and what's said here in the comments.
Sensor or timed brightness, sound control alarm off/snooze, IR remote control, temperature...
On one there's a led for an alarm active indicator (showing 'AL') by the bottom right of the 2nd digit and a led to indicate 'degrees' by the top right of the 3rd digit (with the 4th showing F or C, so °F / °C
Another one has visible openings Kline for the :) under the lower dot if the colon (looks to match Clive's unpopulated led) as well as above left/right of the upper dot, for alarm on and PM
@@larrygall5831 There are various versions of this clock available. I think the one in this video is the more basic one that doesn't have the light sensor. As others have said, some have temperature readouts and light sensors as well.
It is a gate for the flashing when you’re changing the time.
You should show a teardown of a basic PC monitor, like a Dell. I've done a few of them. It's amazing how cheaply they're built. But the backlight along with the diffusion layers behind the LCD screen is amazing - gives a sort of 3D effect, like there's space behind the screen.
Sound is good
I briefly thought that maybe these were indiglo panels, but of course led technology is easier and cheaper these days.
Munching dinner watching this video 👍
samsung all the way over here! as long as the screen still captures your touches, you'll be good.
I think I'm gonna have to make a huge 7 segment LED clock, the XXXL ones that are available to buy seem unreasonably expensive considering how easy they should be to make.
I've had the white version since end of 2017. The colon LEDs looked dimmer than the rest, so I tried to take it apart to see why, but it wouldn't come apart so I gave up. Now I know it's because of the hidden screw. Kind of wish it could be modded for ambient autobrightness and atomic time sync.
It's a shame these clocks don't have seconds they'd make perfect NetworkSouthEast imitation clocks for rail nerds.
I bet the hidden screw is for mechanical stability when attaching/detaching the stand
I have made similar 3d printed clock with ws2812 diodes and atmega, it has light sensor so it dims at night, backup supercap power and it is only 2 minutes fast / 6 months :)
Uses a USB power supply but doesn't have a USB socket onboard. Bad show, designers.
Yeah, I was expecting a micro USB socket.
That's a deal-breaker. I know I could mod it, but it's not worth the effort.
There's no need to include an RTC chip on a clock. It's very trivial to set up an interrupt timer to generate i.e. a 100Hz (or some other useful rate) interrupt, then just increment some counters to do your timekeeping. Usually I set the interrupt to 1KHz or so and do the LED multiplex refresh and timekeeping all in the same interrupt. This isn't so easy to battery back, but you could run the micro on both via diodes, and have the LEDs just powered by the DC in.
There's an optical illusion going on here. The unlit LEDs look recessed and the lit ones look flush to the front. At first I thought this was some sort of mechanical deal.
I wonder if the bubble on the case is for low light detection = auto dimming.
I thought the same thing but there's no LDR on the PCB itself and I didn't see a notation on the PCB for one.
That said the form is just a form and it could be for a different model altogether, or future proofing or an abandoned idea but the mold was already made.
I also thought about light dependent resistor, maybe the idea was scrapped but the mold was left as is.
Is TH-cam bugging out or did you really comment 2 weeks ago
@@zurkel1098 there's a lot more comments from two weeks ago.
Probably a Patreon thing.
@@zurkel1098 Patreon subscribers get early access to videos. Then, before publishing, the video owner can change the publication date.
The missing LED might be for a AM/PM indicator
Yes, LDO does mean a Low Drop Out voltage regulator
the sound quality is pretty good but it seems a little quieter and i dont think picks up the "boominess" of your voice quite as much. i had to raise my volume a bit more then usual
Here's the riddle I'm trying to solve with my "3D" clock right now... the first digit (leftmost) is displaying whatever number is displayed on the last (rightmost) digit. Could this be an issue with the "gating" transistor you were speculating about? Very curious... full disclosure: I bought it on the cheap from goodwill and had to repair some damage to the PCB done by the battery cover IIRC. I had to resolder several connections like battery/power wires and I recall it kind of spiraling with botched repairs before I finally got it working. I must have messed something up although it worked perfectly for about 6 months first 🤔. Great video, as always 👍
It sounds like there may be something bridging the digit drive lines. Could be a tiny whisker of solder or a rogue solder ball on the PCB between two pads or tracks.
Lol, Samsung for the win! Got a s7 myself & enjoying it! Could have gotten a s8 at the time but my gut said, "Never again buy newly made things! Wait to buy a new one when it's a year or 2 old, if you want a brand new, never used one!"
I've got one of these, it's not only a clock but also very good night light :D
I have three of these clocks...one with RED LED's, one with GREEN LEDs and one with white LEDs. Several of the segment leds on the white clock went bad after a year and are very dim to where you can't really tell what time it is, so I replaced it with a green LED clock. I use two of them on my monitor at work, one for local time and one set to UTC.
I think it could be used as a counter, with a remote to add points to the left or right , like a basketball score display, granted many possibilities but thats what popped in my mind as you disassembled it, big respect to the big clive up north thats why i spread the word on your channel, and as gizmo said "BRIGHT LIGHT" need to find the lighting technician... "CLIVE" lol
the day you posted this I watched it and before the video was over I had purchased one on Amazon.ca. arrived two days later. One problem though is that even on the lowest setting it is REALLY bright in the bedroom. Can you advise me on making it less brilliant other than throwing a towel over it?
If it's the same unit you could change the main display current limiting resistor for a higher value or just use a neutral density filter in front of the clock.
@@bigclivedotcom thank you Clive. I will employ a friend to identify the limiting resistor
"Colon" hahahahaha 😂
Clive's deep chuckle said it all
I bought one of these since Clive didn't seem to have anything negative to say about these in this video, and they look cool... be warned: it loses minutes per day; it's garbage.
Try swapping the timing crystal for a better quality one.
Legend! But can you do a kit build video you haven't done one in ages! Plus do a Q&A at the same time. :)
Coming soon.
The LDO is a Natlinear LN1138. google LN1138B362MR-G for the datasheet
Do you think that it could be made to read minutes and seconds? Change the crystal???
Silly me! When I first saw the display, I thought it might be using LED strips, shorter versions of the ones in your flamingo. LOL
Like the Cob ones?
I was surprised how flat they get the illumination with only 2 led's per segment. There are ones with pink digits available from some sellers :)
Bottom center LED is a decimal point to allow displaying numbers instead of time. If the far left LEDs and the center bottom one were populated, then it'd be able to display 88.88
If only it was radio controlled it would be really useful. I hate manually set clocks, they always drift out, not to mention BST.
+1 and with internal battery compartment it would be perfect.
That "8051" in the processor datasheet block diagram suggests that the actual programming might use Intel 8051 instruction set.
I noticed that. Many modern processors seem to be based around that older processor.
Try a Pixel? You can install custom roms, and use all sorts of camera apps
Hi Clive. Wondering where I might be able to find (ir not get the parts and get help to build) a LED/LCD ditital countdown timer? Something smaller, not for the use on a wall in a room, but something that I can use for a gaming or casino table, as a bit of a "time left to act". Ideally, Iy would be awesome to wire 2 or 3 built INTO the table, such as the playing surface and from the admin or dealer section, manually configure all clocks simultaneously to countdown. Any ideas on how I could achieve something like this? No player interactivity, no buttoms at the location of the time (wired and extended elsewhere) and also no audio/alarm required.
So if I were to wire-in a low value pot in place of R9, say 100 ohms, it should be possible to turn the brightness down further? - I have a green clock and its too bright at night even on its lowest setting..
Perfect timing as I've been looking for something like this recently!
I have some old utility components from a water utility that I would love to send to you but I can't find a mailing address.
bump, i wanna mail clive stuff too but im broke, he is cooler than dave jones for 1 reason, australia is on the bottom of the earth and all of the electrons fall out if you try to use electronics there
Email Clive and ask him if he wants them. Obviously the answer is probably yes, but it's understandable that he doesn't want everyone sending him random, possibly junk, electronic devices.
I should add, he's very good about reading and responding to email. So that's how you'd get his address. TH-cam comments are a bit of a mess to keep track of compared to email.
this in greece will set me back 120 euros !! 😳😵😞
νταν νταν
Why? Is the postage very high to Greece?
they are super cheap on Aliexpress.
I just ordered one of these after seeing it on one of your old live streams..... No clue what I'm going to do with it, as it will be competing with the waveshare Pico Pi based clock that I've also got on order, but it's taking forever to get here.
I wonder if the dome is for an auto dimming sensor for night use? Also, would the extra LEDs allow 24 hour display?
It does display time in 24 hour mode if desired.
Do you think this would be OK in humid conditions? I'm in southern Florida, and I'd like to put this outside, but it would never see rain.. there's an area out back that has an overhand that is 8' wide (around 2.5m), and beyond that is a screened in pool area. There's no way for it to get wet, but it's humid here. I was wondering if I should put some clear nail polish on the circuit board.
As long as it's not in direct rain it should be OK.
Wait, you said it’s 100 milliamps 5V consumption? Really O.o
Will Clive ever bump up to 60fps for that s m o o t h f l u i d movement on the new camera phone, I wonder
Possibly, but I'm still saddled with retro Internet connection speeds here.
LED61 could be an AM/PM or 12/24Hr indicator
wondered if the "window" was for an auto dim feature...….. maybe ???
AM/PM is done with LED 30, also while I agree with the windows use, my thought is that they were possibly using a normal led as a light sensor, since they do produce voltages when hit with light
It is bugging the hell out of me wondering what the purpose of LED61 is and would have loved it if you could solder one on the contacts so we could really find out.
Same, man. These cgi people dont know what proprotions and perspective is,
Ok. I NEED that screwdriver. Link?
@Против Глобал cool thanks.
I've re ently made such LED clock, but 1.2m WIDE, out of 5m of LED strip. Design is open-sourced, feel free to grab at github.com/Bougakov/wallclock/blob/master/README.md#firmware-for-the-clock-in-the-hallway-of-httpsch57ru. CAD files are also included: github.com/Bougakov/wallclock/blob/master/CAD%20files%20(plywood%20lasercut)/README.md#laser-cutting-layouts
My display kept turning off after 15 seconds, so I wrote and applied this procedure:
Using the DP-3 Display Mode (display remains ON after 15 seconds):
If digits turn OFF after 15 seconds, PERFORM MASTER RESET:
After removing backup battery, press a sharp object; e.g. paper clip, into the RESET hole.
Set clock to the correct 12/24 hr format, time, and DP-3 display mode and save.
Replace backup battery.
Display should now remain ON.
clear dome might be for auto dimming version / prototype
LED61 may be the AM/PM indicator
The white 8 segment overlays may be a cheap alternative to colored LED's as i think I've seen these for sale in colors other than white.
The window may be for a basic IR remote for color changing LED's? or to Program a countdown/count-up timer for an alternate model/PCB (Pure speculation)
Our local Poundland hasn't had those power banks in stock for ages :(
I would speculate that the display has the potential to show TEMPERATURE -- and the extra un-mounted LED would serve as a decimal point. Given which, the temp display must have been meant for Celsius only -- since more than 99.99 degrees could not be displayed.
Conceivably, the little window could be for a light sensor. That would allow the display brightness to vary with ambient light conditions.
Get a Nokia.