Customer Reviews

Chaney Instruments Thor Large Display Alarm Clock

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Original Review 2007:
What a great surprise! I ordered this simply to have a clock in the bedroom that could be read in the dark without glasses... and that is exactly what I got, but much much more! I plugged this guy in and it showed the correct time! Checked the instruction pamphlet (actually printed large enough to read!) and found that this clock will automatically keep up with the correct time and automatically reset for changes to daylight savings and back! This is great for me because we have a lot of clocks and getting them all changed twice a year is a real chore... especially the ones that require two buttons pushed at once or whatever. I've been buying expensive atomic clocks simply to get rid of this problem, but this one is MUCH better than an atomic, where you have to diddle with getting good reception and then wait while it updates... sometimes overnight! This little guy is programmed for all time zones, just flip a well labeled switch on the back to select yours... not a menu, a good old switch that you just have to change one time! What a great invention... I hope all clocks will adopt this system. NO worry about power outages, no problems if you're moving... just unplug it and plug it in at your new location... it kept time while it was unplugged!

And as far as being readable in the dark, the numbers are so big it's almost scarey when you look at it at night... 10 STARS!

I'll get back with an update if I discover any problems or failures.

UPDATE after one year of use.

1. This clock has never failed to show the correct time and has never failed to alarm properly, even in my rural area where power blips are a norm.
2. One reviewer says there's no way to change the time if it's wrong... that's INCORRECT!
3. One reviewer can't figure how the clock knows what time it is... well obviously it's set initially in the factory... but probably the reviewer was just joking. It is set up and maintains its settings with a small battery which is rated "up to 5 years" durability.
4. Another reviewer pulled the batteries and says this ruined his clock... can't imagine why he'd pull the batteries in the first place, but I do know there are instructions for doing this. Do note that the clock itself is the plug-in type... it only uses the battery to power the memory/setup chip.

After a year of use, this is still my favorite clock and I get mad every time I have to change batteries on my Atomic Clocks because they are such a hassle and I paid over twice as much for them. This is the one to buy. I am looking for Chaney to come out with one that can show me the outdoor temperature as well and I'll scrap all my junky atomics.

This has a large display and is therefore easy to see even with the unaided eye. I don't need the clock as an alarm so I can't rate that function. Also, I don't know if the DST feature works since no DST date has passed yet. But if you want an easy to use and easy to see clock, this is it. I just ordered two more.
A peek at the instructions tells how to set the time manually if you so wish, and also how to change the batteries. Instructions are wonderful things.
Since there are two dimensions for the clock on Amazon web page just let me clarify: dimensions are 3 1/4"H x 7 1/8"W x 2 3/4"D. So a pretty small footprint.
This is not to be confused with an "atomic clock". There are no radio signals and the clock operates on house current with battery backup and resets itself after a power interruption.

UPDATE 3 MONTHS LATER
I did buy two more clocks for a total of three. All kept accurate time and changed day light savings time correctly.

This is a well designed clock that performs very well as advertised.There is a simplicity to it that makes it very easy to use.The set it and forget it is a very nice feature.Having said all this I prefer another model they make that has green numerals and a dimming switch, as the above model with red numerals is quite bright, although very easy to read at night. The green numeral clock does not have the set and forget feature. The green numeral clock also does not have the blinking second dot which annoy some people with the red numeral clock. All in all both clocks are very good and easy to read at night.

They did say 2" display. I just didn't think much about it. Should have.

I rated it 5 stars 'cause it's everything they said. It's not their fault the BIG display causes a distraction if it's near the "line of sight" to a TV, window, whatever.

I had it on a shelf, about 4 feet above the tv. I moved it..the clock. The blinking light draws your eye to the movement as does the very large display.

Be great in the sleeping area since your eyes are usually closed. And, if half groggy you'd have no problem seeing the time.

But, consider the placement of this clock. I didn't get it for the sleep area but will use it there and get another clock for the Mantle. One not quite so large, blinky and bright.

This clock has nice features and I do not regret my purchase. Taking into consideration it's placement, I could recommend this clock for purchase.

I love the clock. I bought it to replace one I had at the end of our family room that had digital numbers that were 5/8" high. Even with new correct prescription glasses, I was having trouble reading the numbers on the old digital clock.

This clock, NO PROBLEM! I could read these numbers half a football field away. However, I found after a couple of days and evenings, there was something about the clock that was annoying me. At first I couldn't figure out what it was. Then I realized what was bugging me. It was the constantly flashing colon. It seemed so domineering. It was like it was demanding your attention. There's no way to turn it off. But I found a "work-around" and what a difference! I trimmed two small pieces of black electrical tape and very carefully put them over the colon so the colon disappears and you can still see all of the number segments just fine. Now it is great! Not nearly as intrusive. Maybe the flashing colon won't bother you, but if it does, now you have a solution. I am very happy with it now!

I enjoy the Chaney Instruments Thor Alarm Clock that I purchased in December, 2007. The large numbers are easy to read from anywhere in the room, and I can always count on having the right time. The alarm clock I used before this purchase would stop working if the electricity went off briefly in the night. This clock not only comes back on, but it resets itself to the correct time. I consider it a very smart purchase.

I bought this clock after looking for an Atomic clock you could read in the dark (no luck there) and reading the reviews here on Amazon. I just received my clock yesterday and I must say it is everything they claimed. It showed the correct time when plugged in, and had simple switches on the back to set the time zone. It's also apparently an alarm clock, but I don't need that functionality.

The only comment I can add is that the display is HUGE and BRIGHT. If it were in a bedroom at night you might not want it too close to your pillow. There was no dimmer that I could find.

Like the other reviewers, I find Atomic clocks are generally a nuisance, but with all the power outages at my house I thought I had no alternative. But this clock meets all my needs and is a very pleasant surprise.

I've had this for over a year now. A magnificent clock. No problems at all. If our power goes out... It still has the correct time when the power comes comes back on. Power glitches don't mess it up. Mine came with a precise time-set function, which means if the clock's preset time is off, it can be easily corrected. I adjusted the time once in the beginning to fine tune the minutes so it would coordinate with the TV set. It's a good thing to have a Set & Forget clock. Automatically deals with Daylight Savings Time. With it's large 2" red LED numbers I'm able to see the time again. Perfect for older folks like me who have problems reading small numbers.

I bought this as an ALARM clock. I was sitting on the edge of my bed wondering why my new alarm clock hadn't gone off when I realized that it was going off. I had to pick the clock up just to be sure. This alarm is a joke. I have heard louder watches than this clock.
Beautiful big numbers and nice features, but if you want to wake up skip this clock.

Okay, this clock has some nice features. It has a beautiful display, and it will adjust for DST...BUT there are two things that I DETEST about it. 1). You can NOT accurately set it!! NO NO NO. Sure, the directions tell you how to manually adjust the hour and minutes, but there is no way to reset the seconds. Mine is always 25 seconds off. Nothing you can do about it. Call me a geek (you're not the first) but when I set a clock, I set it against WWV or another atomic clock. I want it accurate. 2). The colon between the hours and minutes NEVER STOPS FLASHING. If the display weren't so big and bright, this might not be so distracting, but it really bothers me. Lucky for me, I have a perfect place for this clock in my house...in the guest bedroom. I can see the time when I walk by, but I never enter this room. Maybe my friends will like it!!

UPDATE: 5/24/11: I've had this clock for over 2 years now, and I'm starting to really like it. Whenever I travel, I plop it into my carry-on bag, and as soon as I plug it back in...poof...it has the (okay not exactly) correct time. When I first got it, it was always 25 seconds slow, but it runs a little fast. It gains about 1 second per month, so right now it is within a couple of seconds of being exactly correct. Of course in two more years, it will be 30 seconds off again, but because of the large beautiful display, I can live with this.