Customer Reviews

La Crosse Technology WS-8157U-CH-IT Atomic Clock with Outdoor Temperature and Weather Forecast

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

For the month I've owned the clock did what it what it was suppose to do. Last week the outside temperature quit working. The outside sensor batteries were still fresh. Resetting the clock by pulling the batteries took about an hour for the clock to seek and set. Then I had to access the internet instructions to figure out how to reset the time zone. This is not intuitive. It is working again but I dread the thought of it acting up.

EDIT- IT ACTED UP AGAIN 6 days later. No outside temperature. I'm waiting for the clock to 'find' the temperature remote that is sitting only 3-inches away.

I bought this clock approx 4 years ago and it recently began to fail, so here I am shopping for a replacement. Initially I had a lot of problems with the temperature sensor (but according to reviews, on every single one of these products the outdoor sensor is rubbish.) Some days the outdoor temp would read fine and some days it wouldn't - mostly it worked pretty well and I was happy with it once I found a spot where the outdoor sensor worked. In the past 3 months, however, the clock has been failing to sync and the time goes off for no reason. The temperature sensor has been registering less and less as well. A change of batteries did not help.

So - I love atomic clocks, love having an outdoor/indoor temperature sensor but wish this one had a longer lifespan. It's also hard to believe that NOBODY can make an outdoor temperature sensor that works properly and is weather resistant. It took something like two weeks of experimentation to find the right spot out of direct sun, protected from rain, and in enough direct line of contact with the clock. Also, Radio Shack sometimes carries the sensors so don't pay big bucks to buy one over the net and pay for shipping....

****Updating my review after almost two years****

October 11, 2010

My search for a new clock led me here for a purchase http://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Technology-WS-8418U-Atomic-Digital/dp/B0016MYATS/ref=pd_bxgy_k_img_b

and I've been very happy with this clock. I've not had one instance of problems with the temperature sensor.

on July 17th, 2009 a La Crosse Atomic Clock model 8157U-CH-IT from Amazon, and received it on or about the 25th. After trying to get it to register the outside temperature for a week, using new and different brands of batteries in the clock and the outdoor sensor and having no luck I contacted LaCrosse. They said it was probably due to the batteries and sent me instructions for restarting the clock. I told them I had the instructions and had tried everything they mentioned. They said they would send me a shipping label to return the clock as it was still under warranty. I returned the clock at my expense and then about 10 days later received it back and it was not my clock, but a different model. I contacted them and they send me another shipping label to mail this clock back. After about two weeks I received my clock back and it still did not work. I tried for two weeks to get it to work and then gave it to my daughter to try at her house and she also took it to her cabin to try. Finally I gave up and e-mailed LaCrosse and told them that I was very unhappy and would not use their products again. I never heard back from them,

I have had this product for about 3 months, in that time I've had to reset the connection between the remote sensor and the unit 3 times. This is not an easy process, the sensor is outside (obviously). You have to take the batteries out of both the clock and the sensor, then put them back in (first the sensor then the clock). Takes me a good 20 minutes each time (and on one occasion I had to repeat the whole thing twice). Then after a week they lose contact again! It's a good-looking clock, but essentially worthless to me as a way to know the temperature outside.

The atomic clock and temperature gauge is very large in size. Great for someone with poor long distance eye site. Keeps time well and works well while it lasts. Unfortunately, I've experienced about a maximum two year life span with the two other La Crosse clocks and temperature gauges I've purchased. These products simply don't last very long. I bought this one as a gift for my father who operates a farm. He seems to use it a lot.

This product is wonderful! Easy to set up, and I love being able to see both the outdoor and indoor temps. Looks great too!

I bought this clock and it looks great and WORKED well for a while. The outside temperature stopped displaying. I followed the instructions and changed the batteries. No help there. So I foolishly bought another remote transmitter and installed it as per the instructions. No help once again. I got on the LaCrosse web site and sent them an email. That was over a month ago. No response. Before you buy ANY LaCrosse product I suggest you go to the Better Business Bureau at bbb.org and see what THEY think of this company.

This unit is impossible to read at an angle. The LCD screen is old-school; you have to look at it almost dead-on to read it. It also has a hard time tuning in the atomic clock to reset itself each night. I was unable to mount the unit on the wall where I wanted it because it can't find the atomic clock signal each night. I had to mount it on a wall 90 degrees to the left of the wall I wanted to mount it on. All in all a real disappointment.

I purchased this from amazon. First bitter experience through amazon purchase. I bought this for my new house. Opened the package only after moving there - after 2 months from purchase. Used new duracell batteries. No display. Not even able to use with the manual setting.

Contacted customer service. Asked me to pay the shipping (which costs $10.40) and return the item. After going through similar reviews I thought it will be waste of money because nobody received a working clock back.

Bought a Sharp atomic clock from ebay for $20. Receives signal very fast and working flawlessly.

If you just want to see the time. This stuff is ok. It looks ok in appearance.

If you count on it for temperature or weather forecast, don't be silly. This item can't even tell the correct temperature of my house. Usually it was 3 degrees different. Let alone the outside.