Customer Reviews

Timex T436b Auto Set Alarm Clock Radio With Projection & Nature Sounds (Personal Audio / Clock Radios)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This clock is really nice. It has good radio reception, the adjustable Indiglo backlight for the display is clear, the projection feature is nice, and the speaker itself is good. This is why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. If you're like me, this clock isn't that good, if you're the opposite, then it may be 4 or 5 stars.

What bothered me were the backlight, the date, and the alarm. The backlight feature is a permanent setting when used, in the sense that it will be on or at that level of brightness all the time. I would have loved a separate setting that allowed the backlight to be turned on (push a button) and then it shuts off after 10-30 seconds for checking time in the middle of the night.

This clock keeps track of the date as well, however, if you set an alarm, it will replace the date view with the earliest alarm set. Since I wasn't expecting the clock to keep track of the date, this didn't bother me, but it didn't make sense to me to see the alarm time all the time.

The feature that drove me to return this clock, the deal breaker, is the Alarm itself. First, there is no actual alarm buzzer/beep sound. Second, the alarm sound used is the last setting you chose on the clock (radio/natural sounds/MP3 input) at the sound level you had it at. I can be a heavy sleeper, and the alarm on this clock does not increase volume over time or have it's own beeping sound independent of the radio, natural sounds, or MP3 input. Before sleeping, I like to turn the radio on for some music on a 15 minute timer, but this is with low volume; hence I could not rely on the alarm of this clock without sacrificing listening to the radio before I sleep.

I bought this clock for my daughter because she wanted the projection AND MP3 in. Great.

However, we quickly realized that our unit was broken, or these are just garbage.

Our first attempt to set the time was met with frustration. The buttons only work some of the time. Sometimes it will register a press, sometimes not, sometimes 2 or 3 presses. We decided we could live with that, since we didn't expect to be setting the clock or alarm that frequently.

I'm not really sure what is going on inside this clock, but it sure doesn't keep time. It's been anywhere from accurate to over 1 hour off in any given 24-hour period. Completely unreliable.

Our third issue is that the alarm doesn't seem to work at all, in any mode. It just NEVER goes off. I thought maybe we had the volume wrong, or set to MP3, but no... it simply won't trigger.

I'm hoping we have a bad unit because there are definitely some nice points about the clock:

* Both the clock face and projection are clear and easy to read.

* The clock face dims to a pleasant level for sleeping.

* The snooze button is large and easy to find.

* The sound quality is fine for a clock radio.

* The adjustable sleep timer is nice.

I am very picky about projection clocks and the way they project and this one is very bright on the ceiling, easy to turn on and off. I wish there were more sound options but that is ok. The sounds are very soothing. The display is nice and large and you can adjust the brightness of it. Love it!!

I'm surprised by the negative reviews about this clock. I have it for almost three years and never had problems with it.

This is very reliable, easy to use and accurate clock. It's not atomic, but I don't remember if I ever had to adjust it, and it's very easy to switch to DST. I like the fact that it stays illuminated all the time, you can adjust the brightness or turn it off.

The alarm sound is very good for me, the sounds are pleasant and loud enough, I've never missed one. Plus, you can connect an MP3 device if you wish.

My only minor complaint is that projection could be a little brighter and clearer. Other than that - great inexpensive clock.

This is a very "Mickey Mouse" instrument. It took forever to figure out how to set it up. Directions are not very clear. I finally got the time set, then couldn't get the date set. It's touchy and confusing. Also, it says on the box "digital tuning." I thought that meant you pressed a button and the radio searched and landed on the next station that came in the clearest... this is just a regular old wheel that you have to turn and hope you have landed on, and not overshot, the station you're looking for. I also thought I'd be able to set one alarm for radio and one for sounds, but both alarms have to be set for the same thing. I'm extremely disappointed. I paid around $30 for it and it's not worth $5. Don't buy it.

I ordered this product on September 30, 2009, and received it within a week. On November 6,2009, the clock no longer projected onto the ceiling, the Alarm Reset/Power Button did not work, and none of the alarm sounds or radio would work, hence no alarm clock. I missed the "30-day" refund policy by 2 or 3 days, so I am stuck with an alarm clock that does nothing except tell time. I rated the item with 1 star only because I was not allowed to give it 0 stars.

Projection is poor and blurry. Nature sounds are far from relaxing. Baby heart beat? Are you kidding me??

This clock replaces an earlier timex clock. The projection of time on the ceiling is a nice addition as is the MP3 playback through the speakers. Playing an audio book is ok but music and the clock's nature sounds suffer from the clock's poor sound quality,(very tinny).

Another inexpensive chinese product.

Got this a few weeks ago, very nice improvement from my old alarm clock. I must say I don't understand how the other reviewers failed to set it up or use it. It's an alarm clock, they make it sound like they tried to configure the space shuttle for launch in their reviews. It's simple and took me less than 2 minutes to do. Read the manual, don't read the manual, anyone could figure it out.

Features are very nice, projection, 3 mode dimmer for the clock-face, two alarms, line-in support for an mp3 player etc...

I was sold on the dimming clock-face, mp3 in, and projection features, all work very well.

People say this doesn't keep time, I've had no problems with mine, it has been accurate both in just keeping time, and in sounding the alarm each morning.

I'd say grab it if you can find it and aren't crazy specific about your needs. It's an alarm clock, if you need it to crank the volume after you nod off listening to it on low volume, have a timed dim so at 2 am when you wake up you can see that its 2 am, pitch black and not 6 am when you should have gotten up, or can't handle that it doesn't have preset FM/AM stations....get another alarm clock, its that simple.

No written instructions in box; I had to go the Timex website to get the manual. The radio can't get a clear station; it won't stay on the station I put it on. The speakers are so full of static that I can't hear anything clearly even though I put this radio in the same spot as my Sony Dream Machine, which never had a problem with reception.

Time was easy to set and alarm was easy to set but no matter how carefully I read and followed the instructions, I couldn't get the date to start blinking or respond in any way to the "Time Set" button. It refused to budge off of the preset "12-31" date that was on it when I took it out of the box and plugged it in. Followed the entire process 20 times; 45 minutes later the date still showed "12-31". By that time, in my mind I felt like taking the damned thing outside, smashing it on the sidewalk and sending a 3-word e-mail to the manufacturer (F...k you, Timex!!). I have nothing good to say about this piece of crap. I should have listened to all the bad reviews that I read on Amazon and other websites about how junky it is. I only bought it because my son insisted on having one that projected both time and alarm time and this one was the only one that I could find that did that. I found lots that projected time and date or time and temperature but he wouldn't consider those. Timex used to be a reliable brand; I don't know what happened but they should be horsewhipped for selling this garbage. This radio is also supposed to have 4 different sounds (ocean, forest, chimes and heartbeat). I can't get it to do anything but forest; tried about 10 minutes and gave up.

Please, save your money and buy something else. ANYTHING but this.