New Retro Models - segment display

[LEDWatchStop]

I love the Nepro! Thanks for posting the link. We are going to come up with some renderings soon so we have some choices. I am starting to lean towards a new style case with retro flavour. Although retro reproductions are great..and maybe a safer bet...I am starting to lean towards a new style with retro influence.

Funny story....we made a Pulsar replica about a year ago for the dot matrix module..and megalaser released his Pulsar rep (Space) the same week that we received our case samples. The darn thing was almost exactly the same!! Rather than run the same style case..we decided to scrap the project.......... Anyone need a pulsar style mould? :wink:

Cars, cars, cars......I love em. Speaking of the chrysler 3000 ...have you seen the magnum? I happen to have a vintage Lotus Esprit for sale right now. It is sweet...... www.collectorcarstop.com/lotus

Troy

[Seer Taak]

I love the Esprit, it' one of those classic designs, and with a James Bond connection as well. It still amazes me how they squeeze that much performance from a 4 cylinder, 2.2 engine, it's almost environmentally freindly by other sports car standards.

[LEDWatchStop]

I think anyone driving an esprit should be wearing a drivers style led watch. Such beautiful wedge lines. The Turbo on the Esprit is awesome....lots of kick for a 2.2.

Troy

[retroleds]

Back to "the thread"..
Just received the ZX1 carried by megalaser - very dissappointing that display IMO, the short segements used for a "1" make it look like something is wrong with the display, particularly in 24 hour mode "13" looks more like ":3"...pulled out an "Adidas" for comparision - brighter, but same problem. Sad that nobody can put out a nice,crisp 6 digit display like on the late model real Bulova sideviews with Day of Week, and Time with running seconds while the time is showing.

[collector]

My point exactly - these new"NEW" modules just cannot compare to the "old" ones from the '70's!!!!!

I know = "its too expensive to make a "MODULE WITH FEATURES SUCH AS SECONDS, ALARMS, ETC" 35 + years after the the first ones were introduced"!!!! Imangine if all modern electronics followed the path of these modern modules - we would all be talking on strings with paper cups attached!!!!

All I have to say to the manfacturers of these "NEW" modules is:

KEEP YOUR "modules" AND I'LL KEEP MY MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!

[retroleds]

I bought two different NOS Bulova drivers with the 6 digit display from Uli Sick about a year ago, and he told me,"keep those for long term, and sell any of the other ones as you get them". Good advice, a display like that is hard to beat....the crispness is almost freaky compared to the new ones. I'm with you collector, these new displays are a big step back. Frankly, the only way I see them helping the LED market is that new collectors, upon seeing a nice vintage display will be totally blown away. I personally can get over the seconds being gone, but a murky display just underscores the fact that my eyes are getting old - shouldn't these be tailored to the "ageing baby-boomer" market, if we are the ones buying most of them?.

IMHO, every Mp3 player in our house(cheap ones at that) has a better looking display!

I was thinking about sticking one of these new modules into a dead Synchronar, but I think I'll go with an old Bulova's guts, if only for the display.

[LEDWatchStop]

I agree...we would love to see a new module developed. The last big batch came from the electronics giant..Sharp. The devil is in the details..and in this case..the devil is in the IC. A couple years ago the minimum order was something like 100,000 units. A lot of the recent releases of Modern/Retro LED watches may be remnants of the Sharp raw materials.

Troy

[LEDWatchStop]

Sure..that has to be true. The emergence of the basic modern LED module helps to drive and perpetuate the appreciation and as a result the new interest in collecting. You would be amazed to know how many young people buy them and tell their friends. Then.....as an added bonus..their babyboomer dad says "Yeah...cool ...I had one way back when. Get me one too"

Troy

[retroleds]

Troy:

Sorry if this seemed like a beat down... we understand that no company is stepping out there in a big way and giving us anything better in an LED. I've done some preliminaries into the module design and it is damn expensive...even a $100k probably wouldn't get you the first 1000 pieces of what we are hoping for - and that's just for the electronics! It all comes down to dollars.

Funny you should mention SHarp...I just worked on a Sharp Day-of-Week LED. Hot Damn if that thing isn't bright!!

[collector]

Totally agree with Little1up about the Bulova Sideview. I have 2 (both goldtone) in totally mint condition and they were / are my favorite LED's. The display is great, the module features are great, you can change the batteries by unscrewing the caps, the design is still forward looking, etc, etc.

Because I liked the design so much and did not have a silvertone one I decided to go with the Adidas Sideview (broke my seconds rule). This was a totally bad decision on my part. The display stunk, the buttons were not right - why push the rear button to display the time and the front button the day?? Would have made more sense to reverse them. Etc Etc as to why I did not like this watch. I ended up selling it at a loss just to get rid of it - I did not even want it in my house!!!!

The lesson I learned was not to go with something new / of a lesser quality than what I really wanted!!!!!