Ending auctions early...

[digibloke]

I HATE IT when this happens...

http://cgi.ebay.com/TWO-MENS-MICROMA-LC ... otohosting

Either have a buy it now price or let it run. Grrrrrr.

[bruce wegmann]

I just looked at this listing, and it says in bold letters, right below the final price, "Auction Ended Early With Buy It Now". Seems like the seller was doing right thing... Personally, I dislike it when a seller ends an auction early to accept a private offer, but there are some very aggressive buyers out there, and money will always be the bottom line; I will content myself with being an accomplished sniper...

[digibloke]

Seems like the seller was doing right thing...

That rather depends on what he sold them for. I for one was going to be bidding high for these and there are almost always a couple of snipes on N.O.S early lcd's.

[Seer Taak]

They sold for $25 which was the Buy it now price. As the winner was one of our forum members - azimuth_pl - it went to a good home. If you are really keen on them digibloke, why not make azimuth_pl an offer! That was a hell of a good bid price though, I wonder if the seller had any idea what they had?

[digibloke]

The auction didn't have a "buy it now" - None of the guys auctions do. (If it had I would have bought them straight away).

I'm not sure that it was Piotr who got them (maybe he just bid before the seller got an off-ebay offer) but if it was then they'll be up and running in no time, so you're right about the good home.

[Led-Time]

I will content myself with being an accomplished sniper...

Here here...

[seikoric]

the auction didnt have a buy it now price at first you are right, what happened most likely was the buyer contacted the seller and said will you add a buy it now to the auction for $25,

This is why if i ever see an item i am interested i bid straight away (low at first) that way the seller can't make any edits such as adding buy it nows

Ric

[Seer Taak]

Me too, especially if it's poorly listed

[CompuChron]

Me too, but even with a bid the seller can withdraw his auction.

[seikoric]

Me too, but even with a bid the seller can withdraw his auction.

true but that way they have to do the sale outside of ebay which can be more risky

Ric

[azimuth_pl]

hi Folks,

correct! the auction didn't have a BIN for starters.
I asked the seller for a BIN and without giving him an offer he suggested ONLY 25$ :)
that's the story.
but we'll have to wait and see if these are working or not. however the boxes will cover the rest if these will appear to be junk.
I also do not know if they are DSM (dynamic scattering mode) or TNE (twisted nematic effect)?

[Seer Taak]

TNE hello! I've never even heard of that - is it anything like field effects?

[fronzelneekburm]

TNE is the "usual" LCD like it is used these days. DSM is a quite cool effect from the early days of LCD, i think it was Higgie who uses one as an avatar. Looks like negated, white numbers on black background.

Make me a good price if its working DSM ones! :D

[azimuth_pl]

will do.

someone invented these names ;)

TNE is field effect = I guess the name "twisted" comes from the fact that voltage changes the structure to a totally opposite one,

whereas DSM = "scattering" probably comes from the fact that you can actually see the crystals scattered in the segments = floating constantly like the surface of water in a stream (under magnification of course)

[rewolf]

TNE is the "usual" LCD like it is used these days. DSM is a quite cool effect from the early days of LCD, i think it was Higgie who uses one as an avatar. Looks like negated, white numbers on black background. ...

Yes, Higgie, and someone else too :wink:
It looks really nice, if it's appropriately lighted: a lot of light shining at it, but reflecting someting dark into viewer's direction (with the little mirrors that are under the digits) - it works outside on a bright day (sky deep blue = dark), but not on a cloudy day, and it doesn't work inside with good lighting and white ceiling (=office), or with overall poor lighting (=club, bar). IOW: in most situations readability is poor :(.

Scattering:
Active segments scatter the light, so they appear milky white.
Inactive segments are transparent, so you can look through them and see the little mirror below - you actually see what the mirror reflects. If this is something dark, it's ok. If it's white (like the active segments), you're doomed.
This can be seen very nicely here on Peter Wenzig's site (just compare the 1st and 2nd picture).
Their advantage is that they are easier to make, no polarizer films required.

But then, the Microma DSM looks different - again Peter has a nice example.

Twisted nematic on wikipedia.

[azimuth_pl]

poor visibility is a very light word :D it's crap! ;)
the difference between the Microma (Swiss movement if I'm not mistaken) and the Optel (USA) results from poorer quality of the Microma.
as you can see in the picture and in many others - the liquid crystals have turned yellow (aged) and in 90% of all cases the vacuum has disappeared from the display thus it's more difficult to find a reliable DSM Microma.
the Optel after 30 years is usually always milky/creamy white and has an additional metal protective cover around the display.
Optel also painted the excess surface of the display glass with black paint so that you could focus on the digits only and not be distracted with the rest of the mirror reflecting the outside world :) as in the Microma

[rewolf]

So do I understand it correctly: the Microma DSMs originally looked silver/white like the Optels, because the gold/yellow look is only from the aged LC?

Yes, you're right, DSM is crap. I'd love to wear it, but it's practically useless. So it has to sit alone in its showcase . Additionally, it's the early flashing version...
But no, I won't sell it :)

[azimuth_pl]

well, that's my assumption only, highly probable though. I have a few of these and all of them have lost their vacuum although one of them has dried out but still works and the time can be seen very faintly.
I'm only 30 years old so we would have to ask the older folks if the Microma was originally creamy white when new 8)

[AlmightyTallest]

Azimuth_pl, have you recieved those two Microma DSM watches yet from Ebay? If you have time, can you post pictures of them, hopefully they are good working examples?

[azimuth_pl]

hey,

the watches have just arrived.
unfortunately it was not a bargain but the boxes are nice and worth the money.
one watch works but has a standard TNE display but partly cracked.
the other one is DSM but the display is totally damaged. it's the same as the Nepro DSM LCD watches with Swiss module as pictured on Peter Wenzig's website.

[AlmightyTallest]

Thanks for that info azmuth_pl, sorry to hear the watches were damaged :(