Prototype, little1up's photos, and case opening

[Synchroserious]

Administrator's note: This thread has been split from this one.

I have in my posession the worlds first digital watch and also the worlds first LED watch,prototyypes that is.

[retroleds]

THis is a major edit:

Having researched the "First" issue a little further, I have to recant my support for the idea that the Synchronar was the first digital watch or the first LED watch. A new thread on that research is here: http://dwf.nu/viewtopic.php?p=8611#8611 Appears that someone already had the idea, and filed a patent application for it, in April of 1965!! Way before Bergey & walton.

Having now pried a few Sychronar modules open, I can tell you the design is elegent,clean and solid - Howard Riehl is justifiably proud of his father's achievement.

[collector]

Synchroserious - can you post pictures of the protypes you have?

Little1Up - Same question - could you post pictures of the modules / insides of the ones you have taken apart?

[Synchroserious]

No real disrepect to the P 1, it probably did hit the market/or be sold 2-3 months before the Synchronar and it looks very ellegant and trendy for the rich and famous at that time.Ofcourse it is more recognised and somewhat documented than a Synchronars chronology thus Far.
As far as success goes it depends on how you measure it. For instance if Success were in a botlle of 39 years it would be overfilling and the Pulsar/Hamilton/TC GEN 1/ElectroData watch bottle would be less than 1/4 empty with a span of 1968 to 1977? before they were forced to sell to Japan and dissapeared from the seen.And we all know Seiko does have a quality line of Pulsar L.C.D watches.
One day people will learn who invented the first programmed/by one definition perpetual/Smart calender L.S.I Solid State! chip design, with the most transistors for it,s size at that time.
I hope I have not interfeared with the P-1 at ebay and again it still looks cool and elegant to this day and should command very high market value.

[retroleds]

[Synchroserious]

As far as fame goes RWR Did make the DAVID CHESLERS FAMOUS People list,somethinfg like that, you will have to google as I do not have my briefcase handy. How his name got their I don't Know.Although there was never as yet an AP story on RWR,it must have been a fan of his that made it happen.

[Synchroserious]

Yeah thats that free one I gave you for a test dummy on opening lessons and I'm sorry to see you cracked the Solar Cell before asking my advice on how to avoid that.My God that picture looks like you put a torch to the IC.Why don't you take a picture of one that was not a reject and contained acid from the bad apple battery?

[retroleds]

Howard - easy,please. No heat was applied...more a factor of odd lighting and me trying to wash off the potting gel for these shots...it's not like I was polishing the shots for a photo spread. It's raining here and I needed a break from my real job.....

Those are actually shots of the same module. I willingly paid for the parts(which you were VERY generous with), I GREATLY appreciated the chance to edify my interest/curiousity and to help you out a little too. If I had two wishes:(1)there would have been for something in the box, a post-it,whatever, to let me know the one with the cracked case WAS NOT the "guinea pig",(2)I would have contacted you for clarification - that is my fault, I didn't ask. Again, I hold no hard feelings whatsoever about the deal....I hope you aren't holding on to bad feelings from our "first" contact months ago - I was typically abrupt...trying to work on that.
My bad.

[collector]

Little1up - Thank you very very much for the photos - absolutely amazing!!!

Howard - how about photos of those prototypes you have??

[Synchroserious]

Some members have a few temporary photos of the prototypes. I guess I wiil go ahead and authorise someone to post pictures of them,but I hope I don't see them on every Tom,Dick and Harry website filled with speculation and differing facts. Now we better go back to the subject be fore we get off base.I'm done posting for the day. Cheers

[Mr Frequency 32768hz]

Is there advertising material or proof the Synchronar prior June 1970 ? I mean we know about the national TV Johnny Carson show on June 6th 1970 showing the Hamilton LED prototype, these prototypes where probably put together well before that. I guess it needs to be proven with some evidence what was first, so it can be put to rest.

[Synchroserious]

Out of shower. I will talk about answers like the 1969 Photo of him wearing it {this is the same} watch I have and the same in the Feb,11,71 article where it states as the headline in 1" or larger text.

TROY INVENTOR OFFERS WRISTWATCH POWERED BY THE SUN --(edited)

THEN IN THE BOX WITH THE PROTOTYPE PHOTO SECTION OF THE ARTICLE IT STATES



FOR $1,700 YOU CAN ONE UP THE DIAL WATCHERS

The article does go on to say production starts in July,which did not happen. But I have all the Order records for the parts to the watch prior to his forcast July production date.Several Reed switch companys/Solar Cells/cb,s Early Quarts X-tal samples from companies he was corresponding with and so on.All this stuff relates to his 1970 annual report where you can tell he was allready experimenting behind closed doors in prior years down in the Basement of his home and or Riehl Electronics Corp.(REC). There are atleast five people alive in Ohio that would confirm seeing his Inventions early protos working.Part of the funding for the watch was from the patent he sold to Dare Inc for the Digital green Deli Scale that was in Deli,s all over the World for 17 years until the patent expired. Peace[/b]

[Synchroserious]

Whoops the more I look at the photos by litlle1up the more obvious it is that picture 1 and 2 are of a clean circuitboard with older style/color/size reeds and then it looks like a picture of the dudd I sent on picture 3 which is absolutely a different circuitboard with the smaller different color reeds that were crushed as well as the display.Picture 1 and 2 is of the one that just needed a battery.

[retroleds]

:? It's odd being critisized for my opening technique, on a glued-shut Lexan module, when no better/safer technique for opening them has been suggested as being available by the only factory trained person. It's kind of like cracking walnuts...nobody can promise the "meat" will come out whole. I'm curious what percentage of these "the factory" is able to open, without causing serious or deathly damage?

The whole concept of trying to open a sealed case that is 1000X stronger than the inner parts, renders the idea of "it works now,it should work when opened" highly suspect. But I appreciate the parts and the first hand knowledge. I now have a few more,non-working "lookers" - like the majority of the others out there.

[Synchroserious]

Come on there is no hard feelings,like I said in the PM.lets just keep things more understandable. The way to do it is like you said, call me or email about getting the package and then ask where do we begin? step 1 then the next Q,s about method 2 and so.
If there are any more Synchronar questions, Please lets start a new topic or post it elsewhere.

[dot matrix]

little1up, I had no problems opening an original seal Mark 1, using the instructions that ledwatch mentions here. Don't know whether or not he still has them.

[retroleds]

I may try that...third times a charm, they say.

[Synchroserious]

Why are we spreading misinformation again? Phil is selling the P 1.5 and has no authority tinkering with Synchronars shipped to him behind RWR,s back.

[embelton]

Why are we spreading misinformation again? Phil is selling the P 1.5 and has no authority tinkering with Synchronars shipped to him behind RWR,s back.

Say what?

[Synchroserious]

I don.t Know ,I have been waiting weeks for a reply since he told me he was sent this"BOX OF STUFF" {from a service depatment in Florida}no such department ever existed or trust me I would have been heading it.All RWR,s family would like is to return what is left ,chip diagrams etc.

[retroleds]

Woah! Since when does a consumer NOT have "authority" to tinker with the product they purchased? If you paid your money, you can do whatever you want with it - open it, photograph it, smash it, paint it,whatever. A company may recommend a person doesn't open their products, or say it void their warrenty, but lets be for real - there ain't no company so there ain't no warrenty, so we are pretty much on our own here. Operating on a corpse is extremely safe,IMO.

Howard, help stop this spread of misinformation by giving us YOUR technique for opening(and maybe a hint on removing the potting gel)......I've asked you now THREE times. :?
Third times a charm?

[Synchroserious]

I will await your first pm or email regarding help.Excuse me that would be your second.I tried to help you and you said you prefered to not open the third module remember?I have already stated it is not a priority to try and write a how to manual on repairing something that has no exact science or process,only suggestions.Start by pulling the plug out of the back and whatever you do try to stop yourself from adding 3V before you call.
Sure people can do what they want with an item as long as they paid the rightful owner and not some con man that worked for my father.