Chess Clocks

Haha, yes.  So probably not good for tournaments :)  It would be fun to make one though, and say "I bet you've never seen a clock like this!"

This thread prompted me to do a little net surfing for chess clock info. Which has left me with three questions.

1. All most all major online retailers are out of stock of Chronos model clocks, they are all on back order. What is the deal with that?

2. On eBay, a replica of the Excalibur clock is being sold for around 16 bucks. The clock is branded Pavilion, which is a brand of games marketed by Toys R Us. I know that Excalibur Electronics was bought out by another company a couple of years ago. Does this mean that the Excalibur style clock (Pavilion) will soon be available at Toys R US. Is the Pavilion clock also the "Official clock of the USCF"? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pavilion-Digital-Chess-Clock-/300741557608?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460597fd68

3. USCF sales/ HOS are selling a Duel Timer Champion clock in Mahogony wood. Instead of the standard cherry and walnut woods. This model is 10 dollars higher than the other DT's. It apears to have large brass buttons or possibly touch sensors and a brass face plate. HOS has not updated their info on the Duel timer since the 1990's. The models have chaged quite a bit since then. So HOS's discription is inacurate b/c the DT's have 29 pre sets now days not just 10 as the description says. If the large brass buttons are indeed touch sensors like the Chronos or Zmart funs, then this looks like a cool clock.

Does any one know if this is indeed an updated Duel Timer Model?

http://www.houseofstaunton.com/product_p/clkduel-mh.htm

 Lew,

I haven't looked on eBay yet but yes, I bought that clock at Toys 'R Us about 5 months ago. I haven't used them but they appear to be exact duplicates of the Excalibur clock with the 'Pavilion' label on it. Seems to me it's worth the $16.00. I have had my original Excalibur for 4-5 years and it still fine.

Hope that helps.

 --Vic.

Thanks Vic!

I emailed Duel Timer about that mahogany clock with the brass buttons and face plate they replied the same day. They said that they have begun to manufacture the Duel Timer with touch sensors brass faceplates. Currently, only the mahogany wood has the touch sensors and brass faceplate. The programing functions and features are the same as the 2008 version in cherry and walnut woods with the square plastic buttons and alumium face plate.

I replied to that response to ask if HOS/USCF was the only place to get them. Again DT responded in just a few hours, and said that HOS/USCF and the The Chess Store are the only retailers that currently have them available. However, I could not find them listed on the TCS website.

My older DT w/ round buttons,crica 2004, is extremely easy to set,compared to other clocks, for just about any TC you want. That is why it is my favorite clock.

Well that is 2 of my 3 questions from post # 26 above answered. Now to find out the aswer to my first question, why is DCI is so back ordered w/ Chronos? I wonder if their SamTimer clocks are also back ordered? Are the Scrabble players clockless too?

@vulpesVelox

DO NOT buy the DGT Easy, the clock you are thinking of is the DGT EASY PLUS.  I bought the DGT Easy and it is just a countdown/countup timer and does not even have a delay or increment feature. This is the one I bought from Amazon and traded it off as soon as I could. http://tinyurl.com/cq59x67 It is literally inferior to an analog chess clock by USCF rules.

This is from the USCF page [ http://archive.uschess.org/tds/clockrules.php ]

The Three Levels of Clocks

The USCF's rules specify three levels of preference for chess clocks:

    Clocks with time delay are the most preferred type of equipment.
    Mechanical clocks are the next most preferred clock.
    Digital clocks without the time delay feature are the least preferred type of equipment.