New Visual-Tek 300 Beta Testers Wanted

I have been on the list to be a Beta Tester for this new clock for awhile.

I just received an email saying that they are ready to send out the test clocks.  The email also had a link to the following site:  www.visual-tek.com

On this site is an application form to be a Beta Tester.  I talked with Shelby about the form and he said they wanted 50 Beta testers.

I believe the clocks are ready to be sent out.  I believe there will be a 2 week testing period and the tester will then be asked to fill out a form and send the clock back in to the company.  The company will update that clock to the final programming and send it back to the tester to keep.

So if anyone wants to be a tester, you can go to the web site and apply.

I see its 149.99 to Beta Test. I thought the Beta Testers were going to get a break to the range of 109.99-119.99?  Clock does look sharp. Have fun testing it. BTW how many AA batteries are used?

Mike, I do not have the clock yet and have no idea about the batteries.  I'll let you know when I get mine, along with some other details I find.

By the way, if you start a thread I would like to be able to post in it.  Please remove the block you have on me.  Thanks.

lol why would i pay 120 to help test a clock so this guy can make more money.. free work?? nah why not jus use the 120 and jus buy a chronos..lol this is from their website...

VisualTek is accepting applications for a short period of time from persons interested in participating in this early support program. Those selected will be able to purchase one clock at $149, plus tax (if applicable) and shipping. Program members will receive a uniquely marked inaugural VTEK300 clock, a special update offer, recognition for participating in the early support program and access to future special offers, subject to program terms and conditions. ... lol they think they are going to sell the clock higher than 149 lol good luck.

You obviously are stuck on the Chronos and that's not necessarily a bad thing.  I own 3 Chronos clocks and use them a lot.

After many years of the Chronos being produced, these guys have looked to improve on it with better technology and improved user characteristics.  Understand that the Chronos guy makes a lot of money on his clock and so will any producer.

1. The new clock has a larger display than the Chronos with more information visible.

2. They have programmed it to be easier to set than the Chronos.  With the Chronos, even if you are familiar as I am with it, you need to have a list of what each time control option is if you want to use it fully. 

This new clock is very easy to set as can be seen by the guy's videos on YouTube.

3. The LED lights have three different colors for three different clock situations: Green for who is on the move during the game, Red for when the clock is stopped, and Blue for when the clock has been stopped and the time is being changed during a game.

4. They have kept the aluminum body and the buttons are the same.  I hear that they are even going to have a touch sensor option as the Chronos and ZMF clocks.

So, if you don't want to buy a new clock of any kind that's fine.  The Chronos still does a nice job, not the best anymore with the DGT 3000 and this new one out, but a nice job.

We have to pay $150 to test their clocks? They've got to be out of their minds.

So Mike, I take it you do not want to be a Beta tester...

Really, you do end up with the clock that is finalized in the programming.  i think they also are providing a clock for this testing that is of a color or something that will only be out for the Beta testers.

I believe you used to own a Chronos clock, from what I remember reading in one of your posts.  That clock has never been below $82, and that was at least 8 years ago.  Now their price is about $115 at the cheapest and more in the majority of places.  Sure you can get a GX for $105 but that is a smaller and more limited program optioned clock.

This is a new and improved model compared to the Chronos.  Yes, it's more expensive than a lot of clocks.  However there are other clocks in the above $100 price range.  The Digital Garde Turnier Clock has a suggested retail price of $179.  Yes it can be bought for less, but not too much under $150.

I personally expect this clock to be discounted after it is out awhile.  i have talked with someone that has seen and handled a prototype at the National Open when Shelby was showing it to people there.  He told me that I will certainly get my money's worth from this clock.  He said it is really, really nice.  It has a bigger display, is a lot easier to set, and has a lot of improvements in both the hardware and software compared to any clock currently on the market.

I  am just a private guy here with no affilliation with the makers of this clock.  From what I have seen in the videos and heard from this friend and a couple of others, I look forward to this clock for tournament use.

Clock looks great, price is absurd.  

Hi Ron if I could buy the The Digital Garde Turnier Clock I would because I like the design that much with the round dials. Guess I am an old guy.  They stopped making all their electronic clocks, I have no idea why, they have not returned my emails. 

Im not going to pay 150 to help beta test lol.. I own a zmf its great for the past three yrs.. Not going to drop more money... If i was going to get a plus 100 clock it will be the chronos gx

I also think the $150 price with no discount for the beta tester is problematic.

When I talked with Shelby, they were talking a discount to the beta testers.  Later I talked with him and he said the non-chess playing production partner of his did not want any discount and they would offer the beta testers a unique color and free updates.

I was planning on buying one of these anyway, so I decided the unique color would be nice.

I just talked with Shelby about some equipment for the scholastic club I run, and I asked him about the above.

He reminded me and sort of corrected me about what the beta testers are getting for the full price instead of the a discount.

The big thing is that the beta testers will receive upgrades to the software for free for life.  He said that the beta testers should send the clock in at least every 5 years or so and get the latest software as an upgrade.  That's is certainly worth some money.

I agree with a lot of what you say.

I understand that they are not having the USB connection at this time.  So the clocks coming out have no USB slot.

When he told me about the free upgrades it sounded alright but now that I consider I agree that once the clock is programmed correctly there will be no need for future upgrades.  Yes, it sure is a just a clock.

With that though, he told me that he thought they have all the beta testers they want.  The manufacturer has the web site and Shelby was going to talk with him in the next day or so to find out exactly what the status is.  If they do have all they want for testers then they will not listen to us about all this.

Understand that I have told Shelby at least 2 or 3 times about the price being too high and when they decided to stop the discounts, I did say I did not think this was a good idea.

Whenever I have talked with Shelby, each and every time he has told me of people that are all excited about the clock and even the miserly ones say that he will have no problem selling the clock at the full price they came up with. 

When Shelby first told me about this clock, during the school year when I was getting some things from him for my club students, he told me that he was going to have a trade in option with a discount.  The people would send him an old clock that he would then donate to a needy scholastic group.  In return he would give them a nice discount on a clock.  I actually sent him 2 clock right away, so now he is giving me a discount.

Understand that I have heard nothing about this trade in discount in the last 2 or 3 months so I am not sure if he will do this now or not.

Once again I am an optometrist living in Peoria, Illinois.  I have no financial hook up or interest in any Chess business except as a consumer.

If they would listen to me they would have offered some kind of discount and/or lowered their starting price.  So you can see how much weight my suggestions have with them :)

Now the clock sure does look like a winner from the videos and pictures I have seen.  It's built solidly like a Chronos and the new $100 ZMF clocks.  The display is larger and has more information on it than all others except the DGT 3000.  The setting up of the time controls seem to be with the easiest and best of the clocks as well.

Shelby told me that he is sending a clock to a retailer in London who has promised to get FIDE certification for the clock.  We'll see about that.

Ron I remember months ago when talking about the electronic turnier Garde that you can not have a USB connection to get updates from a web site.  I was told that the FIDE would never approve anything that could be updated on the fly after approving it. Can't remember who told me this.  The FIDE is actually approving the program on the chip and if it is a RAM chip and can be reprogrammed with no one knowing that would be a no no. 

Like I said I can't find the past thread but this was talked about and I have no idea if it was true or not or what the approval process is getting it FIDE approved.  Have fun testing the clock it does look very nice.

Well, they got rid of the USB slot on this clock, from what I have been told.

So this should not be a certification problem, whether they got rid of it inteentionally for this or not.

Looks like this clock will stand out among the rest. Just ashame the manufacturer wouldn't allow Shelby to give a $30 discount on it for testers. I guess the trade in the old working clock also is off the shelf now too. 

I'd honestly be surprised if very many people are willing to pay that amount for a clock when there are clocks for less than 1/3 of the price that do the job just fine.  Sure, some will, but I just can't imgaine many doing it.

I'm not sure.  Shelby still has 2 clocks that I sent in to him for a trade in.  I think he will have some that he can retail out of his site so I am confident that I will be able to get some kind of trade in discount.

Lol some crazy might pay but im sure most will jus buy a xhronos or zmf.. I play 5 min blizt and a absolutely love the plastic zmf..

I really like the idea of having a unique color for the beta clock. It is very likely to become a collector's item down the road.