Opinions on Novag Obsidian?

Interesting you should say so.  My previous comment was actually based on the idea this thing was equivalent to the old Novag Diamond.  Mistake on my part, but this many years later there is no reason why it should be weaker.  Still, if you have personal experience that it is, I guess it is.

My chief 2 complaints about the Obsidian are:

1. The black pieces are darned hard to distinguish on the black squares under typical household indoor lighting. They sort of fade into shadow so I seem to spend a lot of time having to take second looks at black's positions: Is that a knight or a rook?  A dedicated short table next to a lamp corrects the problem, but so does buying some rosewood-ish travel set pieces. 

2. The settings never seem to stay where I want them. Most of them, anyway. In particular, the Easy setting, which is always shutting "off" when I turn off the computer. (Easy is the setting to tell the computer to think only on its time, not on my time. It doesn't mean I get an easy game ).

All-in-all I'm happy with it. I live in an area where there aren't that many chess players, surrounded by miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. I have a job that keeps me looking at a computer screen 11 hours per day. Last thing I want to do when I get some time at home is look at a computer screen again, just to get a game of chess. 

Obsidian doesn't replace human players, but when I want an OTB game where I live, I rarely have any other opportunities. I'm overall happy with it.

I want a three dee board - I already own many chess apps and programs - if I train for an OTB tourney I want an OTB experience. Having said that the second Novag obsidian came and the LCD does indeed "blow". It would be helpful to be able to see the thing at a table top angle. The most important thing for me would be able to see my clock - does not every OTB player use a clock in a tourney? There are a number of other reasons the LCD info would be useful as well. Thanks to all who have posted the useful information found here. I think the Obsidian is a bit too touch sensitive but all in all it plays a game much better than I do and is quite close to the OTB experience, it flags me audibly which I often experience in my real OTB play *grin*. The last rating I had was about 1700. So it meets my needs.

My solution to the sunken, stare-at-the-ceiling LCD was twofold: Get a small table in the 23-26" height range (a sofa end table will work nicely) and prop the rear of the Obsidian up about 4-6". Now you're half looking across it, and half down onto it, so the LCD is easier to read.

But yeah, you'd think they'd have moved it up flush with the surface, then angled the far edge even higher to make it easier to read. I mean, it's not like this is 1976 all over again and people are trying to figure out how to make these computer boards. Fidelity figured out LCD viewing 30+ years ago.

As to the clock...  I don't use the Obsidian clock. I have my own tourney clock and I use it while playing Obsidian. I move, slap the clock. Obsidian moves, I slap the other button to put clock back on my side. Etc. I mainly use my own clock because that's the action I expect to use whenever I'm lucky enough to travel to a tourney (which is rare). Slapping the clock builds a habit so it's 2nd nature to you at competition play. You might give that some thought if you really want to get used to the true OTB tourney experience beforehand.

Thanks for the ideas Tx; they are quite helpful, especially the clock idea, and I guess I should keep score as well.

just dont get into the habit of slapping tha clock after your opponent moves, lol

I own a kaspaov chess academy and a radio sack master2200x, both on 10 seconds per move, are exelent in openings and mid game, general strategy ok.

Boght a mephisto master chess, and no mater what level you choose, same lack of stratgy in the program, i did not find it as they clame good program for expert players, i am not an expert, but i can compare machines.

 I am returnig it back.

 What about novag obsidian on low levels 10 or 15 sec/move? does any one have some opinion on how obsidian plays at diferents levels

i got the milano pro which supposedly same kind of software and strength as the master chess...i dont know about master chess but the milano pro is amazing and plays very riscky  delightful and yet strong game i play usually 20 min games and i can get winning positions but relly have to play good moves to actually win at the end...its very tactical machine..i posted some games i played...rate my games forum...

Have had the Obsidian for 2 weeks now. 

Bought a Go 2050x Mega Radio Shack month before that and there is a difference between the two. 

Both are quite strong, the same 2050x is strong tactically but it has blundered against me a few times and I've beat it, can't remember the level. Display is good, but the pieces are sometimes hard to follow as not wood type colour. Overall a good unit I'd recommend. Feels like 2000+ many games.

Spacious Mind has it rated at 1998 Fide. 

The Obsidian is very strong positionally, I can't beat it, I get decent positions but can't convert, it defends fantastic and even reverses the advantage to grind me down. 

Several negatives are as other shave mentioned hard to see Lcd, and sometimes the moves and sounds you make are not as smooth as the 2050x,for example it may take several attempts of the same move for it to register correctly you know this by weird beeping sounds it's making. 

Overall very strong unit that I'd recommend. For the price you can't go wrong. I plan on having a match between the two to see how the fair.

Claimed rating:   2320 uscf

Spacious Mind:   2032 Fide

Eleven years later... and now this

And these are professional tennis rackets

Am having difficulty accessing problem mode with Novag Obsidian. After setting up the pieces and hitting "Go" or "Autoplay", machine will not go. Any suggestions?

Will play games just fine. Setting up problems is the only trouble I'm having.

Are you trying to do this without a manual?

EscherehsE,

I have followed the recommended steps in the manual. Will not execute chess problems.

OK, I just wanted to make sure you at least had the manual. My machine is in storage, so all I have to go by is the manual. I would try following the example on page 12 for the mate-in-3 problem, except that I would substitute the appropriate analysis level for the mate-level-in-3.