ZMF-II clock accuracy

Gee, I never thought about the need to test the accuracy of my digital clocks. I don't have a ZMF, but I have two other digital brands. I wonder if I should also test my old USCF analog  with quartz movement.

When the clock is fast by 6 seconds, is that with any delay programmed on the clock? If you have a 5 second delay then that would make the 6 seconds even less significant.

The one second elapsing is not a problem, as the clock shows the number of full seconds left (and it will show tenths of a second when you're under a minute).

While 6 seconds/hour may not be of much practical significance, you should expect a clock to be much more accurate than that. After all, that is the main function of a clock: to keep time. 

Update: Upon inspecting the clock, the manufacturer said the crystal oscillator was fried. I will post the results of my tests on the replacement when it arrives.

I tested mine and it is good. Anyways I sent them an email and they said that the newer firmware versions have taken care of all the bugs.

I was just a few minutes into testing my DGT and then I read your post and decided to stop.

Whitegs, if 6 seconds really bother you, you should ask them for a replacement. They seem to be very responsive to people's requests.

My DGT North American and Excalibur were off by less than 6 sec/hr, so I am fine with them.

Sixty thousand years homo sapiens wandered the earth oblivious to the seconds ticking away.  Slaves to the rising and setting of the sun floating in an amorphous blob of the moment with no reference which to ground us.  First we tracked the sun, measuring the solstice and equinox, erecting monoliths in their honor.  Next humans further marked our place by chopping up the days, measuring hours and minutes with sundials, water clocks, and candles.  In a cosmic blink of an eye we leaped forward from simple mechanical pendulum clocks and quartz to measuring spinning atoms.  Not that it matters.  If Einstein taught us anything, it’s that time is relative, start two atomic clocks at the same time, fly one around the world while the other sits still, they will deviate from each other.  Satellites orbing the earth lose a few seconds every year, astronauts on the I.S.S. age slower.  The new atomic clock based on measuring cesium atoms that went online this last April won’t lose or gain a second in 300 million years.  But after 300 million years, who knows.

“They say time is the fire in which we burn.” -Dr. Tolian Soran

I'm surprised they would take that attitude with you. A cheap wristwatch is off no more than a half second per day.

Anyway, ignorance is bliss, but the clock still functions the same as it did before you found out, and if you felt fine then, then there's no reason you ought not feel fine now. I apologize for spoiling it for you. 

I have finally received the replacement clock and tested it multiple times. The verdict is that it is 2 seconds per hour too slow, but I'll take it. I like the clock too much otherwise to let 2 seconds bother me. The manufacturer said that they will continue to work on [the clock accuracy].

Though I've considered getting one, after reading this, I believe I'll wait for a possible future model ZMF-III.

Biglew,

My clock tests good. Also, at my local chess club they bought like 10 of these clocks and i picked one to test it out and it was good. I really like these clocks and how easy they are to program. Now, that the Chronos are gone we don't have that many options anyways.

I already have a Saitek silver, a Saitek blue, an Excalibur, 4 DGT North Americans, 2 Duel Timers, 2 analog wind up clocks, 3 chess clock apps on my phone and 2 on my iPad. I can afford to wait for an updated ZMF clock. But I really do like the Tuxedo model, the black case with white LED's available at American Chess

http://www.amchesseq.com/4001.html Maybe I'll buy it anyway. But I don't need it.

Now I'm seemingly running into a new issue with the clock: The first second of the delay period is inconsistent. It's set to G60 d5. Sometimes when the turn is switched, the clock will flash through "05" and the base time extremely fast and basically start at "04" for the delay countdown. And I don't have to deliberately operate the clock like a maniac to get this effect, either. I just switch turns back and forth every few seconds, and it will happen every now and then. It's possible for this to happen whether you switch turns before the delay period is over or after. I think the effect depends on exactly when the turn is switched, but I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly how to recreate it.

Dude, I think that the issue is you. You seem to be the problem.

You're right, it must be me. No one else is able to notice these issues on their own, including Zmartfun's playtesters.

Zmartfun has said that this new problem could be unique to the replacement clock I was sent. They're working with me again.

My main motivation at this point is not so much to get my money's worth on the purchase. My main motivation is to see this clock be perfected. It's the only clock I know of that has the LED display, and I really want to see an otherwise awesome design be freed from these issues. So I will not be posting any future errors I find on here, but I will be communicating with Zmart on them as a playtester of sorts.

I think most of us here liked the clock in general. The goal now is not to erode enthusiasm for the clock, but to increase it by helping to improve and perfect the clock.

I for one love the ZMF clock.  And it doesn't hurt to hear about them being so responsive to input.  I am sure that responsiveness will serve them well. 

Chronos seems to be falling behind in popularity due to their lack of taking serious chess players seriously. It sure seems like they are comfortable with just the Scrabble niche, and chess has become "side-line". You can only coast so far on a reputation primarily founded on nostalgia, myth and legend.

I recently bought 2 new ZMFII clocks and am using them for the first time in a tourney this weekend .... now this !?