Clock attributes for use at Scrabble

Please see the useful and impartial write-up at Richard Buck's page

                                                          ind-              pri-
                                     digit  button  bat-  ica-              or-
       hms   OT prog case  wid angle  size  /turn   tery  tors  price   W   ity
DIGITAL
-------
 Adj    ms    Y   Y  alum   7   45   1/.7   push=&   +     60  $110     2    1
 Sam   hms    Y   Y  alum   9   45   1/.7   push+&   x     60  $109     1[6] 1
 2Ti    ms    Y   Y+ plas   ?   45   1/.7   push?    +  20,60   $80     1    1
  G8    ms   [8]  Y  plas  4½    0    1?    push    ?
 Pau    ms    Y   N  plas  6¼   15   1/.7   push+    x    -      -      1    1
 Kai    ms[1] N   Y  plas  6?    0     ?    memb     ?    -     $60?    ?    1
 USC    ms[1] Y   ?  plas   ?    ?     ?      ?      +    -     $83     ?    1½[7]
!Pre    ms   [2]  -    ?    ?   45     ?    push+    +    -     $65     ?    2
Phil   hms    Y                                                 $79
  ch   hms    N   v    v    ?    v     v      v      v    -       v     v    3

Please note that a new, greatly improved version of the USC is out, under the name "Game Time II." Details will be filled in here shortly.

DIGITAL with HANDS[3]
-------
 Buc    ms    Y   -  wood   ?   63     -    push.    x    -    $135     1*   1

ANALOG
-------
wind   hm[4]  Y   -  plas   ?   90     -    push.    -    -   $41/48[5] 1    2
 qua   hm[4]  Y   -  plas   ?   90     -    push.    +    -   $68/76[5] 1    2
-------

Key & footnotes
Headings
Names

Refer to the Scrabble FAQ for availability information.

Below a representation in text of the relationship between time elapsed and display. A graphical version may be forthcoming.

   time:                     0              -1
                ---------------------------------------------
                            |[              |[
         Adj      "00:00"   |[   "-00:01"   |[   "-00:02"
                            |[              |[
                ---------------------------------------------

                ---------------------------------------------
                            ]|              ]|
         Sam      "00:01"   ]|   "-00:00"   ]|   "-00:01"
                            ]|              ]|
                ---------------------------------------------

For clarity, the time shown as "0" means 25 minutes have elapsed.
"]" means that the reading on that side of the boundary is displayed when the elapsed time is exactly (to within the clock's precision) the time above.

Note that regardless of these technical details, NSA rule VIII.C. provides that any clock reading "0:00" is not over time. This probably is the most practical rule.

Key and footnotes:

- Not applicable
v Various; not a specific model. Listed as a caveat against use.
! All samples of this clock appear to have a defect in that on occasion and without special action, both sides count up together.
[1] Three digits are used to show only minutes until 10 minutes have been used, then minutes and seconds. In the Kaisha, the need for a "-" symbol in overtime prevents showing seconds. In the US Chess Federation "GameTime" clock, overtime is shown in two consecutive 10-minute periods each with minutes and seconds *descending* from 10 minutes to 0:00.
[2] Overtime can be determined with precision from the elapsed time, but is not shown explicitly.
[3] Second hand moves in discrete seconds, so time remaining or over can be determined with as much precision as an electronic clock showing numerals.
[4] Has no second hand, but a minute hand with continuous movement. Seconds can be guessed from position of minute hand.
[5] Matchups and Cygnus Cybernetics prices respectively. May not be the same models.
[6] The SamTimer's supplier has, for years, been very liberal with warranty and post-warranty repairs.
[7] Shows seconds of overtime implicitly by counting down from 10 minutes from the start of overtime. Unknown whether this will reduce its priority below top, but since this is non-standard, probably so.

Explanation of headings:

hms

which of hours/minutes/seconds show explicitly

OT

overtime shown

prog

programmable to different time spans by the user; "+" means defaults reprogrammable by the *maker* for any rule changes; of course, all those with hands can be "programmed" to any times

case

housing material; links in this column are to clock photos

width

width in inches

angle

of the face from the horizontial, in degrees

digit size

size of LED/height of digit in inches

button/turn

press down with travel or membrane;

"=" means LED turn indicator in button itself,
"+" means separate,
"." means turn is indicated by button position,
" " means turn must be detected by changing time reading,
"&" means button has tactile click

battery

accessible through a usual small-appliance snap-open cover ("+"), or by unscrewing the housing ("x")

indicators

Additional indicators showing whether 20 and 60 seconds have passed since the last change

price

normal price, in US dollars or British pounds (not including protective case or shipping: $6 for Adj within the US, $6 for Sam with the US or Canada; Buc includes case) "-" means no longer sold. Adjudicator 3000 had a price promotion until 15 March 2000 of $10 off to anyone presenting a SamTimer sale invoice.

W

warranty length, in years; "1*" means shipping will be covered for 1 year, but defects will be repaired indefinitely

priority

relative priority as set by the NSA, with 1 highest; note that indicators such as 20- and 60-second have not been made factors

Full names of models:

Listed in the table in decreasing order of priority and then by warranty length.

Adj: Adjudicator 3000 version 2.0
Buc: Richard Buck clock
ch: various digital chess clocks
USC: US Chess Federation's "GameTime" clock, made by Excalibur Electronics, and thus sometimes called the "Excalibur".
Kai: Kaisha
Pau: Paul Arnold clock
Phil: 2T-Phileon clock
Pre: Premier Count-Up Timer
qua: quartz
Sam: SamTimer
2Ti: 2Timer
wind: wind-up

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