The Pin Clock

We're already hard at work trying to figure out way to hack this thing to display the time in binary format instead of regular numerals, but UrbanPeel is selling a Pin Clock that uses 3000 raised and lowered pins to display the time.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I wonder if it's backlit, that would be sweet as a bedside clock. Alarm?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Yeah, that's a kick-ass alarm shooting pins at you every morning.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

$90 - yikes! These have been around for awhile and you can get them for much less, most places $70. On eBay you can usually find them in the $40-50 range. Exact same thing, the Pin Clock manufactured by Daka. Kinda noisy so keep it out of the office/library/etc.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Bought one at JCPenney for 19.99 at Xmas

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

This has been out forever, and the "3000 pins" line is pure marketing lies. The number of moving pins is more like 250.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I have one (from eBay several months ago). Not backlit. No alarm. Too noisy for bedside (clatters like the mechanical arrival boards at the old train stations and airports). Maybe 3000 pinheads, but only the pins in the 18:88 configuration move (not even a 24 hour capability).

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

here's the same clock at a cheaper price..

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod16370054

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

"This has been out forever, and the "3000 pins" line is pure marketing lies. The number of moving pins is more like 250."

I was also disappointed in this when I saw it in real life. Up-close the illusion is lost, the non-moving pins are plastic, very cheap looking.
How much more would it have cost to include real pins?

I am tempted to try and make a real one using a real pin-toy.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

My dad got one of these for Xmas, and he was super excited until he opened it up put in a batteries. A couple days later I came to visit, and he was giving it away. "How can I pass up such a cool clock?" I thought to myself.

He warned me, oh boy did he warn me about how annoying it is. Let me approximate the noise it makes every MINUTE when the digits change:
TICKA-TICKA-TICKA-TICKA-TICKA-TICKA-TICKA

Not only does it make a horrible noise, it's really a hack. The pins for each segment are attached, and all the other pin-heads are fake. Every minute it pulls in all the off segments and pushes out all the on segments sequentially, thus creating the ticka-ticka noise. (one massive TICKA might be bearable)

But, it does still look good. So I brought it in to the office and it is sitting on top of a pile of Dell 1850 rackmountable servers (AKA hurricane boxes) and the ticka-ticka is blissfully drowned out by the high-pitched scream of 60mm fans being spun WAY too fast.

-Eli

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

This clock is older than Engadget guys..

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Why does it make so much noise, it doesn't have seconds, is the : going on and off every second?

If so, the creator of this clock didn't think it through.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I want an alarm clock like this, but instead, it would sit above your mattress and wake you up in the morning. TICKA-TICKA! OoooooWWWWWW!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

I ordered one before reading all your comments. :( I wonder if I can cancel!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Phew - Stephen at UrbanPeel was able to cancel my order. Thanks Stephen!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

Binary clocks are so much better.
I hope you find the hack

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 19th 2005 12:12AM]

They sold exactly the same clock at the moma store in San Francisco.