Chronos Chess Clocks are Back!!!

I don't think an LED is inherently better than an LCD. If you are comparing LED TV's and the ZMF LEDs they are not in any way comparable. LED TV's are still LCD TVs, LEDs are used as the light source for the screen and it has it's advantages. The LED display used by ZMF is just like the LED clocks you can get at a store, we've all had one and it's really a step back for our needs. Not saying the current ones can't be improved, I would like to see a trully programmable clock with a general purpose LCD display (not the fixed images we have now) with LED backlight. I agree current clocks are in the stone age.

I read somewhere that the Garde Turnier Digital could be upgraded with a software upgrade from your home. Since there is so little information on it, it is hard to verify anything about the clock including if they are making anymore of them. 

What would really be nice would be a small screen clock with a programmable menu for setting time, delay and add-on rather than an esoteric combination of button presses.  Until then, my Chronos is always pre-programmed before each use so I don't have to RTFM before a match to set it up.

This may or may NOT be true butr for what it's worth The Chronos Dealer happens to have in stock -- or so he claims -- the Chronos FX (not GX) Blitz Clock in Black and Beige in both Push Button and in Touch Sensor models. The Chronos FX is an Oldie but Goodie. This clock is for Blitz games only. Price is ~$160. 

Over a Wholesale Chess which has the Chronos II... Clocks are $115 with FREE Shipping

Push Button Model:

White: 9 clocks

Black: 1 clock

Blue: 6 clocks

Touch Sensor Model

White: 5 Clocks

Black: NO clocks

Blue: 7 Clocks

If you are planning to get that Chess Person in your life  (or yourself for that matter) a Chronos clock for X-mas, now might be a good time to buy, especially if you are Touch Sensor fan.

Yeah buy it then it breaks.. Good game

FYI - I just picked up two of the blue push buttons with a 15%-off coupon from chess.com. That's under $100 each. Coupon is good until November 2.

I forgot to mention that the coupon is from wholesalechess.com, and there's also free shipping.

Here is a tip you might want to keep in mind:

Chronos clocks -- ALL Chronos clocks -- have a tendency  to develop legs when you are not watching them and suddenly disappear.

When I got my BLUE Push Button clock several years ago (Blue was an uncommon color back then) the first thing I did was to add a name plate to the back ( not bottom ) of the clock so that a) it was quite visable to whom the clock belonged;  the second thing I did was to junk the Black Push Button caps for colored ones. Colored caps can be bought either from Chronos Dealer, or through SamTimer for a couple bucks.

By getting rid of the standard Black caps and substituting color ones for them the clock is REALLY visible in a room of same colored clocks. I also did the same thing for my BLACK backup clock. I chose ORANGE caps for that one (^._.^ ).

The color caps and the addition of a name plate to the very back of the clock will help dissaude your clock from growing legs.

  Hope this helps.

On the SamTimer website, replacement buttons are $3.99 each, plus $3.99 shipping for each color. That is, if you order one blue and one green, shipping is $7.98. A button probably costs under 25 cents to make. I don't like getting gouged.

OUCH!!! I must confess I did this a few years ago right after I bought my first clock, and I think I paid $2.50 - $3.00 for each cap, and the shipping was not that much either. I think I bought 3 different colors  sets to match my mood. I am  sure if you wanted to buy two different color buttons they could send you them both for the same shipping price. They also say for different ordering options to call 1-888-726-8463. 

I felt at that time the $5.00 - $6.00 per set for the caps was cheap insurance after a member of our small club found his clock gone and there was no way to spot it. He was the one to clue in onto the name plate on the back of the clock which what he did the second he got another clock. At the very least add a name plate to you clock. You can usually have it done at any store that gives out trophies and awards.  He had one made for me, which I think he said cost about $5.00

Just some ideas to consider. Hope this helps.

...On the subject of clocks, I just checked the WC website: ALL Touch Sensor clocks are SOLD OUT.  In the Push Button Model they have 5 WHITE and 2 BLUE clocks remaining. The BLACK clocks have SOLD OUT.

For those who are following this thread Wholesale Chess Seems to have gotten in a New Shipment of clocks, as they now have White, Black, and Blue in both Touch Sensor as wel as Push Button.

Will try to see if other major distributors have started to get any clocks in yet later on.

Yes they seem to be getting in regular shipments now. Maybe this is a good sign to come that the person or persons making these clcoks have been doing so full time now instead of just a hobby. There is a demand for them.

Just a quick update. Besides being able to get Chronos Clocks at Wholesale Chess for about $115. You can now get both Touch Sensor and Push Button models at American Chess Equipment on SALE now for $109.

The Chess Store does not have any clocks noe does ChessHouse, but suspect that if A.C.E. has them both will be getting in clocks soon.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

American Chess Equipment does not have any Chronos Clocks and hasn't had them in stock in a while. Wholesale Chess seems to be the only retailer that gets them in stock regularly.

A couple of ebay sellers seems to get a few in on occasion, but I'm not sure they are getting theirs direct from DCI or buying them retail and then marking them up to resell on ebay. One ebay seller that misleadingly goes by the name "Chess in Schools" has been trying to sell his Chronos stock for ridiculous prices, most recently as high as $555.55. This guy has no shame and needs to be boycotted.

Just went over to A.C.E. they are *reporting* they have Chronos II Push Buttons in both WHITE and BLACK, and Touch Sensors in WHITE. Both Push Button and Touch Sensor are selling for $109.00 My beef with A.C.E. is they don't update their website so it is hard to tell exactly what they have in stock.

Over at WC they may have just gotten in a shippment (as of 7 Dec 2014):

In the Push Button Model they have 10 WHITE; 8 BLACK; 9 BLUE clocks

In the Touch Sensor Model they have 8 WHITE; 18 BLACK; 7 BLUE clocks

WC is selling their clocks for $114.99. So just in case there is someone on your CVhristmas List who is hoping for a Chronos WC seems to be the place.

Yep seen the clown in "Chess for Schools" over on Ebay.  In all fairness to him (her). they are trying to cash in on a HOT clock, probably to support their Chess Program in some school/s. That works fine if A) there is a SHORTAGE of clocks B) Someone is DESPERATE to enough to part with that amount of cash. "Chess for Schools" is proably going to end up with a ton of clocks they will have unload at or near market levels of ~$115 - $140 depending on inventory since WC seems to be getting re-supplied at a fairly constant period.

  Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May your "check"-mate be in the e-mail.

I wouldn't worry about the pushbuttons wearing out; well, I'd have to see the switch itself to know for sure, but it is probably a microswitch, and those last for a very long time, and are easy and cheap to replace when they wear out.

They say there is a lot of empty space inside a Chronos II housing, so if I had one I'd probably modify it right away. For starters, I'd definitely get a pushbutton version, and then I'd get rid of those probably cheap button switches, and if there was enough width on the flat top of the housing (they require a 1-1/8" diameter mounting hole) I'd install some Happ arcade pushbuttons, like so:

http://www.austinamusements.com.au/images/source/happ/58-9166-L.png

Those things can stand up to commercial use with people frantically and rapidly hammering on them day in and day out, and when the microswitch eventually wears out (which would take a long time in a chess clock application), popping out the microswitch and snapping in a new one is as easy as falling off a log (or, it is equally easy to just install a whole new microswitch and button assembly; they are only a dollar or two each). Plus, they have a good, solid feel to them, which is something anyone who has ever played arcade games on the real coin-operated machines knows (they are the same buttons you'll find in an e.g., Street Fighter II arcade machine, or most any other arcade machine for that matter).

The buttons on the Chronos are the same switches that were originally keys on IBM typewriters and keyboards.  Yes, they are really hardy and I certainly wouldn't see any need to upgrade them, especially when they are new.

It does seem that the Chronos supply of clocks has been extremely limited over the last good number of months or even year or so.

With that, a new clock that is of the same quality build of the Chronos is on the horizon.

I spoke with Shelby Lohrman of American Chess Equipment the other day and he told me he expects to receive a prototype of the clock any day now.  After some real life testing for bugs, it should be released some time next year.

From what he told me:

1. The body will be aluminum just as the Chronos.  The difference will be that this new clock will be taller than the Chronos.

2. There will be a choice of buttons or touch sensors.  The buttons will be the same IBM type as the Chronos.

3. The programming of the clock will obviously be newer than the Chronos or any other clock as it has just been newly created in the last 6 months or so.  The timing options will be numerous and thorough.

4. There will be some type of USB connector so tournament times can be programmed to the clock from either a computer or perhaps another clock.  I am not sure on the specific details on this, but I do know that such a thing is on it.

5. Shelby mentioned that his partner in this told him that it is designed to be set and operated very easily or intuitively.  We'll see.

6. The price will be at least as much as the Chronos and most likely a bit higher.

So, for those wanting a Chronos clock I would be and am waiting to see what comes.

Point #4 is nice.

The switches on the venerable IBM Model M keyboard (buckling spring type) are far better than the dome switches on typical keyboards, but they are not nearly as tough as a full-size microswitch / arcade button combination, nor are they as cheap / easy to replace (microswitches are industry standard parts which are used in a wide variety of applications; buckling spring switches are not). They were designed for typing, not for hammering on. Also, arcade buttons use the steel (sheet metal) of the housing (or control panel, in the case of arcade machines) as the mounting platform, by having a molded-in flange/bezel which is larger in diameter than the hole in which it sits. This is as solid and simple of a mounting as you can get, which translates to a very solid feel.

I'd be willing to bet that you could break/damage those stock buttons by pounding on them hard with your fists a few times; an arcade button wouldn't be affected by that in the slightest; it happens to them all the time when people play arcade machines.

In any event, I'd make the modification if I owned a Chronos II simply because it is better in terms of feel and solidity, and I do know what buckling spring switches are like; all the IBM keyboards in my high school computer class had them (early 1990s), and my brother still owns an IBM Model M keyboard, which I've used plenty.

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