Electronics > Beginners

Kit review - Generic AliExpress Digital Clock.

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hamster_nz:
I wanted to give others the opportunity to play with electronics, and looked for a project that was inexpensive, useful, funtional and achievable. I settled on an DIY Digital Clock kit.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32972008419.html

Good points being:
- It is actually a useful clock
- It is powered by generic USB supply
- It has a case
- The case is clear, so you can admire your creation.
- Dirt cheap - US$6.25 with free shipping.
- Uses through-hole parts (which is also a bad thing)
- It is complete, including cable.

Delivery:
Ordered on the 26th Aug, arrived on the 11th FSeptember. Can't complain about that.

Building:
Instructions are not in English, but everything is clearly labeled on the PCB, and the resistors have the values stamped on the paper tape. Just have to be careful to allow enough leads on the Crystal, LDR and thermister so you can fold them flat to the PCB.

Following the usual pattern of working from lowest sitting parts (battery clip and resistors), to the highest ones (Switches and 5mm power jack), leaving the displays for last.

Before the displays are soldered in place, the board can be tested with them press-fitted. Once soldered on you will not be able to fix up and errors/bodges without removing them.

The RTC and micro controller are socketed, which is nice.

Testing before mounting the displays:

- Checked that all segments lit on at least one display (so the segment driver works).
- Checked that all displays light at least one segment (so the segment transistors work)
- Checked that the buttons did something.

Mounting the displays:

Three of the displays go one way up, one goes upside down. It would be very easy to not see the "dot" on the silk screen and get this wrong. Would be very frustrating.

The case.

The clear laser cut acrylic case is very cunning. Goes together with nicely.

Summary:
Seems to be a great rainy-day afternoon project. Recommended for a keen beginner, with a little help to check things before the displays are soldered.

Image is the finished produce, and a few of the kits behind it.

magic:

--- Quote from: hamster_nz on September 12, 2019, 10:34:20 pm ---- It is actually a useful clock

--- End quote ---
If it's accurate :D

I have seen one cheap-ass clock which could be tuned quite a bit just by varying supply voltage ;)

hamster_nz:
The timekeeping is on a DS1302, with a coin cell battery, and looks to be OK after 24 hours.

The dimming when the lights are off (sensed by an LDR) is actually pretty good - more clocks should do that.

wilfred:
Is that the same clock that BigClive did a video on? He showed (at 7 seconds) the instructions in English.

bd139:
Looks pretty good actually. Thanks for the review. I might order one.

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