I’m afraid I have to echo these sentiments. I’ve seen the YouTube videos that introduce this clock and show how to set it. The videos are promising, but my jaw dropped when I saw the $149 price tag. In addition to the DGT North American, there is the DGT 3000 (which I personally think is overpriced at $100, but who am I to say?). The DGT 3000 has the advantage of showing hours, minutes, and seconds at all times. What is the justification for a price that is fifty dollars higher for this clock?
I agree. $150 is going to be a tough price point.
In addition to the DGT 3000 at $100, there is also Chronos, who seems to have solved their production problems and become widely and persistently available (both the long Chronos II models and the short GX models), generally in the $105-$120 range.
ZMart has a new LCD clock (their prior clocks were all LED) at $100.
At a lower price point is the new Omcor Game Timer 960, at $40, and a USB version that adds more timer modes for other games and the ability to display the time on a computer display, for $45.
That’s a tough field to stand out enough from to get people to fork over an extra $30-100.
I think for an extra $50, I would like to see some sort of numeric keypad with prompts:
IE: a display (center? top even?) that asks something like the following:
-
Will the time controls be the same per each player? (Yes/No)
-
Will there be multiple time controls for the player? (Yes/No)
-
if yes, how many?
3a) after how many moves will there be time controls…
and then:
- What is the length of the first time control: (you then enter with an actual keypad)
- Will there be delay, increment, or neither?
- Depending on delay or increment, how many seconds per move
- What will the length of the 2nd time control be (if applicable)
You could then save sets with an actual name… such as “Springfield” or something, for whatever club you’re at. Anyway, I am missing something I think, but having an actual touchpad would make a huge difference.
and so on. For that, and a well built clock, I’d maybe even pay $180.
The Raspberry pi (original version) should be more than powerful enough, and those are about $30 bucks. The other catch would be some sort of touch screen instead of a numeric keypad. I would think sentons might make for a decent supplier (full disclosure I am personally biased towards that company there are other good options I am sure).
The rest is building a good case and other general stuff I am not as good at.
If you wanted to go high end, you might as well really do it right and include things that an absolute newbie would want to have.
If Mr. Lohrman wishes to provide a clock at the US Open and then take it back at the end of the event, I’d be willing to beta test it for him. I’m not going to pay $149 for the privilege of doing so.
antonucci created a topic to discuss the VTEK300 chess clock, and included a link to the manufacturer’s web site. Posting a link to where a product can be obtained by a seller other than USCF Sales is considered indirect advertising and is not allowed, but the clock can be reviewed and discussed here.
I have spoken with Shelby about this high price.
At first, before even one prototype was made he was telling me that the price was going to be about $129.
Then he got a prototype and showed people the clock at one of the US amateur events. At the time his non-chess playing partner who has done the manufacturing was with him. They had an enthusiastic response such that the partner wanted to charge the $149 price. Shelby told me the Beta testers would receive a discount to about $120.
Then he and the partner met with the outcome being there woukd be no discount but the testers would recieve a unique color and free upgrades to the software for life.
Sometime in there they also took the position that they would allow no discounts like Bose and Apple.
The last I talked with Shelby he said that he has shown the clock to many chess players and organizers with only one to three complaining about the price. He said that most everyone, including some known misers, have said it is worth the price. So I believe they think the high price is not a problem at all.
Time will tell.
In the meantime the Chronos clocks are out there again for a few dollars over $100 for the GX and about $115 for the Chronos II.
The metal ZMF metal is at $100 with the same programming as the ZMF-II excepting a few different countdown display options
The DGT 3000 is a good one at $100 but it is made of plastic and I find the contrast on the display not to be as high as my Chronos, the ZMF metal, or the new Visual-Tek 300 appears to be on the videos.
For me the question will come down to if this new clock is worth $34 more than the Chronos II.
As a claimer, not disclaimer, I own 3 Chronos II clocks, a DGT 3000 and I used to own a ZMF-II clock. I also am only a consumer to all these companies and clock producers.
While my comments are colored that I exclusively use the DGT NA clocks this clock will be relegated to a niche market of chess players that would pay a premium for something like this, even if it’s to help the manufacturer who is known to them.
As an organizer who supplies clocks for all games in my events, I would never put down this type of capital expenditure. Of course I’m not his target market either and I realize that. But what I do realize is that I sell tons of the DGT NA clocks to the local community because they’ve gotten used to it at my events or those events that I supply the equipment for. So there is a relationship there…
Scholastics is the biggest market for clocks. That’s no secret. It’s not secret that parents don’t want to pay a premium for a clock that will be banged on, most likely lost, broken, or stolen as a first clock for a player. Are there exceptions to this? Sure there are, but when there are sturdy, usable, and inexpensive options, it’s a hard play for a premium priced clock.
I wish the best for Shelby, but not holding my breath of this being something close to the greatest thing since sliced bread…
Price will always be an issue with a new product. It will always be that way. I saw the clock used first hand in the ameatur team east tournament and i think it is great. Price will be tough for a while. The one question on hand will be is it going to be approved by Fide or Not ? I think this clock is great for very active players and tournament directors. The idea for this was created by shelby to help players and tournament directors. I believe in the long run this will benefit chess.
The question is whether the clock manufacturer will submit it to FIDE along with the testing fee for assessment. Only then does FIDE have the avenue to approve the clock or not.
Even if the manufacturer does not ask for / cannot afford / fails to achieve FIDE approval, he should take a close look at FIDE specifications and try to follow them religiously – as should all clock manufacturers, going forward.
On the video, I noticed that this clock does not add the increment time for move 1, so right away there’s a problem. See the thread Beginning Displayed Time with Increment.
Bill Smythe
Well, I’m always game to test stuff. It’s what I do. 
I’m hoping to receive my beta clock soon. I intend to use it myself, and have others use it as well. I’ll report on what I find here.
Let’s see if I can answer some of the questions with it not becoming advertising.
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Will the clock do the new FIDE rules timing?
Yes, it will. After looking at the DGT 3000 and seeing the new settings we decided to add the new FIDE timing as an option in the preferences. -
Will the manufacturer be sending a clock to FIDE for approval?
Yes, we will.
3)What about the price? Why set it at a MSRP of $149?
We set the price after a couple of showings. We were worried about the price but after the customers were showed the ease of use and functionality no one complained about the projected cost. It’s expensive to produce a product in the United States. We wanted to put out a high quality product that we could back up with exceptional customer service.
Time will tell which way this goes. My hope is the chess community will wait to check out the clock in person till they pass judgment.
Shelby
If the VTEK300 was the only clock on the scene, I might be forced to buy it. But with other clocks that do the job adequately and cost over $100 less, I think it is going to be a hard sell except to people with money or who are tech addicts who will buy and try any new thing.
I have several digital clocks and bought them relatively early on as they came out: the Saitek Pro, the Game Timer II, and the DGT NA. I even have a Master Quartz electric clock. All have features I like and some that I don’t like but can live with. All were around the $50 or less mark when I purchased them. I did not buy the Chronos, even after seeing it used and become widespread. I did not think it was easy to learn to use, like the other clocks. They did not seem to hold up very well. The clocks were fugly. However, while I could live with that, the main obstacle was the $100+ price. I am a very active player and will try almost anything, but the price point was too much. I find it difficult to believe that many scholastic players, players who play in only one or two events per year, or price conscious avid fans of chess are going to buy the clock, even if made in the USA and with great service, at the given price.
Agreed. Double my income and I might try the VTEK. As is, I doubt it.
But in re the Chronos, I must ride to its defense. You say the Saitek Pro is easier to learn to use and set than a Chronos?!? Um, I don’t think so. And my Chronos held up well for 16 years and still works great for the guy I sold it to.
The Chronos is such a masterwork of fugly functionality that I seriously consider dropping north of $100 to replace the one I thought at the time I was forced to sell last fall. This even though I have an adequate clock, (Game Time II), a more-than-adequate clock (DGT NA) and would like to try the DGT 3000 someday. Plus saving cash is good. Even given all that, I am still tempted to get another Chronos.
Not all cults are an evil.
So, you will pay over $100 for a Chronos and at the same time say that you cannot afford to pay approximately $34 more for a clock that has all the sturdiness and quality of the Chronos and has numerous improvements and upgrades to the hardware and software, interesting.
Thanks much for weighing in, Shelby. I hope the moderators will go lightly as long as you provide info about your product, as you did here, as opposed to a sales pitch. We are not sheep here. I deleted my previous post in this thread as a silent protest to the idea that only USCF Sales be allowed to advertise on the Forums. That might be supportable if “USCF” Sales was actually run by USCF. As is, it’s ridiculous.
I am something of a clocks geek and I plan to use the VTEK 3000 several times before passing judgment. That depends on how many of my opponents supply a VTEK, as long as its price point and my bank balance stay near where they are now. Any plans for a VTEK Lite at half the price, maybe?
Is the design of the clock baked, at least for now, or is it possible to change things before the first big model run, based on feedback from beta-testers?
Good luck with FIDE. From what I have heard, I am not sure the way the clock implements increment will conform to FIDE’s “must show remaining time for next move at all times” standard.
Have fun with this.
First off, with careful shopping you can find a Chronos for closer to $105 than the MSRP $115. That includes shipping; if I read the fine print on the VTEK right, the $149 retail price does not include shipping. Also we have no way to know yet how reliable the VTEK will be, while Chronos clocks built from the '90s through a few years ago are indestructible.
But you have a point. Mainly it’s sentiment. I miss my Chronos. It’s still the best clock I ever used overall, even if the DGT NA beats it in dollar-for-dollar value and other clocks will add new features as time rolls on. We grew up together in the New World of SD rated chess. Memories…
Sentiment can be a dangerous thing.
Correction: posting a link to any site where a product can be purchased, including uscfsales.com, is considered indirect advertising and is not allowed.