07 Jun 2010, 03:42
Ok,
It seemed like a good idea at the time. I have a pair of Fairchild LCD watches with Tritium backlighting, which after 30 years has dimmed to a pale dim glow. After hearing about th availability of modern Tritium sources, I thought it might be a good idea to see if the Tritium source could be updated.
Ok, first question was how to access the Tritium beta source?
Here's the view from the front of the module:
Hmm, not too promising. No apparent way to access the Tritiium lighitng from the front. Here's the view from the back:
Ok, that seems promising. There's a sticker labelled "3H" with a chartreuse sheen to it. That seems like the place to go! I wonder what's under the sticker....
Peel back the plastic sticker and...
WTF. What's that little silvery rectangle? Oh no!...
Here's a closeup view of the carnage:
Enlarge (3600x2400): http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5618 ... 0x2400.jpg
No doubt about when this chip was manufactured (Copyright '77):
%$@*&$%#@!!!
I've been fooled! On one hand, the LED watch was the beginning of the microelectronic era. That's a good thing for sure. On the other hand, it was the beginning of an era where the end user was not only not encouraged to tinker, repair, and service his or her own gadgets but is actually discouraged from it. Ack. As punishment for wanting to tinker with the Tritium backlighting, they tricked me into destroying my watch! The bastards.
<RANT>
On one hand, the modern microelectronic has brought us all sorts of new capabilities and wonderous new creations. On the other hand, I don't welcome the mindset that it's ok for companies to design and engineer products specifically NOT to be repaired or serviced. Not cool. This is a glimpse of the beginning of the new era where users are viewed as mindless sheep, destined only to be buyers and consumers rather than tinkerers and innovators. There will be a cost to this down the road, I am certain.
</RANT>
-abe.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. I have a pair of Fairchild LCD watches with Tritium backlighting, which after 30 years has dimmed to a pale dim glow. After hearing about th availability of modern Tritium sources, I thought it might be a good idea to see if the Tritium source could be updated.
Ok, first question was how to access the Tritium beta source?
Here's the view from the front of the module:
Hmm, not too promising. No apparent way to access the Tritiium lighitng from the front. Here's the view from the back:
Ok, that seems promising. There's a sticker labelled "3H" with a chartreuse sheen to it. That seems like the place to go! I wonder what's under the sticker....
Peel back the plastic sticker and...
WTF. What's that little silvery rectangle? Oh no!...
Here's a closeup view of the carnage:
Enlarge (3600x2400): http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/5618 ... 0x2400.jpg
No doubt about when this chip was manufactured (Copyright '77):
%$@*&$%#@!!!
I've been fooled! On one hand, the LED watch was the beginning of the microelectronic era. That's a good thing for sure. On the other hand, it was the beginning of an era where the end user was not only not encouraged to tinker, repair, and service his or her own gadgets but is actually discouraged from it. Ack. As punishment for wanting to tinker with the Tritium backlighting, they tricked me into destroying my watch! The bastards.
<RANT>
On one hand, the modern microelectronic has brought us all sorts of new capabilities and wonderous new creations. On the other hand, I don't welcome the mindset that it's ok for companies to design and engineer products specifically NOT to be repaired or serviced. Not cool. This is a glimpse of the beginning of the new era where users are viewed as mindless sheep, destined only to be buyers and consumers rather than tinkerers and innovators. There will be a cost to this down the road, I am certain.
</RANT>
-abe.
But seriously, let's try not to get too far offtrack before starting a new thread....you can alway put in a link back to the "parent" thread. 
(sorry abem, couldn't leave that comment uncommented...)
)
