Starter Advice Request

[james_stan]

Hi All

I am looking to acquire my first LED watch since the mid 70s when I
was lucky enough to get a TI black plastic number for Xmas/Birthday !

Now I'm a pretty budget conscious guy ( OK pathalogically mean) so I thought about buying
some 'condition unknown' items from the famous auction site. Is it realistic to expect that some
might only need new batteries or is it more often something more serious ?

If the latter how easy are the fixes for someone with rudimentary electronics knowledge and a fairly steady soldering hand.

I think I am more concerned with teh look and style rather than a specific brand so hopefully I ca get on board quite cheaply/

Finally are the new clones (TX6's etc..)any good ? Should I slake my retro thirst with one of these, in the
knowledge that only a handful of folk will know they are not in fact 35 years old ?

Any advice for one with only limited funds gratefully received.

Cheers all

James

[Led-Time]

Hi James,

Welcome to the forums...

Firstly I'd forget the new so called modern LED's they are not a patch on the original 70's watches...christ,are they really £50 for these... £50 will get you a very nice original LED watch.

For a first timer its a minefield its all to easy to ripped off on Ebay if you don't know what to look for, do your homework first check the completed listing function to see what prices the watches made and the all too important sellers feedback as some of these watches can make a frightening amount of money.

By all means buy up some non-workers and try your hand at getting them going we've all been there its the only way to learn...

Have a look through here - http://www.ledwatches.net/photos.htm - this will give you a good idea of the different styles and makes of LED's that were made all those years ago.

A word of warning once you get one of these things one is never enough...

[bruce wegmann]

Amen to that! The LED-collecting bug is more contageous than the mumps...

[james_stan]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

I'm eyeing-up some likeley suspects right now. Will let you know how I
get on. BTW do people here quiz their friends to see if they have any unwanted LEDs in a drawer somewhere ?

Strikes me that this might also be the source of some 'gems'.

Cheers

James

[Led-Time]

BTW do people here quiz their friends to see if they have any unwanted LEDs in a drawer somewhere

When I started a new job I noticed the workforce was quite old so I asked about to see if anyone remembered the LED days one of the guys came in with one of these - http://www.ledwatches.net/photo-pages/imado4.htm - the module was cracked due to the wrong batteries being fitted in the past but when I find a module for it...happy days.

Then one of the managers heard I was into LED's and asked if I could have a look at a non-workingTexas Instruments LED that belonged to his gradfather it needed a quartz change and the strap fixed, he was over the moon the watch had a lot of sentimental value to him.

[james_stan]

Wow that Imado is a beauty (IMHO).

BTW what is 'quite old' these days ? I just got to 45 (last week)
and beginning to get quite grumpy.

Cheers

James

[Led-Time]

Late 50's & 60's onwards most of the guys have been with the company for well over 40 years they're very institutionalized its quite scary they are in a liitle wold of their own...