The Glitchy Clock
This is a simple video about the Gixie clock. It’s one of my ‘cheese sandwich’ videos. For those who don’t know - this is a definition I coined for simple videos that are exactly what they are and nothing more but are also perfectly adequate for the job.
Yes it’s a bit of a filler video. I needed to free up an additional day or two for a more complex project I want to start work on. I think that may become the video after next, but anything could happen.
UPDATE - I've decided to leave this one as a Patreon Exclusive.
UPDATE2 - I’m going to try again: There’s a new version above. I really need the buffer of a few extra days on the next video, so if this one doesn’t go live there‘s going to be no video release for perhaps ten days and that would be bit of a kick in the wallet right now. So hopefully this re-edit will appease the (lack of) quality gods.
Comments (56)
The /r/shittykickstarters subreddit is sharing some Glixie Clock video love by the looks of things (can't post the link, because Patreon).
Hopefully they can redeem themselves a bit - a replacement ‘improved’ version is sitting in a box on the floor - I’ll get to it in a few days.
Interesting approach for the clock. Too bad it's such a dud. I've gotten some of the nixie tube clocks and music visualizers you've demonstrated on your channel. I did want to share one company out of Russia that I've bought a nixie clock and two VFD clocks from. It's called Kamalabs: https://kama-labs.com/; they are also on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/str/nixielab I've bought their Sonya, Yulia, and Wifi Anuta clocks; the Anuta is my favorite. The clocks are decently priced and well engineered. I've had them for 2-3 years without issue. On their Sonya nixie clock, they provided sockets. So when a nixie tube burns out, it's very easy to replace. I highly recommend the company and products for anyone who loves nixie or VFD clocks!
That’s a company I didn’t know anything about - so thanks foe the information. I think I may have to get myself an Anuta too - love those animations.
I could see how pushing production could cause this, the finished product should be great 👍
It's a shame the execution of this clock was so poor. I really like the idea and design of this and would get one for my living room if it wasn't garbage.
Well hold on a bit - they've been in touch and they're sending me a version that is supposed to be reengineered - so we'll see how that goes.
I assume you spent most of the morning running around your house and turning all clocks back by an hour, whilst cursing your interests.
I’ve only managed to find four so far that didn’t auto-update. Ahh hold on, forgot about my collection of odd watches...curses.
I had one of these, but the front fell off.
This product should be named the Poxie Clock. Thanks for taking one for the team, Mat.
Definitely release the video. Your edits fixed the product name slip-up, and it’s comical how the product increasingly fails during the course of the review. A valuable cautionary tale.
My usual envy of TechMoan's collection has devolved to pity for this video.
Yep, quite the cheesy product.
Matt have you ever been zapped by the mains using one of those plugs.
No I’ve never had that problem - I’m more concerned about them self combusting..and I wouldn’t smell the burning.
I might be an odd chap, but I quite enjoyed how bad this device was.
As seen on the famous auction site: This appears to be the same clock, shipping from Australia. I looked at the seller's feedback and found no mention of this clock, so I'm guessing that this seller has just begun to sell it: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Retro-Nixie-Tube-Inspired-GIXIE-CLOCK-Electronic-6-Digit-5V-USB-Pre-Assembled/264505758944?hash=item3d95c594e0:g:2tkAAOSwCDxdrTQw .... In case my link does not work, the eBay item number is 264505758944.
Well I hope for their sake they fixed the issues I had - if it worked perfectly it’d be fine.
On the bright side, this device can serve as a fine random number generator!
if this video gets a lot of hits, you should sign the box and put it up for a charity auction :D maybe do some good out of this rubbish.
Matt, these look like the LED chips used in Neopixel rings - evidenced by the fact that there are only 3 connections to each "tube". The parts are standard, if you can't get replacement tubes, I can replace any dead LEDs for you if you send them to me. I don't need the clock part as I can test them using an Arduino board..
Thanks for your very kind offer. On this occasion I think I’ll leave it as it is. I only bought it to show it in a video, so it’s served its purpose now. It would have probably ended up sitting in a box or on a shelf anyway.
Those LED are probably WS2812B. They pass through the data from one LED to the other. I have a product I launched with those in it and some Chinese vendors are absolute rubbish and they fail exactly like you have here. My guess is the LED for the 1 Character is failed and if you replaced it the rest would light up. This is a great video, I think it would be worth it for everyone to see, I like this clock and may have bought it before this video, however seeing the construction I know not to spend my money.
That makes me wonder if it’s possible to de-solder a 9 and swap it for a one. If I get a few minutes spare I may take a look.
I've only watched the re-edited version so I can't comment on the original, but I think this is a perfect cheese sandwich video and you should make it available to everyone.
Thanks David - I will do. There’s a couple of tiny nips and tucks - the main difference is the card at the beginning explaining what to expect.
Mmm. Cheese. And a cheesy product. I think it probably goes without saying that they need a better assembly process. The product at least *looked* nice, IMHO, even if I'm not a big Nixie fan.
With a bit more work it would be OK - perhaps all these things are already fixed. The pogo-pin connection is always going to be a bit of a weak point though.
I feel sorry for you, but man I had a good laugh, especially at 10:23. I don't want you to put your house on fire, but what will happen when you plugin that provided USB power adapter? Will they light up once for good? ;-)
That was one of the lightest USB chargers I’ve ever held - I don’t know what the decent ones have inside them - but whatever it is, it’s definitely missing from this one.
I like the cheese sandwich logo at the beginning.
Kinda seems like if the just used a "normal" socket and pins type method of connecting the tubes instead of trying to be clever with the magnets and pogo pins most of the issues would not have existed.
Yes. Just have it plug in like the old vacuum tubes.
This was hilarious in its own way. Kind of like watching Inspector Clouseau trying to check into a Swiss hotel. My tip: keep this one hidden away, and then use ones like this as a Worst Of episode, to show off products that spared every expense. At least there'd be a theme across them. Nothing is wasted.
Just to clarify, the video was great, the product was pants. I meant that the Glitchy Clokk [sic] was the buffoon in this piece, not you. I do understand your frustration with it, though. All the better for a blooper reel, I think.
While product is not good, the VIDEO IS GOOD! I think you should release it. If nothing more than to warn others of this poor product.
I agree. This is a great video. I loved at the end where it just falls apart. But I also love when Mat takes apart one of the tubes and we get to see it all. Plus the tubes are kind of a neat idea if better implemented. I also think the video should be available to all for the glorious chaos of what happens when you tap a tube.
reasonable design, very poorly executed.
For these enjoyable short videos, would you make a new intro with an actual cheese sandwich spinning on the reel-to-reel deck? Or would that be too .. cheesy? 🤔
Ha ha ha - welcome to the Wonderful World of Gixie! Your experience is exactly the same as mine. Wobbly glass covers, detaching magnets, not all tubes working in all positions and, of course, a failing tube. If you try all the tubes in all the positions, you may get a full working set. They did eventually send me a replacement tube free of charge so I do now have 6 working tubes. I made a cardboard 'shroud' so it is at least reasonably clearly visible in daylight. It keeps time well enough and my advice would be, once you get it all working, DON'T TOUCH IT!! PS On their YouTube channel, they do say that there is a 1 sec delay between setting the time and the clock starting and that turns out to be correct, so you can get the time set exactly if you can be bothered. Thanks for the name checks - I only wish I could have drawn your attention to something that actually works!
Well it could have been good - you don’t know until you try.
Reminds me of a funny text I once had on my bulletin board (the cork and pushpin kind, not the electronic kind). Something like this:... "I found this typewlitel by the galbage and I picked it up and I think I'm going to use it. Thele's nothing wlong with it except the lettel L is missing but I'll just substitute L and you'll still be able to lead ip. Whoops, now phe lepper P is bloken bup I guess I can jusp pype P inspeaf. Oh feal. Phe F jusp flew oup so now I'll have po subpipupe ip by an F." It went on like that for a bit until half of the letters went missing. Very funny.
That’s exactly how it felt too - very apt.
Nothing wrong with a cheese sandwich as long as the ingredients are good. Unfortunately in this case the bread was stale and the cheese all green and furry. But you tried (possibly harder than the manufacturer)
Not sure if you're having a bad day, but you didn't really seem invested in this video, even before the clock decided to die on you. I know how it is, but one thing I like about your videos is how you transfer your excitement about a product across to the audience. Of course the reverse is true, and I felt you transferred your disinterest in the product across to us from the start. I'm happy to watch almost any video you make about stuff even I'm not immediately interested about (e.g. the blood sugar monitor device which I don't need, but provided a fascinating insight into how tech can help people who need blood sugar monitoring), but try to make videos on things you're passionate about.
Yep - it's been in a box since July for a reason. I was just planning on putting this out as a simple video, but given how it's gone - I'll just dump it.
I noticed that you called it a “Glixie” clock, but the indiegogo page calls it a “Gixie” clock. Is that a pun on glitchy like the YouTube title?
I honestly thought it was a Glixie clock all this time - looks like I may have to dump the video.
I like how you add a sandwich in the intro. That's kinda cute to me. About the dodgy LED "tube", I'm surprised that they use just a normal 5V NeoPixel in the tube. Maybe the issue is not the contact below, but in the PCB path on the board. Since one LED is working (which, to me, indicates that the data path is broken or something like that. Because this kind of LEDs chain the signal path from LED to another one). Replace a LEDs pad should fix the problem.
That’s a classic piece of Shenzhen landfill. Cheese sandwich would have been more use.
and biodegradable.
I enjoyed the cheese sandwich icon in the intro. But boy, if ever there was a cautionary tale about Indie GoGo... 😬
That's one cheese sandwich I shall not be eating. Thanks, Mat. :)
I think you would've enjoyed that clock more if you left it in the box! I've never seen so many QC fails in a single product before.
Have a nice weekend Mr. Techmoan, will watch that video soon.