Clock Radios

[Chris J Dixon]

My present device is now approaching 20 years old, and I am wondering about getting one which does its tuning using something more sophisticated than the traditional knob and length of string.

As ever, my life on the edge of the bell curve seems to mean that designers have priorities different from mine.

Amongst the desirable attributes I wish to retain are:

Large clear LED digits easily read by the short-sighted, permanently illuminated (no need to reach out and tap anything), also displayed when the radio is on, but not so bright that they light the whole bedroom.

At least two easily selectable alarms.

Radio when used as alarm to be the same volume as when last listened, which can be set as low as I want.

Control buttons easily located and operated without my head leaving the pillow, ideally on the front.

Sleep timer with adjustable duration.

Mains operated, with automatic clock synchronisation.

Setting not requiring navigation through lengthy menus.

I guess for future-proofing DAB should be included.

Reading reviews, many seem to fail on several of my requirements.

Any suggestions?

Chris

[Simon Mason]

It even has DRM!

[Woody]

Have a look at some of the own brand from John Lewis - they will meet most of your needs, just be careful about illumination levels and space needed behind for power connection. The Sony 'cube' is quite good but make sure to get the more expensive version that has two alarms and digital (as against analogue) tuning. I bought a Pure Sienna Mk2 which on the face of it was a good radio but had to return it as - like most Pure radios - it seems to have a very limited HF cut-off and so sounds unnaturally muffled. Roberts do a quite nice unit with large digits and a curved front but at ?70 it is expensive. We faced the problem of not being able to see the clock at night so I bought a clock radio of Sainsburys own brand (?13) which has red LED digits about 2.5" high and put it on the other side of the room just as a clock. Surprisingly the digits are not too bright and it is easy to read. Most importantly look for a unit with a comparatively large speaker - some are less than 2" across and distirt easily.

I would suggest that as you live in Nottingham, Jessops would be a good browsing point.

[Adrian Caspersz]

Gut an old clock radio and build in all your required functionality with a Raspberry Pi.

Been one of my 'tuit projects for years ...

[Bill]

In message , Chris J Dixon writes

As a regular browser of the remainder areas of Aldi, I am very happy with the projection alarm clock that I got there. It projects onto the wall just as a clock and the only possible problem is that it isn't visible during sun-streaming days. It sets itself when the clocks change.

I use this in combination with various tablets and mobile phones, usually leaving them playing radio from around the world, and using the very flexible and easy to set alarms. Often I leave the radio playing while I sleep and set the alarm to wake me on the Blackberry Playbook, but both the Windows 8 and cheapo Android 6 phones have flexible alarms and adequate audio quality.

I always found clock radios a nightmare to set to different alarm times and for summertime etc.

[T i m]

Hehe. Funnily we were / are looking at replacing our ~30 year old Binatone Telephone [1] / LED alarm clock / radio (complete with string ) but haven't seen anything suitable (but not looked that hard).

Considering it was probably cheap (Binatone) I'm amazed it has lasted so well!

The biggest issue I've founds is that they don't seem to take as much care to make the UI as good as it was in the 'old days'. Easy to find in the dark analogue knobs and chunky switches may not look 'swish' (and be expensive to build) but there were / are very easy to use. Now everything is based on a microprocessor of some sort, all the controls tend to be Up / Down pushbuttons (with or without a screen and menu) which whilst being cheap and flexible, aren't generally so easy to use.

(As per our Binatone)

(As per our Binatone)

(As per our Binatone)

(As on our Binatone)

Sleep timer but no adjustment.

The Binatone is mains powered and clocked synched to the AC (if that's what you meant)?

(As on our Binatone)

I've not really used DAB much as most of our radios are still AM/FM but for the Alarm clock / radio the radio just needs to output a radio station of some sort to be better than the built in buzzer (although if the string gets moved all you get is a buzzer or white noise anyway). ;-)

Again, we have not looked hard but those we have seen when browsing generally seem to fail on some basic point pretty quickly.

Sorry no, but I'll be interested to see how you get on. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[1] Pushbutton phone but only LD. ;-)

[tim...]

I suspect that fails the "easily read at night" test

tim

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you find one, let me know. The problem here was finding one with a large enough display for me to read easily without glasses. Really needs to be about 2" high. Which I did once have - but that failed beyond repair.

All I could find after much searching was an alarm only, which I modified to switch on the sound system in the bedroom. It is mains locked, so at least keeps to time on average. A radio controlled one would be better so you don't need to set it when the hour changes.

Only thing it lacks in practice is a sleep timer.

[Martin Brown]

Push button tuning was fairly common even 20 years ago.

Usually on the top.

DAB does this automagically (on a good day) signal permitting.

That is the one you will probably struggle with when setting one up. Most consumer goods GUIs these days are a tangle of random menus that made sense to the guy who designed it but no-one else.

If cost is no object Pure have one that should be ok

Avoid Roberts ones - over priced under performing and sound like the small box they are in with a peg on nose Brummy accent announcers.

[charles]

Try Revo - another UK firm - they sell factory reconditioned ones on ebay, too.

[WeeBob]

I have been through a very similar experience. The problem appears to be that the control boards (?) that support DAB or even digital FM tuning are designed to have LCD displays. So if you want an LED display you struggle to get "digital" features..

Nowadays, I have a LED clock and use an old phone with a blue-tooth speaker and run the BBC radio app (it has an alarm).

However, I recently bought a new clock radio and it may press the right buttons for you :)

I bought it as a small radio for the bathroom.

Big LED, proper aerial - but short, could be upgraded maybe.

No DAB (a good thing imo).

2p

[pamela]

That's different. Quite an interesting look!

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Doesn't give any dimensions I can find. For some, large enough to be read easily at night without glasses may be the most important thing.

If the 'normal' 1" or so display is OK, the choice is vast.

[WeeBob]

The dimensions are on the linked page:

Size:11.4*6.8*2.2cm

The LEDs are ~34mm high.

[RJH]

I was looking for one today funnily enough. Saw one of these in John Lewis that might fit the bill:

Bit more than I am willing to pay, but I see they're available cheaper online. Not that impressed with the sound - but a decent name ;-)

[Martin Brown]

Dunno about you but I choose sound systems based on how they *sound* rather than the brand name. Even in their heyday Roberts were just putting together Ferranti made building blocks in a half wooded case.

Back then they didn't try so hard to boost the base response which is what leads to the excessive boxiness of their current offerings.

[Woody]

Click on the above link, then on refurbished at the top of the page and you will find more much cheaper.

[Scott]

I suggest PURE Siesta Rise

Comments as follows:

The Rise has very large time display (which I can read without glasses and while half asleep). Permanent illumination is an option and brightness can be set on a scale of 1 to 5.

It has three. You can have one for weekdays and one for weekends. Unfortunately you cannot differentiate between Saturdays and Sundays.

You can set the radio volume (for when the alarm activates) on a scale of 1 to 32. You will know level when last listened to so you can set it the same.

They are on top as the display occupies the whole front. It would be better if they were were tactile for feeling in the dark but you get used to where they are.

15 minute increments to 60, then 90

Mains or battery operated. Synchronisation can be digital only, FM only or digital and FM.

Depends what you mean by 'lengthy'. You obviously have to go through the various options if you want a radio that provides options.

DAB and DAB+.

[tabbypurr]

Maybe someone should set up a website with feature grids for appliances.

Why have Binatone never realised the brand name is a disaster and changed it?

NT

[pamela]

Looks like a nice product. Pure have chosen an up-market niche and although there are diminishing returns as quality increases, Pure's pricing always seems on the high side.