One of my hobbies is digital clocks, so I was really interested in acquiring the VCK 16 for my collection.
The clock arrived packaged very nicely. It includes a one meter cable for power, but you’re on your own for a power cube. A hex tool for disassembling the clock is also included, which is needed if you wish to remove the protective peel-off covering from the acrylic pieces. These are a hassle to remove but it significantly improves the appearance of the clock.
This is a great looking device. The case is sloped back at a slight angle, making it easier to see on a desk. The display is crystal clear and there is plenty of brightness. The way the numbers change is very enjoyable to watch, and I like the default font so much that I have not even explored the others. When in English, the displayed day of the week is a little strange, as it is shown sideways. However, you quickly adapt to this. I have not used the alarm feature yet.
Initial synchonization after a power failure occurs very quickly. There is also an offline mode, in case you want to use the clock without NTP synchronization. If this mode is in use, or wi-fi is temporarily unavailable, a backup battery keeps track of the time in the event of a power failure.
There are multiple selectable brightness levels. There is also an “auto” setting, which adjusts brightness based on the ambient light level. I found that the minimum setting is quite dim, and even in rooms with average illumination, the display stays at this minimum level. I chose “low” instead, which is plenty readable in the absence of bright sunlight.
The instructions are an area which could use a lot of improvement. The ones supplied with the clock are quite inadequate, while the ones you download from the LGL web page are better but still far from great. I’m providing the following to help others with the process.
Initially, the clock shows up as an additional wi-fi access point on your device (phone, tablet, etc.). You have to FIRST connect to the clock like it was any other network.
Next, a web page is supposed to come up automatically where you configure the actual wi-fi settings for your HOME network. In my case nothing I did would make the web page appear, so I was stuck. (An email to LGL for tech support went unanswered.) I finally tried again by connecting with a different device and the configuration page DID show up. After that, it was smooth sailing to get the clock connected to my actual wi-fi.
Finally, you power cycle the clock. It should show that wi-fi is now connected and start running. Press and hold the “circle” button on the clock so it shows its IP address on your network. You can then enter this address into a web browser and finish setting up the various parameters. For U.S. dwellers, I highly recommend changing the time server the clock uses – so it’s not getting the time from a server halfway around the world. Also, if your area uses Daylight Saving Time in the U.S. it currently begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November.
The negatives I could find with the instrument itself:
No way to turn the alarm on and off from the clock
No snooze button on the alarm feature
No indication whether the alarm is on or off
Timer function is not intuitive and probably not needed by most people
No means to make the clock go to sleep at night, should you desire to prolong the display life
Soldered-in battery, not easy to change
My rating is 4-1/2 stars. I would easily bump it up to a full 5 if the instructions were improved.
