whats with alarm clocks being so bright?

T77911S · 01-09-2009, 06:30 AM

maybe this is a subject that no one has posted.

my old alarm clock was so bright i left it on the floor. it broke so the wife went and bought a new and this one is even brighter. its like high beams shinning in your face, after all, a clock is only 2 ft from the bed, how bright does it have to be?
i just took the old one apart and put a variable resistor to dim it some more, now i just need to do it to the new one.

legion · 01-09-2009, 06:34 AM

This is one of the reasons I don't have an alarm clock on my side of the bed anymore.

I'd like to find an alarm clock that only lights up after the alarm rings.

Burnin' oil · 01-09-2009, 06:39 AM

I make sure the stupid thing is pointed away from the bed and sometimes put a book in front of it to block the glare.

As long as we are on the subject, the high-beam indicator in our '03 Suburban is a bright, piercing cobalt blue that can't be dimmed and interfers with my night vision and gives me a headache. If I have the high beams on, I position myself so the steering wheel blocks the indicator.

gassy · 01-09-2009, 06:43 AM

I have this Boston Acoustics one--
http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/ExpandedModule.do?oid=206797&callingModule=9#custRatings

You can dim the light so you barely see it.

Ronbo · 01-09-2009, 06:44 AM

I have a Panasonic alarm clock that I bought in '78 or '79. It uses green LEDs (I think). There is a switch on the side to dim the display which works perfectly at night. I don't know how I'll replace this if it ever dies.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

These projection alarm clocks are really the cats pajamas, especially in the bedroom (pun?). The time/temperature is laser projected to the ceiling, you can turn off any light from the clock screen. Had mine for 4 years and no problems.

http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-BAR338PA-Projection-Cable-Free/dp/B00005B0BM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1231515767&sr=8-2

legion · 01-09-2009, 06:49 AM

I've bought four alarm clocks since 2000. Not because they broke, but because they were bright (which I have no way of gauging in the store). A few of them have "bright" and "dim" settings.

I've found that "dim" corresponds to staring into a car's headlights at bright at night.

"Bright" corresponds to staring into the sun while somoen aims a laser pointer at your retina for extended periods of time.

T77911S · 01-09-2009, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by legion

I've bought four alarm clocks since 2000. Not because they broke, but because they were bright (which I have no way of gauging in the store). A few of them have "bright" and "dim" settings.

I've found that "dim" corresponds to staring into a car's headlights at bright at night.

"Bright" corresponds to staring into the sun while somoen aims a laser pointer at your retina for extended periods of time.

my point exactly.
i use to put a wash cloth over it, now it sits on the floor.

maybe i should go into the modifying alarm clocks? the one i just modded is barely visible. i could have mounted a variable resistor on the back to change it, but since i cant get the radio to turn off, i need the other one. if i cant mod the new one, i will put the new one on the floor and the old one on the dresser.

burnin oil,
try a peice of electrical tape over the high beam light, you will still see it but it will not be shinning in your eyes.

Burnin' oil · 01-09-2009, 07:32 AM

When I was in high school, I went with a friend's family to Disney Land. I drove one of their cars home. The high beam light was bugging me so I stuck a piece of chewed bubble gum over it. After four hours of driving, the gum melted and slid down into the cracks and crevices of the dash and made a horrible mess. Very embarassing but I'm sure the family thought it was par for the course.

GG Allin · GG Allin's Garage

The Bose Wave is dim until you turn the lights on.

BReif61 · 01-09-2009, 08:37 AM

I can honestly say I've never had an issue with my alarm clock being too bright. I attribute it to my near-sightedness, and that fact that the numerals look like a big mushy cloud from where I sleep.

Is it an issue of not being able to sleep? Or getting up?

rammstein · 01-09-2009, 08:41 AM

Red light is the only color you should get. Red does not light up the room, whereas green and blue do (a lot). Get red. Your problems will be over. Red. There's a scientific reason for this.

911boost · 911boost's Garage

I have serious issues getting up in the morning sometimes, and also HATE the bright alarm clocks. My wife got me this one last year (2007) for Christmas. It has no light on it, until you push the snooze button, a very large button on top. The first time it goes off it sounds like a very angry R2D2, if you snooze it, the second time the wheels engage and it takes off, if you have it set to that. Gets me out of bed everytime.

T77911S · 01-09-2009, 10:09 AM

the red ones are ok. i like the one that has the 2 different alarms. this one lets me set one for the work week only, then it has another if you want for different times.

i wake to the radio on soft. i like the slow waking instead of being jolted out of bed.

this new one is kinda blue, alomost like those blue headlights on cars.

BReif61 · 01-09-2009, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSiple

I have serious issues getting up in the morning sometimes, and also HATE the bright alarm clocks. My wife got me this one last year (2007) for Christmas. It has no light on it, until you push the snooze button, a very large button on top. The first time it goes off it sounds like a very angry R2D2, if you snooze it, the second time the wheels engage and it takes off, if you have it set to that. Gets me out of bed everytime.

Haha, that's great. I'm a three-snoozer, so that would most likely result in a ballistic clock.

masraum · 01-09-2009, 11:08 AM

I have my alrm clock from around 1983. The numbers are red. I've never had a problem with the brightness. Anytime I end up someplace where the clock has blue or green numbers, the brightness is always a problem. I even have to cover the leds on our cells and my wifes laptop to sleep. Those things can seem really bright once you eyes have adsjusted to the dark.

MOMO3.2 · 01-09-2009, 11:34 AM

My wife and I have an alarm clock with a RED LED display. Like masraum states, there is no isuue for my wife or me with the display being too bright. Any other color DOES bother us.

On a side note, I have never needed an alarm to wake up. My wife and I both have some internal clock that always wakes us at the rght time. This is even true when we have to wake up at 2:00 or 3:00 am for trips. I am also able to wake up in the middle of the night and know what time it is to the 1/4 hour more often than not. It is really weird.

Mike

LeeH · 01-09-2009, 06:54 PM

I had one that was so bright I put a piece of leftover window tint over the display... made it just about right.

slodave · slodave's Garage

I just use my cell phone.

legion · 01-09-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeH

I had one that was so bright I put a piece of leftover window tint over the display... made it just about right.

I had a green one that I had to put three layers of tint--that I went out and bought specifically for this purpose--and even on dim it was too bright.

Red ones don't help me either. Those are still too bright for me. Light only on demand is what I want.