The RM818PA Atomic Projection Alarm Clock, By Oregon Scientific has features unlike your average projection clock. From the modern design of the body, to the large red projected scrolling display, the attention to detail in the finish, and the unique characters that make up both the LCD, the Oregon Scientific RM818PA sets itself apart from run of the mill projection clocks. But wait until you see the actions of the animated projection display. The scrolling actions of the time information into the visually unique display is a marriage of graphic design elements and engineering that would only be created by Oregon Scientific.     

The projected display is in unique bold red characters , making up a large, somewhat pincushion shaped display. If display animation is enabled (in fast or slow mode), the projected display executes a number of amusing scrolling motions. The projector on the top may be pivoted forward or back 90 degrees to project on the wall or ceiling.  The actual projected image may be flipped 180 degrees. The projector is pre-focused for a sharp display at approximately normal nightstand to ceiling distances. Projecting it across the room will render a large, somewhat soft focused image.

The LCD of the RM818PA displays hours and minutes in numbers about 1/2 inch high, plus seconds and date, or weekday and date. The LCD display may be angled up or down about 45 degrees to adjust viewing angle.  The LCD has a snooze button activated momentary blue electro-luminescent backlight.

Of course the radio controlled time, which sets itself using radio transmissions broadcast by the atomic clock source in Boulder Colorado, will be accurate to within a fraction of a second, as long as the transmissions can reach the clock (see limitations below).

Alarm functions - The RM818PA has two configurable daily beep alarms, plus an 8 minute snooze function. In addition, the RM818PA may be used with an optional VR101 vibrating alarm transducer (not included)  which is a wireless remote alarm unit that may be placed under a pillow.  The vibrating remote can be set to be triggered by alarm 1, 2, or both. It is possible to have one alarm trigger only the vibration alarm, and the other alarm sound the beeper.

For additional information, please see the instructions. (It is a large file, this will open a new window and take a while to download)

For the engineers in the crowd: I just had to add this section after watching this thing in action. The projected display is really quite a piece of engineering. The display itself is not a set of seven segment digits at all. It appears to be a graphic array of around 6 rows of 21 individually addressable rectangular high brightness LED segments. The projected display is shaped a little like a football (the American football, not the Soccer ball) with the points clipped off. I don't know if that's due to the shape of the array or the effect of a wide angle lens. The time information, plus AM/PM indication and colon are scrolled into this array in various ways. There must be nearly as much processing power in this thing as there was in my first computer, a Sinclair ZX80. Our cat and I watched this thing for a good 10 minutes imagining what makes it tick. I resisted the temptation to take it apart and tap the display drivers to drive a poster size array of high brightness LEDs, can you? - Marty

Note:  This product has "atomic" clock functionality. Atomic, or Radio Controlled clocks receive a radio signal to set themselves. Like any radio receiver however, they may not be able to receive the signal if they are in a building with a lot of steel in the structure, near computers or other electrical equipment that may generate interference, or if the weather is unsuitable. The signal they receive does not propagate well during the day. That's the nature of the signal, not the clock. These clocks are designed to catch the signal when they can, generally in the middle of the night, calibrate themselves, and then run quite accurately for days until they can catch another signal. When you first put in the batteries, they will most likely not set themselves until the middle of the night. That's normal. By morning, weather permitting, it should be correct. Under less than ideal conditions, it could take a few days. Daylight savings time changes may not be made the first night if location and weather are not favorable.