talking timers, anyone have one?

On The Mound

A
On The Mound

  • 2
  • 0
  • 16
Sinclair Lewis

A
Sinclair Lewis

  • 4
  • 1
  • 27
Street Art

A
Street Art

  • 2
  • 4
  • 78
Time a Traveler

A
Time a Traveler

  • 6
  • 2
  • 84
Flowering Chives

H
Flowering Chives

  • 4
  • 0
  • 84

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
198,221
Messages
2,771,234
Members
99,578
Latest member
williechandor
Recent bookmarks
0

Sean

Admin
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Messages
13,106
Location
New Zealand
Format
Multi Format
I could really use some kind of timer that speaks to me while I'm doing film tray development. A time notification every 30 seconds would be great 30 seconds.. 1 minute.. 1 minute 30 seconds.. 2 minutes.. etc

I found 1 talking timer on ebay for $20 but it only gives notifications per minute and only in the last 10 minutes.

Any ideas? Thanks!
 

chuck94022

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2005
Messages
869
Location
Los Altos, C
Format
Multi Format
I just use a metronome and keep the count in my head. It helps if I *don't* play music while doing it! If I'm daylight processing in the jobo, I use a regular digital kitchen timer.

I find that my processing times are short enough in the darkroom that I rarely lose track. But I'm just doing paper in the dark at the moment. If I were to do film, I'd preset a countdown timer and just process until I hear the beep. Paterson makes a triple timer that allows you to preset three different times and run them independently.

-chuck
 

Nige

Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2002
Messages
2,313
Format
Multi Format
Sean, I have one that counts down each minute (might be longer intervals over 10mins) until it gets to the last minute, then it announces each 10secs, then goes 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 *boom* I checked this for someone else a little while back, might have been in 'our' forums.. might not :wink:

If you don't hit the stop button, it starts reminding you 'one minute over', etc. Basically the reverse of the countdown phase, so you can get 20mins worth of 1min warnings.

Only problem with it I've experienced was when using it to time RA4 printing steps the start button is pretty small (and you need to hit a different button to recall the memory time) but a couple of bits of 'glow in the dark' tape would probably fix that.

Here it is -> http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/42784a150ab08aa4273fc0a87f9c0749/Product/View/Y5187
 
OP
OP
Sean

Sean

Admin
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Messages
13,106
Location
New Zealand
Format
Multi Format
that's the one i was looking at, i think i might try it, would be cool if dse in NZ has it :smile:
 

Flotsam

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2002
Messages
3,221
Location
S.E. New Yor
That photolab software is really cool.
I'm NFG with electronics so I wish that someone would market a pre-built enlarger interface. It would be the ultimate wet/dry timer.
 

Kevin Caulfield

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 3, 2004
Messages
3,845
Location
Melb, Australia
Format
Multi Format
Sean, I reckon the ones from DSE are the duck's guts. I've been using them for years. They used to be $25 AUD and now they're $20 AUD. If you can't get them in NZ, give me a yell and I can get you one here.

I accidentally melted two timers the other day trying to dry them with a hair dryer, but even then they actually started working again.
 

GeorgesGiralt

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2004
Messages
523
Location
Toulouse, Fr
Format
Large Format
Hi !
I've bought the very same timer, speaking French, at a shop for blind people.
It was about 10 € each.
Check these kind of shop for some useable items for us...
Have a nice day
 

ElrodCod

Member
Joined
May 24, 2004
Messages
139
Location
Florida
Format
Pinhole
It would be simple to make your own custom timer with a $20 audio cassette recorder.
 

Tom Hoskinson

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2004
Messages
3,867
Location
Southern Cal
Format
Multi Format
I have been using talking timers for about 2 years and love them! They cost about $10.
 

David Brown

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
4,048
Location
Earth
Format
Multi Format
ElrodCod said:
It would be simple to make your own custom timer with a $20 audio cassette recorder.

I haven't done E6 myself in years. But, when I did, I made a tape with all of the timings, warnings, instructions, etc. To fill in the spaces between steps, I picked out music that I was familiar with and could tell when the next step was approaching by the music. It worked great!

Without the need for music, any recorder would do.

Cheers

David
 

paul ron

Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Messages
2,706
Location
NYC
Format
Medium Format
Radio Shack

I once saw a fellow flying his model plane with a talking countdown timer. It was so cool I had to get one for my darkroom. Radio Shack has it adn it's cheap. I love it and couldn't go back to my old stop watch.

Radio Shack Catalog number 63-877 talking timer.
 

Timothy

Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2003
Messages
217
Location
Winnipeg
Format
4x5 Format
Timer - Shmimer !

Hey you guys, what about a cheap tape recorder with some music, or whatever, and your own voice doing "Voice of the Darkroom" announcements at regular or significant intervals.

Tim R
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom