Anybody played with these Casio watches?

[KevinL]

I've been doing a little bit of browsing and wondering whether I could use a new EDC watch to go along with my 8 year old relic Casio G-Shock (but admittedly, it works darn well even after all these years and takes CR2016 cells, of which I have a couple hundred sitting around..).

Digital is a must. While I can read analog, I still find I am more used to a digital readout and it 'clicks' faster. Yeah /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Metal bands are a must. There are certain problems with fabric, ask me how I know /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleye11.gif

Not too big. The light can be big, the watch cannot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

First one I'm looking at, the PRG-50T. Looks like an interesting watch, though a little bit on the big side. Digital compass and thermometer sound interesting, I suppose it would be nice to know exactly what temp I am roasting/freezing to death at /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif 57.0 X 52.0 X 14.8 mm / 77 g

Second watch, the WL-S21HD. I know the two cannot be compared directly, they're different kinds of watches. What I like about this one is the small size, 46.0 X 43.0 X 14.1 mm / 78 g. No fancy sensor pack but it sure seems to have all the essentials that a watch needs.

 

[UnknownVT]

[ QUOTE ]
KevinL said: wondering whether I could use a new EDC watch to go along with my 8 year old relic Casio G-Shock (but admittedly, it works darn well even after all these years and takes CR2016 cells, of which I have a couple hundred sitting around..).

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have experience of either, but a comment if I may.

Both are Tough-Solar.

Although the idea of never having to replace a battery may seem on paper to be appealing - and I've been tempted myself -
the problem is that the "accumulator" of the solar generated electricity is actually a "rechargable battery" - which unfortunately does not last forever and will eventually need replacement.

I'm not sure of the technology used for the storage/rechargable battery type CTL1616 (I can't find any info on casio.com) -
but we all know NiCd's are terrible - heaven forbid it's one of those.

Lithium rechargables are supposed to be good - but really meant for high drain applications - I had 2 Li rechargable batteries for my Canon digicam - and after 3 years of cycling usage they both gave up the ghost.....

NiMH seems like a good technology - but again for high drain and I'm not sure how they react on slow trickle drain/charge - but even they only claim 500-1000 cycles of charge/discharge - at 1 cycle/day that's only 1+ to less than 3 years - OK maybe it's not 1 cycle/day - 1 cycle/2days average?
still = less than 3-5.5 years - that's not "forever".

Check out this also current thread:

G-shock Tough solar problem

personally I would look for the same/similar functionality/looks but in a regular lithium powered watch.

But as always YMMV.

 

[senecaripple]

if you dont mind syncing the longitude and lattitude of your location, and are not near anything electrical that could upset the magnetics of your compass, such as a radio, your dashboard from your car etc. and the thermometer will also the heat from your body as well. you would need to remove your watch from your wrist and wait and wait and wait until the digital readout reads a semi true temperature outdoors if it cold, or indoors.

 

[KevinL]

Thanks for the info guys.. problem about the solar cells noted. Hmm.. problem is that these watches are the only ones that have the look /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I wouldn't mind paying less for a thinner one without the solar modules and everything, I've learned that lithium cells are easy to come by. My old G-Shock lasted something like 4+, almost 5 years with its 2016, and that's older, less efficient electronics, plus lots of use of the alarm and the EL backlight. And now that I have access to a lifetime's worth (literally - I just brought in 200 more cells today) of CR2016.... replacing batteries ain't a problem /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Do the watches 'die' when the solar cell quits or can I just change batteries often and necessarily?

CTL1616 sounds like their lithium primary cell battery. Casio's got all kinds of funny names like "ML2016", and other strange alphabets before the numbers. Realistically, slapping an Energizer CR2016 in the G-shock made it start ticking again /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Good points about the thermometer. I was wondering about that, since the watch would be worn on me and I would heat it up. Is the digital compass that hard to use?

 

[Lightbringer]

I have the tough solar pathfinder, similar to your first choice, but with a regular band. the dual lcd compass is good but it doesnt have the 'standard' features of a good digital watch (like a stopwatch and timer). i stopped wearing it for that reason and went back to my old timex ironman

 

[UnknownVT]

[ QUOTE ]
KevinL said: CTL1616 sounds like their lithium primary cell battery.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you may be right - I looked up CR1616 - and it looks like a common lithium cell used for back-up (and for remote keys).

I only read about the CTL1616 in that other thread about Tough-Solar problems - I wonder if the CTL1616 is only a back-up battery, and there might be some other storage device?

Either case - it still comes down to the storage/rechargable battery does not last forever
and by the sounds of it its lifetime is comparable to a regular lithium battery (and it might just be a regular lithium cell) - so why complicate things by going "Solar" if it's going run out in about the same time as a regular lithium?.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I have a cheapo $17 casio from walmart that uses lithium cells. I have bought 3 of them and end up replacing them about every 5 years and the batteries seem to last in excess of 7 years. I see little use for a solar cell when my watches tend to wear out before the battery does.