Sentry ATC30 Big Screen Weather Atomic Clock

The picture on the box (and on sites other than Amazon) is misleading. The picture on the box shows the clock very nicely backlit. However, this is just your standard LCD Atomic Clock. The backlight is only on when you press the button on top. And the backlight is horribly inadequate. It is only on the left side of the clock and is not evenly lit as it shows on the box. The box image is obviously photoshopped because there is no possible way, from any angle, to make the clock look like it does on the box.

On the plus side, it was very inexpensive. It runs on 2 AA batteries. It did sync up with the national atomic clock signal within about 5 minutes.

It has an alarm function, which I don't intend to use, so I can't comment on its functionality. The button on top is Snooze/Light. If you press it and release, it lights up a blue LED for about 3 seconds. It displays the date, day, and temperature. The temperature reading is an indoor temperature reading from the clock's built-in thermometer.

I mainly ordered this because I found a picture of it that showed a well-lit light blue background behind the black LCD time. It is difficult to find an atomic clock with a well-lit display. I have one from Emerson that is discontinued. The time is displayed like a regular digital clock, with bright LED digits. I wish I could find another like that.

This Sentry Atomic Clock I bought two weeks back. From the very beginning the clock runs eight(8) minutes late from ALL other clocks in the house, including two(2) atomic. Also ell not give me the right Eastern time, I have to go to the next Time Zone to get the right time AND I have not been able to set up the DATE correctly as a matter of fact I have not been able to set the Date AT ALL. I have send an email to the company the same day I got it and I am still waiting for an answer. SO TWO STARS IS MORE THAN GENEROUS . . .don't you think?

Today (06-26-2012) I did call SENTRY and they were VERY POLITE and HELPFUL. NO QUESTION ASKED they offer to send me a new unit in exchange for the defective one. Of course I accepted. I should have called them BEFORE writing the complaint above. NOW I WOULD GIVE THEM ONE OR TWO MORE STARS!!!

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This clock fits my needs. I got this item to save on my electric bill and I like the size and color of the monitor. The snooze works good and the alarm off button is easy enough to use when being rudely awakened by any alarm. :) The alarm is not loud like other alarm clocks. The display does not stay lit to light up my room at night, so I can rest easier in the darkness. A good buy and the display offers a lot of information that is good to start the day or end it.

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Was looking to replace an inexpensive Oregon Scientific atomic travel clock that served well for more than a decade. The Sentry was the only atomic portable in the price range I was looking for. Straight out of the box it looks simple enough, 5x3.75x2.5in white plastic, 3in snooze bar that activates the blue backlight for a few seconds. Backside has battery door for 2 AAAs (not included), and from left to right as you look at it, recessed buttons marked: MODE; AL*ON/OFF; ZONE; ^-C/F; v-RCC. The instructions are printed on cheap, thin piece of 6x8in paper divided into 4 sections, "Start-up"; "Manual Time Setting"; and "Time Zone"; and "Other Usage". I popped a couple of AAAs in the back and expected it to take a few minutes to get a signal and set. So I went about trying to set the alarm and check out the other buttons, maybe set it close to time. I could get none of the buttons to work. In frustration I read the instructions, and next to the last entry on the bottom of the page I saw under "Other Usage" "2. Buttons except v-RCC will have no function while scanning for a WWVB signal." So there it was. Once it got a signal everything was fine. I wish that instruction were further up the list. A quick press of the 'MODE' button places it in 'Alarm' mode, then holding the button makes the time flash to allow setting of the alarm using the ^-C/F as up and v-RCC as down to set alarm time. Pressing mode then returns it to time. Holding the mode button several seconds allows one to scroll through options for each field, using the up/down to change as allowed. The Alarm button cycles through 3 alarm modes, OFF/On/Snooze. If it's on snooze, when you hit the snooze you get another 5 minutes but you have to actually press the alarm button on the back to turn it off. If it's 'On' pressing the snooze bar turns it off for 24 hrs. The Zone changes time zones, the ^-C/F is used to move time up and change temp units. The v-RCC us used to move time down and turn acquire signal on/off. So this much was from taking it out of the box and getting it set up for waking me tomorrow. One feature I don't care for is that when you hit the snooze bar to turn the back light on (say it's 2AM and you wonder what time it is) it makes an audible 'beep' loud enough I think to disturb whoever else may be sleeping. But all-in-all I think it's a reasonable purchase. I was expecting to be able to find a whole pot load of cheap atomic alarms around the $10-$20 range, was surprised that there are not many. We'll see how this one works. Oh, by the way, when I got a shipping notice email the subject line said "Your Amazon.com order of "Sentry ATC30 Big Screen..." has shipped!" and I thought it was a scam because I'd not ordered a "Big Screen"... it was the clock.

EDIT: Rating revised to 1-star and not recommended. 2 days before DST change, clock decided to 'spring forward' early! I got up at 3:30 thinking it was 4:30. Later I manually reset clock to non-DST and went about my business. Then on Sunday 10 March clock did not 'spring forward' making me almost late for Sunday activities. I then manually reset clock ahead 1-hour. During Sunday night/Monday morning clock re-set back the hour I added defeating my fix and almost making me late for Monday activities. The old Oregon Scientific clock sitting right next to the new clock managed to go through the time change correctly. So I would have to advise against this clock.

I received the clock from Amazon 30 Jan. It failed 10 March. From the Amazon return page: "Return Window expired on March 2, 2013." How is one to know the clock will not function through a DST change so it can be returned during the refund window? So Amazon will make a partial refund and not cover shipping. Info on box says clock is warranted for 1 year so I emailed company. Sentry said to send them the clock and they'll replace it.

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I use this clock in my bathroom to keep me on time when I'm getting ready in the morning. I love the large display of the time, and the clock has stayed accurate. I love this clock and it suits my needs perfectly! I had a hard time getting it set for my time zone (I didn't know which button to push) but that was probably user-confusion.

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