18 votes

Help disabling flashy "animation" on my dumb watch

Posted April 7 by lou (edited April 7)

This is the "animation" (video, image). It is the circle on the upper left.

The watch is a very cheap one, a Chinese concoction called "Skmei El Luminous Dual Time". It looks great for my taste, but the insanely flashy, continuous animation is unpleasant. I bought it online, and the animation didn't look as annoying in the videos as it is in real life.

Yes, I know most people wouldn't care about that, but I'm neurodiverse etc.

The official manual makes no mention of the "animation", and asking AI was useless. There is a real possibility that the animation is hardcoded, in which case I will probably keep the watch as jewelry for special occasions.

Perhaps someone has the same watch and can help me out?

Thanks!

11 comments

[2]
cfabbro
April 7 (edited April 8)
Link
This looks like the watch in question: https://www.skmei.com/digital-watch-1335 Which is apparently a knockoff of the Casio AE1200 (manual). However, even knowing the SMKEI model # I couldn't find...

This looks like the watch in question:
https://www.skmei.com/digital-watch-1335

Which is apparently a knockoff of the Casio AE1200 (manual).

However, even knowing the SMKEI model # I couldn't find a manual for it anywhere. There are a few videos showing how to set the date/time, alarm and whatnot for that make/model, but none mentioned or showed how or if the animation could be stopped. And the original Casio doesn't appear to have any animation there since that ring displays a functional digital dial showing your home city's time. So I suspect you probably can't disable that animation in the knockoff since its ring doesn't appear to actually serve any real function other than as decoration.

Can you cover that section of the watch up with some tape, or white-out, or something similar? If you can figure out a way to take the front glass off the watch to get access to underlying LCD screens, you could probably even make it look decent when that section is covered up.

Edit: Funnily enough, someone on reddit had a similar gripe as you and did something like what I suggested. :P

I have a few Skmei 1335 (various colors) lying around that I basically bought to harvest parts to use for casio ae1200. This is kind of paradoxical since I'm kind of annoyed at this watch and skmei for basically using the digital "analog" round clock part as a useless flashing light.

The first thing I did was slap a random Decepticon (from Transformers) sticker on the annoying part of the module. Then I used a gray paint pen and slobbered all over the faceplate. After drying that mess, I got a permanent marker to messily mark the outlines. I used an eraser to remove the text on the case. Got an old gray 3d printed 18mm to 20mm nato adapter I had and put a black nato strap with silver hardware on it.

I haven't tried polarizer or color film mods though.

3 votes
1. lou (OP)
  April 8 (edited April 8)
  Link Parent
  I think you're spot on. My observation of the watch and manual confirms that the animated circle is completely useless. I have messed with the alarm and other functions, and nothing about the...
  
  I think you're spot on. My observation of the watch and manual confirms that the animated circle is completely useless. I have messed with the alarm and other functions, and nothing about the circle ever changes. It is a ridiculous flourish in an otherwise impeccable product (for the price).
  
  I don't know why but the fact that it is completely useless makes it worse for me.
  
  I don't wish to cover it with a sticker because that would ruin the aesthetics for me. I'm also not very good with arts and crafts. I'll just make an effort to get used to it. Perhaps I'll keep it on my wrist but will look at my phone for the time :P. It really is a nice-looking watch and it was a total bargain.
  
  Thanks!
  
  EDIT: for some reason when I enter the alarm configurations the circle becomes empty. That also does nothing. What a weird watch lol
  
  3 votes
[2]
mordae
April 8 (edited April 8)
Link
Open it up and locate the problematic traces. It seems to use contact pads, likely with pogo pins or springs, so a bit of tape on the correct pads should do the trick. (Search for images matching...

Open it up and locate the problematic traces. It seems to use contact pads, likely with pogo pins or springs, so a bit of tape on the correct pads should do the trick.

(Search for images matching SKMEI 1335 PCB.)

3 votes
1. Daedalus_1
  April 8
  Link Parent
  This. I would at least open it up, you never know.
  
  This.
  I would at least open it up, you never know.
  
  4 votes
[6]
tomf
April 8
Link
You can use goo gone to remove the badging. How much did you pay for this? I have the proper one and it’s fine for a watch, but the clones are almost universally terrible… and I follow the rep...

You can use goo gone to remove the badging. How much did you pay for this? I have the proper one and it’s fine for a watch, but the clones are almost universally terrible… and I follow the rep watch scene to some extent :)

1 vote
1. [5]
  lou (OP)
  April 8
  Link Parent
  I paid around 12 to 15 US dollars. Skmei is considered a legit cheap brand by reviewers. I've had it for 6 months but only started using it now.
  
  I paid around 12 to 15 US dollars. Skmei is considered a legit cheap brand by reviewers. I've had it for 6 months but only started using it now.
  
  1 vote
  1. [4]
    tomf
    April 8
    Link Parent
    well, the price is right. Were you able to stop it? It should just be Start x2 (start > stop) > reset > change the mode or something. that would drive me nuts. taking this watch apart is a total...
    
    well, the price is right. Were you able to stop it? It should just be Start x2 (start > stop) > reset > change the mode or something.
    
    that would drive me nuts. taking this watch apart is a total breeze if you simply want to cover that part up, though (the best.)
    
    I disable all animations and even beeps with casio watches (just some tape on the inside of the rear panel will do it.)
    
    1 vote
    
    [3]
    lou (OP)
    April 8
    Link Parent
    Thanks! I don't have the fine motor skills to manipulate the insides of a watch. I could take it to a watchmaker but the repair alone would cost more than the watch :P
    
    Thanks!
    
    I don't have the fine motor skills to manipulate the insides of a watch. I could take it to a watchmaker but the repair alone would cost more than the watch :P
    
    3 votes
    
    tomf
    April 8
    Link Parent
    if you get anybody to open it up, they just pop out the digital part (all one piece with a plastic frame) -- then they can slap some electric tape or whatever on that part and put it back in. The...
    
    if you get anybody to open it up, they just pop out the digital part (all one piece with a plastic frame) -- then they can slap some electric tape or whatever on that part and put it back in. The toughest part is the rubber seal, but that only takes a second https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAl3r7KGJYA
    
    Ask around -- someone will be comfortable doing it up. You definitely don't need a watchmaker for it. Absolute worst case, hole punch some black paper and have someone glue it on top.
    
    What a useless animation. Better than the split day indicator on this piece of shit, though -- https://i.imgur.com/yibI0Ms.png :)
    
    4 votes
    
    mordae
    April 9
    Link Parent
    If it's 15 bucks and its driving you nuts, at least make it a learning experience. How do you think the people with those skills gotten them in the first place? :-D My fine motor skills are pretty...
    
    If it's 15 bucks and its driving you nuts, at least make it a learning experience. How do you think the people with those skills gotten them in the first place? :-D
    
    My fine motor skills are pretty poor and my hands shake. Didn't stop me from fixing bluetooth headphones of mine. Go for it!
    
    2 votes
HiddenTig
April 8
Link
I have nothing to contribute other than to say I thought the voice was yours and OP was actually Destin for a minute there.

I have nothing to contribute other than to say I thought the voice was yours and OP was actually Destin for a minute there.

2 votes