What's up with my Kmart watches?

[excreationist]

When I was in the mental ward in early 2019 I wondered what the animating patterns on my cheap Kmart watch meant. I didn't get around to recording it until today.



I also had an identical watch but it was black and orange rather than gray and green. Eventually both of the bands on those watches cracked and broke so I got another cheap Kmart watch... (which had a 6x6 grid)



Well it looks like when the seconds ends in an 8, all of the grid is filled. I think the other digits (0-7 and 9) have a consistent pattern in the grid. But is there any meaning or pattern to the 6x6 grid? Or is it meaningless?

In the first watch all 5 segments are filled when the seconds ends in 8 or 0... I think the other digits also give a consistent pattern.

I was surprised that I managed to finally crack it... (partially)

I thought this would unnecessarily increase the costs of the watches... they should have spent more on the bands.

Another technology related story from an earlier mental ward visit:

https://lifesplayer.com/instagram.php#inferno

Several years ago I was admitted into a mental ward and found an old magazine - IEEE Internet Computing from March - April 1997. The back cover had an interesting ad involving revolutionary technology....

 

[excreationist]

In both watches when setting the time, the special area flashes twice per second with the regular pattern (e.g. filled when the last seconds digit is 8)

In both watches when the stop watch is running the special area is filled but parts of it are flashing very rapidly.

It looks like they had the same designer (or plan) even though they were released years apart....

Kmart has another similar watch for sale... the last digit of the seconds doesn't seem to be valid - perhaps that is why the grid is different to my recent watch....

 

[none]

ebay has some nice boring watches.

 

[fromderinside]

That's almost E.G. Boring.

 

[ZiprHead]

Looks like the predator counting down to self destruct.

 

[excreationist]

I eventually found my old black and orange watch (in another room, after praying to "God"). It had the same patterns as the green and gray one.

0 - 11111 (same as 8)
1 - 01100 (same as 4)
2 - 11011
3 - 11110 (same as 9)
4 - 01100 (same as 1)
5 - 10110
6 - 10111
7 - 11100
8 - 11111 (same as 0)
9 - 11110 (same as 3)

There are 32 possible combinations so I don't understand why some are repeated....

Here are the patterns in the new watch - (the last one is from the tan watch in post #2 - the seconds digit isn't a proper number)



Some patterns:
1st row - uses halves (11 or 01 or 00)
2nd row - uses thirds (111 or 101 or 000 or 100)
3rd row - uses halves (11 or 01 or 10)
4th row - uses thirds (111 or 001 or 110)
5th row - uses thirds (101 or 110 or 011 or 001)
6th row - uses halves (11 or 10 or 01)

Since it is consistent a 15-bit number could describe each of those possibilities.... even though it theoretically involves 36 bits of information (6x6 grid)



BTW the last seconds digit could be a 2, 3, 8, or 9.... though it is likely a 2 or a 3 - but that doesn't explain why the 6x6 grid isn't showing a 2 or 3 pattern... (perhaps that watch has a different set of patterns)

 

[steve_bank]

Based on my considerable experience and knowledge I'd say if a display shows 6 when it should be 8then it is broken.

With a cell phone or smart phone a watch seems like a waste of money. My last one was a regular moving hnads going around a circle. I spent hours watching the minute hand going round and round. Fax fascinating.

 

[excreationist]

Based on my considerable experience and knowledge I'd say if a display shows 6 when it should be 8then it is broken.

I'm not sure what you mean.... are you talking about a specific watch I'm talking about?

With a cell phone or smart phone a watch seems like a waste of money.

Well it cost $15 (US$11.70), has a built in light (if I'm in bed or at the cinema) and it is a very quick way to see the time, date, and day of week. It has a double pin on the band and has a large display. When I'm working as a trolley pusher I like to quickly check the time.... it takes longer to check my phone.

My last one was a regular moving hands going around a circle. I spent hours watching the minute hand going round and round. Fax fascinating.

I like to easily know the exact time (e.g. so I can see how long I've got until the break or shift end for clocking off, etc) so I much prefer a digital watch.

 

[excreationist]

I went to Kmart and all 7 of their tan watches with an inverted display had the same 6x6 digit display patterns in post #6. So the promotional photo of the tan watch had at least two separate issues - the display of the 2 or 3 - and the unusual 6x6 pattern (that isn't one of the 0-9 digit patterns)

 

[steve_bank]

It is all part of the simulation.

 

[atrib]

Maybe its the Chinese factory workers who made the watch trying to send you a message.

This is why I wear Seiko automatic watches. Three moving hands and some of them have a window for the day/date. Nothing that could possibly be interpreted as a message from aliens. And the Seikos last a lifetime. My daily driver is a titanium Samurai that has been on my wrist almost every day for over 20 years now. Its a little beat up, but it works fine.

 

[excreationist]

From another messageboard:

Seems the more pixels in a number, the more pixels there are in the number's "coded" 6x6 grid. It's interesting that the mystery grid seems to be reading the seconds LED rather than using the number of seconds that's supposed to show, so it's at the mercy of broken pixels.

0 - 6 segments - 30 cells
1 - 2 segments - 10 cells
2 - 5 segments - 26 cells
3 - 5 segments - 26 cells
4 - 4 segments - 21 cells
5 - 5 segments - 26 cells
6 - 6 segments - 31 cells
7 - 3 segments - 15 cells
8 - 7 segments - 36 cells
9 - 6 segments - 31 cells
?? - 4 segments - 21 cells

So the problem with the last seconds digit and the different pattern for the tan watch promotional photo is just one problem....

There is kind of a pattern with the first watch too:

0 - 11111 - 6 segments - 5 bits
1 - 01100 - 2 segments - 2 bits
2 - 11011 - 5 segments - 4 bits
3 - 11110 - 5 segments - 4 bits
4 - 01100 - 4 segments - 2 bits
5 - 10110 - 5 segments - 3 bits
6 - 10111 - 6 segments - 4 bits
7 - 11100 - 3 segments - 3 bits
8 - 11111 - 7 segments - 5 bits
9 - 11110 - 6 segments - 4 bits

2 segments (1) - always 2 bits
3 segments (7) - always 3 bits
4 segments (4) - always 2 bits
5 segments (2, 3, 5) - always 3 bits
6 segments (0, 6, 9) - 4 or 5 bits
7 segments (8) - always 5 bits

 

[excreationist]

I cracked the code for the 6x6 grid...

The black for the digits are the segments that are displaying. The colours are the segments that aren't displaying. It even explains the malfunctioning digits' pattern....

I might not have solved it if it wasn't for that post from another messageboard....



Not long after I think I cracked the first watch - they were similar even though they were released years apart...



Maybe the purpose of these patterns is a test for the watches' users' curiosity and intelligence... well I got there eventually...

 

[excreationist]

Rearranging things to make it clearer....

Maybe the purpose of these patterns is a test for the watches' users' curiosity and intelligence...

I thought that was the plot of a movie... but I can't remember...

 

[excreationist]

It is all part of the simulation.

Well I saw a psychiatrist yesterday (with a nurse). I thought I'd mention the Kmart watches. I showed them this thread and the images of the 11 patterns I found. They asked me what I thought it meant. I said I didn't know (which is true). If I had said it seems to be evidence of a simulation they would be probably even more concerned. I said that I don't believe "God" is obvious and that skeptics could always explain away the paranormal as being coincidence, etc.

After cracking the codes in both types of watches I have a bit of a theory.... I think more than one person would be responsible for these "features" of the watches.... there seems to be some kind of organisation involved... not necessarily a "secret" one though....

 

[steve_bank]

Over time technology ad integrated circuits converge on common approaches.
A multi[licity of processors has covegd on a common ARM achetecture, but not completly.

There are propably a small number of common watch chips. Don't knw about today, peole used to maove around differnt chip companies bringing cross pollination.

There are probably a handful of people who design watch chips. The chips may use common cores like ARM. There only a limted number od r ways to implement something.

I'd expect to see commonality.

Wherever there is complexity there can seem to be patterns. The apparent patterns result from uncoordinated actions by individuals.

The economy appears ordered and structured but it is not. It isabased on uncoordinated local individuals and groups operating independently.

Trying to make sense of apparent patterns around us can drive anyone crazy. There is no meaning or ryme and reason to it. It is a consequence of our complex modern culture. Patern recognition is probably genetic, a survival mechanism. Dogs and cats can figure out patterns and respond. Us humans can get carried away with it.

Hope this helps you.

 

[excreationist]

.....Trying to make sense of apparent patterns around us can drive anyone crazy. There is no meaning or rhyme and reason to it....

In case you missed it, I completely cracked the codes of both types of watches.... it is completely based on the LCD segments.
View attachment 33650 View attachment 33651

I just don't know why two watch designs, that were released years apart, would be so similar but also so cryptic. The patterns are just distracting and make it harder to read the time. They appear random (at first) which can give a bad user experience. I thought a more obvious pattern would have been better in terms of user experience.

 

[steve_bank]

.....Trying to make sense of apparent patterns around us can drive anyone crazy. There is no meaning or rhyme and reason to it....

In case you missed it, I completely cracked the codes of both types of watches.... it is completely based on the LCD segments.
View attachment 33650 View attachment 33651

I just don't know why two watch designs, that were released years apart, would be so similar but also so cryptic. The patterns are just distracting and make it harder to read the time. They appear random (at first) which can give a bad user experience. I thought a more obvious pattern would have been better in terms of user experience.

'Curiosity killed te cat, but satisfaction brought him back'.

Congadulations.

 

[excreationist]

'Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back'.

Yeah I thought this investigation might ultimately be futile and have a dead end but it turned out well.

Congadulations.

Thanks though now I just am taking it for granted that I was able to solve it....

 

[excreationist]

The investigation continues...

Here are the instructions from the tan inverted display watch.



The 6x6 grid is an undocumented "feature". Even more puzzling is that the picture of the watch isn't very accurate. The four side buttons are correct (Light, Mode, Start, Reset) but the display is quite different. I thought if the team was able to put in those extra features (the seconds digit being linked to the 6x6 or 5 element pattern) then they should be able to put a more accurate picture of the watch in the instructions....

Here's what the tan inverted display watch looks like (and compare it with the instructions)

There were no more clues on the box so then I looked on the back of the watch - it said "42871231"....

Doing an image search I came across Smkei watches on Alibaba...

All 4 show the same 6x6 pattern that is usually associated with a 2 but the last digits show 5, 8, and 0....

It's odd that they'd keep the 6x6 grid even though they changed the day display from 2 letters to 3 letters...