Zmart Tap N Set clock opinions?

I cannot find much on YouTube reviewing this clock.  It is the USChess official timer.  You can either set it using a phone app or manually.  Is it easy to set manually?  Quality issues?

Thank you for any Information

Is that the sensor clock or the push button clock version? And are you talking about the basic Tap N Set, or the Tap N Set Pro (this one has a LCD screen on each side of the clock, so spectators can see the time from either side)?

There's also the ZMF Pro, with the infamous 'blind man" large digits, I think this only comes in sensor format, while the Tap N Set may have both a sensor and pushbutton version.

Whatever you get, avoid the first Tap and touch. That clock apparently had some firmware bugs in older versions and I do not believe it is user upgradeable without sending it in.

The tap and set pro is the 'updated' version of the tap and touch, with hopefully all firmware bugs fixed.

To be honest I don't like these clocks much. The programming sucks (it uses the same programming as the original ZMF-II clocks with the latest firmwares), with the only differences is the newest versions can show the move counter and delay, without 'blanking' the time. But you still can't set hours, minutes AND seconds at the same time (it still uses HH:MM or MM : SS), and it still doesn't show seconds above 59 minutes. The two newest Tap N Set Pro and "Touch" clocks allow you to program the clock with your smartphone, but that still doesn't (as far as I know) give you any extra options (like showing seconds in hour long time, or setting different delay periods...)

UNLESS the newest Tap and Set Pro fixes the problem, one of the biggest flaws in all of these ZMF clocks is that you can NOT set different time delay periods or different increment periods for each time control. (I am not talking about "mixed" mode time controls where delay and increment are used in the same game, only the DGT 3000 and Chronos GX can do this). So if any tournament had let's say, a 5 second delay for the first time control and a 10 second delay for the last (sudden death) time control, you're SOL.

I'd frankly just get a DGT 2500 or DGT 3000, OR a "Longbody" Chronos chess clock if they ever get back in stock at Samtimer. As long as you don't get a weak magnet on one side on a DGT 2500, this clock is absolutely glorious (one magnet may be initially strong when it is "bonded" to the iron when left there a long time, but when the fulcrum is moved to the "center" position carefully and left there for about an hour, both sides should have the same "push" resistance (disengaging the magnet from the opposite side).

Note: Avoid the chronos GX for FIDE time controls--you can NOT change the move counter on this clock once a game has started--you CAN on the "Longbody" Chronos.

The first 2500 I got had a massively weak magnet on the left side (controlling right side push down resistance). The second one is much better.

This is the one

https://www.chesshouse.com/products/zmf-tap-n-set-digital-chess-clock

Oh, yeah that was called the "Tap N Touch" on some sites. I have absolutely NO Idea if they are the exact same clock--they LOOK the same.

Someone at my club has that clock. I know nothing about it, but I remember there were firmware bugs in early versions.

I assume it's as reliable as any other, but remember as I said, it doesn't show seconds until you're below 59 minutes, and you can't set different time delay periods for the same game.

Ok. Thank you for the very detailed reply.

My personal suggestion is to get the DGT 2500 from House of Staunton. Try to get the 10% off code (if it's available on their site)--sometimes they send you the code if you put a clock into your cart (you must have already made an account!), but don't actually buy anything. If you want the DGT 3000, just get it from Amazon as it's cheaper there. ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HHWFZ5J/ ) I don't like the 3000 as the contrast display is a bit too low (the 2500 improves massively on it), and the 2500 levers are a huge joy to press (provided you get one with consistent strength magnets, after the clock lever is "placed" into a middle neutral position for awhile). I asked HOS (on the phone, but it actually took a VERY long time--two days(!!) to reach someone, so I made the order on the phone) to actually test my clock before shipping it, as the first one, which was on Amazon, had a VERY very weak left side magnet, making the right side press way too easily.

Is the North American that much of a step down from the 2500?

North American is ancient now.

The DGT 2500 is the replacement for the DGT 2010.

NA has smaller, tiny display, and doesn't show seconds until (i recall), less than 20 minutes?

Also rather annoying to set, and also doesn't show the delay time at all.

The 2500 has a bigger display, better lever, shows seconds all the time *and* shows the delay countdown without blanking the moves like the older ZMF clocks do (If I recall, the North American just "ticks" without showing the countdown, without even having a tick that tells you when the countdown is over (when seconds aren't available)).

Even the old longbody chronos, in time controls with move counter and delay (the only setting that does NOT show the delay countdown--TC's without move counter do show the delay), has a differently placed "dash" tick when the delay is active, which changes position when the delay is over).

The advances of the DGT 3000 over 2500:

+ allows mixed mode time controls with increment and delay simultaneously

+ allows time controls with infinitely repeating periods

+ has 5 fully custom user presets (one may be for the board hookup, so 4).

+ allows hookup to the DGT board

- screen has too much stuff on it at once

- bad contrast.

DGT 2500:

+ much better screen contrast

+ much less clutter (move counter can be shown by pressing "+").

- no DGT board hookup

- only one user preset for each "mode" of time control used.

- no infinite repeating time controls

- no mixed mode (delay+increment) time controls.

Both 2500 and 3000 allow arbiter mode for changing time after a penalty, including move counter. (note: longbody chronos also allows move counter change, GX does *NOT*).

NA version of DGT 2500 will be out in a few months at most as well as DGT 1500 which will replace Easy Plus.

The main differences between NA and 2010 were the version of delay they used and more time controls set in 2010.

Since 2500 has both versions of delay I wonder what the difference between upgraded NA and 2500 will be.

This is very cool news. Where did you find this information?

I’m assuming that the new version DGT NA will not have options for some games other than chess and those that use chess type time controls.
In other words if you only play chess the DGT NA is great. If you also play backgammon which also uses simple delay, or straight checkers or pool checkers both of which simply use a standard countdown time then the DGT NA is still a great choice.
However, if you play games that require overtime periods such as Scrabble or Go, or games that require an individual move timer. Move timer games are usually domino or card games where there are hands to be played and cards or tiles shuffled and drawn or dealt out. In these types of games a game timer doesn’t make any sense. So often each player is given like 15 or 30 seconds to move (play) per turn. DGT North American is completely inadequate for these games as it doesn’t have overtimes or move timers. The 2010 did, as does the new 2500.
I know some of you chess players are so snobby that you would be appalled that some one would enjoy games other than chess. As for me I enjoy checkers and dominoes too. My late wife played scrabble.
In the photos I see from the American Checker federation there are many DGT North American’s used in checker tournaments.
I like to play dominoes with my son, we use the a 15 second move timer to make it more fun. In years past I used my Duel Timer for this. Now I use my 2500.
So back to the original post about ZMF clocks. To the best of my knowledge all the ZMF clocks support overtime periods for Go snd Scrabble as well as a move timer. Therefore, though I don’t have one I always respected the fact that ZMF clocks cover all types of games. Some one at the club I play in uses the little ZMF Tap N Set, I have used it with him. Perhaps it’s flimsy, but he has had his over a year and still uses it.
Anyway, if all you play is chess, or checkers or backgammon and you live in the US then a DGT North American is just fine. If you play Go, Scrabble or Dominoes etc. You need a DGT 2500 or any ZMF clock.

Thanks for this. I am now using the Pro as a counter. Already had to replace the battery as it affects the sensitivity of the touch sensors.

As far as there not being much on YouTube, about the ZMF Tap n Set, well if somebody wants to send me one to review, I will. By somebody; I mean Zmart Fun or a vendor, I’ll be pleased to make a video review of that chess clock. My video of the DGT 2500 has quite done well. I review barbecue grills all the time on my main cooking channel.

I have the clock and my initial thoughts are that the magnetic cover (to cover the "spectator" side of the clock) does not attach very securely. That is annoying because the power switch is on the bottom of the clock, which means when you pick up the clock, the cover sometimes slides off.

I think it is less satisfying to have touch sensitive buttons. While this clock is less prone to mechanical failure, I can't opine on the likelihood of electronic failure. I can say that there is a tendency to touch the clock as light and as quick as possible, but doing so means that sometimes the touch does not register. I do not believe that is a problem if you actually touch the sensor like you would a button.

The "stop" or "menu" button is mechanical and it feels crappy to me. It requires a hard press to stop and a double press to get to the menu), and it definitely feels like it may be prone to a mechanical failure. I have no idea if that is true, but I would not have expected to need to press the button so hard to get it to register a press.

I did not see a way to edit the pre-sets on the app though you can create your own time and save it to a favorite. Again, I'm new to chess so I can't compare this clock to others. You can turn the sound off through the menu on the clock but not through the app. That's a poor design as you should be able to access all of the clock's settings through the phone.

The touch sensor issue also happens on the ZMF-II clocks. There seems to be something intentionally making it not register as it happens if you try to touch the clock very slowly. However the clock KNOWS that it's being touched. At least on the ZMF-II, you can verify that by holding your finger on that sensor that you touched slowly (that did not activate), do not remove your finger at all, and then touching the second side. This will cause the first side to switch to that side (as if you pushed the first sensor), Then touch the second side again (without removing your finger from the first), and then the clock will switch sides again. (Yes, this is a bug, and someone reported this issue on this forum awhile back). It won't do that obviously, if your finger wasn't touching the first sensor.

I do not know if that happens on the pro, but that's how I found out on the II that the sensor is aware that it's being pressed.

BTW the Chronos chess clocks will always activate if you touch the sensor, every time.

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