Name: jClock
Brand: Innovative Timing Systems

Question 1

What is jClock?

Accepted Answer

jClock is a handcrafted LED race clock and event timing display made by Innovative Timing Systems. It has six eight-inch red LED digits in a solid hardwood case, runs all day on an internal battery, and can be controlled wirelessly from a phone, laptop, or chip-timing system.

Question 2

Is jClock a digital finish line clock or a countdown clock?

Accepted Answer

Both. jClock supports count-up, countdown, and time-of-day modes. Race directors use it as a finish line clock for marathons, 5Ks, triathlons, and track meets; event producers use it as a countdown clock for stage productions, warehouse shift timers, and arena scoreboards.

Question 3

How long does the battery last during a race?

Accepted Answer

The 98 Wh internal pack — built from off-the-shelf 18650 Lithium-ion cells — runs the clock for the better part of a race day at typical event brightness, and considerably longer at lower brightness. Recharge takes about 3.5 hours, so one clock can run a full marathon or a long triathlon without an extension cord and still be ready for the next event.

Question 4

Can I use jClock outdoors in rain?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The sealed acrylic face protects the LED panel from rain and dust, and the solid hardwood case is finished to handle the kind of mixed weather you see at outdoor finish lines. Operating temperature is −10 °C to 50 °C — fine for everything from a cold morning marathon start to a hot afternoon triathlon finish.

Question 5

How do I control jClock — Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or an API?

Accepted Answer

All three. Pair over Bluetooth LE in the trailer — passcode-secured, low-latency. Connect over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) for whole-venue access. Wire it to chip-timing platforms through a REST API on the local network.

Question 6

How tall are the digits and how far away can spectators read it?

Accepted Answer

Eight inches (203 mm) tall — the classic seven-segment LED format you've seen on finish-line clocks and gas-station price boards for decades, rebuilt with modern high-output red LEDs behind an anti-glare face. The display is sunlight-readable across a finish chute at noon and legible from up to 80 meters away in normal lighting. Brightness dims down so the clock isn't a flashlight after dark.

Question 7

Is jClock single-sided or double-sided?

Accepted Answer

Both configurations are available. Single-sided is the lightweight, fixed-mount option — ideal for wall clocks, permanent installations, gym countdowns, and smaller races. Double-sided has two synchronized faces in one hardwood case — finish chutes, podiums, track turnarounds, anywhere athletes and spectators come from both directions.

Question 8

What kinds of events does jClock work for?

Accepted Answer

Marathons, half-marathons, 5K and 10K road races, triathlons, swim meets, indoor and outdoor track and field, cycling races, obstacle course races and OCR events, ultras, charity runs, and timed school sports. Also used as a wall-mounted countdown clock for warehouses, gyms, AV stages, and corporate lobbies.

Question 9

Where is jClock made?

Accepted Answer

Designed and assembled in the United States. Each hardwood case is milled, dovetailed at the corners, and hand-finished, with threaded mounting inserts in the base for tripods, brackets, and permanent installations. The firmware is updated wirelessly through the app and verified at install.