Digital 4k X5 Support

You can purchase replacement remotes here.

There is a hack to access the operating system directly, but from there it’s easy to mess up the GD, cause all kinds of mayhem and void our warranty.  Please contact us for further information.

Despite the message, your GD is connected to the internet.  You can make sure by selecting “System Update” or watching a live layer update on the screen every 15 seconds, like the International Space Station.  This issue is resolved in Version 2.

Once your GD is connected to the internet you can download updates on demand (if available).  We don’t push updates to your GD.  If there is a significant update, we’ll send a note to the email on-record that there is some new good stuff ready for your GD!

Press the Menu / System / Update button to call down an update.  The reason why we don’t push updates to your GD is this: You know when your Apple or Windows computer updates with no warning?   It’s rude, and we don’t like it either.

A mouse was required for Version 1 of the Geochron Digital to enter the Wi-Fi and to select the time zone. Beyond that, the remote is a much simpler and more streamlined method of operating the Geochron Digital. A mouse is not necessary or included for any function after Geochron Digital Version 1.

This is normal.  The hardware is energizing, but the computer will not boot until you press the power button.  Please wait until the light goes off before you power on the computer with the power button.

Sometimes computers get angry with their users, and need a fresh start.  We’ve seen this happen when owners power off by pulling the power cord, corrupting the data.  Here are three ways to get it to listen:  

1. Reset the Geochron Digital to it’s factory settings at Menu / Setup / Reset Settings.
2. Turn off the computer at the Menu / Power Off,  then restart the computer with a long press on the on/off button.
3. There is a soft reset button in the back, accessible with a paper clip.  With the power on, tap the button.  The computer will reboot.

If all else fails, please send us an email or give us a call 800-342-1661.   We might ask about your power supply.  

The GD will boot to the Android operating system by default, but in the first few seconds of boot-up, an owner could possibly select the Windows icon, and boom… you’re in Windows with no Geochron Digital. While booting up, you’ll see a screen with a Windows & Android logo side-by-side; Select the Android icon with the left/right button on the remote to get back to the Geochron Digital.

Press the mouse pointer icon button on the remote, and try it again.  Or, just remove a battery from the remote and put it back in set it to the default mode: Selection. The remote has two modes: Cursor, and Selection.  The Cursor mode (showing a cursor on the screen) is only helpful when setting up the Wi-Fi within the Android Operating System. Using the Cursor mode within the GD menu and map will limit your ability to selection the Location Pins tab.  In Selection mode, the up/down/left/right buttons on the remote will intuitive streamline the menu navigation process.  

You can see this described in more detail in the Setup Tutorial under the Setup tab.

If displayed in an office setting where viewers might stand only a few feet from the screen, the smaller screen will have better resolution. If in a public space where viewers might stand 10′ or more from the screen, a larger screen will work better. 

We’ve seen the Geochron Digital on 4k screens of many sizes, and they all have the same number of pixels: 3840 x 2160.  A larger 4k TV will increase the SIZE of the pixels, but not the NUMBER of pixels.  If this were a stained glass window, a larger window would not have any more pieces of glass, just bigger ones. As a general rule, the smaller the 4k screen the more CRISP the 4k display will appear.  The larger screen will be more legible at a distance.

There are two answers for this one.

Answer 1: Make sure you turn on your TV before the Geochron Digital.  Otherwise, the Geochron Digital will display in 1080 HD by default, and it won’t look as good on your 4k TV.

Answer 2: If you are a Geochron mechanical owner, you may notice that the smallest fonts are clearer on your mechanical clock.  That’s because printed maps have greater resolution than any screen would.  A rough comparison: 50″ UHD TV has 5,500 pixels(dots) per square inch v. offset print mapset has 90,000 dots per square inch.  The human eye can see up to 28,000 dots per square inch.  

Yes.  The Geochron Digital will automatically calibrate to any screen resolution, but it’s built for 4k.   There is a map option for 1080 resolution with larger fonts, but it omits most cities and states.  A 1080 screen is not detailed enough to show the information rich maps that we use at Geochron, but a 4k is.  If a 4k screen was an oil painting, a 1080 screen would be a water color.  A Geochron Digital digital displaying on a 1080 screen will maintain all the functionality of the features within a Geochron Digital, like the International Space Station.

Many owners are very pleased to displayed this on their low-res TV; but nearly all of them make plans for a 4k TV in the near future!