Comments on: The RCA RP5435 AM/FM Clock Radio: A timeless tale

By: Xyzzy

Xyzzy — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:20:30 +0000

I’ve had this particular model for a few years now, and just bought one for my mother since (as you said) she’s practically blind without glasses. We haven’t had problems with it, so it’s fairly easy to use without instructions — *but* I can report two major flaws that you wouldn’t have had the chance to encounter:
1) It lacks an antenna in any form, so radio reception can be a major problem.
2) The “mp3″ ability is nothing more than a headphone line-in jack (cable not included); another device has to be either left on at all times, or also have an alarm set. The only benefit I can see of using the clock under those circumstances is that it has a snooze function and is easier to shut up.

By: Neal

Neal — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 02:06:19 +0000

I bought one a a Goodwill for $5 and it also has display problems. When I first plugged it in, nothing in the display came on, but the radio did work. The next morning I tried it again and everything worked. After ten minutes or so, the display went out again. I took the back off and didn’t see anything visually wrong, but couldn’t get the main board out from behind the display without damage. If you plug it in now, the display comes partially up and goes out in seconds. It also gets warm around the transformer. Sadly, the radio has a good sound and gets good reception. just hard to operate five seconds after you plug it in.

By: Art Carnage

Art Carnage — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:25:47 +0000

Yes, as all electronics do, they get wonky when they start to lose power. All you had to do was replace the batteries, and you would have had a clock you probably would have liked. But the comment "It needs fresh batteries and to be plugged in, otherwise it doesn't work" is incorrect. It runs fine without the batteries. You'll have have to reset the time after a power failure. If you have weak batteries, AND and you have a power failure, then it could have a wonky display when the power comes back on. That the clock's way of telling you that it's time to replace the back-up batteries. The clock will have ZERO drain on the batteries as long as it's plugged in, so the best back-up batteries to buy are Lithium batteries. They have a 10 years shelf life. Unless you especailly prone to power outages, you probably won't have to replace them for many, many years.

I bought this as a living room clock, next to the TV, since my DVR doesn't display the time when it's recording or playing back. This clock is perfect for my purpose, because it has a light sensor that adjusts the LED brightness based on the amount of light in the room. So in the middle of the day, when sun is streaming through the windows, or a night, when I have the lights low to watch a movie in theater-like dimness, the clock is always visible, but never distracting.

As for alarms, aux. input, etc., couldn't care a bit. For what I wanted it for, it's perfect.

By: mark

mark — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:13:53 +0000

Mine caught on fire — the factory (China) batteries started smoking after about an hour and could have burned the house down if I was not home — talk about a piece of junk! No more RCA for me.

By: John Buonaiuto

John Buonaiuto — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:13:01 +0000

The problem is that the batteries are dead. We have the same alarm clock and it is the worst piece of junk ever. It needs fresh batteries and to be plugged in, otherwise it doesn't work. Ours just ran out of batteries and it is reading backwards 3's and L's. Cheap alarm clock, but I have spent about $50 on batteries. Stay away from this alarm clock at all costs.

By: Hugh Hyoomik McDonald

Hugh Hyoomik McDonald — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:33:15 +0000

OK. I once dealt with a dying calculator. Some times all the digit would turn to eight, which is the mother of all digital display numbers. Or if one light failed it could change an eight into a five, or a six, or a nine. And so on. Need I say, it was April, and the taxman was not amused.

By: Sean Curnyn

Sean Curnyn — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:24:45 +0000

Thanks! But that matches the instructions that came with the clock, which I did read. But all such steps were ineffective. The display was just dysfunctional.

By: Hugh Hyoomik McDonald

Hugh Hyoomik McDonald — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:55:18 +0000

I found some manuals for you.
http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/categories.aspx?product=361&post=44

It seems that the RP435 is a transitional model between the 430 and the 440. The 440 has a projector and can project the numbers on the wall.

The instructions for setting the time are the same for 430 and 440, as follows:

Setting Clock
1. Slide the switch {graphic of a key?} /WAKE1/WAKE2/
on the top of the unit to clock {graphic of a clock saying 10:10}
position.

2. Press REV or FWD {graphics for rewind and forward, like on a recording machine} to set the clock
time. The time decrements or increments
will follow by a faster rate when you press
and hold the buttons. The “:” between
hour and minute time flashes when you
are setting the time. AM or PM icon will
also beside the time.
3. Slide the switch {graphic of a key}/WAKE1/WAKE2/{graphic of a clock saying 10:10}
on the top of the unit to {graphic of a key} position
when finished.