Times Gate is most persuasive in RetroSpecd’s review when the five screens stop looking like a fixed clock and start looking like five small spaces to arrange. A coordinated dashboard, a personal drawing and a mixed layout each give the same hardware a different role on the desk.
RetroSpecd already uses a Times Gate and adds a pink review unit during this video. Divoom supplied the unit, and the creator states that no money changed hands and the opinions are their own. The result is an extended look at how the display is personalized, including where the app still takes effort to learn.
Set up an always-powered display first
The Divoom Times Gate uses five small LCD screens in one long enclosure. Its simulated tube-clock faces can look convincing from a little distance, while a close view makes clear that the effect is rendered on screens. That gives it more flexibility than a fixed numeric clock: the same panels can show artwork, data and different visual themes.
The cable is part of the desk setup. RetroSpecd shows the power connection and notes that the unit needs to remain plugged in; there is no built-in battery. A USB cable is included in the reviewed package, while a power adapter is something to account for separately.
For connectivity, follow Divoom’s current exact-product information: Times Gate uses 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, rather than Bluetooth. The video’s casual connection wording should not lead a new owner toward the wrong pairing method. The official product page gives the current connection and continuous-power requirements.
That makes Times Gate a different kind of object from portable speakers. Within pixel displays, its appeal is a permanent information-and-art strip that stays in one place, visible while working or gaming.
A coordinated clock face can be the easiest starting point
The tube-style clock is an immediately understandable example because all five screens belong to one composition. It looks finished without asking the owner to decide what every panel should do. The small screens provide the illusion of individual glowing elements while retaining the flexibility of a digital layout.
The review then explores larger coordinated packs with a more futuristic dashboard appearance. These combine elements such as time, weather and financial information within a shared style. Settings inside a pack can change choices such as units or selected assets, so installing a design is only the first part of making its information useful.
This is a helpful starting route if you want a coherent desk appearance quickly. The alternative is to assemble individual panels, which gives more control but asks for more decisions. Neither approach automatically knows which accounts, city or data fields matter to you.
Individual-panel editing changes the workflow
For a mixed layout, select the panel you intend to edit before choosing its content. That small step controls where the next image or widget will appear. Without it, browsing the gallery can feel confusing because a new choice may affect the currently active slot rather than the one you had in mind.
RetroSpecd works through those choices and shows a custom image occupying one screen while the other panels retain different roles. This is where the five-screen design earns its space: art does not have to replace the whole clock, and a useful information panel does not have to dictate the appearance of every other screen.
The phone remains the main configuration surface. It offers a larger area for searching, selecting and adjusting content, while the physical display is the persistent result. The review is a good reminder to judge both halves of that experience; attractive hardware does not make an unfamiliar app instantly clear.
Account widgets need more than a gallery preview
The YouTube example initially shows Divoom’s own channel information. That demonstrates the type of widget on offer, but it does not prove the creator has successfully connected every personal account. A Twitter-related choice asks for a login, and the creator explicitly does not complete that login during the review.
Other menus include music-service and fitness-related options. Their presence should not be mistaken for proof that Times Gate plays music itself or measures activity through a sensor in the enclosure. In this video, they are browsed as possible integrations rather than established through a full personal-account test.
The distinction is useful for buying. If a particular service is your main reason to purchase, check its current requirements and the exact information it can show. If the main attraction is arranging art and a clock, the demonstrated customization may already answer your question without relying on an account integration.
The drawing test completes a personal-content workflow
Community art provides a large starting pool, but the live drawing example goes one step further. RetroSpecd creates a simple stick figure in the app, saves it and gets it onto the Times Gate. The drawing is modest; the important result is that a new personal image makes the full trip from editor to desk.
The editor takes some getting used to. That is a meaningful qualification for someone who imagines regularly producing elaborate art on a phone. A quick personal symbol and a polished animation require different levels of patience, even though both belong under the broad idea of customization.
The same logic applies to community browsing. Finding an artist or following a preferred source can make future choices easier, but the owner still needs to decide which images are worth keeping. A deliberately chosen small collection may be more useful than constantly changing the display just because more designs are available.
Hardware switching and RGB finish the desk experience
Once content is installed, the physical mode control provides a way to move through saved configurations. The surrounding RGB lighting has its own controls and app options. That separation matters because an attractive face and an attractive glow are two choices, rather than one inseparable preset.
RetroSpecd also visits sports-oriented displays. Some areas are empty while the relevant games are not active, so a quiet panel in this scene should not be reported as a failed feed. The practical question is what a chosen sports face shows during the events you actually follow.
The creator describes the display as helpful during working and gaming routines, including personally useful visual cues. That is an individual experience, not a clinical claim about attention or a guarantee that it will improve anyone else’s productivity.
Choose it for a display you want to arrange
The review’s strongest recommendation is for someone who enjoys making a desk feel personal and will spend time configuring the screens. A coordinated pack offers a quick start; individual panels and a new drawing provide a path toward something more specific. The hardware can stay useful after the initial novelty if the chosen information and art remain relevant.
The main compromise is discoverability. RetroSpecd repeatedly has to dig through the app to find things, and not every integration is tested to completion. The Divoom Times Gate suits an owner who finds that exploration rewarding more than someone expecting a ready-made personal dashboard immediately after power-on.
The official product-manual index currently lists Times Gate support within a Times Gate II entry, so match the instructions to your unit before applying generation-specific steps. The original RetroSpecd review contains the full drawing, configuration and physical-control demonstrations.
Divoom Times Gate Display Informativo Pixel Art con 5 Schermi LCD Intelligenti Divoom Times Gate pixel art info display with 5 smart LCD screens. Live stats, clocks, weather, calendar, crypto tickers, and custom pixel animations. €128,95 EUR Buy now
