How to use the online alarm clock
Waking at 5:19 am leaves the filming equipment untouched for the moment, so the alarm marks the point to sit up, get dressed and begin checking the cases. There is enough room before 6:00 am to load the camera, tripod and batteries without turning a quiet departure into a frantic search for missing kit.
Before lifting the first case, the alarm sound needs a quick check on the phone or computer being used. Headphones may still be connected after an evening edit, sending the alert somewhere the person in bed will barely hear it. The equipment-loading start could be missed if the browser page is closed or the phone goes to sleep, because this alarm cannot then sound; a separate phone alarm provides sensible cover for the departure.
Carrying cases outside before dawn makes small noises unusually noticeable: a latch, boot lid or gravelled drive can carry along a British residential street. By 5:19 am, birds may be starting and early delivery vans can gradually raise the background level, but many neighbours will still be asleep. Cases placed near the door the night before reduce indoor footsteps, while wrapping loose tripod fittings stops metal parts knocking together on the way to the car.
Common questions
Will it still be right when the clocks change?
Yes. It reads your device's local clock, so the move between GMT and BST at the end of March and October is picked up automatically, as long as the computer's date, time and time zone are set correctly.
Can I use this on a phone?
It works in a mobile browser, but phones lock the screen and suspend background tabs far more readily than a laptop does, which can stop the alarm sounding. For anything important, a desktop or a plugged-in laptop is the steadier option.
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 5:19 am?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
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