Times Square Ball - Countdown Clocks

Countdown Clocks

Since 1996, an animated video countdown timer has appeared on the screen above the pole where the ball drops on New Year's Eve as well as the three screens at the bottom of the building. The clock has changed design since then, with occasional reuses. Here are the clock designs since 1996:

• 1995-96: The countdown was in the style of an old movie "start picture" countdown.

• 1996-97 and 1997-98: Numbers showing how many seconds remain until the arrival of the New Year zoom out from the center of the screen and then fade away. Different colored streaks of light follow. This continues until the final second is reached. Then the words "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" are displayed. This clock was only used during ITT Corporation's occupation of the sign.

• 1998-99: Similar to above, but a new typeset is used to reflect Discover Card's occupation of the sign and the numbers explode instead of fading. A ring of fire and a marquee light ring also encircles the numbers. Confetti is added at the end of the countdown.

• 1999-2000, 2001-02, 2002-03, and 2007-08: Numbers zoom outwards from the center without exploding on screen. The seconds are revealed by the separation of a ball into two segments. Gears are placed at the edges of the screen. At midnight, the ball explodes and the words "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" are displayed in front of confetti. This countdown was used four times, the first time being on the upper screen and the subsequent three times on the three lower screens, when the upper countdown was being based on this one.

• 2000-01: The seconds, in gold numbers flashes out in front of a blue and black background. At midnight, the words "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" fade in in front of fireworks.

• 2001-02: In observance of the 9/11 attacks, the countdown had the seconds which zoom out from the center of the screen are revealed by flaps opening and closing every second and spinning around in the shape of a star with the colors red, white, and blue. They all explode at midnight and confetti is showered on the words "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

• 2002-03: A bell in the center of the screen reveals the seconds which then zoom out as it rings along two other bells at the side. This countdown was also based on the 2000 version. After twenty seconds, the screen did not show the remaining time due to an error thus forcing it to shut off. This caused some people to count down off time. However, the screens placed at the bottom still showed the countdown clock from 1999.

• 2003-04: A clock with two hands- one hand moving every second and the other spinning around- shows the countdown on its face. The clock changes its position at certain points. At midnight, the clock explodes as random animations and the words "Happy New Year 2004!" begin to appear on the screen.

• 2004-05: The seconds jump out from the center of the screen and then fall back, with the right digit flipping to the next, in front of a red "hypnotic" background. At every ten seconds, stars also fly out. At midnight, the words "Happy New Year 2005!" jump out.

• 2005-06: No countdown was shown on either the upper or lower screens, as the official countdown was being shown on the Coca-Cola sign on the North Tower of Times Square. Rather, different messages appeared on the upper screens were displayed followed by the words "Discover Card Wishes Everyone A Happy New Year!" at midnight.

• 2006-07: The second numbers in white spin around in front of a red background to reveal the next second. As the numbers flip around, Target's famous bulls eye logo floats around to reflect the retailer's sponsorship of the event. Discover Card's own graphics (see above) cut in on the upper screen at midnight.

• 2007-08: To advertise Toshiba's television sets, a test card based on BBC's Test Card F is shown on a Toshiba Regza TV on the new Toshiba Spectacular, with a pinhole shutter in the middle instead of the reference photograph. This shutter opens and closes every second to reveal the seconds in silver numbers, which then zoom outwards. After 25 seconds, lightning begins to randomly flash across the countdown, getting more intense as it approaches midnight. At midnight, the card explodes and the words "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" fades in as confetti showers down. This was the first time Toshiba was involved in the countdown as they took over the screen from Discover Card prior to the ball drop. From this point onwards, the countdown would involve the numbers zooming out in any matter. Even though the countdowns were sponsored by Toshiba, they were titled, "Pontiac G8 Countdowns".

• 2008-09, aka "Circuit": The seconds fade in on a black circle with lightning in it and a yellow marquee light ring in front of a red circuit background. The numbers then zoom out fast. At midnight, the entire screen goes red as the words "Happy New Year!" flash in and white radio waves radiate from the center. (This countdown was done one second early.)

• 2009-10, aka "Clock": The seconds in yellow numbers zoom out of the screen's center, where a second hand of a clock sticks out. Electricity zaps the number as it zooms out. The hand moves counterclockwise instead of clockwise. The timer is placed in front a variety of clock gears. Meanwhile, the upper segment of the Toshiba billboard shows more gears and the 2010 sign slowly being lifted up towards the ball, becoming 2010 as it neared the top of the sign. At midnight, the clock's dial turns red, the hand signals that it is official and the words "Happy New Year!" flip in on the lower segment as the fog erases the clock's hand. This was the first countdown employing Toshiba's new two segmented screen known as ToshibaVision. The countdown made its only appearance on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve to simulcast on the lower right corner, via camera. The countdown's theme was loosely based on the entrance to the Paramount Building in Times Square. This countdown is also used for the Global Countdown ceremonies that take place in Times Square on December 31, replacing the year with the current year, then rolling to the next year.

• 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13, aka "Time Warp", or "T1M3 W4RP" (as titled by the animation company who designed it): As the seconds also in yellow numbers but in a new typeface zoom out, they reveal the next second as they disappear from the screen. A pendulum coated with time radiation can also be seen, swinging as the numbers also coated with radiation zoom out from a red "warp" background. A silver art deco border adorns the screens. The upper segment shows an analog clock displaying the current time. At some points, fireworks were added to maintain the theme. At midnight, the pendulum bursts into pieces and the "Happy New Year!" text flips out. The timer debuted on the 2010-11 edition of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and made a brief appearance in the 2011 movie New Year's Eve. The countdown's theme was based on the clock on the Paramount Building. (For 2010-11, the Toshiba logo was on the upper portion of the lower Toshibavision screen; it was on the lower portion for 2011-12, which would eventually switch to the upper portion. Also, the upper Toshibavision analog clock was two seconds late for 2011-12. For accuracy purposes, the second hand was removed from the top screen for 2011-12.)

• Hourly Countdowns are used as practice to ready the crowd for the main countdown at midnight. Their theme and design reflect those as mentioned above. Some of the hourly countdowns started fifteen seconds before the hour while after 2008, it started at twenty seconds.