Casio Databank HOTBIZ VDB-2000 Review with Mini Manual / Guide

By: XEONIQ [ Instagram | Tumblr ]

Introduction
Performance Specifications
User Guide / Mini Manual
Design Features
Issues and Concerns
Use Case and Styling
Summary

1. Introduction

HOTBIZ was a premium range of digital watches in Casio’s Databank product line in the 1990’s that targeted the Japanese salaryman market. I picked up this Casio HOTBIZ VDB-2000 a few years ago with a dead battery but never got around to powering it on until a couple weeks ago. Unlike many of the other watches in the Databank and HOTBIZ lines, the VDB-2000 is completely touch screen and has no physical buttons at all.

After replacing the CR2016 battery, the watch came to life with a daunting main menu screen. As there appears to be no manual available online I had to piece together via trial and error how to set the time and use the watch’s various features. I figured I would illustrate a few of the functions here for anyone else who bought a VDB-2000 or similar and is searching online for guidance.

2. Performance Specifications

Brand: Casio Databank – HOTBIZ
Model: VDB-2000
Module: 1490
Date of Manufacture: 1995
Battery: CR2016
Features:
- Memory Protect 200 (Max Data Entries: 200)
- Data Categories:
  - Business
  - Private
  - Play
  - Personal
- 5 x Daily Alarms
- Countdown Timer
- Stopwatch
- Backlight Electro Luminescent (No Auto EL function)
- Touch Screen
- 12HR and 24HR Timekeeping
Case: Painted Resin
Back: Screw down Stainless Steel
Bracelet: Stainless Steel
Water Resistance: Unrated (Do not wear in the shower or submerge it)
Made in Japan

3. User Guide / Mini Manual

This manual is not comprehensive, however I’ve assembled together the basic information and commands that a new owner might need when first acquiring a VDB-2000 to get started.

3.1 The Main Menu and Button Icons

The VDB-2000’s main menu consists of two rows of four buttons in the lower teal blue display interface. The grey upper display has no touch screen functionality.

The first row is the Data interface. There are various Memory Protect storage options across the Databank range. This particular watch allows a total of 200 entries, which can be spread over the four Data types:

BUSN (Business/Office Contacts)

PRIV (Private/Home Contacts)

PLAY (Social/Leisure Contacts)

PERS (Personal Information Data)

There is little difference in the structure of the first three data menu items (BUSN, PRIV and PLAY) and they simply allow you to organise inputted phone number entries of different contacts for your own reference. In the Private entry it will read “HOME” in the bottom left of the display and in Business and Play it will read “OFFICE”.

PERS (Personal Information Data) is different. It has specific pre-coded data stores for you to input codes you might use regularly (in the context of 1995 Japan). These include:

BANK (Bank Account)

CHK-ACCT (Checking Account)

C-CARD (Credit Card)

D-LIC (Driver’s License)

EMER (Emergency Contact)

I-NET (Internet Code)

LOCK (Briefcase Lock)

P-PORT (Passport)

PIN (PIN)

SAV-ACCT (Savings Account)

SPEC (Spectacle Prescription)

V-MAIL (Voice Mail Code)

OTHER (Other)

The second row is the navigation interface, including:

EL (LIGHT)

Provides a blue complete backlit glow for low light use

BACK (PREVIOUS)

Navigates to the previous menu.

When used in the Main Menu it shifts the Time Display to one of three functional pages:

ALM-1 (ALARM)

This page provides five daily alarms.

Pressing the UP or DOWN arrows allows you to navigate between ALM-1 and ALM-5.

Pressing ENTER (CONFIRM) button turns each alarm on (there will be a small “chime” icon when a alarm is on) or off (blank).

Pressing and Holding the ADJUST (EDIT) button for 2 seconds allows you to set each alarm. It will prompt: “ADJUST?”. Press the ENTER (CONFIRM) button once and then use the directional arrow buttons to set the time you wish the given alarm to chime at, daily.

TMR (TIMER)

This is a simple countdown timer that you select the length of time for and it will count down until 0:00:00 with an alarm chime notification.

Pressing and Holding the ADJUST (EDIT) button for 2 seconds allows you to set the length of time for the countdown. It will prompt: “ADJUST?”. Press the ENTER (CONFIRM) button once and then use the directional arrow buttons to set the length of time up to 9:59:59.

Pressing the UP arrow starts the timer countdown you have set.

Pressing the UP arrow again pauses the timer countdown at its current count.

Pressing the LEFT arrow resets the timer countdown.

STW (STOPWATCH)

This is a simple stopwatch timer counter up from 0 to 9:59:59.

Pressing the UP arrow once starts the stopwatch at 0:00:00.

Pressing the UP arrow again pauses the stopwatch at its current count.

Pressing the LEFT arrow resets the stopwatch time to 0:00:00.

ADJUST (EDIT)

Used to adjust various data entries and times in the main menu, alarms and timers.

Pressing and holding this button for 2 seconds on the main menu will set the time (see next heading).

ENTER (CONFIRM)

Used to provide confirmation in the various pages and functions on the VDB-2000.

Pressing this button in the main menu does nothing.

3.2 Setting the Time

Setting the time on the VBD-2000 is quite easy with the arrow system interface.

The following are brief instructions on setting the time on the VDB-2000.

Hold the ADJUST(EDIT) button for 2 seconds while on the Main Menu. This will prompt: “ADJUST?”. Press the ENTER (CONFIRM) button once and this will navigate you to the following page and interface shown in the image above.

Press the RIGHT and LEFT arrows to shift between:

Seconds

Minutes

Hours

Day

Month

Year

12 Hour / 24 Hour Time Format

Press the UP and DOWN arrows to adjust the numeral in each time category.

Press the ADJUST/EDIT button once, with no need to hold it down, to finalise the time.

Despite this watch being made in 1995, it still has the correct day of the week setting and an accurate calendar with leap months and years all the way up until 2039.

3.3 Adding and Retrieving Data

Pressing any of the top row of Data icons navigates to the main menu for that entry. Each data entry page can store 12 numbers and you may have multiple pages per data entry.

The following are brief instructions on inputting data into the VDB-2000.

Press one of the top Data storage icons:

BUSN

PRIV

PLAY

PERS

Hold the ADJUST(EDIT) button for 2 seconds. This will prompt: “INPUT?”. You can use the UP and DOWN arrows to cycle between INPUT, MEMORY, EDIT, and CLEAR.

If you select MEMORY and press ENTER (CONFIRM), a animation plays where the watch first tells you remaining data entries left that are available to be used, and then it cycles through BUSN, PRIV, PLAY and PERS displaying the number of entries per Data category.

If you select INPUT and press ENTER (CONFIRM), you will be taken to a blank entry, where you can then name it. (NOTE: If you selected PERS, you will be given a list of pre-coded data types such as “BANK” to input 12 digit codes into instead of an option to name a field). The entire Japanese and English alphabets including numbers and symbols are available for naming a contact. Pressing ENTER (CONFIRM) will finalise the name and move the cursor to the first numeric code.

Press the RIGHT and LEFT arrows to shift between the 12 entry fields.

Press the UP and DOWN arrows to adjust the numeral in each time category.

Pressing ENTER (CONFIRM) will finalise the number. A brief animation will play scrolling from A to Z as it sorts the entry into its database.

If you select EDIT and press ENTER (CONFIRM), you can cycle through entries and use the arrow keys to change names and numbers in an entry.

Press the RIGHT and LEFT arrows to shift between the 12 entry fields.

Press the UP and DOWN arrows to adjust the numeral in each time category.

Pressing ENTER (CONFIRM) will finalise the number. A brief animation will play scrolling from A to Z as it sorts the entry into its database.

If you select CLEAR and press ENTER (CONFIRM), you can cycle through entries and press the ENTER (CONFIRM) key again, which will prompt “SURE?”. Pressing ENTER (CONFIRM) again will delete that specific entry permanently from the VDB-2000. A brief animation will play scrolling from A to Z as it re-orders its database.

Press BACK (PREVIOUS) to return to the Main Menu.

The following are instructions to retrieve data:

Press one of the top Data storage icons:

BUSN

PRIV

PLAY

PERS

The first alphabetical entry will be displayed for the current data category.

Press the RIGHT and LEFT arrows to shift between the individual data pages for a given entry (Multiple 12 digit codes can be stored per entry)

Press the UP and DOWN arrows to shift between data entries (e.g. BANK, C-CARD)

Hold the ADJUST(EDIT) button for 2 seconds if you want to EDIT or CLEAR a specific entry.

Press BACK (PREVIOUS) to return to the Main Menu.

4. Design Features

Functionally, the VDB-2000 lacks what many associate with the Databank range: a calculator. Instead it functions more as a wrist-worn Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with a quickly accessible contact list and data store for important numbers and codes. Surprisingly, I found setting alarms, using the stop watch, and activating the back light a lot faster and easier via the touch screen than on other digital watches.

However, inputting data entries, especially naming them with such a huge set of Japanese, English and numeric characters available, was extremely time consuming compared to just using a phone. Thus functionally, the VDB-2000 is quicker to use than your typical digital watch, and I would rather use the VDB-2000 over my phone for a quick stopwatch or recalling an important number, but for contact storage and retrieval I don’t think it is useful in our smart phone age. Perhaps one could store an emergency contact or two in case your phone gets lost.

Aesthetically, the material design of the HOTBIZ VDB-2000 is definitely one of its strong points. The bracelet is a premium stainless steel with a dark finish, doesn’t contain excessive chromium and presents almost like titanium. However, I have owned Seiko Silverwave digital watches, which while they do not have many features aside from an alarm, do feel even more premium compared to the HOTBIZ VDB-2000. An even more modern alternative for a digital “premium” watch would be the Seiko ActiveMatrix e-Ink watches from a decade or two ago. However, when I handled one of these I found the size to be far too big to serve as a smart casual or dressier digital watch. Overall, the VDB-2000 is lightweight without feeling “tinny” and is presented at a far higher quality level than any other Databank watch released. Adjusting the bracelet requires a special tool to take individual links out and it is not adjustable on the fly. This helps the VDB-2000 maintain a minimal, professional aesthetic.

The screen is in an attractively laid out two-tone grey LCD and light teal blue display. Together with the metal bracelet, this sets it apart from Casio’s inexpensive plastic and rubber Databank range, which typically have very small or segmented screens. The VDB-2000 has a personal wrist computer look, and fundamentally that is what it is, a wearable computer database with a handful of timekeeping functions. As many foundational cyberpunk media, particularly anime, make use of such wearable technologies, I find this watch to be an attractive and relatively subdued take as a cyber digital watch for 2024. I also was impressed by the top row icon design with its integration of the directional arrow keys into the various data category icons so that in the limited screen real estate, buttons could act as multiple keys depending on the current page.

The VDB-2000’s touchscreen as an interface is implemented in a way that is both novel and also surprisingly low-tech. The way Casio designed this to work so accurately is that it actually does have physical buttons, however they are located undeath the flexible plastic display so that you are activating them as the screen deforms with your press. You simply push down on the area like one would a button to activate it. I found that engaging the different functions such as the light and the stop watch were much easier to do using this touch screen than the recessed buttons that most digital watches use.

NOTE: A firm but light finger press is sufficient, do not use a stylus or any other hard instrument as it will certainly scratch the soft display plastic. While the display icons appear small, pressing the keys with a finger is quite accurate.

The electroluminescent (EL) light is another of the highlights of the watch’s design. The light is extremely easy to activate thanks to the touch screen and as the display is quite large (for a 90’s Casio digital) it looks very futuristic completely lit up. I only wish that the VDB-2000 had an AUTO-EL function like many G-SHOCKs have, where bringing the wrist up for observation activates the light automatically.

The watch’s overall muted dark colours, the case’s rounded but geometric angles and the its stylised rather than utilitarian interface places it in a corporate or at least urban environment rather than outdoors, sports or military applications, where digital watches are frequently associated. It also lacks the kitsch campiness of many Y2K designed electronics that were popularised in this era. For this reason I think it the aesthetic design of the VDB-2000 still has a place in modern smart casual and urban technical looks, particularly if they make use of tailored menswear pieces and dark neutral colourways.

5. Issues and Concerns

5.1 Touch Screen Plastic Display is Far Softer than Modern Alternatives

The HOTBIZ VDB-2000 was made long before the invention of GorillaGlass. My watch is in quite good condition but on close inspection, various hairline scratches and a few nicks can be observed. It’s never going to be as glossy smooth or perfect as a modern LED screen phone or watch, or a sapphire or mineral glass watch crystal. It is relatively much softer plastic than either of those, and will present as such, even for near new pieces. The plastic also picks up dust and finger prints easily so I find myself wiping it down every day or so.

5.2 Functionally Limited VS a Smart Phone or Modern Smart Watch

In my Marathon Navigator review [ SHELLZINE LINK ] I noted that after using the watch so long, the mechanical rotating bi-directional bezel provided a very fast countdown and timer system, one that was quicker than even using a smart phone or digital watch such as a G-Shock for that feature. The VDB-2000 while more functional than an analog or even more digital watches, is not going to be competitive with a smart phone in regards to contact lists or organisation. I will say though that I was surprised how fast and easy it was to use the stop watch and to set alarms. I found this faster than even using a smart phone, since there is only 1 page of menus to navigate versus unlocking a phone, finding the correct app and then interfacing with it. So for a few limited functions, the VDB-2000 still is quite effective, just be realistic that those functions are indeed limited.

5.3 No Water-Resistance

There is no water resistance indicated on the back, where Casio’s usually contain this information, not even 30 meters, which is typically indicative of: “hand wash or light rain exposure, but don’t shower in it”.

I’ve not had issues wearing this watch out in the rain so far, but you probably don’t want to wear this piece as a “daily” for sports, gym, hiking or otherwise.

6. Use Case and Styling

I think the HOTBIZ line styles quite well with technical menswear outfits. While I do like my more rugged military and sports looks, a 5600 series G-Shock or the Marathon Navigator isn’t going to coordinate as well with a slim tucked in t-shirt or button shirt. And if an analog dress watch feels too retro for your personal style, the HOTBIZ VDB-2000 fills a very nice niche as a modern but refined technical wristwatch. It’s case size is much smaller than an Apple or Android smart watch and the design less juvenile in my opinion.

Outfit Summary:

Issey Miyake Parachute Parka
ROSEN Custom Button Shirt in NyCo
ROSEN-X Yama Pant in Nylon Ripstop
Guerrilla Group Quickdraw Holster
Porter HEAT Ballistic Nylon Work Bag

The dark metal of the bracelet and painted case on the VDB-2000 coordinates well with a mostly grey, military green and off-black outfit. This is where the VDB-2000 becomes aesthetically valuable, as chrome finished or polished steel alternatives are often far too eye-catching for black or dark neutral looks.

7. Summary

7.1 Pros

90’s digital touch screen display has a unique, arguably “cyberpunk” interface
Overall design aesthetic is niche as a large screen digital watch with a premium metal bracelet
Vintage digital touch screen technology works very well and is as accurate as physical buttons
Quicker to access and use certain functions via touch screen screen (such as EL light, and to set timers and countdowns) than using recessed buttons in other digital watches

7.2 Cons

Functionally, the data storage, particularly contact lists, may be limited for most users in our modern smart phone age
Touch screen material is soft plastic compared to modern equivalents and will never present as cleanly and can scratch and mark easily
No water-resistance rating may limit where you can wear this watch

7.3 Verdict

A vintage databank for collectors or those who are in love with the 90’s Japanese corporate aesthetic, ideally styled in modern technical menswear casual looks.

Ethical Statement: This product was purchased by myself with my own funds and is in no way endorsed or otherwise sponsored by the manufacturer (Casio).

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