MySQL: Trying to insert a value in a timestamp throws an error

You can explicitedly insert a value in a TIMESTAMP column. Read: TIMESTAMP Properties

The auto-update TIMESTAMP column, if there is one, is automatically updated to the current timestamp when the value of any other column in the row is changed from its current value. If all other columns are set to their current values, the TIMESTAMP column does not change. Automatic updating does not apply if the TIMESTAMP column is explicitly assigned a value other than NULL.

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Update

Hehe, the error occurs because - well- there was no datetime with '2010-03-28 02:15:51'! This was in the daylight saving time gap (which usually appears some day in March, between 02:00 - 03:00 or 03:00 - 04:00.

See: Daylight Saving Time explanation.

You're trying to put a long integer into a datetime field. That doesn't work. Remove the call to UNIX_TIMESTAMP() and it should work.

The MySQL TIMESTAMP type is almost identical to a DATETIME; it just has some extra auto-update magic. As far as SELECT and UPDATE is concerned, it is a DATETIME.