Next Project: Nixie Clock
After talking with jerronimo for a while on IRC about it, I think I’ve got a good idea about what I’d like my next project (after the HMLiberator) to be: a Nixie clock.
I’m thinking that it’ll be:
· Controlled by a PIC.
· Time / date / etc stored in a battery-backed PCF8583 (or so).
· Four Nixie tubes.
· Time / date / whatever will be set via serial terminal. PCB will include FT232BM for easy USB connection and footprints for DB9 connector, MAX232, etc.
· Other things may be possible via serial, including displaying one’s own data. This makes the clock also an external Nixie display for computers or embedded devices.
· Colon (:) in between pairs of digits can be turned on and off.
· Again, all open-source hardware and software. Probably done in mikroBasic since I’m getting to know it fairly well.
· I’ll make a few kits available to friends at cost, likely without enclosure.
· Maybe a bootloader so new firmware can be dumped on via serial port instead of ICSP?
· Possibly a way to control color-variable LEDs for illuminating base and / or tubes.
So, yeah. That’s a ways out, but I think that’s what I’ll work on next. :)
Nixie clocks have fascinated me for a while, I’ll be eager to read/see you building yours :)
If I actually do it, it’ll be complex.
I should probably start working on the hardware design soon… The software itself will take long enough.
I can help with the software… or at least the USB-serial protocol for it. :)
Drivers come with the chip, royalty free. :D However, if you wanted to make some nifty apps which report whatever system things (load, whatever) to the device… :D
mmm, tube display.
My mb808 kit should be shipping today ;0)
Er? I hadn’t heard of that… What all comes as part of it?
I’m sure I’d mentioned it to you at some point. It comes with the board and a bunch of the (though not all) parts. I’ll still need to put in a mouser order for the rest.
info here.
Ohh… Yeah. I just wasn’t coming across that site for them. That thing is pretty interesting…
By the way, what would you think of an ultra-small all surface mount (except for the vintage parts) 303 clone?
If the person behind it were doing a production run: fscking awesome. Cuts down on production costs, get small size as bonus.
If it’s intended as a DIY project: it only makes building it less accessable than through-hole, even if it’s tiny size is an asset.
I should look into the cost of actually doing a run. I *know* they’d sell.
What’d be a fair price? MIDI controlled… Maybe… $500?
Oh, and I think I might do that guitar effects / TG thing between this and the Nixie clock. If anything I’ll at least out the PCBs and maybe get a batch done for folks who want them. It’d be good practice.
So this is sans-sequencer? If so, a good comparison would be to look into how much the other 1u 303 clones have been selling for, things like the MB33, syntechno, Oakley, etc.
W/sequencer, $500-700, if it sounds right. Someone ought to do one, or write an alternate firmware for the x0x, that programs like a 303. I like the way the x0x programs, but 303-style programming definitely lends itself to a different mindset.
Oh, and I think someone *really* needs to do a run of boards from the gristleizer pdfs that have come out lately… I just picked up a pack of 10 of the germaniums it used so I’m prepared for the eventuality!
I could probably lay out the boards for that in… oh… I’d probably be able to do and tweak the design in a week.
Would you want it mains or battery powered? Battery seems to call for dual 9V, and mains would just need a small center-tapped transformer. That thing can’t take much power.
Any mastermind behind the project would probably want to modify the circuit wherever needed to get it to run on a more standard modular rail, if possible, so 12 or 15… as I could see people throwing it in their current systems. I suppose your solution would work for standalone, though.
Also good to keep in mind that a builder would probably need to use equiv parts for some things like a BC557B for the BC187, a BC107C for the BC108, etc, and account for any pinout differences there, unless they know of a source for those that is available in singles quantities.
Ah, thanks. I may need to talk to you more about that, since you definitely know the equivalents for lots of old, hard to find parts. It wouldn’t be too difficult to make it work from 12V (a simple LM7812 would do), except for the -9V it needs. Is there normally -12V (or so) in a modular?
Also, is there a good, standard PCB size / mounting hole layout that people like? I imagine there is a maximum, but is there anything preferable?
I’ll also need to look up connectors for modular stuffs. I see no reason why this couldn’t be done as a combination rack-mount piece, 9V battery powered piece, and something which can be run off of a center-tapped transformer. All three are just minimal changes in the power supply.
The transistor subs aren’t from personal knowledge, but from suggested subs I found online when researching this box. So, they’re totally unverified as adequate subs.
All modular systems I know of run on +/- rails. Eurorack is +/-12 (doepfer does 5v as optional, ASys has it built in), MOTM/.com/frac do +/-15.
Connectors for the modulars are anything but standard, even among those that use the same line voltages. In most cases it’s best to put a robust power header of your choice on the board and leave adapting it to whatever system it goes into as an exercise for the user to work out.
Even easier. :)
After the HMLiberator is done I’ll think about laying it out. If someone else hasn’t done so already.
I’ll keep my eyes open and let you know if someone beats you to the punch.
more Gristleizer stuff here.
It seems the basic article isn’t quite right, requires some tweaks, but there’s some good stuff in that thread for doing so, including someone’s layout attempt, though it’s untested.
Hmm, yeah. That doesn’t look too bad. Making one on protoboard (veroboard) would be quite a bit of fun.
I don’t know jack about electronics except enough to make a half-decent solder joint and screw around with some EL wire, but what I’d really like is a 10 or 12 tube Nixie clock/display… it could display HH:MM:SS MM:DD:YYYY… and then display Caller ID when a call came in. Heck, alpha-numeric Nixies for name… and for real joy, tie it to a NWR SAME receiver so it can scroll TORNADO WATCH and stuff at you.
I bet it’d look awesome on top of the TV.
Heck, serial input… interface it with a TiVo, even.
The biggest problem with that would be that Nixies usually don’t do alpha characters, and laying out a board that size is beyond what the software I have for PCB layout is capable of. Also, getting boards of that size made would be prohibitively expensive. I could perhaps consider making it somehow expandable, but that starts getting odd then.