SP-101 Clock, finshed at last!

[Richard Scales]

I've finally completed this: Six SP-101 panaplex displays being driven by 'smart sockets' which are getting their instructions from a Teensy Micro.

A Wemos provides NTP sync, sensor reading (temperature and pressure) , Web scraping (local wind speed and direction) and random words.

It does the best it can with only 7 segments. Also includes microwave motion detection so the thing is only displaying data when there is someone there to see it!

I got green pcb's so the case is especially tinted to match.

- Richard

[newxito]

Great job! And I really like the case. Do you have a laser cutter?

[Richard Scales]

No. I don't have one, but I know someone who does. The lasercutting was done on the UK by a professional laser cutting service. I did so all the drawings for it though. 

Richard

Sent from my Huawei phone

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[Michail Wilson]

Love it.

 

Plans, Open source, only one or making a kit available?

 

Michail Wilson

206-920-6312

 

From: neoni...@googlegroups.com <neoni...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Richard Scales
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2020 1:39 AM
To: neonixie-l <neoni...@googlegroups.com>

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[Richard Scales]

I could make plans available, or all hinges on having the displays.

The rest of just smart sockets albeit ones I made work for these 7 segment displays. 

I have another design which is a direct drive approach and is therefore much simpler in terms of hardware whilst the software has to do a lot more of the heavy lifting. 

I'll show that when ready. I'm just waiting on updated pcb's to arrive.

Richard 

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[martin martin]

Your clock looks great!  I'm currently fixing this 1970s Heathkit with an overheating power transformer.

And yes!  I would be interested in a kit

~

mcve...@gmail.com

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[Richard Scales]

Thank you. I have a Heathkit clock that needs some assistance. It does everything it should do apart from increment the time. The clock chip is driving the displays so I'm thinking it's OK but it just won't count time.

I wasn't thinking of offering a kit but if anyone has a set of SP-101's then I can help out with Pcb's for this version as well as another one that I hope to have ready soon. 

Richard

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[Nicholas Stock]

I have a bunch of SP353's, but alas no SP101's....:(

Lovely looking clock Richard, very nice execution.

Nick

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 10, 2020, at 07:10, Richard Scales <scal...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[alb.001 alb.001]

How difficult would it be to redesign the display boards to us  SP-353   3-digit panaplex displays ?   I still have some of those

Thanks  Pharma Phil

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[Richard Scales]

This design would not suit our at all. However, my other design that uses direct drive would be well suited.

The SP-353 has three digits and no colons so that's 21 segments per display. If you want a six digit clock then that would be easy with a couple of HV5622 shift registers. Unfortunately it would be difficult to have colons where you'd want them. If you used three displays then one digit could be used as a colon. You'd need 63 outputs, how convenient, that still leaves one spare!

So that's a definite possibility and you'd have a spare output that could be used for something else perhaps. 

Would that work for you?

Richard

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[Richard Scales]

Actually, I now see that the SP-353 had a decimal point so these could be used as separators, yep two displays, six digits, time, date, temp, pressure, ntp sync, all possible. 

Richard

[Bill Stanley]

A possible cause of the failure to count is the 60Hz signal the clock uses for a time base. Look at pin 23 of the MK5017 with a scope for a half wave 60 (or 50) Hz signal.

  -Bill-

[Nicholas Stock]

Richard, looking at your clock case on a regular monitor now makes me suggest you buy a 3D printer....won't need so many curved spacers for the edges then.... :)

Cheers,

Nick

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[Richard Scales]

Thank you, that signal is present in all its glory. I got a circuit diagram and could see that it was rectifying AC from the transformer so that was the first place I looked. The signal was good. Given that the clock chip is multiplexing the displays nicely I'd be surprised if it had failed.

I've also checked that all the various switch contacts are good and they do seem to be. 

I don't think that replacement clock ICs are going to be that easy to locate!

Richard

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[Nicholas Stock]

What IC is it? MM5314? If so, the following may be of use..

http://electronicsusa.com/mm5314nclockchip.html

Nick

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[Richard Scales]

Yep. That case is based on an established construction technique.

I don't have space in my head for all the learning that goes with 3D printing!

Richard

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[Bill Stanley]

It might be a bit premature but I am working on a MK5017 emulator. It is a 2 board stack the size of the Mostek chip that (hopefully) plugs into the socket to replace the original chip.

The top board holds an 8051 chip (SiLabs C8051F381-GQR) and a DS3231S clock chip. The lower board has the 15V to 3.3V power supply and the 3.3-15V translators to look like PMOS logic. I also have a development board with power supplies, drivers, switches and 7 segment LEDs to simulate the main clock for code development. There is also a connection to allow GPS + PPS synchronization.

The PCBs are in and as soon as I can work with a microscope, I will assemble and work on the construction.

I will make everything available including OrCad schematics, Allegro layouts, bare PCB, code etc for anyone interested.

  -Bill-

[Richard Scales]

I'd be interested in that - please keep me posted.

Richard

[Richard Scales]

Would anyone with SP-353's or even SP-352's be interested in a direct drive version of this clock using HV6522 drivers and driven from a Wemos micro?

I'm hatching a cunning plan....

This is a display board for SP-353's, behind this would be a board with HV5622's then behind that the controller and power supplies etc.

should I carry on or give up now?

- Richard

[Jon D.]

Richard,

I would be interested in a few SP-353 boards and your design.  I have 8 or so SP-353s.

Jon D.

[Michail Wilson]

I’m interested.

 

Also, would it possibly be adaptable to a 3x display?  (9 digits)

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[martin martin]

Michail, you want to display milliseconds?

~

mcve...@gmail.com

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[Michail Wilson]

No,

I don’t want it for a clock.   😊

 

www.VoltageGoat.com

 

 

Michail

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[Peter Doroba]

Well done!  Looks great!

[dixter]

Very nice...  would be nice if a kit was to come available...  :-)

[GastonP]

Beautiful clock and that case is gorgeous!

[Richard Scales]

A quick update on the 2 x SP-353 display project. I have settled on a design that will drive two (or more later) SP-353 displays as a 6 digit clock. In order to keep things as small as possible the design stacks three boards. One for the displays, one for the drivers and one for the controller and power supplies. Also, in the spirit of keeping things small I have opted to use an NCH8200HV to generate the HV supply. 
I still get surprised when I design something on screen which can fill the entire screen space and then I print it out at 1:1 and realise that the thing is relatively tiny!

I should get the boards back in a couple of weeks and hope to have something to show soon after that. We are still in lockdown in the UK so I have had a bit of time to work on this.

Whilst my original idea was to make a 6 digit device to act as a clock - does anyone - (apart from those who may have already mentioned it) see an application for a version that drives 3 x SP-353 (9 digits) or even 4 x SP-353 (12 digits) ?

- Richard

[Michail Wilson]

EG

 

Definitely 3 displays for me.

 

Michail

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[Richard Scales]

A little bit like this: 

???

- Richard

[Richard Scales]

[Michail Wilson]

Works for me.

 

Kit price?  heh

 

Michail

 

From: neoni...@googlegroups.com <neoni...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Richard Scales
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2020 10:29 PM
To: neonixie-l <neoni...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] SP-101 Clock, finshed at last!

 

On Monday, 16 November 2020 at 06:27:30 UTC Richard Scales wrote:

A little bit like this: 

 

 

???

- Richard

 

 

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[Richard Scales]

On Monday, 16 November 2020 at 06:27:30 UTC Richard Scales wrote:

[Richard Scales]

OK, well, assuming it all works, I'll sort out a price for bare boards a well as boards plus components. The components are all easily obtained like Wemos, HV5622. NCH8200HV, LM2596T-5, caps.resistors, inductor and board interconnects. I'll sort this all out for two and three display version.

The code is all readily modifiable so you can do your own thing. 

The three display thing is the same as the one for two displays but just extended on one side so the display and driver boards will be longer, the controller will be the same for both. 

Richard

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[Richard Scales]

That should do the trick!

Richard

[Richard Scales]

The updated boards arrived and I have completed a test build. Apart from being fooled by a BMP-280 sensor which actually turned out to be a BME-280 sensor - it all went well. I am still waiting for the new NCH6300HV power supplies to be despatched so for now I have wired to an NCH6100HV which has the same connections but is a little bigger.

There are some software changes I want to make but nothing major and I have commenced a write up for the project here: http://www.nixology.uk/sp-101/sp-101-wemos/

More pictures will be added soon!

Boards for the SP-353 variant are on their way and I'll report on that as and when.

 - Richard

[newxito]

Nice website! 

Two days ago, I reserved a domain but for now I have no idea how to design web pages. This is one more thing that I would like to learn in old age.

[Nicholas Stock]

Does anyone have any SP-101's they're willing to sell/trade?

Nick

On Tue, Dec 1, 2020 at 12:50 AM newxito <axt...@gmail.com> wrote:

Nice website! 

Two days ago, I reserved a domain but for now I have no idea how to design web pages. This is one more thing that I would like to learn in old age.

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[Mac Doktor]

On Dec 1, 2020, at 3:50 AM, newxito <axt...@gmail.com> wrote:

Nice website! 

Two days ago, I reserved a domain but for now I have no idea how to design web pages. This is one more thing that I would like to learn in old age.

One easy way out is to create a blog. In addition to regular blog posts you can create "pages" which are standalone "articles". 

I have two on Blogger which is free (see my signature for my "sci-tech" blog). They took a while to set up with nice graphics and whatnot but you can go with a stock template.

There are lots of free tools for creating a "regular" web site but I've never needed one so I haven't researched it. I rarely get around to posting anything new to my blogs these days, not for lack of subject material. I don't have a convenient place with good lighting that I can leave set up and ready to go every time I acquire a new toy from eBay.

Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"

https://www.astarcloseup.com/

“...the book said something astonishing, a very big thought. The stars, it said, were suns but very far away. The Sun was a star but close up.”—Carl Sagan, "The Backbone Of Night", Cosmos, 1980

[newxito]

I already have the domain and the web space but I will have a look at blogger, thanks Terry.

I've already learned something today. A friend told me that even for a private website I absolutely need a privacy policy and it is better to have also a "legal notice"... that's annoying!

[Richard Scales]

Anyone looking for SP-101's could try here:

#S2T5 Beckman SP-101 Gas Discharge 1 Digit 7-segment Display 

Not my auction etc.etc.

[alb.001 alb.001]

did you notice that he hiked the price from $18 ( each for first 20 sold )  to $35 now

Pharma Phil

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[Richard Scales]

Hello, - I did not see that myself but I know someone who purchased @ $18, he sent me the link to the sale which then showed $35 - disappointing :-(

- Richard

[Nicholas Stock]

That was me! :) Yep, I bought some at $18 (made an offer). I was also dismayed that the seller hiked the price afterwards, no idea why....maybe they think they're a hot commodity..... I haven't received mine yet, but when I do I'll report back on condition/operation.

Cheers,

Nick

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[Paul Wood]

G'day Richard 

You are a busy man ! great looking LED clock .

Just found the Group whilst looking for Panaplex clock kit as I had a great surprise yesterday, thought I had thrown them out 15years ago while shifting house . Styreen case is for ITT mercury wetted relays of which I had a few hundred. Am selling them on Ebay & went searching for a couple for an order.

Anyway Just wished to express interest in the panaplex clock you are developing, I would need a complete kit PCB , programed micro etc. Will stay tuned to the thread.

[Nicholas Stock]

What a find! Some nice (and quite rare) displays in there....especially those SP-252's. 

Nick

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[Richard Scales]

Nice find indeed - specifically, right now i am designing for SP-353 and SP-352 though the concept would work for other displays of similar size. I note that you have some 4 digit  - from your photo it looks like they are labelled SP-356 - I have not got a design for those but could come up with one which used two of them for an 8 digit device. Do you know if they work?

[Nicholas Stock]

Reporting back on the eBay listing. I received the displays today...hard to tell whether they're used or not, they fire on all segments OK and there's none of that 'used' look to the segments that you typically see in well worn panaplex displays. However, they're a bit dirty and the pins are not clean (storage issue?). The backplane isn't completely black either, but a little greyish. Anyway, they were packaged well and only one was dead from the lot I purchased. However, the price the seller is asking is a little steep.....IMHO.

Nick

[Richard Scales]

Mostly good news then. Will you be pursuing a replacement for the failed part? 

Richard

Sent from my Huawei phone

-------- Original message --------
From: Nicholas Stock <nick...@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2020, 04:45
To: 'Greg P' via neonixie-l <neoni...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] SP-101 Clock, finshed at last!

Reporting back on the eBay listing. I received the displays today...hard to tell whether they're used or not, they fire on all segments OK and there's none of that 'used' look to the segments that you typically see in well worn panaplex displays. However, they're a bit dirty and the pins are not clean (storage issue?). The backplane isn't completely black either, but a little greyish. Anyway, they were packaged well and only one was dead from the lot I purchased. However, the price the seller is asking is a little steep.....IMHO.

Nick

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[Nicholas Stock]

Absolutely.

Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 10, 2020, at 23:22, Richard Scales <scal...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Richard Scales]

Update on SP-353 version:

Proof of concept is complete - I have a 6 digit SP-353 clock that works!

Slight mods required to the display board (I made the holes too small for the pin sockets - Doh!) but I think we're there.

I am waiting for revised display boards to arrive so I can test but they should all be good. I have also ordered some prototypes of the 3 x SP-353 display driver and display boards for the 9 digit variant as well as a display board for 3 x SP-352's which will be a six digit device.

I'll work on BOM and Build notes next.

PM me (if you have not already done so) if you are interested in boards for this project. I am planning for the build notes to include mouser part numbers (where available) for all the required parts rather than provide a full kit - would that work?

There is a video over on FB: https://www.facebook.com/richard.scales.7/videos/10223931423450131/

- Richard

[Richard Scales]

I've managed to secure a quantity of 3 digit displays - SP-353 and SP-357 (which are the same but without the 'keepalive' pins - which I don't use). All these are New Old Stock and tested.

If anyone wants to make a 6 or 9 digit version of this clock and they do not have the displays,  can now provide a complete kit of parts including the displays - PM me for details or use this: http://www.nixology.uk/panaplex-interest/

I also have a small number of test build clocks that are seeking new homes - either with or without displays. PM for details.