Cheapest 6-digit edge lit clock so far

Yohan Park

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Dec 28, 2020, 8:56:42 PM12/28/20

to neonixie-l

Okay so no Nixie, neon or VFD but I thought I'd post it here anyway.
I came across this on my nightly stroll on Ali and this goes to show how mass production can really lower consumer prices.
A complete 6-digit edge lit clock for only $27.35 ($32.67 if you don't want to solder).
Unbelievable how low these prices can go.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001864778735.html

Mike Mitchell

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Dec 29, 2020, 9:45:53 AM12/29/20

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I paid ~$35 a display using the original "Lixie" like https://www.tindie.com/products/connornishijima/lixie-ii-the-newnixie-for-arduino-digit-kit/

That's why I only used four digits as shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMyD4_ElhUI

Now I can buy an entire 6-digit clock for less than the price of one "Lixie" display! Amazing!

Yohan Park

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Dec 29, 2020, 5:25:10 PM12/29/20

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Wow, this thing is even more feature packed than I thought. It even has voice control :D
And I see now that the top also functions as an audio spectrum analyzer when conneted to an audio source...

Ordered one and will post my findings when I've received it.

dixter

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Dec 30, 2020, 11:43:15 AM12/30/20

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What is the site to purchase the music spectrum mode clock...

David Pye

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Dec 30, 2020, 12:10:10 PM12/30/20

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It's the same clock from the original AliExpress link, turned on its side

David

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H. Carl Ott

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Dec 30, 2020, 1:09:29 PM12/30/20

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I'm very tempted to order in one of these just to see how many of the plastic frame pieces arrive intact, and not shattered.

If you do order one, pay the extra few bucks and avoid having to solder all those WS2812Bs. Unless you are into that sort of thing.

carl
--------------------------------------------------------
Henry Carl Ott N2RVQ hcar...@gmail.com

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David Pye

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Dec 30, 2020, 1:21:13 PM12/30/20

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I might give it a go too.

Looks like an stm32 so an opportunity to make some open source fw....

David

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David Pye

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Dec 30, 2020, 1:26:16 PM12/30/20

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This one is chasing the Nixie appearance further...

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005001841605151.html?spm=a2g0n.detail.0.0.412442bb07LZAZ&gps-id=storeRecommendH5&scm=1007.18500.187585.0&scm_id=1007.18500.187585.0&scm-url=1007.18500.187585.0&pvid=1ff35780-0143-4477-82b5-3f6f10fe0d0b&_t=gps-id%3AstoreRecommendH5%2Cscm-url%3A1007.18500.187585.0%2Cpvid%3A1ff35780-0143-4477-82b5-3f6f10fe0d0b%2Ctpp_buckets%3A668%230%23131923%2370_668%23888%233325%2316_668%232846%238107%231934_668%232717%237559%23100__668%233374%2315176%2316&browser_id=1ba5c54b3a4941739ab22fba889d5fac&aff_trace_key=&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=pkxnfxx14qqcaqxn176b4e23c873772c75311b2064&gclid=&_imgsrc_=ae01.alicdn.com%2Fkf%2FH9f00dee051ac41e6851be671527a54b9d.jpg_640x640Q90.jpg_.webp

dixter

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Dec 30, 2020, 2:11:46 PM12/30/20

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incase you can't see the manual... Banggood list it too but couldn't find the manual there...

the link for download

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Usx9toq8RxTBTbHdNiELmnl6TB7ykVim/view

Yohan Park

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Dec 30, 2020, 7:04:36 PM12/30/20

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Exactly what I thought
I'm not going to solder over 150 SMD parts to save only $5

Yohan Park

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Dec 30, 2020, 7:06:49 PM12/30/20

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Thanks for posting the link to the manual

Yohan Park

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Jan 17, 2021, 9:12:40 PM1/17/21

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Mine will be delivered in the next few days.
Anyone else order it?

gregebert

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Jun 10, 2021, 1:14:11 PM6/10/21

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I took the bait today and bought the version with the assembled PCB. Total cost is $38.11 US including shipping. I cant even procure the individual parts for that price. I'm pretty sure the DS3231 is fake, so it's still a bargain even if I have to replace it .

Jon Jackson

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Jun 10, 2021, 5:04:11 PM6/10/21

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I bought one of these a few months back. Mine works great and keeps time right in (relative) line with my GPS clocks.

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Tidak Ada

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Jun 10, 2021, 5:25:42 PM6/10/21

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Keep car with the figures! The plastic is no plexi-glass, but a more breakable plastic.

Black cardboard/paper between the digits deminishes blurring of the neighboring decade.

eric

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Mac Doktor

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Jun 11, 2021, 3:15:26 PM6/11/21

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On Jun 10, 2021, at 5:27 PM, Tidak Ada <off...@zeelandnet.nl> wrote:

Keep car with the figures! The plastic is no plexi-glass, but a more breakable plastic.

What else could it be? You have to be careful with thin acrylic because it snaps like a twig.

Black cardboard/paper between the digits deminishes blurring of the neighboring decade.

Good idea.

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

gregebert

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Jul 8, 2021, 6:22:30 PM7/8/21

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Well, mine arrived today nicely packaged, with no instructions. I'm glad the version I bought already had the PCB assembled. The basic assembly went OK, though I had to disassemble and reassemble when I found a baseplate piece was backward. Also, make sure you install the battery BEFORE you assemble it. The edge-lit plastic pieces need to have the protective layer removed, which is tedious work. As Eric pointed out, these pieces are a bit delicate, so handle with care. Once you have the clock assembled, they are safe. It runs from a 5V USB power supply, and the cable is provided.

There are operating instructions on the AliExpress listing.

I need to 3D-print some pieces to block ambient light in order to read the display during the day.

This is a much better quality display than an original edge-lit unit, and for the ridiculously low price of 38 USD, you cant beat this.

Tom Harris

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Jul 8, 2021, 9:24:31 PM7/8/21

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Can anyone tell me what microcontroller it uses? The manual didn't say:)

Tom Harris <celep...@gmail.com>

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