Assembled PCB Nixie Clock - Not from China

[Ian Sparkes]

So, it started like this: I liked the Zirffa style Chinese boards - I thought the hardware was pretty good, but the firmware was really primitive. I was going to set about re-writing the firmware for these boards, but them came up with the idea of simply taking the hardware approach and using my existing firmware on it.

I took "inspiration" from the many Chinese boards out there. I took the time to go through quite a few prototype cycles and get the board worked out. I took the time to learn how to work the PCBA factories, how to specify the components, how to "productionize" the board design and so on.

Now I am at the point that I have an assembled board available, which is far, far better in terms of firmware (it's open source and fully featured), has better hardware (e.g. proper clamping for the drivers, swappable tube holders) and is comparable in price to the Chinese boards. The prices you see on the site are "one off" prices.

I'm calling it the MNC6 (Medium Nixie Clock 6-Digit) and you can have a look at the web page here:

https://www.nixieclock.biz/StoreMNC6.html

It is intended for people who don't want to spend the day soldering everything together, and instead want to have something up and running in half an hour or so. And because it's not from China, you can have some support for it!

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts and feedback! 

[Richard Scales]

It looks ideal and should certainly fill a gap.

 - Richard

[Yohan Park]

Great prices Ian
I already responded to your comment on Tubeclock DB
I thought you might like to know that Malware Bytes Browser Guard is warning people your website may not be safe.

Website blocked due to a suspicious top level domain (TLD)

Website blocked: www.nixieclock.biz Malwarebytes Browser Guard blocked this page because it uses a suspicious top level domain (TLD)

These are frequently used by scam or phishing sites, but can be used by legitimate websites as well. If you trust this website, please click CONTINUE TO SITE. Otherwise, choose GO BACK.

[Robert G. Schaffrath]

On Friday, February 5, 2021 at 6:26:36 AM UTC-5 Ian Sparkes wrote:

So, it started like this: I liked the Zirffa style Chinese boards - I thought the hardware was pretty good, but the firmware was really primitive. I was going to set about re-writing the firmware for these boards, but them came up with the idea of simply taking the hardware approach and using my existing firmware on it.

 

I have two Zirffa style boards. One for IN-12's and the other for IN-14's. I agree that while the hardware is pretty good (more details follow) the firmware is really primitive.

The IN-12 hardware is wonky in that if a digit is blanked, or the whole clock is off in night mode, there is a parasitic glow from various elements. As such, I have to leave all digits powered at all times. Also, I find it will drift a second or two over a week.

Meanwhile I have an IN-14 board that I use with Rodan Gr-111Pa tubes. I replaced the anode resistors with 18K to give the tubes the needed 2mA to drive them properly. That board firmware is also primitive but I am stunned at the accuracy of the clock chip. It runs for weeks and stays on the second. No idea why that board should be so accurate. When the clock turns itself off at 10 PM, there is no parasitic glow.

It is a shame the firmware on those boards is locked down. The hardware had such potential.

 

[Ian Sparkes]

Wow, I never imagined that the .biz sites would be a problem. Could you do me the service of reporting it to them so that it gets whitelisted?

[Ian Sparkes]

Ah, that parsitic glow. The Zirrfa boards don't do something important that they should: The drivers on my board are clamped with a Zener, which stops them from breaking down when there is no load on undriven digits. The unclamped voltage can range between 90 and 120V and that's just plain too much for the ULN drivers, so I added a clamp.

I use a DS3231 RTC chip (original Maxim - the Atmel is original as well - this was very important to me and cost a few pennies extra) and that is usually good for 1 second a month. However, if you go for the WiFi version, you get NTP synchronisation, as well as a nice GUI to configure the clock with.

My firmware is not at all locked down. It's FOSS and is there for all to see / modify / and hopefully contribute to. ;)

[Yohan Park]

Ian, may I ask why you've chosen to use LEDs for the colons with most of your clocks? I think neon looks so much better.