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Nixie tube clocks

B7179 Smartsocket driver:

Introduction

What does it do? Movies!

Download the PDF manual

 

IN-18 nixie clock

The ball clock

Floating tube clock

The infinity clock

A slim clock

A slim couple of clocks

Pyramid clock

Panel meter clock

Two tube Charlienixie clock

A small two tube clock

 

Panaplex clocks

The pinball clock

 

LED clocks

The Holoclock

 

Charlieplexed LED clocks

Charlieplexed clocks intro

Circular clock 1

Circular clock 2

Circular clock 3

Circular clock 4

Circular clock 5

Circular clock 6

7 segment dotty clock

 

VFD clocks

Approximate clock

Russian IV-18 clock

 

 

Russian IV-18 tube clock

Russian IV-18 vacuum fluorescent display clock

These vintage tubes are still available in reasonable quantities and at not too outrageous prices on ebay.

VFDs need a voltage of around 40-50 volts to light the multiplexed display. Only one number is lit any time, thus each is only on for an eighth of the time. They also need a filament voltage which ideally should be AC to get even illumination across the tube. Nice, bright, large, digits and I think very attractive.

Hard to photograph due to the rapidly flashing display - too fast for the human eye but not the camera.

I made up a small board that mounted behind the tube and made a curved case, inspired by some of the simple industrial design Dieter Rams undertook for Braun.