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So, anyone noticed my new Avatar ?

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punxrus:

--- Quote from: dgame on September 14, 2008, 07:39:46 pm ---Once again Level42 has introduced something cool that I just had to have.

I never knew what a Nixie tube was until this thread. I've since spent too much time online reading about the various Nixie projects people have made.

As a result I have just bought one of these Nixie clocks:
http://www.kosbo.com/in18clock/

It is a six tube IN-18 Nixie clock. The feature I like the most about this one is the serial interface. Nixie high scoreboard perhaps? Display time remaining in the current WinAmp song? Hollywood style doomsday countdown? calculator display? Weather (Temperature) ticker? CPU temperature? Scrolling numbers?

The Nixie clock can only display characters 0-9 but all those things are possible using the PC to handle the logic and the clock as a simple six character display.

What I plan on doing is writing a program to display interesting numerical information with the Nixies. Sending ASCII over the serial port is easy to do.  8)



--- End quote ---

Sweet! If I knew anything about electronics other than turning off a switch and electrocuting my dad while working on house wiring, this would be the perfect project for me! LOL!

dgame:
The clock I ordered is already assembled – no soldering required. It is a fully functional clock it just needs a case to be safer.

I should be able to use the serial cable from my HP 48GX calculator to interface it.

The biggest thing about Nixies is the expensive tubes. I had a little sticker shock, but considering their increasing rarity and increasing price I decided to jump in before it got even more expensive.

This was the only complete clock (not kit) I found that included six  IN-18 tubes, which go for $35 each at http://tubehobby.com/show_det.php?det=6

Happily waiting for my clock to arrive. . .

patrickl:
You could always install a freeware nixieclock on your Windows desktop

Or a modern "USB take" on the Nixie clocks from Brando



ok, so that's not even close, but then it's $70 instead of $400 to $500

BTW, how long are these things going to last? I see times mentioned of >5,000 or 10,000 hours. That means they would last about a year?

AtomSmasher:
Anyone know if the nixie clock kits on ebay are any good?  They seem to be going around $60-100.  They do need assembly, but it should be pretty fun to put them together.

Level42:

--- Quote from: patrickl on September 15, 2008, 02:53:42 pm ---You could always install a freeware nixieclock on your Windows desktop

--- End quote ---
That's like running a vector game in MAME on an LCD monitor..........not the same thing :)


The kits I looked at from that German guy dim the tubes at night time (not sure how much). I have no clue, but I thought Neon's last 40.000 hrs. Indeed an interesting aspect to know....

B.t.w. Patrick, missed you at the collectorsfair ! It was great fun :)

Dgame: great you got inspired by this thread :D

When I'll buy one, it'll be a kit, I definitely want to assemble it myself, just for the fun of it. But the ready assembled are ideal for people who are not wanting to do it or have the possibility.

Big Nixies are beautiful :) Take some pics when you've got it at home/finished !

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