Welcome to the Black’n’wood review. I’ve reviewed several other Nocrotec clocks before and this one comes to us from a combination of sources. Dieter of Nocrotec worked with YanZeYuan (严泽远) to develop the electronics for this device. The tubes are sold by Nocrotec.com and the kit components are sold though nixiekitworld.com.

The first thing that you notice is that this device uses end view tubes. The default set are  Chinese QS30-1 tubes. These are uncoated tubes with proper 5s and 2s. These are 30mm diameter tubes that use a standard base. Consequently, there are multiple tubes that can work as substitutes. For example, I have swapped out my tubes for the orange-coated GN-4 tubes (more on this later). Nocrotec has a list of substitutes that I have included at the bottom of this review for reference.

While we’re on the topic of tubes it is worth talking about viewing angle. Side view tubes typically have a wider viewing angle (both vertically and horizontally) than end view tubes. On end view tubes, the digits are stacked on top of each other in a small cylinder. This means that the numeral 9 is easier to see than a 6 because the 9 is at the front of the tube and the 6 is at the rear (digits are not stacked in numerical order). This clock is no exception. Because of this, the clock will ideally be mounted somewhere around eye level. I don’t consider this a problem because it is the nature of all tubes like this.

The enclosure clearly follows the design of some of the original Nocrotec clocks. The wooden base and metal plate look nearly identical to my X2000 [http://www.tubeclockdb.com/numitron-clocks/139-video-review-nocrotec-x2000.html]. I am a huge fan of this design; it gives the clock a nice luxury feel. The case itself is 287mm wide, 49mm deep, and 75mm tall (11.3” x  1.9” x 2.9”). The tubes protrude slightly but only by a few millimeters.

A small feature that I wanted to call out is the colon indicator tubes. They are not led; they are tiny neon bulbs. This was done to match the color of the nixie tubes but it also gives the device some subtle detail. For example, the top of the tubes are crimped and this causes the light pattern to be different from any led bulb. The tubes flicker somewhat; you can see the flow inside of the tube bouncing around. You don’t notice these details at first but when you start staring at them you quickly appreciate them.

The tubes are illuminated with blue LEDs which fade on/off every two seconds by default. You can order other colors (ocean green, deep green, white, purple) and if you don’t like the backlights, you can simply disable them. Earlier I mentioned that I swapped out the tubes with orange-coated GN-4s. The tubes are surrounded with foam padding to prevent light leakage from around the tube. With this surround and the orange coating, the backlight is almost completely blocked. Considering that orange and blue are opposites, this is not really surprising but it does mean that if you want to use the backlight feature, you should stick to uncoated tubes.

Keeping track of the time can be done a few different ways. The device comes with an internal crystal so you can simply set this clock like any other and let it run. You can also use a GPS receiver or a DCF77 receiver to set and maintain the time. The DCF77 and GPS options are external devices that you can purchase at a later time. Enabling them is as simple as changing a menu option on the device.

There is another interesting feature that may be of interest to some users. The Mini DIN connector can be uses to switch con and off other devices when then alarm sounds. You will need to add a relay to switch anything but the +5 V output may be interesting to some users.

Overall, this is a solid design. It offers a robust feature set and looks nice at the same time. I’ve been able to play with this clock for a few weeks and I thoroughly enjoy it.

Photos

Tube substitutes

10TU26, 122P224, 154-0327-00, 1970-0002, 5031, 50347, 5037, 5092, 5092A, 6770, 6844A, 8037, 8037(B-5031), 8421, 8421(B-5092), 8421/5092, B-5031, B-5031/6844, B-50347, B-5037, B-5092, B-5092/8421, B-5092A, B-6844A, BD-302, CD102, CD18, CD24, CD26, CD32A, CK6844A, CK8037, CK8421, CV5278, CV9316, CV9732, F9057, F9057A, F9057AA, GN-3, GN-4, GN-4A, GN-4D, GN-4E, GN-4P, GNP-4A, GR10M, HB-106, JAN-6844A, JAN-8037, JAN-8421, JAN-CB-6844A, JAN-CZ-6844A, LC-511, LC-513, LC-513A, M2726-102500, M2726-102600, NE-50347, NL-5031, NL-50347, NL-5092, NL-6844, NL-6844A, NL-8037, NL-8421, ST12C, SZ1-1, SZ3-1, SZ-8, Z510M, Z520M, Z5600M, Z560M, ZM1020, ZM1020/01, ZM1022, ZM1022p

Links:

• Nocrotec (Tubes)
• NixieKitWorld (Kit)
• User Manual
• Assembly Manual

UPDATE 3/27/2013: Win this clock HERE

I’ve reviewed a few other thermometers and today, we have an interesting one from a company (humorously named) SALTechips. This is the ThermNeon; it uses an IN-13 bargraph tube to display both the temperature and the menu.

Typically, nixie/neon thermometers haven’t had much in the way of options. With a nixie clock, you typically have four or six digits to display menu numbers and values. While these can be a little cumbersome at times they get the job done. With a bargraph tube, displaying the menu items and values takes some ingenuity. SALTechips achieves this by changing the backlight color to green (to indicate menu item selection) or red (to indicate the value selection.) The actual menu items are defined as temperatures. So, flashing green at 15 Degrees Celsius means that the menu item selected is the temperature display frequency.

One of the interesting things about the backlight in this case is the way that it is used to convey information. For example, if it is cold, you can have the backlight be set to blue. If it is warm, you have it set to yellow. If the temperature is somewhere in between, the device will mix the two colors proportionately. The cutoff points for hot/cold and the colors can be set in the menu.

Below is a list of all of the menu items

• Set display duration (between 5 seconds and 60)
• Set display frequency (between once every minute to once every hour)
• Cold Set Point*
• Hot Set Point*
• Cold Set Point Color (Below the cold point, display this color)
• Hot Set Point Color (Above the hot point, display this color)
• Scale illumination brightness

There is one other feature that is not accessible via the menu. It is a live display mode where the temperature is constantly updated based on the input. It is interesting to play with this feature because it becomes clear that this isn’t an analog device. (Yes, you can also tell this by looking at the schematics.) The temperature does not smoothly transition but jumps in even increments. This isn’t necessarily bad because (1) it isn’t a precision device and (2) because the neon glow does not have a clearly defined top to begin with.

The display itself turns on and off at regular intervals to prolong the tube life. I know that nixies, for example, can get cathode poisoning. I’m not sure how IN-13 tubes age however. I have my device set to a 50% duty cycle (display for 30 seconds every minute) but I guess I won’t know for a few years what effect it has, if any. My tube in thermometer from NixieKits.eu seems to be holding up fine but it is filled with Argon so I’m not sure how that changes the lifespan.

The scale itself deserves some attention too. At 1 CM, it is considerable thicker than the neon tube. The tube sits in a channel that has been drilled out of the center so it provides stability across the entire length of the tube. The channel is just deep enough to protect the tube but not distort the display in any way. The tube is still exposed on the front and back but it is well protected.

The base of the device made out of what appears to be laser cut wood. The panels are 5MM thick and fit solidly together. The photos give a pretty good idea of how the case is actually built. On the front of the device the thermNeon logo is etched. On the back are cutouts for the power, the sensor, and the buttons. On the bottom is a sticker with an abridged version of the menu.

The device itself is sold as a kit for $140 or assembled for $200. With the kit version, the majority of the components are through-hole, which should make assembly easier. If you need help with the few SMD parts, SALTechips will affix them to the PCB before shipping. I will link to the assembly manual at the bottom of this article. If you’re thinking about buying the kit version, it is worth looking at. They went through great pains to photograph every step and make assembly as easy as possible.

As far as powering the device, you can use a wall power supply or a mini USB connector. Both are supplied with the kit and assembled versions. The power that ships with the device is matched with the correct plug based on the shipping destination.

Feature List

• Dual scale ranging from 10 to 40°C and 50 to 104°F with a 0.5°C resolution
• Transparent laser cut and engraved scale, illuminated depending on the measured temperature with 4096 colours palette
• Smooth temperature display and illumination effect
• User menu for configuration with built in settings memory
• Laser fabricated wooden base
• Bespoke design
• Can be powered by USB or wall adapter
• Assembled by hand in our laboratories (for fully assembled thermNeons)
• Also available as a kit to assemble yourself (some soldering skills are required!)

Summary

This is a solid device. Literally. I don’t think it is going to break unless I really try to. I am a big fan of the features that this clock offers. They add functionality to the device that is actually useful to users. Overall, this is a solid little gadget.

Inside The Kit

Close Ups

Links

• Manuals
• Purchase
• SALTechips on Facebook

Photos:

From the site:

Leon is Mr.Nixie’s fourth creation of a Nixie clock series starting with the IN-2 "Laura", IN-17 "Lars" and IN-12/17 "Lena" Nixie clocks. Based on the past experiences of hundreds of sold kits and the wishes from our customers, the software was radically re-written and is now backed with a lot of new features. Also an "ultra cool" HV converter design was introduced, which minimizes the heat created by the inductor / switching transistor to a maximum of only 30°C. This results in highest efficiency > 90% and the possibility to power the clock from a single USB power source. In the same way the EMI noise was dramatically reduced. The electronics of Leon is packed into a very flamboyant OEM aluminium enclosure from the design-series "Chac" of Fischerelektronik in Lüdenscheid / Germany. An optional glas desktop stand from König & Meyer, which fits into the 3/8" threat on bottom is available.

Features:

• Hours, Minutes and Seconds display
• 3 x 2 multiplex for less tube noise and higher brightness; based on a modern Supertex HV driver
• Selectable 12 or 24 hour display modes
• Uses a Quartz Crystal Oscillator as the timebase with software adjustable accuracy
• Programmable leading zero blanking
• Date display in either DD.MM.YY or MM.DD.YY or YY.MM.DD format
• Programmable date display each minute or selectable with a single button push
• Scrolling display during fading-in the date or standard display change
• Alarm with programmable snooze period
• Optional DCF / WWVB / MSF / GPS sync. with status LED; prepared for fitting internal the ASK receiver module from the "Wireless GPS connection"
• Dedicated DST button for easy switching between DST and standard time
• Super Capacitor backup keeps time during power outages for more than 24 hours.
• Simple time setting using two buttons
• Five programmable column neons settings (Flashing AM/PM indication, illuminated AM/PM indication, always flashing, always on, always off)
• Seconds can be reset to zero to precisely the set time
• Programmable night mode - blanked or dimmed display to save tubes life or prevent sleep disturbance
• Weekday aware "Master Blank" function to turn off all displays on weekends or during working hours
• Separate modes for column neons during night mode
• Standard, fading or fading + scrollback display modes as an eye-catcher
• "Slot Machine" cathode poisoning prevention routine, disabled during night mode, selectable time
• Programmable RGB tube lighting – select your favourite colour palette
• 729 colours possible. Have a different colour with selectable brightness of your choice every hour or autochanging colours with variable speed
• High efficiency „ultra cool“ HV converter, power consumption less than 2.5 VA even when RGB lighting is fully turned on
• Powered from a single Mini USB outlet (from your PC, MP3- or a cellphone charger)
• All user preferences stored in non-volatile memory

Links:

• http://nixiekits.eu/

As of this writing, the campaign has reached $1,800 of its $5,000 goal. The clock itself is only $100 so if you're interested, please pre-order it before the campaign ends.

From the description:

The time is displayed as a Version 1 21x21 pixel QR code. Try to scan one of the images on this page for a quick demonstration. It measures 8x8" and features a brilliant white display that automatically adjusts to ambient lighting allowing it to be clearly visible during the day without being distracting at night. It has a simple mounting system on the back that will work perfectly on a standard picture hanging nail. The soft rubber pads under the display will keep it from damaging the wall.

Links:

• Tindie
• Ch00ftech
• YouTube

Dieter Waechter and YanZeYuan 严泽远 have teamed up to bring us a nice looking kit based on the Chinese QS30-1 nixie tubes. This clock features many of the design elements from Nocrotec's previous work - the LED back lighting for example looks identical to designs such as their IN-18 Blue Dream clock. The base is a combination of metal and wood and looks similar to many of the older Nocrotec nixie clocks such as the X2000.

In terms of features, the clocks supports both GPS and DCF77 receivers, anti-cathode poisoning, and several display effects. One of the more unusual features that is worth noting is the aux output jack that can be used to switch other equipment on or off. So, when your alarm goes off, this device can trigger other devices to activate (stereo, coffee maker, etc.) The output for the Aux is a +5V output so presumably you would need a relay or some other mechanism to switch larger loads.

This kit it sold in two parts:

• The electronics, led backlight and enclosure are sold here.
• The tubes are sold here.

Video and Photos provided by Dieter Waechter

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Links

• Assembly Manual
• Operations Manual
• Nocrotec
• NixieKitWorld

One of my all time favorite VFD clocks is the Jenny design from NixieKits.eu. Well, Jürgen Grau has a new version out that is USB powered and is based on the same firmware as the Lena/Lars/Laura clocks. This thing looks awesome.

Features

• Hours, Minutes and Seconds display
• 3 x 2 multiplex for less tube noise and higher brightness; based on the modern Supertex HV driver HV5812
• Selectable 12 or 24 hour display modes
• Uses a Quartz Crystal Oscillator as timebase with software adjustable accuracy
• Programmable leading zero blanking
• Date display in either DD.MM.YY or MM.DD.YY or YY.MM.DD format
• Programmable date display each minute or selectable with a single button push
• Scrolling display during fading-in the date or standard display change
• Alarm with programmable snooze period
• Optional DCF / WWVB / MSF / GPS sync. with status LED; prepared for fitting the ASK receiver module from the „Wireless GPS connection“
• Dedicated DST button for easy switching between DST and standard time
• Super Capacitor backup keeps time during power outages for more than 6 hours.
• Simple time setting using two buttons
• Five programmable IV-15 column settings (Flashing AM/PM indication, illuminated AM/PM indication, always flashing, always on / off)
• Seconds can be reset to zero to precisely set the time
• Programmable night mode - blanked or dimmed display to save tubes life or prevent sleep disturbance
• Indicator LEDs dim at night mode too to prevent sleep disturbance
• Weekday aware „Master Blank“ function to turn off all displays on weekends or working hours
• Separate modes for column IV-15 tubes during night mode
• Standard or fading display modes as an eye-catcher
• „Slot Machine“ effect as eye-catcher
• Programmable RGB tube lighting – select your favourite colour palette
• 729 colours possible. Have a different colour of your choice every hour or autochanging colours with variable speed
• Programmable temperature display in °C or °F at seconds 30...35
• All user preferences stored in non-volatile memory
• Circuity works with safe 36 VDC Tubes Anode voltage

Links

Lena is now available for sale! It uses the same basic design as the Laura clock except that this uses both IN-12 and IN-17 tubes to display the time. If you buy one, leave a note in the comments. I'd love to get your thoughts on it!

Links:

• http://nixiekits.eu/

It’s been a while since I’ve done a review so let’s jump right in. Today, we have the Laura nixie clock from NixieKits.eu. It has a fraternal twin brother named Lars, which is nearly identical in terms of features and electronics but uses a different enclosure and tube type. The Laura clock uses IN-2 tubes (small, round) while the Lars clock uses the rectangular IN-17 tubes. Both clocks feature a parsimonious enclosure design that focuses on the tubes and little else.

The review will focus on the Laura design but the basic features are common across both designs. Additionally, this review will include the Wireless GPS kit, which is available as an add-on for these clocks (and others).

The stand out feature of these clocks is the size. There are some comparably sized clocks on the market (Cogwheel’s IN-17x7, Nocrotec’s Little Blue Something) but there aren’t many. Most people want large IN-18, B7971, etc., tubes and that leaves room for smaller clocks in the market. Additionally, the fact that these can sit on your desk and not be the center of attention can be a large plus. Both clocks are USB powered and make a great companion to your workstation. (I keep the Laura immediately below my external monitor.)

While we’re on the topic of design and size – this clock is unquestionably Jürgen’s design work. The Laura clock uses a similar structure to his original IN-12 design with the clear top, extruded aluminum sides, and decorative gold colored faceplate. The Lars design uses a solid black aluminum enclosure a copper-finished faceplate. (In fact, the Lars design looks like it would be perfect as part of a computer mod or on the dashboard of a car.)

Moving on to the tubes. Both clocks use petite tubes which have some advantages. They are generally easier to get replacements for and they cost less. I generally suggest getting replacement tubes asap after buying a clock and getting a spare set of 6 for either of these designs will be relatively easy on eBay.

The tubes themselves are similar in digit size with the obvious difference being the shape of the glass envelope. On the round tubes (IN-2), the numeral 5 is an upside down 2 like on many Russian tubes. The mesh is a little bit thicker than on most tubes but this doesn’t make them difficult to read. On IN-17’s, the numeral 5 is a distinct character. In both cases, the tubes suffer somewhat from a viewing angel problem – there are posts at the top and bottom of the tubes that hold the digits in place and they somewhat obstruct the display when you’re not looking at the tubes head-on. I can’t fault the clock design for this; all devices that use these tubes suffer from this design. The easy solution is to angle the display up (if it is on your desk) or mount it close to eye-height.

As far as tube brightness goes, I haven’t had any problems reading the tubes in a brightly lit room. They may not be a large as bright as IN-18’s, but these tubes don’t have any readability problems. (I can’t say the same for my LED clock, actually…)

The clocks feature a backlighting option that looks like an evolved option of Jürgen’s previous designs. The backlighting has always been a separate menu for the Nixie Kit designs back to the IV-12 Jenny VFD clock. I don’t think there are technical reasons for this but it does make manipulating the backlight color and display effects easier because it reduces the probability that you will accidentally set the time, alarm, etc.

Color effects – this clock supports a few different color effects. The user can manually set the color via a special menu or it can rotate automatically. All of the options can be set via a dedicated menu accessible via the DST button. For example, you can have the clock display a constant cyan color or slowly rotate through all color options. Interestingly, the color can be set on an hourly basis. So, you can have orang at 12:00, blue at 13:00, green at 14:00 etc.

Tube display effects – of course a nixie clock wouldn’t be complete without some nifty display effects and these clocks are no different. This clock comes with a built in slot machine effect to prevent cathode poisoning. Additionally, users can enable/disable digit fading to smoothly transition between digits.

Tube saver mode – most new nixie clocks have the ability to turn off the display at a given time. The goal is to have the display off when you’re not in the room. But what about when you have the clock at your office? NixieKits.eu has a cool solution to this – you can specify a different off time for the weekend. In other words, you can have the clock on from 8AM-5PM M-F and off all weekend. This is a cool little feature that I don’t want to get lost in the review. Alternately, if you have the clock at home, you can have the clock on over the weekend as well (or even only during the weekend.)

Photos

Features

• Hours, Minutes and Seconds display
• 3 x 2 multiplex for less tube noise and higher brightness; based on the modern HV5812 Supertex high voltage driver
• 12 or 24 hour modes
• Uses a Quartz Crystal Oscillator as the timebase with adjustable accuracy
• Programmable leading zero blanking
• Date display in either DD.MM.YY or MM.DD.YY or YY.MM.DD format
• Programmable date display each minute or selectable with a single button push
• Scrolling display during fading-in the date or standard display change
• Alarm with programmable snooze period
• Optional DCF / WWVB / MSF / GPS sync. with status LED; prepared for fitting the ASK receiver module from the „Wireless GPS connection“
• Dedicated DST button for easy switching between DST and standard time
• Super Capacitor backup keeps time during power outages for more than 24 hours.
• Simple time setting using two buttons
• Five programmable column LED settings (Flashing AM/PM indication, illuminated AM/PM indication, both flashing, both on, both off)
• Seconds can be reset to zero to precisely the set time
• Programmable night mode - blanked or dimmed display to save tubes life or prevent sleep disturbance
• Rear Indicator LEDs dim at night to prevent sleep disturbance
• Weekday aware „Master Blank“ function to turn off the display on weekends or during working hours
• Separate modes for column LEDs during night mode
• Standard, fading or fading + scroll-back display modes as an eye-catcher
• "Slot Machine" cathode poisoning prevention routine, disabled during night mode, selectable time
• Programmable RGB tube lighting – select your favorite color palette
• 729 colors possible. Have a different color of your choice every hour or auto-changing colors with variable speed
• High efficiency „ultra cool“ HV converter, power consumption less than 2.5 VA even when RGB lighting is fully turned on.
• Powered from a single USB outlet (from your PC or a cellphone charger)
• All user preferences stored to non-volatile memory

Links:

Written Review:

The very first thing that you notice when you look at this clock is its build quality. There are not many wood clocks on the market and this one probably has the best build quality of them all. The enclosure reviewed is made of maple but walnut is also an option. The sides are made from fours distinct pieces (as opposed to a hollowed out block), the top is another distinct piece and the bottom is capped with a metal plate. The top of the enclosure is a surprisingly hefty acrylic enclosure that sits in the beveled edge around the top of the clock.

On the front and sides of the clock are a few vent holes. These actually serve a purpose beyond decoration. The front vents conceal an IR receiver and the left side conceals an ambient light sensor. The back has two major cutouts. The first if for the USB power and the second is to allow access to the buttons mounted on the PCB. These are used to set the time and display effects.

The second thing that you notice about this clock is its size. It is one of the most petite 6 tube clocks that I have reviewed. Watch the video review for a comparison – this device is smaller than the Little Blue Something and is quite a but less voluminous than even a can of soda.

Powering the device is easy – it works from a standard USB connector. I’m a little amazed that the 500 mA that a port provides is sufficient to power 6 tubes, 4 neon indicators and all of the supporting circuitry but it works great.

The tubes are Burroughs B5870ST. These have a fine mesh and produce very crisp numbers. There are also four miniature neon bulbs that act as colon indicators for the tubes. Interestingly, these are mounted on small PCBs that were clearly designed for this purpose. I particularly like this attention to detail because it makes the entire device look more polished.

Display Effects

There are a few built in display effects to both prolong the tube life and to add eye candy. You can program the digits to fade between values. There are a few speeds available and they produce a nice smooth fade between numbers. There is also a shuffle effect. The shuffle effect cycles through the digits based on their position in the tube from back to front; the numbers do NOT count sequentially 1.2.3…etc. If the numbers were illuminated sequentially there would not be a smooth front to back motion on the display. Interestingly, the display effects are set on a mm/ss basis. In other words, the minutes can be fading while the seconds can use the shuffle effect.

Other Features

This device has a built in thermometer which can display both Celsius and Fahrenheit scales. The value can be displayed as frequently as once per minute to once per day.

There is a built in ambient light sensor. As the ambient light increases, so does the tube brightness. This allows you to preserver tube life by running the tubes at a lower current (brightness) during the evening automatically.

Lastly, this device can be controlled via remote control. I am unable to test this feature because the pre-production model I was shipped glitches when I tried to use it so I am unable to review this specific feature.

Features:

• 5VUSB power
• Auto Dimming brightness
• ON/OFF setting
• High accurate time control by RTC
• Setting Backup by Super capacitor
• Many effect
• Cathode poisoning prevention
• Using tube socket for nixie tube
• Has fuse for safety
• High efficiency HVPS
• Has fuse in HVPS too
• “:” type colons
• Date showing
• Temperature showing
• control by IR remote controller
• nixie check-up effect (count-up)
• High quality tube used
• One year Free warranty
• Shuffle effect
• Celsius,Fahrenheit show
• YY/MM/DD,DD/MM/YY show

Photos:

Links:

• Seller Contact: info@re-electronics.com
• http://kibanhonpo.shop-pro.jp/?pid=43079673
• http://www.re-electronics.com
• Manual (English)
• Manual (Japanese)

Written Review:

This is the Little Blue Something in the Black Brilliance case from Nocrotec and NixieKitWorld.com . This clock is sold as a kit and this particular one features Burroughs B-5853 tubes with blue LED under lighting but other tubes and under lighting options are available as well. (You can see other variations of the same design here.)

The Burroughs tubes used in this device are some of my favorite. They are not nearly as large as an IN-18 but they are very legible with crisp edges around the numbers and a proper numeral 5. The tubes feature a fine mesh which is almost invisible from a few feet away and the envelope is flat at the top except for where the gas was evacuated. I’m not sure what the point is of forming such a nice top (as opposed to a rounded version) but does add a nice visual effect to the device.

The enclosure is a shiny black acrylic with four flat metal bolts on each corner. It is assembled in the same way that other Nocrotec enclosures are with each side fitting in to grooves in the base to form the shape. With that said, there are no lose pieces and the enclosure feels sturdy. It is not a kid’s toy, but it still feels solid.

The LED under lighting is the same blue led setup that Dieter uses for many of his projects. This contrasts nicely with the orange glow of the neon digits but the color is user selectable (at the time of assembly) and the green led lighting options appears quite nice as well.

Accuracy

The LBS setup actually has a few different options for maintaining an accurate count of the time. It supports DCF inputs (for users within Europe) and GPS (via a DCF converter). Both of these options are extra and do not ship with the device. The board can also accept a 1PPS input if you want to sync it to another source. Lastly, the device measures the line frequency and automatically compensates the crystal to ensure long-term stability.

Tube Life

The board supports a few different methods for prolonging the tube life. The user can set display brightness via the switches on the back and he can set auto off times via a jumper when assembling the clock. The board also supports an LDR which allows the device to automatically dim in proportion to the ambient light in the room. This has the advantage of being automatic and significantly increases the life of the tubes

Photos:

Features:

• Floor lighting with 2 LEDs per tube, this ensures a very balanced floor lighting
• different colours available for the LED floor lighting
• extremely high-definition glow of the digits
• extremely high life expectancy of the tubes
• Digit height: 13 mm (0.51")
• matched, tested tubes (NOS = new old stock = old, unused stock tubes)
• Black Brilliance Case
• Dimensions: Width: 155 mm, depth: 65 mm, total height: 61 mm, case height: 32 mm
• crossfade mode (digits fade from one number to the next)
• dimmable tubes
• spare tubes available (see above)
• tubes can be switches off manually (Clock runs further meanwhile)
• 12/24 hours mode in DCF77 or GPS mode
• date display (can be switched off)
• date display in arrangement: DD MM YY or MM DD YY
• Night power down mode (tubes can be switched off at preset times by hardware)
• supports DCF77 receiver
• simple assembling
• no SMD parts
• PCB in "black surface" technology looks neutral in enclosures
• high grade epoxy PCB

Other options

• The board supports neon indicator bulbs that can both blink and indicate AM/PM
• The device can drive a few different tube configurations. From the manual:
• Mode 1: is six tubes 2x3 multiplexed mode normal Nixie tubes (default mode)
• Mode 2: is four tubes 2x2 multiplexed mode using normal Nixie tubes
• Mode 3: is four tubes using dual anode tubes 1x4 multiplexed mode
• Mode 4: is two tube non multiplexed mode using normal Nixie tubes
• Mode 5: for two B7971 or ZM1350 special alphanumeric tubes multiplex 1x32

Price (as of this writing)

• 6x tubes 38.56 EUR
• Clock Kit (electronics & case) 144 EUR
• DCF77 Kit 22 EUR

Links:

• Manual
• Nocrotec
• Nixie Kit World

Recently, Pete launched his new Nixie QTC format for mid sized tubes. Let's take a look at what he's got:

To begin, QTC stands for "quick tube change." The QTC design is an interesting clock kit with the ability to easily replace tubes that previously were hard wired (such as an IN-8-2, Z5070M, or ZM1210). He does this by putting them on a mini PCB with a connector on the back so the tubes can easily be swapped out. Nixie tubes do eventually wear out and this is an elegant way to replace them. One of the advantages of having all of the tubes on mini PCBs is that the main board can support multiple types of tubes with no configuration.

The nixies are drive in a multiplexed display mode. The tubes are driven in a 3x2 multiplex and generate little noise and no perceivable flicker.

This device also supports GPS synchronization making it one of the most affordable clocks with this option.

The following features are standard for the kit version:

• 6 X (your choice) Nixie tubes, with 18mm digit height
• 6 X Tube cell components for mounting the tubes
• All transistors, resistors, capacitors, ICs, diodes
• 2 X Neon bulbs for hours:minutes:seconds separators
• Double sided, plated - through - hole PCB with red solder resist.
• Fully pre-programmed PIC microcontroller, with socket
• Piezo alarm sounder
• RGB LED Tube Lighting Pack

Kit with IN-8-2 Tubes:

http://www.pvelectronics.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=72

With IN-14 Tubes:

http://www.pvelectronics.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=71

Aluminum case:

http://www.pvelectronics.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3_13&products_id=78

Other Features:

• Hours, Minutes and Seconds display
• 12 or 24 hour modes
• Uses a Quartz Crystal Oscillator as the timebase
• Programmable leading zero blanking
• Date display in either DD.MM.YY or MM.DD.YY format
• Programmable date display each minute
• Scrolling display of date or standard display
• Alarm, with programmable snooze period
• Optional DCF / WWVB / MSF / GPS synchronisation with status indicator LED
• Dedicated DST button to switch between DST and standard time
• Supercapacitor backup. Keeps time during short power outages
• Simple time setting using two buttons
• Programmable leading zero blanking
• Five programmable neon colon settings (Flashing AM/PM indication, illuminated AM/PM indication, both flashing, both on, both off)
• Seconds can be reset to zero to precisely the set time
• Programmable night mode - blanked or dimmed display to save tubes or prevent sleep disturbance
• Rear Indicator LEDs dim at night to prevent sleep disturbance
• Weekday aware ‘Master Blank’ function to turn off HV/ tubes on weekends or during working hours
• Separate modes for colon neons during night mode
• Standard, fading, or fading + scrollback display modes
• ‘Slot Machine’ cathode poisoning prevention routine
• Programmable RGB tube lighting – select YOUR favourite colour palette
• 729 colours possible. Have a different colour of your choice every hour, or autochanging colours
• Not AC frequency dependent – works in all countries
• All user preferences stored to non-volatile memory

Jürgen Grau just sent me this video of his two newest clocks in action. The display effects are the same as the ones that Pete Viricas uses in his QTC clocks. The PIC microcontroller software was designed by him and modified Jürgen for these clocks. See more at NixieKits.eu

An IN-2 clock, based on the features from Sven - incl. Alarm, but with some more improvements:

• High quality socket pins for the socketed IN-2
• 2 x 3 multiplex for higher brightness / less tube noise
• High Efficiency HV voltage converter "ultra cool design", therefore the clock can be easily powered from a single USB connector (power consumption less than 2 VA incl. turned on LEDs) and all electrical parts (incl. MosFet and inductor remains cool - not even warm).
• As an option: Build in ASK receiver module for "wireless GPS reception"
• External connector (1/8" TRS jack) for DCF/MSF/WWVB or wired GPS receiver (BR-355)
• Easy enabling or disabling Day Saving Time by a single button's push
• RGB controller for tube backlight with selectable LED fixed colour / brightness for every hour and / or auto changing colours with variable speed
• Extra master blanking time for disabling the complete display during weekdays / weekends etc.
• 1F Super Cap power backup for keeping the time for more than 24 hrs without power supply
• New extra optical Nixie effects: fading digit with "scroll back", date scrolling in and out

LEDs on rear for: Alarm, DST active, Time Sync, Time Data input

The PCBs are made with a lot of tiny SMT parts, but they are all pre-assembled and soldered. So building the clock within 2 hrs. is not a problem at all.

Links

• NixieKits.eu
• Flyer

{youtube width="700" height="400"}sZAPdKjmhvs{/youtube}

Links:

• BadNixie.com
• YouTube.com

Specifications:

• Operational Amplifier NATIONAL LME49860 (only 2.7 nV noise, 0.00003 % distortions)
• +/- 20 V supply voltage for the OP amp
• 65 V anode voltage
• No inductive switching voltage converter used
• Tubes are driven with line level, therefore no influence of external interfering fields
• Adjustable anode current on Line level
• Fully passive tubes RIAA equalization
• Different dual triodes can be fitted by soldering jumpers, e.g. 12AU7 / 6DJ8 / 5670
• Output of the cathode follower is wired direct to the RCA jacks
• Additional low impedance output with 2 x NE5534 on 1/8" TRS jack on front
• With solder jumpers the RIAA equalization can be disabled and the amplification reduced for using as a true line amplifier
• All "critical" parts -even the SMT's- are just pre-assembled and soldered
• No SMT parts within the audio path
• Polypropylene capacitors with 2.5% tolerance
• Assembling the complete kit within 1 hour is not a problem
• Extra external GND connection
• 2 x 6N3P-E dual triodes included
• On request: 2 x JJ E88CC / 6N23P
• The enclosure is also included
• DC input via 5.5 / 2.1 mm jack
• 12VDC 1A input for stabilized power supply (not included)
• On request: Ultra Low Noise 12 V / 3.5 A switching power supply; suitable to power some extra components, too

Links:

• NixieKits.eu
• eBay auction
• RIAA Equalization

Video:

{vimeo width="700" height="390"}41258140{/vimeo}

Key Features:

Photos:

It’s been a while since I’ve done a review so let’s jump right in. This, is the IN-18 Blue Dream from Nocrotec.com and NixieKitWorld.com.  This device is only sold as a kit so keep that in mind when ordering the device.

The Display

This device uses 6x IN-18 tubes to show the time. I particularly like IN-18’s because they are large and they are still relatively easy to find on eBay. They also seem to have a relatively good life as well; I have a set on IN-18s that have been on continuously for almost 5 years and show no signs of dimming.

Below the tubes are 2x SMD blue LEDs per tube. If you are looking at the clock face on, the LEDs are on the left and right sides of each tube.

Between the HH MM and SS are two sets of neon tube colon indicators. They are stacked vertically in small glass envelopes. The entire enclosure looks like a miniature test tube and is about the width of a felt tip pen. Since these are neon tubes as well, they emit the same color light that the nixie tubes do so they are a near perfect match. Some clocks use orange LEDs which are an okay substitute but the neon tubes on this device look very nice.

Display Effects

The first thing that jumped out at me when I first turned on this clock was how vibrant the blue LEDs are. They actually pulse with the time and throw off a significant amount of light when they are set to their brightest. There are 10 brightness levels that are user adjustable.

• 0 – off
• 1-3 – dim glow
• 4-10 – pulsing

The colon indicators have a similar setting to the LED under lighting. They can be set to:

• Always Off
• Always On
• Fast Flashing
• Slow Pulsing

The IN-18s also have a set of transition effects as well. The digits can be set to simply switch between values, to fade smoothly, or to do a modified roulette effect. The roulette effect is interesting because normally you would expect it to count sequentially 1.2.3.4..etc. Instead, it illuminates the digits based in the order that they are stacked. This effect emphasizes the depth of a nixie tube and adds a feeling of randomness to the effect. I particularly like this effect and it is the default one that I use.

Time Reference

This device has a built in real-time clock. It can be set through the menu and the drift can be adjusted as well to ensure long-term accuracy of the device. However, this device supports several other options.

DCF – if you live in Germany, you can purchase a DCF receiver. The receiver is a little black box that plugs in to the back of the device and sets the time automatically.

GPS – You can buy a commercial GPS receiver and connect it to the back of the device. This option is great because it works worldwide and all you need to do is adjust the UTC offset in the menu.

Other Features

The power supply uses an efficient push-pull method that is absolutely silent. Some switch mode power supplies generate a high frequency hiss but that is eliminated in this design.

The display is directly driven and this has a few advantages over multiplexed displays. Each tube is run at it’s rated current (6 mA) to ensure full brightness and a long tube life. This also means that no “blue spots” appear in the tube.

Build Quality / Enclosure

Of course this is a kit and it’s up to you to do a good job assembling it ☺ However, the finished product looks very professional. The stainless steel base and bottom give a nice weight to the clock. For comparison, my NixiChron is slightly larger but this device weighs more.

On the rear of the device, there are three buttons, a power connector, and a connector for the DCF

The tubes are not soldered to the board. They are socketed which makes replacing the tubes easier and also ensures that you can straighten any crooked tubes.

There are no surface mount parts for you to assemble. All of the SMD work has been done leaving you with only through hole components.

Overall

There are few clocks that I keep on my desk and this is one of them. I really like this clock and the feature that I like the best is the modified roulette transition. The IN-18 Blue Dream is a solid design.

Photos

Links

• NixieKitWorld.com
• Nocrotec.com

Jurgen just sent me a video of his latest creation - a neon bar graph audio VU meter. This device is powered from a 12V DC wall power adapter or from 2x USB ports because of the 1A current draw. It uses a logarithmic display from -20 dB to +10 dB.  The enclosure will look like the NixieTherm or the headphone amp that is currently in production.

Links

• NixieKits.EU
• Vimeo

Features:

• Unique 7 digits Nixie Clock on the market !
• Fully assembled and tested Nixie Clock
• 5 levels display brightness
• Based on rare  PinBall Display
• Displays Time, 2 Alarm clock sets and Date
• Accurate & calibrated time clock source from internal crystal
• Integrated 2 Alarm Clocks
• Easy control with only 2 buttons or via serial interface
• Uses standard 9V or 12V wall plug Power Supply
• Internal backup battery for power failure protection
• Will generate alarm buzz even main power is off !!!
• Precision Seconds setup
• Internal buzzer for Alarm1 and Alarm2
• Separate Alarm1 and Alarm2 trigger outputs
• High efficiency integrated on board DC-DC converter

Links:

Akafugu Corporation / akafugu.jp

{vimeo width="700" height="390"}36616517{/vimeo}

Per Johan Groland sent me a nice little VFD clock for review and I think you’ll like this one.

This clock is made up of four IV-17 alphanumeric VFD tubes.  As it ships, the electronics come in two parts – the base with the microcontroller and the shield with the VFD tubes.  The base can support up to four sixteen-segment tubes or twenty seven-segment displays.

The big draw to this board, in my opinion, is how hacker-friendly it is.  The software is open source and available on GitHub.  It ships with an ISP header for easy software upgrades.  Given this combination, it makes a great platform for experimenting with.  If you want to make your own four letter word machine or to experiment with VFD tubes, this is a great place to start.

I received this device fully assembled but it normally ships as a kit.  It looks relatively straightforward to assemble but I would estimate that each half of the device will take about an hour to do.

When the device is operating as a clock (using the shipping firmware) the operation is very straightforward.  The clock can operate in 12h or 24h mode, the brightness can be adjusted, and there is also an alarm.  Nearing the menu structure is pretty easy and there is a manual online to make setting the device easier.

The one feature that is missing from this firmware release is a display off time.  Since VFD tubes wear out, it would be nice to have the display shutoff during certain hours of the day.  This is not a major problem in my opinion given how easy it is to find VFD tubes on eBay, but it is something I wanted to point out.

The enclosure is a clear acrylic that has been cut in an almost jigsaw puzzle like fashion. This ensures that the pieces only fit together one way.  Once assembled, I would suggest lightly tacking the base pieces together to prevent the sides or back from falling off.  The electronics themselves are not actually attached to the enclosure.

One of the features of this clock that I particularly like is it’s size – the entire device is one of the smallest that I’ve reviewed.  This is partly because it is a four digit design but it also means that it is easier to find room for this gadget on a crowded desk.

Now, you’re probably thinking that this would make a great four letter word machine and you would be right.  A FLW modification is in development to support this feature.  It will actually require an extra EEPROM to support the dictionary needed for this device.

As of the time of this review, inly the IV-17 shield is available.  There are three more shields in development: and IV-16, IV-22, and IV-18.  These should be available shortly.

Overall – I’m a fan of this little device.  The hacker-friendly nature of the gadget and it’s low price ($104 for the kit) mean that this will appeal to a wide audience.  This is a great way to get started working with VFD’s without having to worry about the electrical engineering part.  Be sure to look at the photos below to get a better idea of what is included and watch the review.

Alternate Shields

Currently, only the IV-17 shield is on sale.  The IV-6 is almost ready for production and the IV-18 and IV-22 will need a little but more work before they go on sale.

Photos:

Links:

• Clock Updates
• Store

Paraphrased from the seller: This is a hand crafted, radio controlled clock.  Each clock is one of a kind and only the highest quality components are used.  The buyer may customize the clock with any LED color or size of their choice.

Link:

• Vimeo

One of the things that this website doesn't have enough of is CRT / Oscilloscope clocks.  Thankfully, I found an eBay seller who is happy to help fill the void.  eBay seller al-truism has been selling scope clocks for a while and I've been watching them as his designs progress and he is offering them pretty regularly via eBay and directly from his website.  For those who are a little more adventurous, he sells the board directly as a kit.  His website has lots of great work and his YouTube channel shows the devices in action - go check it out.

{youtube}1qEuke-9p64{/youtube}

From his site:

These oscilloscope clocks display a digital face for ten seconds and then an analog face for ten seconds. This helps to reduce the "burn-in" that otherwise will inevitably occur on crts displaying the same image for too long. Many of the parts are recycled from used electronics, which makes them kind of "green". The base and shroud are homemade from plexiglass. These scope clocks have a "shifter" that will move the display on the screen slightly every 6 seconds. Also , the display alternates every ten seconds between analog and digital face. This helps to greatly reduce the burn in that can result from the display staying in the same spot continuously. The Nixie clocks are "faders", which means when the numbers are changing, the number that's going is dimmed while the number that's coming is brightened. This produces a "morphing" effect that kind of makes them appear to melt into the next one. The oscilloscope clocks are user programmable with preset sleep / wake mode , which will turn the display on and off at preset times automatically, while still keeping time, thus conserving the crt usage and extending its lifespan.

Links

• eBay Profile
• Website
• YouTube Channel

Here is a cool 4 digit numitron clock based off of what appears to be an ardunio.  Based on the GitHub description:

• Retro glowing numitron display featuring Soviet-era IV-9 numitron tubes
• A DS1307 real time clock with backup battery for accurate timekeeping and alarm memory preservation during loss of power
• Blue LED underlighting for each digit, with customizable fading light patterns
• Programmable alarm
• 12- or 24-hour operating mode with AM/PM indicator light
• Easy display blanking for nighttime use and tube life preservation
• 100% open source hardware and software
• Arduino programming compatibility using standard TTL serial

Links:

• Vimeo
• GitHub

{vimeo width="700" height="385"}33915774{/vimeo}

It is powered via USB * and all 6V heater tubes can be fitted. Solder bridges on the bottom side will connect the signals according to the socket needed for the tube.

These tubes can be fitted:

EM80 / EM81 / EM84 / PM84 / EM85 / EM87 / EM800 / EAM86 / 6BR5 / 6DA5 / 6E2 / 6E3P / 4FG6 / 6FG6 / 6DH7 / 6HU6

* it can also be powered from an external battery pack up to 18V, so it is possible to fit tubes with different heater voltages like the UM80 with 19V for example

Want to know more?  Ask Jürgen in the forums.

{vimeo width="700" height="390"}33304337{/vimeo}

Links:

• Forum Thread
• Vimeo

This little device comes to us from NixieKits.eu.  It is a dual triode headphone amplifier from based on surplus Russian military tubes.  This is a largely subjective review but I’ll do my best to stay as factual as possible.

Video Review:

{vimeo width="700" height="390"}32539726{/vimeo}

The enclosure:

Each new gadget from NixieKits.eu has a more refined enclosure than the previous and this is no exception.  The device is made out of (what appears to be) laser cut acrylic and has a very solid feel.   The panels are slotted and fit together nicely and give the entire device a solid feel.

Technical Data:

These images are from NixieKits.eu.  The top graph shows the total harmonic distortion, the middle diagram shows the output voltage with different loads and the final diagram shows the output of a 100 kHz square wave @ 500mV.

THD

Output Voltage

Black (no load), 150 ohm (cyan), 23 ohm (green)

Square waveform

As far as testing the device, I performed 12 distinct tests.  The sample songs were ripped from a CD and stored in a lossless format and then loaded on to the three test devices.

The source devices used were an iPod (2010 160GB), an iPhone 4s, and a MacBook Pro (early 2011) with a Behringer F Control FCA202 DAC.  The headphones used for testing were the original iPhone earbuds and a Sennheiser 5xx series open headphone.

The scale below ranges from -5 to +5 and is in subjective units.  Higher is better and lower is worse.  The scale is centered on 0 given (iPod, no amp, ear buds).  This combination I believe covers the larges portion of the population and so a number higher than this (0) sounds better.  A number below this sounds worse.

Test Results:

The results are not too surprising.  The best combination is the laptop with the headphone amp with the Sennheisers.  However, in EVERY CASE, the headphone amp helped by at least one subjective unit.  In my opinion, if you already have a nice set of headphones, you will probably benefit more from this device.

Sound Quality:

To begin, I left this device disconnected and plugged in my headphones.  I let it warm up and turned it up all of the way.  The result: silence.  This is fantastic.  Not even my home stereo amplifier has complete silence when I turn it up all of the way.

To test distortion, I played a techno song with a deep and loud baseline.  I compared how it sounded coming directly from my computer versus from the amplifier and the difference was notable.  The song was clearer at louder volumes using the amplifier than it was without.  I played with a few other demo songs that Jürgen sent me and the results were similar.

On the quiet end, it doesn’t add any noise.  On the loud end, it doesn’t distort or clip the waveform like a transistor-based amplifier does.

As far as the “warm” sound of a tube amplifier it is there.  If, like me, you only grew up using more modern designs, it may sound foreign at first.  It is not very pronounced but if you know that it is there, you can hear it.  For things like an acoustic guitar, I really like the results.  For piano solos, things sound a little muted but not in any bad.  This is completely subjective and depends on your preferences.  I can say, however, that since I received this device, I have not disconnected it from my system!

Photos:

Before and After

Jürgen shared this color coded photo of the original design on the bread board versus the final product.  It's quite an evolution!

Links:

• NixieKits.eu

Links:

• NixieKits.eu

{youtube width="700" height="400"}CZFoHOqHKuA{/youtube}

Links:

• BadNixie.com

Video Review:

Text Review:

Let’s start with a story.  The Four Letter Word machine was invented in 1973 by Raymond Weisling.  The device was simple – it used 4x B7971 tubes to display random for letter words.  Of course, the draw to a device like this is that occasionally, one of the results would appeal to the prurient interests of a viewer.  This was not lost on Playboy who actually featured one of Ray’s creations in a 1973 issue.

Around 2006, Ray apparently decided to revive his creation and start selling them through his former website, zetalink.biz, as kits for hobbyists.  Unfortunately, he did not actually ship all of his orders and appears to have scammed several members of the nixie community out of several hundred of dollars each.  On list of people who never received a unit were Peter Hand and Jeff Thomas.

Pete had purchased one of Ray’s kits to give it as a gift for his daughter.  After waiting for a year and a half, it became apparent that he was not going to get the device and so he decided to engineer his own version.  In fact, he made two versions – a B7971 version (that also supports the planar neon ZM1350 tubes) as well as a smaller VFD version (see more here.)

In the last year, Jeff modified Pete’s design (with his permission) and added features like a GPS time base and a nice enclosure (designed by Jürgen Grau).  Now, 38 years after the original Four Letter Word machine was released, you can buy a complete device, including tubes, from a reputable seller.

Okay, sorry for the long story.  Let’s get to the review.

The device itself is shockingly small.  Every component is surface mount and Jeff went though great lengths to make this this device small.  The device is only about 3/4 inches thick or roughly an inch if you include the rubber feet.  The PCB is a slick bright red with white silkscreen printing and all of the internal components are visible.  The case has Jürgen’s trademark sandwich design and rounded corners for fasteners and rubber feet.  Ultimately, users are drawn to the tubes and not to the PCB but for those who really like to tinker or see how things work, everything is there for you to see.

The settings on the clock are adjusted one of two ways.  Some functions, like setting the time and tube brightness, are set via menu options.  There are MENU and SET buttons on the back that make this process pretty intuitive.  There is also a set of dipswitches on the device which control things like the frequency of obscenities as well as disables the time display and what transition effects are used between words.

The actual function of the GPS received in this device is a little bit different from some of Jeff’s other designs.  With something like the NixiChron, the device captures the time from the GPS signal and you program in a time zone and DST offset.  With this device, you set the hours and the device captures the MM portion of the signal to provide a steady time base.  I like this solution simply because it is easier than programming in the time zone and DST offset, DST start dates, and DST end dates.  At first it took a little getting used to but since filming the review, I can appreciate the logic of this solution.

As far as the dictionary goes, there are basically three classes of entries.  There are basic four letter words, acronyms, and obscenities.  After watching the device, it appears that some of the words may not actually be in English (I had to look a few of them up to confirm this).  As far as the rudeness goes, you can choose anything from never sear (called “swear like a nun”) to frequently (called “swear like a trooper”).  Switching between modes is as simple as flipping a switch on the back.

Lastly, and this is hard to quantify, is the uniqueness factor of the device.  I’ve been a clock collector for a while and my office is full of nixie clocks.  Still, this device always commands my attention.  I actually had to move it off of my desk because I spent more time watching it than reading my corporate finance textbook.  Whenever anyone enters my office, this device is one of the first things they are drawn to.

The bottom line:

B797s are getting progressively harder to find.  They cost between $80 and $100 USD on eBay and I can’t see them getting cheaper.  There are other devices for the B7971 tubes (like the Mod_6 and Cogwheel System) but this is the only four letter word machine.  If you want one of these, this is probably one of your only chances other than buying one second hand from another collector.  The device may seem expensive at $549 but remember, that $400 of that is for the tubes and the remaining $149 covers the engineering, the enclosure, the GPS receiver and the incredible team effort that went in to this.

Photos:

Links:

• Jeff Thoma's website
• Pete Hand's website
• A Nixie Gone Bad

{vimeo width="700" height="390"}31228089{/vimeo}

Text Review:

Here is an interesting gadget from Jürgen Grau.  It is a VFD tube based sound pressure level meter.  The tube is an IV-26 with seven large indicators stacked vertically.  As the sound level rises so does the height of the indicator.  The sound is sensed via a built in microphone placed on the base right in front of the tube.

The device displays the sound level in several ways.  When you’re building the kit, you have the option to choose between a single dot and bar graph mode.  In dot mode, only the top most position is illuminated.  So, if the readout is 74 dBa, then only that position is illuminated.  In bar graph mode, the dots below it are illuminated as well.  Finally, the user can select between peak mode and average (RMS).  All of these setting are achieved by setting a solder jumper on the PCB.

Jurgen took great efforts to make sure this device was accurate.  The readout shows the sound level in both decibels (A Weighted for human hearing) and Sone.  According to the website: “The microphone is matched to the sensitivity of human hearing and the OP amp based active multipole equalization, full wave precision rectifier and integration circuit ensure that the display is accurate.”

I want to call out the enclosure too.  The footprint is nearly identical to the NixieTherm but don’t be fooled, this design has some big improvements.  First, the scale has several bright warm-white LEDs.  This makes the markings much easier to read in daylight and it even appears that the markings are slightly deeper to help with this as well.  The scale now is slightly thicker and has more robust mounting hardware inside the base of the unit which adds to stability.  While this isn’t a kid’s toy, it is a solid design.

So what do I think?  Well, this is a great device.  It is fun to watch and it does exactly what you expect it to.  For 79 EUR, you can’t really go wrong with this.  (It would probably make a great Christmas gift too....)

Photos:

Links:

• Nixie SPL
• NixieKits.eu

I like this because I'm a bit of an audio nut.  I own a nice pair of Sennheiser cans and a nice external firewire DAC for listening to music.  I'm in the market for a headphone amplifier so this got my attention when he sent it to me.  He is already working on an awesome VU meter so this new product makes sense.

To power the amp, you need a 12VDC 1A power supply and; the amp itself draws around 8VA. The 6N28B-V tubes are powered with a 34V anode voltage, created with a voltage trippler from the 12VDC. These tiny double triodes are from military surplus, have an ultra long life and are shock proof. They are specially designed to run with a low anode voltage (max. 50V).  Thanks to the "star milling" socket soldering of these wired tubes is super easy.  Output connector is a Neutrik 6.3mm stereo jack, inputs are RCA type.

The headphone amp should be for sale within a month so if you're looking for Christmas presents, this may be for you :)

Links

• Magic Eye VU Meter
• NixieKits.eu

Links:

• NixieKits.eu

Jürgen sent me a few photos of a new project that I am really excited about.  It is a VFD IV-26 tube to display sound levels.  It is a sound level meter that displays either RMS or peak level displays.  The unit is driven by an LM3915.  Because of this, the unit is actually quite accurate; this gadget is more than just eye candy.  It actually does what it was designed for.

The enclosure is almsot identical to the NixieTherm design.  The big difference is the scale and the LED lighting.  On this device, the LEDs are much brighter which enable the scale to be seen from greater distances.  Go check out his site to purchase this awesome little device.

Video

{vimeo width="700" height="390"}30229050{/vimeo}

Photos

Links:

• nixiekits.eu

Links:

• Cogwheel Circuit Works

{youtube width="700" height="428"}BqOua5MbTE0{/youtube}

Michael Barile sent in another work of electronic art.  This is a modified version of his MOD_SIX nixie clock except this one has a magic eye in the center.

From the description:

Designed around the Carl Ott/Michael Barile MOD-SIX_7971, the Mod-SIX Magic sports a custom-built all aluminum case built by me and in the center of it all is a beautiful EM-71 Magic Eye tube. The driver circuit for the EM-71 was designed by Jurgen Grau of Mister Nixie Fame and the MOD-SIX software was tweaked a little by Mr. Ott to give me the square wave out I needed to operate the Eye at the right speed. I've always wanted to build a Nixie Clock and incorporate one of these gorgeous emerald green beauties from the past.

Links:

• BadNixie.com
• YouTube

As Apple launched its redesigned Apple TV, many users are wondering what to do with their first generation model.

Daniel Kurth (www.kurth.lu), designer of the Nixie Concrete Clock (www.nixie-concrete.com) came up with the idea of recycling its body to build the ATV 1 Nixie Clock (www.kurth.lu/nixie).

Kurth has reused every structural element, integrated a nixie controller board, tube holders and replaced the top acrylic plate with a new CNC routed PVC plate. The heavy duty tissue cable doubles as power cord and wall mount string. Similar to the Nixie Concrete Clock, the rearranged tubes allow the user to enjoy the playful interaction between the six tubes.

All electronic components in the fully functioning clock are assembled by hand.

Kurth will provide the CNC shapes (for the tube holders and cover plate) for free on request.

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Technical specifications:

• Recycled Apple TV 1 body
• 12 / 24 hr mode
• 108 cable connections
• Up to 200.000 hours tube lifespan
• 9 V AC/500mA
• Eco-saver automatic dimming function/automatic OFF
• Auto Detection of 1Hz, 50Hz or 60Hz clock pulse input mode
• DCF77 Module can be added externally
• 6 x Z560M Nixie Tube (unused) running at 170 VDC
• Dimming via push button
• Handmade assembly of all electronic components
• CNC routed tube holders (DIBOND) and cover plate (PVC)
• Made in Luxembourg
• Wallmount possible

MORE INFO ON THE MICROWEBSITE:

• www.kurth.lu/nixie

(via press release)

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Links

• YouTube.com

I'm pretty sure that this is the largest nixie clock currently for sale.  With 8 B7971 tubes, this thing is impressive.  I'm working on a video review but in the meantime, here is a software demo.  Bob was kind enough to post his demo Perl script online.  Enjoy!  As usual, if you have any questions, post them in the comments and I'll try to answer them.

Links:

• Cogwheel Circuitworks
• Demo Perl Script

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Axiris also sells a few actual nixie clocks as well - both the Manuela and Marcel designs.  Go check it out:  (Their website is in Dutch but Google Translate works great.)

Links

• Software Nixie Clock
• Manuela
• Marcel

Partially Finished:

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YouTube User Dercebe uploaded an amazing video of an all tube nixie clock.  I've posted a comment asking for more information.  In the meantime, this is his description:

All tube Nixie Tube clock. Still without case.
Featuring all tube electronics, no semiconductors apart from 1N4007s,
mainly in the BCD decoder circuit. Timebase derived from line frequency. 
Neon indicators show state of the flip-flops, making it a dual binary/dec clock.
Flip-flops and active parts in the decoder are E92CC Telefunken tubes NOS.
Display Tubes are russian IN18 in custom designed sockets.
Timebase frequency scaler using E1T beam deflection tubes.
PSU offering 3 tube stabilized outputs.
Direct setting via BCD logic switches. 
Aprox. 1500 components, over 4000 solder joints, ca400 Watts
of power consumption.

Links:

• Finished Product Video
• Work In Progress Video

First up is yanzeyuan's LED matrix clock.  This gadget is made up of 6 5x7 square led matrix displays.  Below is a quick video of it in use.  You can learn more about it in the forum, on his site, and you can purchase a kit for $99 on eBay.

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Next up is a large 4 digit 7-segment clock by forum member Digitalledclock. He posted a few cool photos in the forum and he will be selling these via eBay soon.  It is a nice clean design that I quite like.  Learn more in the forum and enjoy the photos below.  These sell for $199 on eBay (link coming soon).

Video Review:

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Written Review:

This device is only sold as a kit.  It is up to you to assemble the parts and follow the instructions.  This is a through-hole design is it should be pretty safe for beginners but if you’re curious, you can always download the assembly manual ahead of time here.  You will also need to assemble the Black Brilliance case but this is a simple matter of fitting some precut acrylic pieces together.

This device supports up to two temperature probes.  You can order the cable in multiple lengths so you can one reading the indoor temperature and one reading the outside temperature.  The readout can be displayed in either degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.  The actual temperature measurement is performed using Dallas DS18S20 sensors on various length probes.  The manual states that the temperature sensors work between -55C and +99C.  Hopefully you never encounter these ambient temperature extremes in real life.

The nixie tubes look great on the black acrylic enclosure.  The surface is slightly reflective and this causes  the digits to look like the are floating above the surface slightly.  The underside of the tubes are illuminated with blue LEDs.  (As a side note, the LEDs must be sealed off on the underside of the board or you would see light leaking through the enclosure seams. )  Lastly, there is a neon tube positioned horizontally to act as a +/- indicator.

Lastly, this device ships with a nice printed manual and a microfiber cloth.  This is a nice little touch; I always like having a printed manual.  The microfiber cloth is useful for removing fingerprints from the device.  I find that if you handle it on the edges that it won’t leave any marks but when someone does leave a large thumbprint on it, you can use this to clean it off.

The only advice I would give someone buying this device is to treat the probes with care.  The connection to the device is fragile and you want to avoid putting stress on the conductors.

With all of that said, I’ve been really happy with the device.

Photos:

Links:

• Nocrotec
• NixieKitWorld.com

Links:

• NixieKits.EU
• Forum Announcement

P.S. If you're looking to buy one of these clocks, DO IT NOW!  According to his notice, he is running low on driver boards and it will take a little time for him to have new ones made.

Links:

• Cogwheel Announcement
• Online Store

Okay, here is a bit of a departure from my normal reviews.  This is an iOS app for both the iPhone and iPod.  I haven't done a review like this before so hopefully someone finds it helpful.

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About two weeks ago the program creator, Kevin, emailed me and asked me to review his latest creation.  It is a nixie clock app and the reason that I really like this one is his attention to detail.  Below is his description:

From Kevin:

The graphics used for the clock were entirely hand-designed by myself in 3D. The tubes are a mix of features from a National NL-5025 and a RFT Z5660M with a whole bunch of inspiration from just about every other nixie tube I could get good reference images on. Every single component required to create a physically viable nixie tube is present and proper mechanically- the tubes are even accurately wired up, the cathodes are insulated from each other and the anode, etc. There is no reason why they wouldn't work if they were real (part of the reason why I created Numatron 2 was to see just how accurate I could make everything).

Likewise, the lighting effects required a fair bit of research into gas discharge tubes and the theory behind them. Most of my research eventually made its way into a set of 3D shaders that I used to create (what I believe to be) the first accurate 3D simulation of a volumetric discharge glow ever created.

From start to finish, the project took about 3 months. I refused to release the application until all of my (rather excessive) expectations were met. It wasn't good enough to "look like" a nixie tube. Numatron 2 had to be instantly recognizable as a nixie clock to anyone who was previously familiar with them, and in that regard, I believe I succeeded.

Photos:

Links:

• Website
• App Store

We’ll just this out of the way right now: this thing is big. It’s impressive.  It commands attention in a room.  If you thought your IN-18 clock was large, you haven’t seen this guy.

This clock is the combined work of Carl Ott and Michael Barile.  It is sold as both a kit and fully assembled.  Additionally, there is an optional acrylic cover that can be purchased  to cover the tubes.  Please note that tubes are not included with this device.  I can’t blame them; they are difficult to find but they do pop up on eBay once and a while.  If you have a stack sitting around, this clock is for you.

Video Review

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The electronics

Carl Ott designed the boards as well as the firmware for this clock.  He did a great job designing it to be modular; the clock comes in 5 pieces, 1 power supply, 1 CPU, 3 display boards (each one holding 2 tubes).

The PCB itself is a nice black board with the substantial portion of the components being surface-mount.  In fact, lost of the circuitry is hidden on the underside of the board which gives the device a nice clean look.

The power is supplied by a Taylor Electronics  45mA, 180V DC 1264 HVPS-H design.  It is pretty cool; the device is about the size of a large postage stamp and it provide more than enough power to run the 6x B7971’s.

The CPU is an ATMEGA 168-20AU and there is a programming connector on the top of the CPU board.  As new versions of the firmware are released, you will be able to use this interface to update the (already great) software.

The time is kept using a MAXIM RTC DS3232.  It is a temperature controlled oscillator with an integrated real time clock.  This device features an accuracy of +/- 2ppm in normal operating temperature ranges (or about 2 x 10^-6 accuracy).

Light Sensor

The clock allows you to set two brightness levels, appropriately named DIM and BRIGHT.  Each value is set independently (0-255) and the clock can automatically switch between these based on the ambient light in the room.

On the CPU board, to the right of the battery is what looks like a clear LED.  This is a photo sensor that the clock uses to gauge the ambient light in the room.  You can read the value of this via the menu (0-255) and use it to determine at what point you want the display to go dim or bright.

Once you have a level set that you like (mine is 200), you can set the threshold in the software.  So, when the ambient brightness is at 200 or higher, it switches my tubes to BRIGHT.  When it is less than 200, it sets them to DIM.

In addition to being a cool feature, this helps you prolong the life of the tubes.  By keeping the displays dim, you can prolong the life of these already hard-to-find tubes.

Fonts

This clock has lots of built in fonts and some are defiantly more legible than others.  The fonts only are used when changing the time; they do not apply to the menu items.  The reason that it is setup this way is to prevent a user from selecting a hard-to-read font and then not being able to read the menu items.  Be sure to watch the end of the video to see the font demonstration.

The Menu

The menu on this device is awesome.  All of the user input is done via the rotary encoder.

Most importantly: setting the time is easy.  If the user briefly pushes on the knob, he is presented with the option to set the time.  Simply turning the knob adjusts the highlighted value and pressing the knob in advances to the next option HH->MM->SS.

If the user long-presses the knob, they are taken to the menu.  Each menu item is displayed, in text, one at a time as the user rotates the knob.  Pressing the knob enters that particular sub menu.  This may sound a little confusing but it is very intuitive in person.  Be sure to watch the end of the video to see the menu options on display.

• Time
• Font
• Day
• Date
• Month
• Year
• DST MD (DST Mode on/off)
• Dim (the dim-level value)
• Bright (the bright-level value)
• LVLSET (ambient light level to switch from dom to bright)
• TM OFF (turn off display at this time)
• TM ON (turn on the display at this time)
• DOT MD (dot mode - determines how the colon separates operate)
• AM/PM
• XFade
• DATEMD (how frequently the date is displayed)
• DATEDL (How long to wait before displaying the date at the top of a minute)
• YEAR D (display year)
• 12/24
• LZ SUP (leading zero suppression)
• LED MD (LED Mode - on/off/auto)
• QWKSET (Enable the quick set menu for setting time)
• FNCAT (font catalog)
• Factory (factory reset)
• TUBETM (display the tube timer)
• SEGTST (segment test)
• ENCDIR (set rotary encoder direction)
• PWMVAL (set the PWM value)
• LDRTST (display the ambient light level)
• EXIT

Overall Impressions

I love it.  Seriously.  I really like this guy.  If you have the tubes or have access to them, call BadNixie.com right now.  There are are lot of features in this device so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to leave a note in the comments below.

Images

Links

• BadNixie.com
• Terence Kennedy's Review

Video Review

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The Enclosure

The stand out feature, in my opinion, is the enclosure for this clock.  I’ve reviewed clocks made from wood, from Plexiglas, from acrylic, and from metal but never one from glass.  I’m not an artist but it seems like glass would be a particularly difficult material to manage and that is exactly why this clock is so cool.

The glass is brand called Simax and is made in the Czech Republic.  Is it a borosilicate glass (similar to Pyrex) that is exceptionally clear and sturdy.  The construction of the enclosure is pretty unusual.  The glass is shipped in a tube shape but you cannot simply take a hack saw and cut it to length.

The main body is to a 150cm length and then smoothed out with a torch.  To relieve the stress created by heating the ends, the entire tube is placed in a kiln for several days in order to relieve internal stresses created.

The glass fee take even more work. Miachel had to cut this with a water-cooled glass saw and then grind down the edges using a special wet belt grinder using various grits.  This gives the feet a smooth edge that looks very clear.  The feet are adhered to the main tube using industrial glass glue.

The internal components are suspended in the tube using a piece of acrylic.  It is capped off using two circular pieces, one with the ColdWarCreations logo and one with the CCCP mark.

The net effect: this enclosure is awesome.

The Electronics

A lot of hobbyists prefer through-hole construction.  This method means that assembly for an end-user is easier but the drawback is that the components are more visible.  This design uses primarily surface mount components.  The means that the user is visually drawn to the tubes and not to the electronics.

There is a great attention to detail with this clock.  The SMD components take up less space and Michael even went as far as to use micro Molex connectors to keep the connectors as small as possible.  Apparently this takes special crimp tools to make a puny 30 gage wire is used to make them less visible.

The goal with the circuitry was to make it invisible and this design achieves it.  For being installed in a glass case, the “guts” are barely noticeable.

Powering the clock is an Atmel Mega 168 microprocessor.  The timing is provided by a temperature compensated 32kHz crystal and the backup power is provided by a super capacitor.  Analog inputs are used for the light sensor and the temperature sensors.  (More on those later)

The power supply is an isolated 9V DC wall transformer.  Internally, the power is boosted to Nixie-levels using an MC34063A power supply controller.

Do you want to know more about the electronics?  Michael posted the schematic here: http://coldwarcreations.com/nixieclk3.html

Clock Functions

Controlling the clock is surprisingly simple.  There are two buttons hidden in feet of the clock that are used to set the parameters.  Initially I was apprehensive about only having two buttons but, to my surprise, it is surprisingly intuitive.  The red switch sets the mode and the black switch is used to set the function.

This clock comes with a built in light sensor.  This is a cool feature - it adjusts the brightness of the tubes based on the ambient brightness. This allows for brightness when you need it but extends the life of the tubes.  The brightness is controlled via pulse width modulation and provides a maximum current of 3 mA.

Lastly, this device comes with a temperature sensor.  It continuously adjusts the algorithm to ensure an accuracy and can display the temperature along with the time and date.

Other features worth mentioning:

Links:

Jürgen sent me one of his NixieTherm thermometers for review and I’ve had a few days to play with it and so, here is another review:

VIDEO REVIEW

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The device itself is pretty simple to operate.  It takes a mini-USB power source and has one switch on the back of the unit. There is an adjustment pot on the bottom of the unit but once the device is calibrated there is little need to change this setting.

When you first power on the device, you will notice that the tube is reading out a temperature that is significantly lower than room temperature.  Don’t be alarmed!  This is normal.  The device takes a little bit of time to warm up and start reading the correct temperature.  This device is best left on as opposed to just turning it on when you want to read the current temperature.

One really cool aspect of this design is the fact that there is no microprocessor.  This isn’t an Arduino project or a PIC based gadget.  The thermometer portion is a 100% analog design.

Like most other NixieKits.eu designs, this device features LED back lighting.  In this case, there are to RGB auto cycling lights under the plastic temperature scale.  Each LED cycles at its own pace so the net result is a display where the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales are usually different colors.  The backlight is on whenever the thermometer is on; there is no way to turn it off other than modifying the underlying circuitry.

The tube is an IN-9 Russian bargraph tube.  It looks like the tube is made up of dozens of little neon bulbs but this is not the case.  It is, in fact, one large tube and the height of the glow changes proportionately to the input voltage.  The end result is a tube that acts like the mercury in a thermometer.

Below are two photos - one with a neon bulb and one with an argon variation.  The tubes are identical in every respect except for the color.

Argon Tube

Neon Tube

Kit

The price of the kit is 69 EUR and assembly is an additional 15 EUR.  The PCB is through-hole only; there are no SMD parts.  It should be pretty simple for someone to assemble from scratch with little experience.

Photos

Mathew Beall sent in a video of his assemble.  Be sure to check it out:

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Links:

• KABtronics
• YouTube Video