In-14 nixie clock kit, stopped showing time

Ty_Eeberfest wrote:

sprocha wrote: Thank you.

I found this one with us, is it an identical part? If so, I would stop by for him on Monday and we would know right away if it is this part.
www.gme.cz/arduino-uno-nahradni-mcu-mega328
or
www.gme.cz/atmega328p-pu-sdip28-atmel

Do these Atmega328 die often? Am I sure to buy two?

It's the same part but the problem is that you need one that has been programmed with the clock program. The only place to get that is from the seller of the kit.

Atmega328 are actually pretty reliable controllers. They can be killed by static if handled carelessly but for one to just die while in operation is uncommon.

Ty_Eeberfest wrote:

sprocha wrote: I'll add: the clock behaved strangely from the very beginning, all the displays went through different numbers irregularly, it took a few seconds. It was as if they were going crazy and then showing the time again.
I didn't attach emphasis to it, I thought it was their function, I project numbers from 0 to 9 on each display.
But as you say, Atmega328 went crazy, that might explain it.

I think that was the "Slot Machine" feature. It's supposed to prevent the tubes from getting "cathode poisoning". Most Nixie clocks have some version of this feature.