JacobsTribe

Here’s an ATMega88 based VFD clock that I just completed. This is mostly based on the old ATTiny2313 nixie clock code, and the schematic is actually simpler. I used readily available IV-11 & IV-6 tubes in this project, which you can find here:

http://www.jacobstribe.org/files/6-digit-VFD.zip

I thought that I would finally add some content to this blog, so here are two ATTINY2313 based multiplexing Nixie clock designs. Source code, compiled hexfiles, and schematics are included in the zip (along with readme).

Brief summary: Mike Moorrees’ MC34063 MK1.5 high-voltage supply is used to drive the nixies. The nixies are multiplexed via MPSA42 & MPSA92 high-voltage transistors. The ATTINY2313 drives a single 74141 nixie driver IC, which is bussed to the entire array of nixie tubes. Additionally, a piezo alarm is added, as well as an AM/PM indicator, and an Alarm ON/OFF indicator (for the 4-digit version). This code is pretty tight. I think that to add more functonality (such as leading digit blanking, or optional 24hour clock mode) would really require a larger microcontroller at this point. You can find these at:

http://www.jacobstribe.org/files/4-digit-12hr.zip

http://www.jacobstribe.org/files/6-digit-12hr.zip

Last night, I discovered that my Verizon FIOS connection doesn’t require its special router. I’m not sure why I assumed that it did, aside from the fact that disconnecting the Verizon router and attaching anything else seemed to yield absolutely no connection. It turns out, however, that if you release the DHCP lease before disconnecting the old router, then you can obtain a new lease just fine.

Take a moment to check out my Nixie clocks over at http://www.jacobs.us

Big News: I decided to put the wordpress weblog back on jacobstribe.org – I was getting a lot of emails from people who thought I wasn’t using the domain.. So, I thought I’d put something visible to cut down on the number of emails.

This webserver is a Sun Ultra 2 with dual UltraSparc Ii-300′s and 1.5gb of ram, running Ubuntu Linux.

This last weekend, I discovered that UHF Analog broadcast is still continuing without interruption in Wenatchee, WA. Apparently the digital switchover didn’t apply to UHF? If anyone knows anything about this, I’m very curious.