Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 317 subscribers
  • Views 815 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

Nixie Tube Wristwatches

Catwell
I have seen Nixie Tube wristwatches for a while now.

image

Even Woz has one.

image

Now I want one too. Is there a place I can get one, as a kit perhaps? I found this site, but their kits are sold out : http://www.amug.org/~jthomas/watch.html
 
Does anyone ever worked with or have deep understanding of Nixie Tube control?

Cabe
Parents

  • Hi Cabe - Nixie tubes are basically neon lamps and need around 90v across them to glow. Nowadays they call them Plasma TVs!

     

    There used to be a number of 74xx series chips which had high voltage capable (open collector effectively) outputs e.g. a BCD to decimal (1 of 10) decoder - one of those per tube and some counter chips and a handful of logic gates and you could make a timer - counter especially if you used (50Hz) FW rectified mains to get a 100Hz (10mS) tick. I suspect that the watch will have a PIC or similar running some counter code and a button that powers up an inverter when you want to read the time. I don't see why you shouldn't multiplex the displays although they never where originally. No doubt with all the development that went into plasma screens some bright spark has reinvented the wheel - with better efficiency and maybe lower operating voltages!

Reply

  • Hi Cabe - Nixie tubes are basically neon lamps and need around 90v across them to glow. Nowadays they call them Plasma TVs!

     

    There used to be a number of 74xx series chips which had high voltage capable (open collector effectively) outputs e.g. a BCD to decimal (1 of 10) decoder - one of those per tube and some counter chips and a handful of logic gates and you could make a timer - counter especially if you used (50Hz) FW rectified mains to get a 100Hz (10mS) tick. I suspect that the watch will have a PIC or similar running some counter code and a button that powers up an inverter when you want to read the time. I don't see why you shouldn't multiplex the displays although they never where originally. No doubt with all the development that went into plasma screens some bright spark has reinvented the wheel - with better efficiency and maybe lower operating voltages!

Children
No Data