David Pye, That is an oversimplification. Operating nixie tubes comes with a whole universe of unique considerations. Knowing how to program a micro cannot, and will not prepare a newcomer properly for building a nixie tube clock.
I am done here. Not going to waste my valuable time screaming at a brick wall. The new guy either learns or he does not. That is up to him now. I have laid down a few of the basics for him. (Hint: A PCB should not be made until the circuit has been tested and proven out.).................PCBs are for mass production. One off experiment is much better and faster on a solderless white board. Much easier to change and to learn from. But I am sure someone will want to get the last word in and certainly not allow any talk of discrete logic circuits to go unchallenged. On Monday, September 22, 2025 at 6:11:12 PM UTC-4 David Pye wrote: > My point remains. If you already know to program MCUs already, there's no > need to go down the route of 74 series counters to build a clock, unless > you want to. You can fuse that knowledge with the fundamentals of driving > nixies. > > I certainly didn't build a clock based on because I already knew how to > use microcontrollers. > > Following your logic to it's endpoint, you'd be telling him to learn how > to build a clockwork grandfather clock before daring to build a digital > clock. > > David > > On Mon, 22 Sept 2025, 22:55 Leroy Jones, <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Adrian, I am so glad that you brought up the complexities of digital >> design. Decoupling caps. Hefty grounds. >> These things should not ever be overlooked in ANY well designed circuit. >> I am not ready to give this young man the go-ahead >> for the processor operated clock until he builds at least a few from >> discrete logic first! Of course it is up to him how he wishes to spend >> his time. >> >> How many of you guys on here have designed and built nixie clocks that >> run on discrete logic and function properly for 25+ years without any >> trouble? >> Because I have done so. Many different versions. I speak from >> experience. But maybe that is of no value now. We just grab a raspberry >> pi and act cool >> about it and hope it works. >> >> On Monday, September 22, 2025 at 5:46:00 PM UTC-4 Leroy Jones wrote: >> >>> David Pye: You are missing the point of what I am trying to convey >>> here. My point is that trying to design and build a microproceeor >>> controlled nixie tube >>> clock from scratch is an ambitious project even for experienced people. >>> Ambitious for an experienced man. Impossible for a beginner. That is my >>> point. >>> It is about the same as someone who has never flown an airplane nor been >>> involved with aviation in any way, suddenly thinks they can design and >>> build a working >>> helicopter from scratch and have it work flawlessly the first time >>> without having any prior experience of any kind. >>> >>> The only way to do it is to learn each small thing in small steps. >>> Building a working nixie clock from scratch is a massive undertaking. No >>> way around that. >>> >>> I am attempting to give guidance to this young man so that he might >>> learn. >>> >>> Got to crawl before walking. Got to walk before running. Folks today >>> seem to want everything to have a processor in it. >>> And made on a PCB. Lots of luck with that as a first-off effort! >>> >>> Get a solderless breadboard. Get some #24 gauge solid tinned jumper >>> wires. Get a nixie tube. Get a 170 volt DC power supply. >>> Get a 5 volt DC power supply. Connect both supplies so they share a >>> common ground. Use a 15k anode resistor for the nixie tube. >>> Get a 74141 nixie driver IC. Get a 74LS160 decade counter. Learn >>> how to operate the counter using a 555 timer IC running in astable mode. >>> Connect the counter to the nixie driver IC. Turn it on and watch it >>> count. For detailed explanation and study, get these two books: >>> 1) The TTL Cookbook by Don Lancaster. >>> 2) The CMOS Cookbook by Don Lancaster. >>> >>> How the hell can anyone expect a newbie to understand what the processor >>> is actually accomplishing without having him >>> first deal personally with each binary bit? >>> >>> Or are we now in such an age where fundamental understanding has been >>> relegated to the dustbin, because it is "Too Hard, and Too Much Work" ? >>> >>> Flatten out the learning curve? Nope sorry. Not buying it. >>> ("flatten the curve".......hmmm......where have we heard THIS before?) >>> >>> Chuck >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Monday, September 22, 2025 at 5:08:27 PM UTC-4 David Pye wrote: >>> >>>> While I agree with some of this, I don't necessarily agree entirely. >>>> >>>> There are lots of things about the PCB that could be improved (eg using >>>> ground planes/fills) and simple starting experiments - eg a trial >>>> single-digit-nixie is a good place to start, to work out where the gaps in >>>> your understanding are, and you can then incorporate what you learn into >>>> the clock. >>>> >>>> What I don't necessarily agree with is starting by a clock using >>>> discrete ICs and not a microcontroller. *IF* you come from the >>>> generation >>>> where arduino/rPi Pico are more familiar to you than large numbers of >>>> chained 74-series ICs (like me), then you might well find it easier to use >>>> an MCU to drive your clock. If you're 'old school' and MCUs are also new >>>> to you, then sticking to that should flatten out the learning curve a bit. >>>> >>>> David >>>> >>>> On Mon, 22 Sept 2025 at 20:38, Leroy Jones <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> For a 21 year old guy with no previous electronics experience, in my >>>>> humble opinion, you are jumping in far far deeper >>>>> than your present skill level is capable of producing any meaningful >>>>> results. >>>>> >>>>> First of all, you have NEVER even fired up a nixie tube yet. Nor >>>>> have you studied and worked with logic gates. >>>>> If you want success, the first thing to do is get a nixie tube and a >>>>> 170 volt DC power supply and a 15k anode resistor, then start >>>>> experimenting lighting the tube digits. Next, get a 74141 or a 7441 >>>>> nixie driver IC, and connect it up to an appropriate 4-bit switch of come >>>>> sort >>>>> so that you can feed it binary bits at the 5 volt level, and light the >>>>> tube digits. Next thing then is to switch those bits using a counter >>>>> such >>>>> as 74LS160. >>>>> >>>>> As for a nixie clock, I would strongly suggest making one that uses no >>>>> processor of any sort. Use TTL or CMOS logic to run counters that drive >>>>> the 74141 nixie driver ICs. A very nice nixie clock can be made >>>>> using about 16 to 20 ICs. >>>>> >>>>> Learning electronics and learning to use digital ICs and nixie tubes >>>>> requires many, many practical tests and experiments. >>>>> Jumping right in cold, with no prior experience right away thinking >>>>> that a complex PCB can be designed and a clock made to operate >>>>> without doing any experiments to prove the fundamental concepts is THE >>>>> classic recipe for failure. >>>>> >>>>> I can help with book recommendations, parts lists to experiment with, >>>>> and experiments to do. >>>>> Take it slow. Stay down at the level of reality. >>>>> >>>>> -Chuck >>>>> >>>>> On Monday, September 22, 2025 at 3:02:23 PM UTC-4 Adrian Godwin wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Also, put 100n capacitors between supply (5v or 3v3) and gnd near >>>>>> each and every IC. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Mon, Sep 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM Adrian Godwin <[email protected]> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks for the pdf. Yes, the schematic wasn't usable. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The first problem I've found is that SCLK and SDATA are connected to >>>>>>> 3v3 and then have resistors in line. I'm pretty sure you had the right >>>>>>> idea >>>>>>> but made an error on the wiring, but if it's not obvious the resistors >>>>>>> should be between 3v3 and the clk/data lines. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> You will likely need a pullup resistor on the light sensor., unless >>>>>>> the Pi has one internally that can be enabled on analog inputs. They >>>>>>> normally just measure voltages and you want to measure resistance. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Overall, it's pretty good for a first try ! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Mon, Sep 22, 2025 at 7:48 PM Mac Doktor <[email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Sep 22, 2025, at 2:43 PM, Florian van der Dussen < >>>>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Current schematic: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> The schematic is too small to read. Please share a larger copy. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Terry Bowman, KA4HJH >>>>>>>> "The Mac Doctor" >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> https://www.astarcloseup.com >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> "If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes."—Roy Batty, >>>>>>>> *Blade >>>>>>>> Runner* >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>>> Groups "neonixie-l" group. >>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >>>>>>>> send an email to [email protected]. >>>>>>>> To view this discussion, visit >>>>>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/33D10011-0F75-49D6-81B7-8049459EDE45%40gmail.com >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/33D10011-0F75-49D6-81B7-8049459EDE45%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>>>> . >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "neonixie-l" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>>> >>>> To view this discussion, visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/022b559a-12fd-4b3c-ac21-73224c815c0dn%40googlegroups.com >>>>> >>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/022b559a-12fd-4b3c-ac21-73224c815c0dn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>> . >>>>> >>>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "neonixie-l" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> > To view this discussion, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/f9f50dd1-abf1-4eed-810a-95a7f50db3d1n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/f9f50dd1-abf1-4eed-810a-95a7f50db3d1n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/7a1ae0a3-ecf3-4b3c-802a-137cee4dc38dn%40googlegroups.com.
