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NCV2.1 is the nixie clock kit without enclosure. The kit
contains all required electronic parts, both PCBs and Digi-Key receptacles for
tube's pins. The IN-18 nixie tubes
and column separator bulbs are not included.
Power supply and GPS receiver
are not included as well.
You can get them in your local store.
The clock is professionally designed using the cutting-edge
tools and technologies. Both PCBs are routed with considerations to requirements
for SMPS, signal interference, shielding and heat dissipation. Here is no doubt
- you will feel quality from the first sight. To ensure easy assembly, no tiny
SMD parts were introduced. Best, FR4 type material is used for both PCBs.
All electronic parts are the best quality and comes from
the famous producers such as: Philips, Microchip, Texas Instruments, STM,
Maxim-Dallas, International Rectifier, Yageo and others. The Nixie tubes are
New-Old-Stock and comes mostly from Russian military plants.
The clock's firmware is driven by
operating system and is able to work in multitasking mode. Several industrial
protocols are involved and dozens of tasks and algorithms are coded. It is quite
complex and contains many thousands of code lines. It is programmed so that all
settings and tube's lifetime counter values are stored in the battery back upped
memory and are kept safely during the power outage. Moreover, time and date are
still counted when the clock has no power.
Current version of firmware: v1.3.
Technical data
Software
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Time display
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12-hour mode
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24-hour mode
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AM/PM indication
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Programmable leading
zero suppression
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Programmable DST
correction (Including updated DST rules for USA and Canada in 2007)
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Date display
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DD/MM/YY mode
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MM/DD/YY mode
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Leap year correction
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Programmable column separators
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Programmable tubes shut-down
during night time
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Smooth crossfading with selectable
deep
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Three visual effects
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Selectable automatic date show
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Selectable refresh rate of
tubes
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Tube's lifetime counter
(16-bit)
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GPS time and date
synchronization (GPS receiver is optional)
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Selectable time-zone
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Cathode poisoning prevention
Hardware
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Sandwich type design
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Microchip PIC16F876A main
controller running at 20MHz
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Real Time Clock with battery
back-up (CR2032 Lithium battery)
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Tube's drive mode: 3x2
multiplex
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High voltage power supply with PWM control and software shut-down.
Adjustable brightness
- RS232 levels serial input
- 2 pushbuttons
- Power supply: 9-12V @
500-1000mA DC; 5.5/2.5mm jack with positive inner
- Incorrect polarity protection
- High precision (10ppm) timebase
XTAL
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