cool clock sighting..

[dacflyer]

i seen a cool looking retro sort of clock yesterday, i want one, or advise on how to build...µC free if possible.

this clock i saw , it kind of looks like this, but it has the 2 digit led display in the middle..




( wish i had my camera then ) it was about 2 ft in diameter, it had 12 radials, at the end of each radial it has a pingpong size ball at each end, 11 of the balls lit up blue, the 12th ball would light up red depending on the hour. the ball would change from blue to red.
in the center of the clock was a large 2 digit led display to indicate the minuts. (ex.. if the ball for the 9pm was red in color, this would indicate 9am,,and the display indicated 35, that would be the minuts 9:35)

i have an idea on how to make one with off the shelf parts, but not sure on a few items. 1st the bi-colored leds for the hour function..
i am guessing to use a 4017 that can advance the hrs function, when triggured, but what do i use with it to make the leds change state?
from red to blue? i know it can be something easy.and i'd need 12 circuits to do that .. i know theres a LM324 that might can do that, but not sure.
Hmmm.
and as for the min minut function. i just need it to count from 00 - 59 then send out a pulse to advance the min function.

again i might like to use the 4017's as my time base that samples the 60HZ from the A/C these have worked good for a previous clock.
so long as i do not get a CFL near it.. that tends to make time go into warp speed..

anyone have a better idea thats better and not really µC controled
not sure yet how to make the 2 digit display to count from 00-59 this i might have to use a µC for.

but please advise me otherwise. or unless you know where i can find this clock already available..

[sghioto]

dacflyer,

If you decide to use common anode dual red/blue LEDs and a 4017 then the circuit below is one possibility. The outputs from the 4017 are normally low so all the blue LEDs are initially on. Just don't exceed the 10 ma current limit of the output pins. Would only require two 4049's to complete.

Steve G.

[Bigglez]

i seen a cool looking retro sort of clock yesterday, i want one, or advise on how to build...µC free if possible.

uC free would be a huge mistake.

[dacflyer]

why would a not useing a µC be a big mistake ?
i have made clocks before without a µC, now true i might need one for the 2 digit display. but i think the rest could be done with out..

the only reason i choose to steer away from a µC is because i have no exp with them, and if a part ever goes bad, you have to burn another chip. but the conventional way. usually theres off the shelf parts available.

[Bigglez]

why would a not useing a µC be a big mistake ?
i have made clocks before without a µC, now true i might need one for the 2 digit display. but i think the rest could be done with out..

the only reason i choose to steer away from a µC is because i have no exp with them, and if a part ever goes bad, you have to burn another chip. but the conventional way. usually theres off the shelf parts available.

Any programmable device has the advantages of
versatility and rapid development (easy fix of errors,
or adding features). Many 8 bit uC ICs sell for very
low dollars and require no external components
(in the case of a clock a frequency timebase is
required, and that usually requires a crystal).

Unless one has access to obsolete "clock chips"
or enough volume to consider an ASIC or COB
solution, the uC is the only sane game in town.

[dacflyer]

i have successfully made many timebases for clocks sampling the 60Hz of line frequency. kind of a crude way, but it works very well..
i used a dual set of 4017's and configured them to give me a 1 sec output.
i am sure it could be a better design, but hey i go with what works..and here the 60Hz is very reliable

but if i had more exp. with micros, then i'd use them, but i am not good at self learning them, i need hands on exp. school here has no night classes, so i am on hold until something comes available.

[evahle]

Hi dacflyer. I agree with you 100%! When electronics started to switch over to programmable chips, the electronics industry now needed programmers as well as electronic engineers. However, things have progressed to where designing a circuit requires 90% programming and 10% breadboarding. This takes all the fun out of electronics for me.

I've done quite a bit of programming in the last 25 years, and it has it's place, but nothing takes the place of scribbling on a piece of paper an idea, then testing on a breadboard. Lots of fun!!

BTW, I'm designing the clock circuit right now, in case it's something that you or someone else would like to build. I wish I could spend more time on it, but it shouldn't take long. In any case I'm having fun!

Thanks.
evahle

[Bigglez]

i have successfully made many timebases for clocks sampling the 60Hz of line frequency. kind of a crude way, but it works very well..

Not crude at all. The AC line frequency has excellent
long term stability, even though the short term stability
is variable.

The utility company keeps track of the number of AC cycles
delivered in exactly 24 hours. (60*60*60*24)=5,184,000.
Typically there is a short fall, as the daytime load on the system
may require the utility to slow the generators (to alieviate
a brownout and prevent a blackout).

During the early hours of the morning the generators are
sped up to bring the cycle count back to normal.

The reference for this is traceable to NBS standards
(and the atomic time kept by the NPL), resulting is a
long term drift much better than 50ppm per month.

Unfortunately this is not made public, but amateur clock
builders have done enough experiments to confirm these
numbers.

i used a dual set of 4017's and configured them to give me a 1 sec output. i am sure it could be a better design, but hey i go with what works..and here the 60Hz is very reliable

Indeed. This could be done with an 8 pin chip, a watch
crystal, and produce not only 1pps (one pulse per second)
for a clock display, but also keep track of days and calendar
functions, or include alarm clock functions. These parts
are called RTC(Real Time Clocks) and sell in hobby
quantities for under five dollars including the watch crystal.

but if i had more exp. with micros, then i'd use them, but i am not good at self learning them, i need hands on exp. school here has no night classes, so i am on hold until something comes available.

Your call. Why not just build a one or two chip circuit
around a uC and RTC, and ask for help when stuck?

The two LED digit 0-59 seconds or 0-59 minutes display
mentioned earlier could be constructed with only two ICs,
a watch crystal, and two transistors Plus two switches
for time setting later, and a few resistors and capacitors,
and a 5V regulator to glue it all together.

Change back from yer twenty dollars!

Do you need a schematic?

[dacflyer]

evahle and Bigglez i'd love to see what you both have to offer, as i cannot seem to find this clock online anywhere, i contacted www.signals.com who was supposed to be the seller, but they said it was discontinued, and they have no more info on it.. so ya, i'd like to see what you guys come up with ..

i made a few years ago a led clock with 8 4017's its been working fine for me, i only have to reset it when the power goes out..which is rarely.
my clock resembles one that was in N&V a few years ago also..ironic as it is,, we both had the same face plate ideas, but mine was much larger. and of course 4017 based, the other one was more of other electronics and had more features..mine had a total of 217 leds i think, and i used frosted (milky white when in off state) red, green , blue leds,,they were hard to find..i finally found them in HONG KONG

[jwax]

dacflyer-I remember that clock! I was working for a laser cutter at the time (2004) and (if I recall) quoted you on cutting those 217 holes with the laser. How did you cut those holes?
John

[dacflyer]

hi, i lucked out and found a friend of a friend that cut the holes with a waterjet.. i was suprised..i had a hard time to get the aluminum to polish up good,, found out that the metal was a alloy, it tookme several days to get it polished satisfactorly good..its almost like chrome now.
i have it in a shadowbox style case with a glass front, so it will stay clean.
its been looking and working good..oh, BTW they didn't charge me a thing..but if i wanted more later on, then they would charge me..seemed that no one else was interested back then..

[evahle]

Hi again Dacflyer. I'm going to try to upload a couple of schematics to show you where I'm at so far. I'm working on the display circuit now and hope to have that done soon too.

evahle




Deleted Counters' Schematic. Found a couple of errors, will correct soon.
Sorry!

evahle

[dacflyer]

great, looks good i already have them parts handy..
hording old circuit boards pays off sometimes.

[Bigglez]

Bigglez i'd love to see what you ... have to offer

Schematic



Files in BMP format (large downloads!)
http://tinyurl.com/3f56q8
http://tinyurl.com/4tmhj4

EAGLE native file

BOM

[dacflyer]

wow, Bigglez looks great, i am studying it right now.. will that display drive 2.3" tall led displays ?

i am sure code will have to be programmed into this clock too, or ?

currious,, in the time base, i see there is a battery. will this keep the time incase of power outtage or ?