Post : An ice tube clock for the TI Launchpad
URL : http://hackaday.com/2012/09/17/an-ice-tube-clock-for-the-ti-launchpad/
Posted : September 17, 2012 at 5:00 am
Author : Brian Benchoff
Tags : clock, icetube, ti launchpad, vfd
Categories : clock hacks

http://hackadaycom.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/iceman.jpg

Because Nixies, Decatrons, and VFD tubes really are that cool, [cubeberg] over on the 43oh forums designed an IV-18 clock for the TI Launchpad (http://www.43oh.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=3105) .

Like adafruit's Ice Tube clock (http://www.ladyada.net/make/icetube/) , [cubeberg]'s project uses a surplus Russian IV-18 VFD tube conveniently sourced on eBay. On the board, there are three buttons for changing the time and setting the alarm along with a MAX6921 (http://www.maximintegrated.com/datasheet/index.mvp/id/4097) VFD tube driver and a small switching regulator to boost the 5 Volts on the Launchpad to the 50 V the tube requires.

There was a little bit of space left on [cubeberg]'s PCB design, and he filled that space with a header for a buzzer and a temperature sensor. Right now, the code doesn't support an alarm function and he's still waiting on a few components to finish off the thermometer portion of the board, but it's still the makings of a very nice clock.

If you'd like to grab your own Launchpad ice tube clock, [bluehash] is organizing a group buy (http://www.43oh.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=3242&p=23283#p23283) for 430h forum members. If they can get 15 pieces built, the clock will cost less than $5/unit. Very cool, and very cheap when you consider TI is practically giving Launchpads away.

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