Segmentus clock (concept)

By Art Lebedev – $n/a

http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/segmentus/

From the guy who brought us the Verbarius clock comes the Segmentus.  (Is anyone else noticing a naming pattern here?) This concept clock was built to address the challenge of creating a digital clock with hands.  While clocks have addressed this challenge before, this one brings the usual Art Lebedev polish to the final product.  The only thing I want to know is how noisy would this be to operate?  With dozens of little motors and mechanical parts,  this might not be a clock that you would keep in your bedroom.

http://www.ineedcaffeine.com/videos/mechanical-clock-full.flv

Note: this is a follow up from post: http://www.ineedcaffeine.com/content/2009/08/ebay-find-msm-5a-incandescent-display/

I received my MS-5a Mosaic readout displays from the Vintage Technology Association today.  Not only did they include the two displays, but there were also a few other extras included as well.  Nice work, guys!

The units themselves are rated for 3v, 50 mA but I can’t tell if that is 50 mA per segment or total.  Powering them is simple, all you need is two AA batteries and a few alligator clips.  The top set of fingers provide the common connection and the remaining connectors power the individual elements and the decimal point.

The markings on the unit:

MOSAIC INDICATOR MSM-5A Lamp  3v 50 MA.  ALCO ELECTONIC PRODUCT. INC LAWRENCE MASS

Markings on the box:

ALCO ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS, INC. Lawrence, MASS.  JAPAN.  MOSAIC READOUT INDICATOR MODEL MSM-5A VOLT 5. (note: It looks like the 5 is scratched out…which makes sense.  The units themselves are marked for 4V).

The display is smaller than I anticipated.  I’ve included a video to help you get a better idea of the size of the unit.

I did find one other source of these displays: SurplusShed.com  The version I have they are selling for $5/each.  They also have a MS-250 which appears to be the same thing except with a red front and a different connector on the rear.   Check out the links below for more info.

Video Demo:

Photo Gallery:

Links

• Original Post: http://www.ineedcaffeine.com/content/2009/08/ebay-find-msm-5a-incandescent-display/
• The Seller’s eBay page hp2114b
• The Auction (expired) http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310159188937
• The Seller’s Website (Vintage Technology Association) http://www.decadecounter.com/vta/
• Surplus Shed (MSM-5A): http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/m2225.html
• Surplus Shed (MS-250AR): http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/m2244.html

I am considering building the following tester based on my own design. I’d like some feedback:

Features:

• Clearly labeled inputs for power (VFD, Nixie and Numitron)
• On board batteries for Numitron power (no other power needed)
• On board batteries for the filament for VFD Displays (only +30v needed or 3 9v batteries)
• Outputs for up to 18 elements: should handle any type of display you will encounter!
• Buttons for each element to allow for testing of each element individually
• A black finish on the board with white silk screened text
• Fully assembled!
• Probably more as I go

Price: Est. $50.

Nixie, Numitron and VFD Tester

Is anyone interested in purchasing this?  If so, please let me know your thoughts in the comments! (or, email me brian @ this domain)

I’m working on creating a database of all of my Nixie, Numitron, and VFD display tubes. Below is the preliminary table and all of the photos can be found here.  Please let me know what you think. Changes? Suggestions?

Last updated 04-30-2009

added IV-17, IV-22, photos

All Photos:

http://www.ineedcaffeine.com/content/display-tubes/

Just the data:

Photo	Type	Model	Chr	Txt	Brand
	Numitron	DR2000	7-seg	U.S.A. 14k RCA NUMIRON DR 2000 73-30	RCA
	Nixie	IN-18	num	ИН-18 10 92	SOVTEK
	Numitron	IV-9	7-seg	ИB-9 9206Ѳ	SOVTEK
	Numitron	DR2100	7-seg	RCA DR 2100 28M	RCA
	VFD	IV-12	7-seg	ИB-12	SOVTEK
	VFD	IV-17	18-seg	ИB-17 0486	SOVTEK
	VFD	IV-22	7-seg	ИB-22 8712	SOVTEK
	Nixie	B-5991	num	NIXIE B-5991	Burroughs
	Nixie	IN-4	num	ИН-4 111 74	SOVTEK
	Nixie	IN-15A	sym	ИН-15д x 78 CCCP	SOVTEK
	Nixie	IN-1	num	X11 78 ИН-1	SOVTEK
	Nixie	IN-12	num	ИH-12Б 12 86	SOVTEK
	Nixie	B-5440	num	G33 NIXIE B-5440	Burroughs
	Nixie	ZM1020	num	486 ZM1020 Uaz01	Telefunken
	VFD	IV-4	18-seg	x	SOVTEK
	Nixie	IN-2	num	x	x
	VFD	IV-11	7-seg	x	x

By ThinGeek (OEM Unknown) $35

This is another gimmick clock but it is well executed and it looks nice.  Each HH MM SS display is separated in to its own cube with the controls on the HH.  They are teathered with a small wire and the whole device is powered via a mains transformer.

More…

Continue reading…

by Julien Bergignat

This is a neat watch concept by industrial designer Julien Bergignat.  The display looks sharper than any e-ink based display I’ve come across but the strong formal elements in this rendering make up for any criticisms I can come up with   Given the flexible nature of this medium, I don’t see why something like this would be difficult to produce.  It is functiaonally a braclet with an e-ink display wrapped around it.  If one with sufficient resolution can be produced for the hands, I think this woud be easily produced.  If Esquire can do it – why not a watch manufacturer?

Esquire example after the break:

Continue reading…

Epoch Clock – By ThinkGeek (OEM unknown)

I love this clock.  It is nerdy on so many levels but manages to keep a good formal arrangement.  Who says geeks can’t be designers?

The Epoch in this case refers to the Unix Epoch (AKA POSIX Time) of 00:00:00 UTC Jan 1, 1970.  Basically, computers count time as an integer starting at that time.  That integer is converted to HH MM SS by the computer and then displayed in a human readable format.  This clock displays the raw vale for the time.  Additionally, this clock can display time in hexadecimal, octal, binary or roman numeral formats.  I still can’t read roman numerals so I don’t think I will be using that one too much….

Continue reading…

Here is a short utorual I wrote a while back to document cleaning the older white and clear keyboard.  This does not apply to the newer think keyboards Apple released in 2007.

dish detergent (anti-grease & anti-bacterial)
a large sink or bathtub
paper towel
salad spinner (preferable)
or a colander
a flat screwdriver
THIS PAGE PRINTED OUT

Begin by using your screwdriver to pry the keys off.  Be careful – the board is resilient but you can still scratch it.

Continue reading…

As they say in Monty Python: “And now for something completely different.”

I love unique clocks.  Not grandfather clocks, not cheap $10 alarm clocks, I am talking about hand-made small quantity digital clocks.  Without any more filler text, here is my list of favorite clocks:

Nocrotec Sylvia Clock

By Dieter Wächter – $399

http://nocrotec.com/start.php?navi=5&pid=21&gtxtid=110&lg=en

This clock is based on Vacuum Fluorescent Display tubes.  They are a seven-segment based display like most led clocks but these are quite a bit different.  For starters, this clock costs nearly 100x as much as your normal department store clock.  The digits have a beautiful cyan color and the design of the tube allows you to see the inner workings.  Image and brief description are from Nocrotec

FEATURES
– Digit height: 0.6″ (15mm)
– 12/24h mode
– Date in configuration DD.MM.YY or MM.DD.YY
– Leading zero suppression: The leading zero can be blanked or shown
– Cross fading: different modes to fade the digits from one number to the next
– Alarm clock
– Power down mode: tubes and supply can be totally switched off for a user programmed period in order to save energy and increase life expectancy of the tubes
– 12VDC input voltage
– Time is battery buffered when no line power is available; battery will last for more than 10 years
– User settings are always stored
– Case made of massive cherry wood and shiny black anodized aluminum as used for high-end audio equipment.

The Scope Clock – Cathode Corner

By David Forbes – $999

http://www.cathodecorner.com/scra/index.html

The second version of the Scope Clock is currently in production and will hopefully be on sale soon.  The display of the clock is a CRT display originally intended for oscilloscopes.  All of the display characters are drawn as vector images, unllike the AVR based Scop Clock kit sold by SparkFun Electronics.

In the updated version of the Scope Clock, the housing has been completely redesign to fit in a much smaller cylindrical housing.  I can’t tell for sure but it appears to still be based on the 3RP1A CRT.  The time is set via GPS.  You need to program the UTC Offset and DST parameters but once it finds a GPS signal, this will be the most accurate clock in your house!

Pixel

By François Azambourg for Ligne Roset – $2,500

http://www.ligne-roset-usa.com/Products/decor/accessories/Pixel_1519.aspx

I really wanted this clock.  Bad.  It is a little large – almost three feet in diameter but it is one of the most unique clocks I’ve seen in a while.  It is made up of a honeycomb of about 300 frosted white LEDs.  The image of the hands is made by turning off lights selectively.

NixiChron

By Jeff Thomas / Resonant Instruments LLC – (discontinued)

http://www.amug.org/~jthomas/nixichron.html

This is my clock.  I am the proud owner of the last one made according to the creator himself.  (It was also the cheapest one on this list…)  The display in this clock is a Russian Nixie tube called an IN-18 / ИН-18.  This is a really odd display.  There are 10 filaments inside of the tube.  Each one is shaped in the form of a number.  The tube is then filled with neon gas and a little bit of mercury to prevent cathode poisoning.    When ~180vdc is applied to one of the numbers, it glows.

Six of the IN-18 / ИН-18 tubes are used to display the time.  Like the Scope Clock, the time is set via GPS but a built in clock keeps the clock going when a signal cannot be located.  The tubes are some of the largest that were produced in quantity which adds a collector value to the clock.  Since they do wear out, I have a second set stored in a hard Pelican case.

大人気LED CLOCK-DROP TYPE

By Karlsson (OEM unknown) – $150~$200 USD

I can’t find much information, at least not in English, about this clock.  Up until about two weeks ago, all of the sites that sold this clock were in Japanese.  Amazon JP sold this clock but most of that was in Japanese as well.  However, in late October, I discovered that Giftmonger.com sells this clock!  Unlike every other site, they do ship to the US and other countries outside of the EU.

The display is made up of square LED pixels.  What makes this clock unique is that the digits scroll down.  The new digit pushes the old one out of its place in a brief animated second.  Below are a few photos of the clock from various sites.

PIN Clock

By Daka Design – $50

This is about the only clock on this list that you can easily find.  Amazon.com sells it.  The concept is simple – the display is made up of pins that extend to form a pattern in the shape of the digits.  It is like a practical version of the toy that you played with as a kid.  (You know, the one that you used to make hand prints in…that that is about it….)

And because it reminds me a lot of this song, here is “Only” by Nine Inch Nails.

Check out Kickass Clocks Pt.2 and Kickass Watches