Blub Nixie Clock

Blub Nixie Clock is a single nixie tube clock, it utilizes one nixie tube to display full time in HH:MM format by switching from one digit to another. The time is displayed as a sequence of digits, e.g. time 10:45 is shown as 1-pause-0-pause-4-pause-5-long-pause.

Technical specification

Power input: 5V @ 250mA (USB-C connector)

Power consumption: 1.25W

The expected lifespan of the nixie tube: over 15 years

Configuration

The clock contains two buttons on the back, the ADJ button, and the SET button. All configuration parameters are accessible over this interface. More information is available on the Configuration page. Another option is using the USB interface for the configuration of the clock, more here: USB interface.

Timekeeping

The clock contains a high accuracy RTC module (DS3231) with accuracy ±2ppm (maximum ±1 minute per year). The RTC module is battery-backed, the CR2032 battery will last more than 10 years. The battery doesn’t discharge when the clock is powered but will lose some energy over time. Note: the battery provides energy only for the RTC module, not for the clock itself (to display numbers).

Package Contents

1x Blub Nixie Clock

1x Power adapter

1x USB cable

1x User guide

All settings are made with the two buttons on the back of the clock.

The clock works in two modes: Time mode and Configuration mode.

Time mode

This is the mode in which the clock spends most of the time – displaying the current time. After power-up, the clock always starts in Time mode.

Configuration mode

1. Hold SET for 3 seconds – the clock enters Configuration mode and shows 0.
2. Press ADJ to scroll through the parameters 0 → 1 → … → 8.
3. Press SET to open the parameter that is shown.
4. Inside the parameter, ADJ changes the value (or the lit digit) and SET confirms it. After the last digit, SET saves the parameter and returns to the list of parameters.
5. To go back to Time mode, scroll to 0 and press SET – or simply power-cycle the clock.

1 – Time zone

Tells the clock when to switch between summer and winter time (daylight saving time, DST). Choose the option for the place where the clock is:

• 0 – no daylight saving time (e.g. Japan, China, India, Arizona)
• 1 – US
• 2 – EU
• 3 – Mexico
• 4 – Australia
• 5 – New Zealand

Press ADJ until the option is shown, then SET to save and return.

2 – Time and date

Enter the current local time (what other clocks around you show) in 24-hour format – the clock works out daylight saving time from the date. The ten digits are entered one at a time: ADJ increments the lit digit, SET moves to the next one; SET after the last digit saves and returns.

For example, 6 March 2021, 12:36 is entered as 2103061236: 2 SET 1 SET 0 SET 3 SET 0 SET 6 SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 6 SET

3 – Time format

1 – 12-hour format, 2 – 24-hour format.

4 – Transition effect

How one digit changes into the next: 1 – none, 2 – cross-fade, 3 – slot machine.

5 – Display speed

How fast the time is shown, digit by digit: 1 – fastest … 9 – slowest.

6 – Night mode brightness

Display brightness during the night (by default 21:00–7:00): 1 – dim … 9 – brightest, 0 – display off during the night.

7 – Day mode brightness

Display brightness outside the night time range: 1 – dim … 9 – brightest, 0 – display off during the day.

8 – Night mode time range

When the night mode starts and ends, in whole hours (24-hour format). Enter four digits HHhh: HH – the hour the night starts (0–2 · 0–9), hh – the hour it ends (0–2 · 0–9).

For example, night from 21:00 to 7:00 is entered as 2107: 2 SET 1 SET 0 SET 7 SET

The USB interface on the Blub Nixie Clock provides additional functionality:

• Firmware update
• Faster/easier settings of the clock parameters
• Access to additional parameters of the clock

To control the clock over USB, you can use either our configurator in the browser or a serial line (Putty, Hterm, etc..).

Configurator in the browser

Connect the clock to a computer with its USB cable, open the configurator in Chrome, Edge or Opera (or Firefox 151 and newer) and click Connect. Every change is saved in the clock straight away, nothing needs to be installed.

Serial Communication

Configuration of the serial line connection:

• 8 data bits, no parity, one stop bit (default Arduino settings)
• 9600 bps

Parameters for serial communication:

• v: print version of current firmware in the clock and its compilation date
• e: clear EEPROM and all settings in the clock
• d: display a custom number, e.g. d6 displays 6 on the tube, d10 returns the clock back to time mode
• t: set the time by giving a UNIX timestamp as an input, e.g. t1570323600
• f: set format: f1 for 12h, f2 for 24h
• s: set display speed (1-9), e.g. s1 to fastest, s9 slowest
• m: set transition of the display (values 1-3)
• n: set night mode brightness (0-9, 0 = tube off)
• o: set day mode brightness (0-9, 0 = tube off)
• r: set night mode time range (HHhh) in 24h time format, e.g. r2107 to set the range from 21:00 to 07:00
• z: set a time-zone (behavior of DST), values 0-5 (0: NO DST, 1:US-style DST, 2:EU-Style DST, 3:Mexico, 4:Australia, 5:New Zealand)

PDF Manuals

The link to download PDF is under the menu on the left.

Software

No software to download: the clock is set up over USB right in the browser – Set up over USB.

Code

Would you like to make your own code for the Blub Nixie Clock? A minimal code showing the hardware layout of the Blub clock is available on the link below.

https://github.com/DaliborFarny/Blub-Nixie-Clock—sandbox