[neonixie-l] Re: Power supply stability?
OK, good to know. And not quite-With no filter capacitor besides a .1uf non-polar capacitor on the output, on top of my 166 volts I get around a 500hz sine wave with about 5v peak-to-peak amplitude, and a weak 31.25khz wave from switching (it's insignificantly small). This wave is very clean and consistent (ie there is no jumping around or amplitude change), and I think this may have to do with the fact that my sample rate for feedback on the power supply is 1khz. It's possible that in one sample, the voltage is too low, so the PSU boost it, which makes it too high, so it drops the voltage etc. This would explain the 500hz frequency. If I decreased the sample time, that might help to smooth it out a bit. I'll go ahead and try that soon. I figure that if higher current helps prevent cathode poisoning, quickly boosting the current a little bit might help to blow off some of the crud or whatever happens to the cathode, but this won't compromise the tubes with constant over-current. On Feb 18, 10:31 pm, Adam Jacobs wrote: > Nixies basically don't care what the voltage is, unless it is above the > striking voltage and within reason.. > The fact that you are already starting at a pretty low voltage (170vdc) and > then dropping another 5v on top of that, is maybe not good though. > > What do you mean by "Voltage swings"? Do you mean that as more nixies light > up (and draw current), the more your HV Voltage sags? Or do you mean that > it's just all over the place for no real reason? If it's the latter, that's > indicative of a problem. > > I shouldn't think that this would have any effect whatsoever on cathode > poisoning (Well, nothing positive, anyways).. > > -Adam > > > > > > > > On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 7:17 PM, will wrote: > > How tolerant are nixies to voltage swings? My PSU seems to be > > generating some significant voltage swings on top of the 166v DC, > > around 5v max peak to peak. Under different situations, the voltage > > swings very differently, but the general effect is more or less the > > same. The effect is not noticeable to my eyes, so if it's OK for the > > tubes I think I'll leave it alone. If anything, I would think it would > > help prevent cathode poisoning while keeping the average current the > > same. > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "neonixie-l" group. > > To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] Re: Really cool stuff!
On Feb 18, 12:12 am, Quixotic Nixotic wrote: > Instead of the original glass front strip it had some backlit cheesy > semi-clad mexican dancing ladies using those ribbed pictures that > change as you move (do they have a name?). It's called "lenticular" motion effect or lenticular 3-D, depending on which effect is used; both work nearly the same way. Some products even combine both effects to produce a moving 3-D scene. Each vertical rib is actually a long, thin lens (like a bar magnifier, if you know what that is) and will magnify a very narrow strip of what's behind it greatly in width. The catch is, as your viewing angle changes even slightly, the strip that you're seeing changes position fairly drastically, just like the old alcohol-filled thermometers, with the super skinny capillary tube partly full of red-dyed liquid, that suddenly appears as a very readable wide stripe if you stand facing exactly perpendicular to the face of the thermometer. In the common lenticular motion effect, by interleaving several strips taken from different images in the same sequence behind each lenticular lens, the magnification effect lets you see each lens as being filled to its entire width with a little piece of the same image even though the actual bit of print you're seeing is really only a small fraction of the width of the rib. By changing your horizontal viewing angle, your view through all of the lenses in the panel shifts to the next strip in sequence behind each lens, and it seems as if the whole picture has suddenly changed. For the 3-D effect, the relationship between the printed strips and lens ribs and the geometry of the ribs themselves, are made somewhat differently so that each of your eyes will see a different strip in the sequence across the panel, and the printed strips are made from several different views of the same object or scene. For example, the simplest 3-D lenticular images typically use 5 different views of the scene. Looking directly at it from the proper distance, your left eye may see view 2 while your right eye sees view 4. Shifting your position a bit will let you see views 1 and 3, or 3 and 5. but if you move too far off-axis, you may see views 5 and 2 (for example), and lose the 3-D effect, or even invert it. Some 3-D lenticular images use strategically placed black strips so that by moving too far off-axis, the image simply blacks out. A.J. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
Re: [neonixie-l] Power supply stability?
Nixies basically don't care what the voltage is, unless it is above the striking voltage and within reason.. The fact that you are already starting at a pretty low voltage (170vdc) and then dropping another 5v on top of that, is maybe not good though. What do you mean by "Voltage swings"? Do you mean that as more nixies light up (and draw current), the more your HV Voltage sags? Or do you mean that it's just all over the place for no real reason? If it's the latter, that's indicative of a problem. I shouldn't think that this would have any effect whatsoever on cathode poisoning (Well, nothing positive, anyways).. -Adam On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 7:17 PM, will wrote: > How tolerant are nixies to voltage swings? My PSU seems to be > generating some significant voltage swings on top of the 166v DC, > around 5v max peak to peak. Under different situations, the voltage > swings very differently, but the general effect is more or less the > same. The effect is not noticeable to my eyes, so if it's OK for the > tubes I think I'll leave it alone. If anything, I would think it would > help prevent cathode poisoning while keeping the average current the > same. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "neonixie-l" group. > To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Modern Nixie tube drivers
Humorously enough, it is the difficulty in purchasing some chips from mouser/digikey that usually leads me to ordering samples. Mouser has started stocking _most_ of Maxim-IC's stuff, but before they did, my only source was to sample them. Same deal with supertex, I couldn't find anywhere to order them, so I asked for 5 samples of everything I liked, and they sent them. Same deal this morning with Ramtrom for an FRAM chip that is non-stocked by any of my normal channels.. Jens, if Supertex won't sample you any (because you live in faraway parts), I will be happy to send you some of mine. They've been doing nothing but sitting in a drawer waiting for a good use. I have 5 HV5522PJ's in PLCC & 5 HV5812P's in DIP. Let me know. -Adam On Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 3:25 PM, Jens Boos wrote: > Hi again, > > thank you all for your ideas. I think I might go for the HV5812 (20 > channels) or HV9708 (32 channels) from Supertex, they are both very > neat chips indeed, although quite pricy. (I prefer these chips over > mere driver chips since they have a shift register built in.) > > It is not so easy to get these, are there other sources than Mouser? > > Best whishes > Jens > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] Power supply stability?
How tolerant are nixies to voltage swings? My PSU seems to be generating some significant voltage swings on top of the 166v DC, around 5v max peak to peak. Under different situations, the voltage swings very differently, but the general effect is more or less the same. The effect is not noticeable to my eyes, so if it's OK for the tubes I think I'll leave it alone. If anything, I would think it would help prevent cathode poisoning while keeping the average current the same. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] Re: Ghosting on IN-14s even with long blanking period.
OK, here's something, I guess... I found (after replacing a broken anode driver after blowing that, an ATMega, and possibly my entire cathode driver board) that if I kept one digit on one nixie tube lit (at 100% duty cycle), and then for a split second turned on the anode of the partner (so that digit lit up on the second tube as well), the digit would stay weakly on even if the anode was off (or even disconnected). Measuring the voltages around the semi-illuminated numeral, I found that the digits directly surrounding it were in excess of 120 volts, which I guess is enough to weakly ionize the grounded digit. This makes me think-could pulling all cathodes low during the blanking period (while the anodes are both off) possibly help the problem? The pull-middles certainly helped, but I fail to see why a pull-middle is better than a "yank-down" in this case, considering that the anode will be off during yank-down. I have no way to test this ATM, due to the busted mega, but if anyone thinks this would/would not work I would like to hear it. On Feb 15, 9:58 pm, will wrote: > Hmm... anodes and cathodes both show perfect square waves, with the > slightest of roll-off towards the bottom (probably due to my ghetto- > rigged "probe"). Weird. > > On Feb 15, 1:27 pm, will wrote: > > > > > > > > > OK, thanks. BTW I bought an old heathkit oscilloscope last night (for > > $35. Thanks, craigslist!), so I'll try to get a voltage divider set up > > today (It will be a while before the attenuator probe arrives) and I > > should be able to better troubleshoot to see if it's a problem caused > > by leakage. > > > On Feb 15, 12:02 pm, threeneurons wrote: > > > >http://snipurl.com/10zg1u > > > > Here's a video of the above clock running: > > > >http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbqv51_nixie-clock-3_tech > > > > The flicker you see is the beat frequency between the camera's frame > > > rate and the multiplexing rate of my clock. In real life, no flicker. > > > The clock also has 'cathode poisoning prevention' scheme, which > > > briefly flips each tube to a different digit. I don't know if this is > > > really needed, since those tubes are never going to be flipped around > > > or used for anything else. Its been running since 2004. The IN-14s > > > still look like new. The 6802 dekatron's glass is a bit mirrored, but > > > not too badly. Only the NE-2 in the middle looks the worst for wear. > > > Maybe I stuck a limiting resistor in there, that was a bit too small. > > > I often switch the value of the part used, to something else, than > > > whats listed in the schematic. > > > > Do what I say, not what I do. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] Re: Modern Nixie tube drivers
Hi again, thank you all for your ideas. I think I might go for the HV5812 (20 channels) or HV9708 (32 channels) from Supertex, they are both very neat chips indeed, although quite pricy. (I prefer these chips over mere driver chips since they have a shift register built in.) It is not so easy to get these, are there other sources than Mouser? Best whishes Jens On 15 Feb., 17:40, will wrote: > Really? Atmel handled my request immediately, no questions asked. Now > I use them exclusively, no PICs or propellers or anything. I've looked > at the microchip and TI sample programs, I seem to remember that > microchip required a corporate email address and TI had nothing useful > available in DIP (it may have been the other way around). > > On Feb 15, 10:32 am, "Neil Stainton" > wrote: > > > On Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:46 -0800, "will" wrote: > > > Interesting... That's why Atmel is my favorite. > > > I've found Atmel one of the worst. They immediately passed my requests > > to a distributor to handle. > > > I don't bother with samples much, but both Microchip and TI seem to have > > a much better attitude. > > > > On Feb 14, 10:27 am, Adam Jacobs wrote: > > > > I'd just like to add that Supertex is another company that is very > > > > freehanded with the samples. :) Doesn't cost anything to try out their > > > > parts and see what you think. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] Re: Really cool stuff!
Hey John S great sounding Juke even it it had been drowned in tequila, Just FYI the moving image sheet is termed 'Lenticular printing' It has now been refined down to what is termed 'microenticular' as shown on some bank notes and especially postage stamps. Simplest explanation here: http://www.lenstar.org/how/hwmain.htm Some great examples here: http://www.lenticular.org.nz/lenticularfaq.htm# Mind you click on the home page and check out the 'MotionPrint' technology, it's come a long way since your dancing ladies. On 18 Feb, 08:12, Quixotic Nixotic wrote: > On 18 Feb 2011, at 02:02, threeneurons wrote: > > > He needs to debug that thing. I mean literally. With a can of Raid ! > > It even sounds like cockroaches. The uniselectors clacking away like > that. > > I am disappointed. I thought he was going to use the Seeburg jukebox > mech. in conjunction with the display to give a readout of the record > in play or perhaps as a selector, interfacing with the Tormat ferrite > core memory somehow. > > As for jukeboxes, it is very common to find the bottom of one totally > eaten away by termites, especially the wrecks found in Mexico, such > as my AMi K 'Sinfonola', which happily was not infested. It wasn't > pretty either. It had been painted chili red and looked like it had > swum through a river. Thus I call it the 'Jalapeno Wetback' which I > expect is politically incorrect, but it can't hear me and jukeboxes > don't have feelings to hurt, so I think it is OK. It was even half > full of Mexican records when I bought it. > > Instead of the original glass front strip it had some backlit cheesy > semi-clad mexican dancing ladies using those ribbed pictures that > change as you move (do they have a name?). I'd have kept them, but my > wife was none too keen. > > John S -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] Re: H. Blumer Dynacount EPZ1 info wanted...
Ahhh. Sussed it. Its a small 4-digit event counter with internal & external reset & level control - 10mV - 5V input. Only seems to count events up to 4kHz. Beautifully made - typically Swiss! nick -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] Re: Anybody heard from David Forbes lately?
David, I guess the repairs were unsuccessful since another two weeks have passed with no emails or watch? Mort > Hi. I'm back in the Nixie watch world after taking more time off than I > expected. I got sick just before finishing my workshop, and that threw > me out of whack. > > I have your watch repaired and it will ship in a few days after I'm sure > it's working properly. > > I also am taking orders for Nixie watches again, if anyone's interested. > I have about 6 months of backlog to work through. > > -- > David Forbes, Tucson AZhttp://www.cathodecorner.com/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
[neonixie-l] H. Blumer Dynacount EPZ1 info wanted...
Found one of these in the loft. Its a counter with a 5-pin DIN connector at the back. Anyone know anything about this? Cheers Nick -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Really cool stuff!
On 18 Feb 2011, at 02:02, threeneurons wrote: He needs to debug that thing. I mean literally. With a can of Raid ! It even sounds like cockroaches. The uniselectors clacking away like that. I am disappointed. I thought he was going to use the Seeburg jukebox mech. in conjunction with the display to give a readout of the record in play or perhaps as a selector, interfacing with the Tormat ferrite core memory somehow. As for jukeboxes, it is very common to find the bottom of one totally eaten away by termites, especially the wrecks found in Mexico, such as my AMi K 'Sinfonola', which happily was not infested. It wasn't pretty either. It had been painted chili red and looked like it had swum through a river. Thus I call it the 'Jalapeno Wetback' which I expect is politically incorrect, but it can't hear me and jukeboxes don't have feelings to hurt, so I think it is OK. It was even half full of Mexican records when I bought it. Instead of the original glass front strip it had some backlit cheesy semi-clad mexican dancing ladies using those ribbed pictures that change as you move (do they have a name?). I'd have kept them, but my wife was none too keen. John S -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to neonixie-l+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
