The allure of old-school technology seems to fascinate us.
Whether it’s vinyl records, film photography, or even flip phones, consumers maintain a fascination with tech from bygone eras. For certain electronic visionaries, the aesthetic design of vintage devices has found new life in their products.
Vacuum tube tech, also referred to as thermionic valves, played a pivotal role in the early days of computing. First-generation computers employed vacuum tubes for logic circuitry. One notable example is the 1939 Atanasoff–Berry computer, which relied on vacuum tubes for computation. These vacuum tube computers initially performed tasks similar to earlier mechanical computers but at significantly higher speeds. Moreover, vacuum tubes facilitated the integration of large memories capable of storing thousands of bits of data and accessing them swiftly.
Throwback Tech in a Modern Clock
Retro tech Friday this week brings you the ultimate in retro-looking noveau gadgets.
Introducing the Nixie Tube Clock, a captivating blend of retro aesthetics and modern functionality. Resembling a simplified version of the historic Atanasoff–Berry computer, this clock relies on tube technology. Unlike the Atanasoff–Berry’s, 300 vacuum tubes, the Nixie Tube Clock boasts six numeric Nixie tubes, all easily replaceable without additional tools.
Although not as old as the Atansoff-Berry, this clock utilizes vintage materials to deliver an amazing product. All the tubes that used in the the Nixie Tube Clock are old stock and are not produced these days. They were mostly manufactured in the 1970-1980s and are over 40 years old now.
The clock displays the hours and minutes using the Nixie Tubes and includes colon separators between the hours and minutes for easy readability. It has a built-in RGB led back-light (with 10 levels for each channel) which allows you to set your favorite color. Time accuracy is provided with built-in RTC (Real Time Clock DS3231) module and backuped with CR2032 battery while the clock is powered off. It is powered via a standard wall outlet or USB.
You may wonder, with this vintage looking tech what is the lifespan of the Nixie tubes? Well according to the innovator Nixie Shop
“According to the datasheet of one of the most popular IN-14 Soviet made Nixie tube the minimum lifetime is 5000 hours which is even less than one year. But in fact the major number of Nixie tubes will serve for many years (or even decades as some Nixie clock owners say).”
You can adjust and manage the clock with a simple user-friendly knob controlled menu. A simple click of the knob changes the menu position, while rotations adjust the value.
All setting are stored in non-volatile memory (settings are restored after power-offs).
Features and Specifications
- Dimensions
- Enclosure: height – 19 mm; width – 175 mm: depth – 70 mm.
- Tube height is: 45 mm
- Weight: Approximately 0.8 kg.
For more information or to acquire the: IN-12 Nixie Tube Desktop Clock
More Information About Nixie Shop
