A single-digit Nixie clock

A little follow up on the single Nixie Tube clock we posted, here´s another version sent in from Amanda that RSW made -

"A while ago I found a Burroughs B-5853 Nixie tube kicking around in the lab and decided that I should put it to good use. Since I only had one of this size, I wanted to make a single-digit display out of it. After I saw Jason Harper´s Nixie clock gallery, I decided that one digit really could make a cool clock.

To add to the excitement, I wanted to be able to PWM the display, allowing smooth fading and ultra sexiness (you know, for the ladies :-P) and allow for further expansion, perhaps via a computer interface. For these reasons, I chose the Microchip PIC16F628 microcontroller, which has an on-board USART and does hardware PWM on one pin. Moreover, I´m already quite experienced making crap with the 16F628, including another clock..." - Link.

Ready.Set.GLOW:

• David Forbes, Nixie-display clocks ... - Link.
• HOW TO - Powering Nixie Tubes... - Link.
• Single-digit Nixie, Oscilloscope CRT a Weston ... - Link.
• Tiny Nixie clock - Link.
• Nixie clock gallery - Link.
• Nixie Tube collectors and designers - Link.
• Nixie Build - Link.
• NIXI?-1 - Nixie clock - Link.
• Nixie tube watch - Link.
• Nixie propeller clock - Link.
• Ryan Brooks´s 6502 Nixie clock - Link.
• Nixie tube - tube clock - Link.

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4 voice FM synthesizer in a cigar box

Owen writes -

"The instrument is a cigar box synthesizer. It is made out of a Critter Board, a small audio amp, and some other components we had kicking around. Since it is a synthesizer, we use the version of the Critter Board with on-board flash (no card socket).

The project utilizes all the features that make the Critter Board unique, such as the volume control header, the sound output header (you can listen on the speaker, or plug it in to a bigger amp), and most of the I/O lines.

After digging up a 12 key key-pad, we thought it would be nice to make a 1 octave synthesizer. We then added another button above the keypad as a register button. If it is held down before pressing any of the 12 keys, the key will play an octave higher. So it is really a 2 octave synth." - Link & video.

Also, check out their Video Critter -

"The video critter is an open-source audio/video platform that may be used with most any TV (any TV with composite video input).

It is a one stop solution, providing audio/video output and proccessing for your applications. Just add some buttons, knobs, or joysticks, and you´re ready to go. It is useful for a variety of embedded applications" - Link.

Related:

• Critter Board, a hardware platform for creating self-contained electronic music devices - Link.

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Gifts for the INTELLIGENT DESIGNER

We asked a few really smart makers of fashion, hardware, software and electronics to tell us what is on their wish list this holiday season (we like to call them intelligent designers) and boy did they come up with some good ones! Check out the dozens of ideas and gifts they put together that may just help you figure out what to give that special intelligent designer.

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Electronics [SHOW]