If you’re a fan of things retro and an electronics do-it-youselfer, this
might might be just the thing for you – it’s a kit that lets you built
your own clock, that displays the time using wonderfully outdated nixie
tubes.
First of all, what are
nixie tubes?
They were once commonly used for electronic displays, and consist of a
gas-filled glass tube, inside of which are nestled ten cathodes, each
one formed into a different numeral from 0 to 9. Those cathodes are
stacked one on top of the other, any one of which can be made to glow
orange when voltage is applied to it. If the selected number is at the
bottom of the stack, you can actually see it shining through its unlit
bunkmates.
ThinkGeek’s DIY Nixie Tube Desk Clock is a kit that includes all the
parts necessary for you to build a nixie tube clock of your own,
including vintage unused tubes. It even includes a nice modern
microprocessor, in a nod to the whole old-meets-new thing. The kit
does require the user to do some soldering, however, plus some basic knowledge of electronics would also likely come in handy.
For people who like the aesthetic but would prefer not to do-it-themselves,
ready-made nixie tube clocks are available as oddities from various sources.
The kit is priced at US$149.99.
source :
beli sini