Introduction: VIRTUAL NIXIE Clock in LED MATRIX 64X64

Now, I'd like to portion out how to build a Virtual Nixie Tube Clock on RGB LED matrix 64x64. The essential nixie digits are simulated from nixie thermionic tube's images.

In front getting started, net ball's date my videos below.

Update May 15, 2022 - Virtual Nixie Time with some animations.

Step 1: PARTS LIST

Independent parts are listed as below:

  • 1pcs x P2.5 64x64 RGB LED Matrix.
  • 1pcs x NodeMCU-32S ESP32 Microcontroller module.
  • 1pcs x Double Side Epitome PCB Circuit Get on 9x15cm.
  • 2pcs x Female 40pin 2.54mm Header.
  • 1pcs x 40Pin 2.54mm Single Row Round Female Pin Heading.
  • 1pcs x Power Provision Socket Jack Plug Connector Cable.
  • 1 meter x Rainbow Color Flat Ribbon Cable system.
  • 1pcs x White Acrylic Crustal plate A4 size.
  • 1pcs x Power Supply 5V minimum 2A.

Footfall 2: Light-emitting diode MATRIX Meeting place

I reused hardware from the previous INTERACTIVE INTERNET CLOCK project and we can see the details as topic below:

https://www.instructables.com/id/INTERACTIVE-INTER...

For wiring plot between ESP32 (NODEMCU-32S) and RGB LED intercellular substance 64x64, you can touch to PxMatrix Depository library by Dominic Buchstaller (2dom).

  • Control table for LED matrix 64x64.

  • RGB led matrix picture after finishing assembly work.

Step 3: IMAGE CONVERTER

There are umteen Image Converter Tools happening the internet for supporting scheduling images in light-emitting diode ground substance, so much as:

  • ImageConverter (UTFT): which be in use to convince images into hexadecimal code for computer programming.

http://World Wide Web.rinkydinkelectronics.com/t_imageconvert...

  • ezGIF: The online GIF maker and paradigm editor, which is encouraging for processing the *.GIF images.

https://ezgif.com/

I dependable to look for nixie tube images that clearly and beautifully displayed the numbers internal nixie tube. And fortuitously I found them from a Japanese guy. He also did a virtual nixie underground clock project with M5Stick C and it looks very composed:

https://macsbug.wordpress.com/2019/06/06/m5stickc...

I lonesome used his nixie tube images, resized and converted to Jinx code by ImageConverter (UTFT) to make a virtual nixie clock on led matrix 64x64 past my way.

  • NIXIE Routine Size of it 20x31

  • NIXIE NUMBER Sizing 32x61

Example: HEX cipher for NIXIE NUMBER "0" - SIZE 20x31 is as follow:

              
// Generated by   : ImageConverter 565 Online
// Generated from : Nixie_20x31_0.png // Time generated : Mon, 11 May 20 17:48:20 +0200  (Server timezone: CET) // Image Size     : 20x31 pixels // Retentiveness exercis   : 1240 bytes
              
static const uint16_t Nixie_20x31_0[620] PROGMEM={ 0x0000, 0x0020, 0x2944, 0x3986, 0x5A89, 0x7287, 0x82A5, 0x7224, 0x51A3, 0x7A04, 0x59C4, 0x59C4, 0x5A04, 0x59E4, 0x3922, 0x3102,   // 0x0010 (16) pixels 0x18A1, 0x1881, 0x20E3, 0x2924, 0x0020, 0x52AB, 0x3165, 0x30A0, 0x61C2, 0x7202, 0x59A2, 0x4962, 0x4142, 0x18A1, 0x28C2, 0x51A3,   // 0x0020 (32) pixels 0x7224, 0x7244, 0x7245, 0x8AC5, 0x7A45, 0x18A2, 0x20C2, 0x2903, 0x2965, 0x5206, 0x3901, 0xBCEA, 0xABA6, 0x7244, 0x8AC5, 0x59A3,   // 0x0030 (48) pixels 0x3902, 0x28C2, 0x20C2, 0x28E2, 0x59C4, 0x92C6, 0x92E6, 0x9B27, 0x82C6, 0xCC49, 0x4163, 0x3944, 0x4A49, 0x0000, 0x3103, 0xE5AA,   // 0x0040 (64) pixels 0x30C1, 0x59C4, 0x3103, 0x18A2, 0x20C2, 0x8262, 0xB302, 0x59C2, 0x20C2, 0x3943, 0x6204, 0x7245, 0x5983, 0xC447, 0x1082, 0x0841,   // 0x0050 (80) pixels 0x4A28, 0x0041, 0x3942, 0x40E0, 0x1060, 0x1860, 0x1040, 0x0840, 0x0000, 0x2060, 0x5120, 0x2040, 0x0000, 0x1060, 0x28A1, 0x30E2,   // 0x0060 (96) pixels 0x3922, 0x7A04, 0x0062, 0x1081, 0x4A48, 0x0841, 0x3942, 0x69A2, 0x20A1, 0x28A1, 0x18A2, 0x1001, 0xB3A1, 0xA2C0, 0xA201, 0xBB40,   // 0x0070 (112) pixels 0x9B01, 0x1001, 0x30E2, 0x4962, 0x59C4, 0xA284, 0x0061, 0x1081, 0x4228, 0x0041, 0x3122, 0x71C2, 0x1040, 0x1860, 0x3062, 0xFD20,   // 0x0080 (128) pixels 0x89C0, 0x2001, 0x4020, 0x2000, 0x9A00, 0xF4E0, 0x3883, 0x30E1, 0x51A3, 0x9223, 0x0062, 0x1061, 0x4228, 0x0041, 0x3142, 0x81E2,   // 0x0090 (144) pixels 0x1860, 0x1022, 0xFD00, 0x2841, 0x0000, 0x2860, 0x2880, 0x2860, 0x0800, 0x3861, 0xFD80, 0x3084, 0x4142, 0x9A03, 0x0062, 0x1041,   // 0x00A0 (160) pixels 0x4208, 0x0841, 0x2901, 0x79C2, 0x1881, 0xBAE2, 0x8181, 0x0821, 0x1860, 0x2060, 0x28A1, 0x2040, 0x1860, 0x0000, 0x9A42, 0xB402,   // 0x00B0 (176) pixels 0x30C2, 0xA203, 0x0021, 0x1041, 0x4208, 0x0841, 0x2101, 0x8202, 0x38A2, 0xFCC1, 0x0001, 0x1040, 0x1861, 0x1840, 0x30C1, 0x2060,   // 0x00C0 (192) pixels 0x1040, 0x2081, 0x1802, 0xF462, 0x30E3, 0xAA23, 0x0062, 0x1061, 0x4208, 0x0841, 0x20E1, 0x7182, 0xC342, 0x8221, 0x1841, 0x1840,   // 0x00D0 (208) pixels 0x1040, 0x1840, 0x20A1, 0x1840, 0x1860, 0x1881, 0x2081, 0x92A3, 0x8241, 0xB203, 0x0041, 0x1041, 0x3A08, 0x0841, 0x18E1, 0x78E2,   // 0x00E0 (224) pixels 0xE501, 0x5122, 0x1020, 0x1861, 0x0820, 0x1040, 0x2081, 0x1840, 0x1861, 0x1020, 0x28A1, 0x8A84, 0xE420, 0x9122, 0x0041, 0x1041,   // 0x00F0 (240) pixels 0x3A07, 0x0041, 0x18C1, 0xA1E1, 0xD461, 0x2842, 0x1881, 0x1040, 0x0820, 0x1040, 0x2081, 0x2081, 0x1020, 0x0820, 0x3902, 0x40A3,   // 0x0100 (256) pixels 0xD401, 0x9962, 0x0041, 0x1061, 0x4208, 0x0041, 0x18A1, 0xCA61, 0xB2C2, 0x2041, 0x28C2, 0x1020, 0x1040, 0x1861, 0x28C2, 0x1860,   // 0x0110 (272) pixels 0x1020, 0x1040, 0x4143, 0x3081, 0xA222, 0xAA03, 0x0001, 0x1081, 0x39E7, 0x0041, 0x10C1, 0xF2C0, 0x8281, 0x2881, 0x28A1, 0x20A2,   // 0x0120 (288) pixels 0x1881, 0x1881, 0x1881, 0x1881, 0x1881, 0x20A1, 0x30C1, 0x2861, 0xDBE2, 0xC201, 0x0000, 0x1061, 0x39E7, 0x0041, 0x0881, 0xFB00,   // 0x0130 (304) pixels 0x6141, 0x4122, 0x1861, 0x1061, 0x1060, 0x1861, 0x1881, 0x1860, 0x1040, 0x20A1, 0x30E2, 0x40E2, 0x9AE1, 0xC200, 0x0000, 0x1061,   // 0x0140 (320) pixels 0x39C7, 0x0041, 0x08A1, 0xFAC1, 0x79E2, 0x30E1, 0x1861, 0x1040, 0x0820, 0x1040, 0x1861, 0x1840, 0x1040, 0x20A1, 0x38E2, 0x28E3,   // 0x0150 (336) pixels 0xCBA1, 0xC1E0, 0x0000, 0x1061, 0x39C7, 0x0021, 0x1081, 0xF2C1, 0x79E1, 0x30C1, 0x1860, 0x1861, 0x1060, 0x1861, 0x1861, 0x1860,   // 0x0160 (352) pixels 0x1860, 0x1881, 0x2081, 0x3861, 0xDBA0, 0xB9E0, 0x0000, 0x1061, 0x31A7, 0x0020, 0x18A1, 0xAA02, 0x6161, 0x28A1, 0x1060, 0x1861,   // 0x0170 (368) pixels 0x1061, 0x1060, 0x1861, 0x1860, 0x1881, 0x1040, 0x2081, 0x30C1, 0x7101, 0x9140, 0x0000, 0x1061, 0x31A6, 0x0020, 0x20A1, 0x79E2,   // 0x0180 (384) pixels 0xB2C1, 0x2041, 0x2081, 0x1861, 0x1061, 0x1860, 0x1861, 0x1860, 0x1881, 0x1861, 0x30C1, 0x3861, 0xB280, 0x5061, 0x0020, 0x1061,   // 0x0190 (400) pixels 0x3186, 0x0020, 0x28C1, 0x5102, 0xD360, 0x2021, 0x1860, 0x1040, 0x1040, 0x1840, 0x1860, 0x1860, 0x1880, 0x1040, 0x28A1, 0x5961,   // 0x01A0 (416) pixels 0xCB00, 0x3860, 0x0020, 0x1061, 0x3186, 0x0020, 0x20C1, 0x30A1, 0xD420, 0x5101, 0x1040, 0x1040, 0x1040, 0x1860, 0x1860, 0x2081,   // 0x01B0 (432) pixels 0x1840, 0x1840, 0x2881, 0x9A40, 0x4900, 0x58C1, 0x0000, 0x1061, 0x2965, 0x0000, 0x20A1, 0x5121, 0x50E0, 0xC2A0, 0x0000, 0x1860,   // 0x01C0 (448) pixels 0x1040, 0x1860, 0x1860, 0x2081, 0x1040, 0x2080, 0x0001, 0xF3C0, 0x0821, 0x58E0, 0x0000, 0x1061, 0x2945, 0x0000, 0x20A0, 0x5101,   // 0x01D0 (464) pixels 0x1841, 0xFC80, 0x0000, 0x1840, 0x1840, 0x1840, 0x2060, 0x2061, 0x1860, 0x1021, 0x8A20, 0x8220, 0x0001, 0x48E0, 0x0000, 0x1061,   // 0x01E0 (480) pixels 0x2124, 0x0000, 0x2080, 0x40E0, 0x1860, 0x48C1, 0xF4A0, 0x0001, 0x1840, 0x2060, 0x2060, 0x2060, 0x1021, 0x5121, 0xFC20, 0x0001,   // 0x01F0 (496) pixels 0x0820, 0x40E0, 0x0020, 0x1041, 0x2104, 0x0000, 0x1860, 0x38C0, 0x1840, 0x1040, 0x8180, 0xC2C0, 0x1040, 0x2000, 0x2040, 0x1800,   // 0x0200 (512) pixels 0x7140, 0xCAC0, 0x1001, 0x1040, 0x0000, 0x38C0, 0x0020, 0x1041, 0x18E3, 0x0000, 0x1860, 0x30C0, 0x1040, 0x2060, 0x0000, 0x51A0,   // 0x0210 (528) pixels 0xB2A0, 0x7160, 0x38A0, 0xB1E0, 0x79E0, 0x1021, 0x0820, 0x1040, 0x0820, 0x30C0, 0x0020, 0x1061, 0x10C2, 0x0000, 0x1860, 0x2880,   // 0x0220 (544) pixels 0x0820, 0x1020, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x5100, 0x7A00, 0x30C0, 0x0000, 0x0800, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x30A0, 0x0000, 0x0841,   // 0x0230 (560) pixels 0x10A2, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x18A2, 0x2902, 0x3943, 0x20C2, 0x20E3, 0x18A2, 0x3922, 0x3901, 0x3962, 0x3943, 0x4184, 0x3984, 0x3164,   // 0x0240 (576) pixels 0x3123, 0x2924, 0x0000, 0x1041, 0x0881, 0x0000, 0x0800, 0x9344, 0x4142, 0x1060, 0x0840, 0x1861, 0x1040, 0x0020, 0x1040, 0x0820,   // 0x0250 (592) pixels 0x1061, 0x1061, 0x1881, 0x28C1, 0x18A1, 0x8A64, 0x18A1, 0x18A2, 0x0861, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x51E2, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x0000, 0x0000,   // 0x0260 (608) pixels };

I converted altogether nixie number images into a Jinx codes for next programming step.

Step 4: PROGRAMING

The jut encrypt for Realistic NIXIE CLOCK ON LED MATRIX 64X64 is available at my GitHub.

My program is explained as follows:

  • Nixie Numerate See: There are 2 sets of Nixie number libraries with different sizes, named SMALL and Proud size number:

- Nixie_20x31.h

- Nixie_32x61.h

  • Internet Clock:

- Time is updated via internet by NODEMCU-32S and hour/ minute/ second digits are displayed by corresponding nixie enumerate pictures. The tens and units finger of time will Be search in to picture arrays as below:

/* Small Nixie Number*/ const uint16_t *Numbers_S[10] = { Nixie_20x31_0, Nixie_20x31_1, Nixie_20x31_2, Nixie_20x31_3, Nixie_20x31_4, Nixie_20x31_5, Nixie_20x31_6, Nixie_20x31_7, Nixie_20x31_8, Nixie_20x31_9, };  /* Enceinte Nixie Amoun*/ const uint16_t *Numbers_B[10] = { Nixie_32x61_0, Nixie_32x61_1, Nixie_32x61_2, Nixie_32x61_3, Nixie_32x61_4, Nixie_32x61_5, Nixie_32x61_6, Nixie_32x61_7, Nixie_32x61_8, Nixie_32x61_9, };

- When the seconds in range 0 to 30, led matrix 64x64 display all digits of hour, minute and ordinal in SMALL nixie Numbers. The seconds from 31 to 59 will be displayed in BIG nixie Numbers. At this time, LED matrix 64x64 only show the tens and units digit of second.

if (seconds>=0 && seconds<=30) // Indicate all digits when seconds is from 0 ~ 30 in Small Nixie Number.<br>    {          if (seconds==0)       {         NixieNumbers.clearNumber(0, 0, NUMBER_WIDTH_B, NUMBER_HEIGHT_B);    // Clear Big Nixie Identification number         NixieNumbers.clearNumber(32, 0, NUMBER_WIDTH_B, NUMBER_HEIGHT_B);   // Clear Big Nixie Number       }         Nixie_S0();         Nixie_S1();         Nixie_M0();         Nixie_M1();         Nixie_H0();         Nixie_H1();     }     other   // Show only second from 31 ~ 59 in Big Nixie Number.     {       if (seconds==31)       {              NixieNumbers.clearNumber(0, 0, NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);    // Clear Small Nixie Number         NixieNumbers.clearNumber(0, 33, NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);   // Clear Small Nixie Come         NixieNumbers.clearNumber(22, 0, NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);   // Make Small Nixie Number         NixieNumbers.clearNumber(22, 33, NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);  // Clear Tiny Nixie Number         NixieNumbers.clearNumber(44, 0, NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);   // Clear Itty-bitty Nixie Number         NixieNumbers.clearNumber(44, 33, NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);  // Clear Small Nixie Number       }          Nixie_S0_B();         Nixie_S1_B();  }

- At the units and tens digit of hour, minute and second, before showing the newly updated time, we have to rub out the time that was shown antecedently. For deterrent example:

void Nixie_S0() {    if ((unsigned agelong) (micros() - samplingtimes0) > 99)   {             if (s0 != prves0)         {           NixieNumbers.clearNumber(44, 33, NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);         NixieNumbers.drawNumber(44, 33, Numbers_S[s0], NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);                prves0 = s0;       }               else       {         NixieNumbers.drawNumber(44, 33, Numbers_S[prves0], NUMBER_WIDTH_S, NUMBER_HEIGHT_S);       }       samplingtimes0 = micros();      } }

Here below is my result motion picture.

Step 5: DONE

IT looks Thomas More beautiful when we come across it in real life and stand far from the led screen. The flickers you see on videos is due to CAMERA, human eyes can't hear these flickers.

If we have a led screen with big size and high resolution, this nixie time wish looks even better.

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