DIY Nixie Tube Display for turntable tachometer

[alexkosha]

I finished my build. It looks awesome. Thank you Pyramid for your excellent design and valuable support.


YouTube

 

[Pyramid]

Well done! The YouTube videos look good as well. Thanks for posting the results.

 

[alexkosha]

Sorry for little dusty actinic cover of my TT. Our son is visiting us now with his dogs. So, we have 3 dogs in house now. Insane....

 

[alexkosha]

Hi Pyramid, sorry to disturb you, but can you please upload your Arduino sketch? The one that you use for your Nixie display. My Sketch that I used for OLED is behaving strange and I think it is corrupted. Thank you.

 

[Pyramid]

Not sure what you are asking. The original Arduino sketch for the LCD tach is located here:

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/301609-digital-tachometer-record-player-lcd-display-14.html#post5118370

The nixie tube OS is done in 8051 assembly language and the preprogrammed chip is available from sources listed in the OP.

 

[alexkosha]

Oh.., I blamed my sketch changing RPMs too rapidly and too far apart, but I observed that behave without playing record. When I stared to play record, apparently my TT speed was way off and tacho presented right values. So, I have some issue with my SG4 setup. Did not measured with scope anything yet, but is seems that I have some oscillations issue. Even during one turn, I hear how pitch is going off. Speed changes to too high value (33.8) and rapidly going way too low (32.5). Vouts are still same on my front panel meters (117VAC). Frequency set is still steady on 7 segment display. Any advice (might some members already have same issue in the past and fixed it) is also welcome.

 

[Pyramid]

The output of the SG4 is crystal controlled, so I don't think it is the frequency that is changing. I would look at the bearing or belt/idler.

 

[alexkosha]

I see. Let me check that. Thanks for the tip.

 

[alexkosha]

Cleaned all components related to TT rotation and I dropped new belt. Lubricated all relevant parts.
Still same issue. Will go back to the relevant thread and will use scope to see what is going on in my SG4 box. So, tacho is totally fine and presenting absolutely correct RPM info.

 

[themcneills]

This is beautifully done.

If anyone in the USA has a spare PCB, I will B-U-Y ASAP.

This message brought to you by Alphabet Soup.

 

[alexkosha]

I do have 2 PCB left from my order. I used only one for my unit. It is U.S.A. made in OR. PM me.

 

[themcneills]

I tried, your mailbox is full.

I too am USA made in OR.

 

[themcneills]

Pyramid—if I wanted to orient the IN12 tubes upside down (so that they were at the bottom of the board instead of the top), would that require a different PCB or a coding change?
Thanks.

 

[Pyramid]

It changes everything, hardware and software. Why would you want to do this? I specifically made it so it was easier to get the tubes to display in a window and make it easy to hide the PCB (and components) from view.

 

[themcneills]

So that’s a ‘no.’

I’d like to integrate it into a DIY plinth in the bottom left hand corner.

I’ll come up with a different spot, that’s all.

 

[alexkosha]

I would go and use 3-4 inch wires to connect tubes as PCB requires and then rotate them to whatever orientation is needed on your panel-window.

 

[alexkosha]

I tried, your mailbox is full.

I too am USA made in OR.

Let me clean it. 30 min...

Cleaned ....

 

[themcneills]

I now have all of my parts from DigiKey and the PCB from @alexkosha (thanks again!). Haven’t heard anything from Taylor Electoenics concerning my HV supply order. Hopefully they are still fulfilling orders. I PM’d Seth and he said he would check on doing up the uP. So I’ll populate the board and cross my fingers.

I have @Pyramid’s tach sensor from OshPark ready to go but haven’t done any work on the Arduino tach. Should I start there?

 

[themcneills]

Tach up and running with OLED screen on a Nano. Classy! I see that the Nixie PCB is powered by 12v dc-- how many amps are needed? I'm going to try to use a 12v supply from the wall, and then power the nixie board and the Nano with it.

 

[Pyramid]

The Nixie display draws 120~150mA @ 12VDC. Anything over 500mA should work.