I am building an analog style clock from LEDs and need an ic to do the clock functions. I have 60 small leds for seconds and 2 rows of 12 for hours /minutes. Im trying to keep this as simple as I can and I know of a couple ways to do it. But I was just curious if theres an actual ic that will do the work easier. thanks

 

Yes there is, it is a NTE2061 IC. It is available www.ntepartsdirect.com. It is a direct substitute for a old National MM5316. I have built a lot of clocks with that IC. I have schematic's for 12 hour or 24 versions.

 

Yes there is, it is a NTE2061 IC. It is available www.ntepartsdirect.com. It is a direct substitute for a old National MM5316. I have built a lot of clocks with that IC. I have schematic's for 12 hour or 24 versions.

Awesome,, thanks a lot.. Ive always had problems locating IC's but I was sure there was one for my application. Care to share your schematics for both versions. This is kind of an introduction to my 13 yr old son and it seems like a cool idea he came up with. So we shall built it..

 

Most clock chips, including the NTE2060, are designed to drive 7-segment displays, not strings of individual LEDs. You get all of the counting, setting, and alarm logic, but you have to decode the segment and digit outputs to drive your strings.

ak

 

Are you looking for a 1-Hz clock generator or a single IC to control all of your LED's to function like a clock?

For the former, Bill has an excellent circuit using a CD4060 and a CD4013. I know, not a single IC solution, but not bad for two IC's. Alternately, you could use a 555 in astable mode, but it won't be as accurate.

Here is a neat clock using shift registers to control 60 LEDs for seconds on a clock. This immediately came to mind based on your description.

If you want to use less hardware, there is always the microcontroller approach. This could be done with a PICAXE, some shift registers or I/O expanders, and a DS1307 for an accurate 1-Hz clock (or simply an accurate clock altogether). For a really accurate clock, a DS3231 could be used. Yes, it involves programming, but the PICAXE is a great starter microcontroller as it uses BASIC language.

Just some thoughts - good luck.

 

Most clock chips, including the NTE2060, are designed to drive 7-segment displays, not strings of individual LEDs. You get all of the counting, setting, and alarm logic, but you have to decode the segment and digit outputs to drive your strings.

ak

ITT probably did something along those lines, maybe late 70s early 80s - pretty unlikely to find any now.

Pretty sure Elektor magazine has done something like that with a bunch of CMOS timer/counter chips - though anything recent is probably based on a microcontroller.

If you go for a micro, you might just as well go one step further and seek out plans for a time signal receiver as well.

 

Most clock chips, including the NTE2060, are designed to drive 7-segment displays, not strings of individual LEDs. You get all of the counting, setting, and alarm logic, but you have to decode the segment and digit outputs to drive your strings.

ak

This is true of most clock IC's, however the NTE2061 has the digits and the segments decoded. but it does require a 50 or 60 cycle input for the clock timing.

 

If you go for a micro, you might just as well go one step further and seek out plans for a time signal receiver as well.

I'd like to do this myself, but currently, unless someone knows better, there are no easily obtainable IC's for getting WWVB data in the U.S. CMAX made the CMMR-6 which was sold by Digikey a couple of years ago, but they are no longer made or at least easily obtainable.

There is a company in TX making new WWVB IC's for manufacturer's needing such IC's, but nothing yet for the hobbyist. I've contacted them and they said they were coming out with something for the hobbyist market in a year or so I think. Demo board with their IC if memory serves.

 

Awesome,, thanks a lot.. Ive always had problems locating IC's but I was sure there was one for my application. Care to share your schematics for both versions. This is kind of an introduction to my 13 yr old son and it seems like a cool idea he came up with. So we shall built it..

Before I share the schematic's I think it would be best if you decide which circuit
you are going to use, as others have posted some additional information. From
my point of view for the readouts you can configure your existing LED's in 7
segment format, and I will be happy to help you do that. Or if you like some 7 segment LED's, I would be happy to give you some of mine. I have a few extra's
all the same color.

 

I'd like to do this myself, but currently, unless someone knows better, there are no easily obtainable IC's for getting WWVB data in the U.S. CMAX made the CMMR-6 which was sold by Digikey a couple of years ago, but they are no longer made or at least easily obtainable.

.

There are little modules for sale, a little PCB with black-blob chip and a LC (small ferrite rod) - but you have to program your micro to make sense of the serial data it puts out.

 

I have a dozen common anode 7 segs, and like 4 common cathode.. im with you on the 7 seg thing... remember, im building this with my 13 year old.. I have been wanting to do some microcontroller for a long time.. im just a hobbiest myself and still have much to learn. Ive neer coded anything. I have an arduino uno but haven't even taken it out of the package. now my son has already assembled a pic programmer from a vellman kit so I think I am equipped kind of for the micro but have no clue where to start. I think I might do the 7 seg first to get an understanding of process then move on to micro, but which one pic or arduino?

 

or if I could get some help in converting the 2061 to drive the leds, im game for that route to,, would make my son happy.. but on the other hand since he built the programmer hes been itching to program a chip..

 

Forgive me, but I'm a bit lost as to what you currently have in mind. From your first post I gathered you were making an analog clock with LED's - round face, 60 LEDs in a circle, each representing a second (and/or a minute), similar to the link I posted to earlier.

Now you're describing 7-segment displays, presumably like a digit alarm clock?

What is it you'd like to make? Anything is possible, we just want to get a clear picture of what you have in mind so we go in the right direction.

Yes, a microcontroller could do all of this either by itself or with the help of other IC's depending on how much programming vs. wiring you want to do.

An Arduino or a PIC would work fine. The Arduino uses a form of C language and you can get a free C compiler from Microchip if you go the PIC route. The one advantage to the Arduino is you can probably find several examples of wiring and code online quickly. I'd do a search for Arduino clocks and I'm sure you'll find several examples and you can pick the one that looks manageable.

 

I wouldlike to do the 60 leds for seconds and 2 circles of 12 for minutes/hours// I just seen that the chip is designed for 7 segs.. if it is possible to get the ic to do the leds I would rather go that route... this is a project my 13 yr old thought up, and he thought up the leds so if its possible without needing a degree I would rather do that.. sorry for the confusion.. would prefer not to have to code for the first one but maybe implement it in clock 2.0.. He got the idea from a hard drive laser like clock he seen on you tube, but then thought up the leds behind a round piece of tinted plexi so the second leds would be the only thing visible along with the minutes and hours all being different colors to represent each one... this would be the ideal outcome.. I was only thinking the 7 segs because I want him to understand the purpose of ic's before micros..

 

I understand 12 LEDs for hours, but it seems a little inconsistent to have 60 LEDs for seconds, and only 12 for minutes. That would allow you to tell exactly what hour it is, and exactly what second it is, but only approximately what minute it is. Or am I missing something?

 

I understand 12 LEDs for hours, but it seems a little inconsistent to have 60 LEDs for seconds, and only 12 for minutes. That would allow you to tell exactly what hour it is, and exactly what second it is, but only approximately what minute it is. Or am I missing something?

haha,, mis type on my behalf,, there will be 60 for everything but hours,, I plan on using RGB LEDs so everything has its own color..

 

yep.. I definetly want to do the LED thing, and I would like to use RGBs to do it all.. can this be converted for the 2061? My local esco actually has the ic in stock... Im getting more stoked the more I think about it. I really don't want it done for me, but some schematics pushing me in the right direction would be awesome. and as usual I will flood this thread with questions. but you guys got me through my super badass psu I built from scratch that does everything I would ever need or want it to do. Thanx for the support. Ive learned so much from everyone here in the last 6 months.

 

to be more specific, I want to run 60 white leds just below the top 60 RGBs, the white will chase for seconds and the RBGs will blue for minutes and red for hours, and maybe turn green when the minutes and hour lands on the same RBG... And im curious, would batteries keep this alive long or should I use a 5v wallwart? I really want to make this happen now,and im going to go buy a couple hundred LEDs and a few of the 2061's.. anything else I like IC related I should to my shopping list or anything else? My parts box has all kinds of transistors and capacitors in it so Ive got a lot parts. im going to get the plexiglass and get it laid out with all the holes for the LEDs laid out. I also read on the nte datasheet theres an alarm clock feature,, I might want to implement this also.. heres the datasheet http://pdf.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheet/nte/NTE2060.pdf .

 

This is true of most clock IC's, however the NTE2061 has the digits and the segments decoded.

Decoded for 7 segment displays, but not for strings of 12 and 60 individual LEDs.

ak

 

I really want to make this happen now,and im going to go buy a couple hundred LEDs and a few of the 2061's

Easy! I think you should slow down, The 2061's won't do what you want they are for 7 segment displays. I suggust you come up with a plan before you buy anything.