[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hxZRCponks&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0][Mark Roy] designed this fine RGB LED desktop clock. It uses a PIC16F877A microcontroller and a DS1307N Real Time Clock. There is a ring of 12 RGB LEDs around the perimeter. Hours are indicated in red, minutes green, and seconds blue. If the hands overlap, the colors are mixed. Three buttons are used to set the time and it can run on as little as 0.7volts. You can find out more about the project on Stellar Core. He has plans to kit it in the future.
11 thoughts on “RGB Desktop Clock”
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now thats awesome.
how on 0.7v though?
Very Cool!
The clock uses a max1675 switching mode power supply that is cabable of boosting the voltage from 0.7V to 5V (or 3.3V).
The converter works by essentially charging an inductor and when it discharges, the voltage is dependant on the rate of change of current and not the input voltage, thus allowing for output voltages that differ from the input. Check wikipedia’s entry on boost converters for more details.
First comment – just had to say very cool.
Wooo!
The Decemberists in the background!
My fav band :D
i don’t care for it sleeping to save power but it looks great while its on
Some people have mentioned the issue with the going to sleep periodically.
I’d like to mention that I was thinking a solution to this would be to add a power jack or USB cable to allow the clock to be powered continuously. The beuty of the power supply is that you can give it upto 5V without any problems.
very cool mark. i’d recommend including the optional possibility of USB power supply before you release the kit. have you put any work/thought into an enclosure?
@Mark
Great idea and execution! I’d love to make/have one on my desk.
This is not meant as an insult, just a tip for “next time”:
If you can, put your webcam software into “mirror” mode (or use an actual mirror if it’s handy) and it will be easier to keep the item you’re demo’ing on the screen and to refer to its features.
Just thought I’d mention it…
Keep up the good work!
that is slick.
really really nice work there man.
Very very cool.
One thought I immediately had was (being I a fan of TokyoFlash LED watches, have one right here) that this is a great candidate for conversion to a watch.
Do you think it’s possible to squeeze the pcb a lot smaller, and get the voltage needed down to that supplyable with a standard watch battery…
It’d be the coolest watch ever!
It’s already the coolest clock!