UNIAC Boombox Is a Raspberry Pi-Powered Internet Nixie Tube Alarm Clock
The clock streams Spotify tracks, has a pair of IN-13 VU meters to visualize the music, and clickety light-up buttons in front.
Nixie tube clocks have been around for a while, and while they make for great projects that stand out in any room, there is always room for improvement or upgrades. eequalspi's UNIAC (Ultimate Nixie Internet Alarm Clock) is one of those projects and combines an alarm clock with a boombox, giving it an 80’s vibe. eequalspi states that besides keeping time, the UNIAC can stream Spotify, has a robotic voice to relay information, and is equipped with a pair of IN-13 VU meters that react when streaming music.
On the hardware side, the alarm clock was designed around a Raspberry Pi Zero W, along with a PCM5102A module (sound card), a TES-1364H boost module (for the IN-13s), button control board, an ATtiny85, an Adafruit Class-D amplifier board, and a Teensy 3.2 for controlling six IN-12A tubes, eight INS-1 neon bulbs, two IN-13 tubes. eequalspi wired everything together on a custom PCB, which is housed in a molded acrylic enclosure he made using heat and a bending rig.
The front of the UNIAC features several 12V illuminated momentary buttons that were originally designed for industrial applications, but repurposed for programming the clock and navigating Spotify. Sound is pumped through a pair of Boss BRS40 4-inch 50W speakers, which draw power from a TalentCell rechargeable 12V 6000mAh lithium-ion battery pack, making the UNIAC portable as well.
eequalspi has uploaded a detailed walkthrough of his build on his project blog, complete with a link to his GitHub repo for the alarm clock’s code to get things up and running.