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Update: definitely a hardware problem with that specific chip.  I started having odd behavior with the I2C, and ended up swapping out the microcontroller chip.  That chip was actually the first one I ever bought, and I was going to put it into this project as its retirement plan.  So, apparently these things wear out, which I did not know.

Glad you found the problem!

Update: definitely a hardware problem with that specific chip.  I started having odd behavior with the I2C, and ended up swapping out the microcontroller chip.  That chip was actually the first one I ever bought, and I was going to put it into this project as its retirement plan.  So, apparently these things wear out, which I did not know.

Poxin, Any update on this.. I'm back in the saddle and wanted to know if you have any updates on your build.

- Emblazed.

ohnoezitasploded,

This code worked fine in the multiple base AurdiNIX kit setup. It's great you found a solution.

- Emblazed.

Mega, Im with nonentity, give it a try. I think you will find that you are correct and this will work.

..

Emblazed.

adm,

The ArduiNIX is not a clock.. but by coding your Arduino you can make it one. If you look at our simple clock code you will notice we just use the time functions off the Arduino. You can think of ArduiNIX as a driver for the tubes and you come up with what is displayed.

Hope that helps.

- Emblazed

I ended up moving the offending input to another pin, and it's working fine.  Probably a hardware issue specific to my setup, but I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has this issue.

Sorry double post.  Mods, please delete this thread.

I'm working on my build using an Arduino Really Bare Bones Board (RBBB).  I've got an interesting behavior here when I try to add in some tact switches for a time set routine and blank the display.

I have the switches hooked into pins 2 and 3, so that I can use the external interrupts to trigger the respective routines.  Pin  2 works fine, but pin 3 toggles randomly, as if it was left floating rather than tied to high with the internal pull-up resistors.

I can't reproduce the problem on my standard Arduino board with Atmega328, only on the RBBB, which has an Atmega168.  What's really crazy?  The problem persists even when I just tie that pin off to the 5V supply.

By selectively commenting out parts of the code, the problem seems to be somewhere in the DisplayNumberSet() routine, but I can't figure out exactly where. 

I have two theories-- one is that that fancy pointer business you have in the code is somehow accessing the register for that pin.  The other is that I have somehow inadvertently killed that pin on the hardware side, and now it just floats.

Thoughts?  Code follows:

Code:

//
// Arduinix 6 bulb
//
// This code runs a six bulb setup and displays a prototype clock setup.
// NOTE: the delay is setup for IN-17 nixie bulbs.
//
// by Jeremy Howa
// www.robotpirate.com
// www.arduinix.com
// 2008
//
//
//

// SN74141 : True Table (stock)
//D C B A #
//L,L,L,L 0
//L,L,L,H 1
//L,L,H,L 2
//L,L,H,H 3
//L,H,L,L 4
//L,H,L,H 5
//L,H,H,L 6
//L,H,H,H 7
//H,L,L,L 8
//H,L,L,H 9

// SN74141 : True Table (modified)
//D C B A #
//L,L,L,L 4
//L,L,L,H 6
//L,L,H,L 8
//L,L,H,H 9
//L,H,L,L 7
//L,H,L,H 0
//L,H,H,L 2
//L,H,H,H 3
//H,L,L,L 5
//H,L,L,H 1


// SN74141 (1)
int ledPin_1_a = 14;               
int ledPin_1_b = 13;
int ledPin_1_c = 6;
int ledPin_1_d = 10;
// SN74141 (2)
int ledPin_2_a = 18;               
int ledPin_2_b = 17;
int ledPin_2_c = 16;
int ledPin_2_d = 15;
// anod pins
int ledPin_a_1 = 7;
int ledPin_a_2 = 8;
int ledPin_a_3 = 9;


// Defines
long MINS = 60;         // 60 Seconds in a Min.
long HOURS = 60 * MINS; // 60 Mins in an hour.
long DAYS = 24 * HOURS; // 24 Hours in a day. > Note: change the 24 to a 12 for non millitary time.

long runTime = 0;       // Time from when we started.

//       default time sets.
//       The values you see here would be what you change
//       if you added a set clock inputs to the board.
long clockHourSet = 12;
long clockMinSet  = 34;
long clockSecSet  = 00;

byte timeset = 0;
boolean displayblank = 0;


#define TIME_SET 3
#define DISPLAY_BLANK 2
#define TIME_UP 1
#define TIME_DOWN 0

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
 
  //Sets up the time and display controls to be inputs with internal pull-up resistors enabled
  pinMode(TIME_DOWN, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(TIME_DOWN, HIGH);

  pinMode(TIME_UP, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(TIME_UP, HIGH);

  pinMode(TIME_SET, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(TIME_SET, HIGH);

  pinMode(DISPLAY_BLANK, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(DISPLAY_BLANK, HIGH);

  /* One hardware interrupt will be used to trigger the time-set routine, the other
   * to blank the display.
   */
  //PIN 2
  attachInterrupt(0, displayBlankISR, LOW);
  //PIN 3
  attachInterrupt(1, timeSetISR, LOW);
  interrupts();
 
  pinMode(ledPin_1_a, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_1_b, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_1_c, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_1_d, OUTPUT);   
 
  pinMode(ledPin_2_a, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_2_b, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_2_c, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_2_d, OUTPUT);     
 
  pinMode(ledPin_a_1, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_a_2, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(ledPin_a_3, OUTPUT);     
 
  }// end setup()

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// DisplayNumberSet
// Use: Passing anod number, and number for bulb 1 and bulb 2, this function
//      looks up the truth table and opens the correct outs from the arduino
//      to light the numbers given to this funciton (num1,num2).
//      On a 6 nixie bulb setup.
//
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void DisplayNumberSet( int anod, int num1, int num2 ) {
  int anodPin;
  int a,b,c,d;
 
  // set defaults.
  a=0;b=0;c=0;d=0; // will display a zero.
  anodPin =  ledPin_a_1;     // default on first anod.
 
  // Select what anod to fire.
  switch( anod ) {
    case 0:    anodPin =  ledPin_a_1;    break;
    case 1:    anodPin =  ledPin_a_2;    break;
    case 2:    anodPin =  ledPin_a_3;    break;
    } 
 
  // Load the a,b,c,d.. to send to the SN74141 IC (1)
  switch( num1 ) {
    case 0: d=0; c=1; b=0; a=1;  break;
    case 1: d=1; c=0; b=0; a=1;  break;
    case 2: d=0; c=1; b=1; a=0;  break;
    case 3: d=0; c=1; b=1; a=1;  break;
    case 4: d=0; c=0; b=0; a=0;  break;
    case 5: d=1; c=0; b=0; a=0;  break;
    case 6: d=0; c=0; b=0; a=1;  break;
    case 7: d=0; c=1; b=0; a=0;  break;
    case 8: d=0; c=0; b=1; a=0;  break;
    case 9: d=0; c=0; b=1; a=1;  break;
    } 
 
  // Write to output pins.
  digitalWrite(ledPin_1_d, d);
  digitalWrite(ledPin_1_c, c);
  digitalWrite(ledPin_1_b, b);
  digitalWrite(ledPin_1_a, a);
 
  // Load the a,b,c,d.. to send to the SN74141 IC (2)
  switch( num2 ) {
    case 0: d=0; c=1; b=0; a=1;  break;
    case 1: d=1; c=0; b=0; a=1;  break;
    case 2: d=0; c=1; b=1; a=0;  break;
    case 3: d=0; c=1; b=1; a=1;  break;
    case 4: d=0; c=0; b=0; a=0;  break;
    case 5: d=1; c=0; b=0; a=0;  break;
    case 6: d=0; c=0; b=0; a=1;  break;
    case 7: d=0; c=1; b=0; a=0;  break;
    case 8: d=0; c=0; b=1; a=0;  break;
    case 9: d=0; c=0; b=1; a=1;  break;
    }
 
  // Write to output pins
  digitalWrite(ledPin_2_d, d);
  digitalWrite(ledPin_2_c, c);
  digitalWrite(ledPin_2_b, b);
  digitalWrite(ledPin_2_a, a);

  // Turn on this anod.
  digitalWrite(anodPin, HIGH);   

  // Delay
  // NOTE: With the differnce in Nixie bulbs you may have to change
  //       this delay to set the update speed of the bulbs. If you
  //       dont wait long enough the bulb will be dim or not light at all
  //       you want to set this delay just right so that you have
  //       nice bright output yet quick enough so that you can multiplex with
  //       more bulbs.
  delay(3);
 
  // Shut off this anod.
  digitalWrite(anodPin, LOW);
  }//end DisplayNumberSet()

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// DisplayNumberString
// Use: passing an array that is 8 elements long will display numbers
//      on a 6 nixie bulb setup.
//
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void DisplayNumberString( int* array )
{
  // bank 1 (bulb 0,3)
  DisplayNumberSet(0,array[0],array[3]);   
  // bank 2 (bulb 1,4)
  DisplayNumberSet(1,array[1],array[4]);   
  // bank 3 (bulb 2,5)
  DisplayNumberSet(2,array[2],array[5]);   
}

void loop() {

  // Get milliseconds.
  runTime = millis();

  // Get time in seconds.
  long time = (runTime) / 1000;

  // Set time based on offset..
  long hbump = 60*60*clockHourSet;
  long mbump = 60*clockMinSet;
  time += mbump + hbump + clockSecSet;

  // Convert time to days,hours,mins,seconds
  long days  = time / DAYS;    time -= days  * DAYS;
  long hours = time / HOURS;   time -= hours * HOURS;
  long minutes  = time / MINS;    time -= minutes  * MINS;
  long seconds  = time;

  // Get the high and low order values for hours,min,seconds.
  int lowerHours = hours % 10;
  int upperHours = hours - lowerHours;
  int lowerMins = minutes % 10;
  int upperMins = minutes - lowerMins;
  int lowerSeconds = seconds % 10;
  int upperSeconds = seconds - lowerSeconds;
  if( upperSeconds >= 10 )   upperSeconds = upperSeconds / 10;
  if( upperMins >= 10 )      upperMins = upperMins / 10;
  if( upperHours >= 10 )     upperHours = upperHours / 10;

  // Fill in the Number array used to display on the tubes.
  int NumberArray[6]={0,0,0,0,0,0};
  NumberArray[0] = upperHours;
  NumberArray[1] = lowerHours;
  NumberArray[2] = upperMins;
  NumberArray[3] = lowerMins;
  NumberArray[4] = upperSeconds;
  NumberArray[5] = lowerSeconds;

  // Display.
  DisplayNumberString( NumberArray );

  Serial.print(displayblank, DEC);
  Serial.print("  ");
  Serial.println(timeset, DEC);
 
  }//end loop()


void timeSetISR() {
  //since we will need delay() and the like, don't do our time set routine in the ISR
  timeset++;
  }
 
 
void displayBlankISR() {
  displayblank++;
  }
 

I'm working on my build using an Arduino Really Bare Bones Board (RBBB).  I've got an interesting behavior here when I try to add in some tact switches for a time set routine and blank the display.

I have the switches hooked into pins 2 and 3, so that I can use the external interrupts to trigger the respective routines.  Pin  2 works fine, but pin 3 toggles randomly, as if it was left floating rather than tied to high with the internal pull-up resistors.

I can't reproduce the problem on my standard Arduino board with Atmega328, only on the RBBB, which has an Atmega168.  What's really crazy?  The problem persists even when I just tie that pin off to the 5V supply.

By selectively commenting out parts of the code, the problem seems to be somewhere in the DisplayNumberSet() routine, but I can't figure out exactly where. 

I have two theories-- one is that that fancy pointer business you have in the code is somehow accessing the register for that pin.  The other is that I have somehow inadvertently killed that pin on the hardware side, and now it just floats.

Thoughts?  I'll post my code in the following post.