ukewarrior: check the GPS item in your clock's menu - it should have 3 settings: off, 48, 96. it supports both 4800 and 9600 bps GPS. The Adafruit Ultimate GPS is really good, it's incredibly sensitive. it defaults to 9600 bps.
William
Ice Tube GPS Mod
Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- jarchie
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:16 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
I am one of the few developers who does not post hex files of my firmware, but earlier in this thread there is a detailed description of how to compile xmas under Windows. Along with the xmas firmware, there is also a file called README which explains the essentials of how to compile. (I'm not trying to be obnoxious by "screaming" on the forums.. the file name is literally in all caps so that it stands out.)ukewarrior wrote:The step by step for [compiling clock firmware] is not easy to find.
So on the off chance you were interested in xmas, the resources to compile it are available. And you can always post to this forum for help.
- phild13
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:05 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
If your going to load hex (firmware) file(s) into a chip, you need a certain amount of the 'toolchain' anyway to do that which will also give you the basic stuff necessary to 'make' or compile your own firmware hex files. Once you have compiled firmware once, you will find it very easy to do and not confusing. The firmware authors many times will have various options available to be enabled/disabled in their firmware. By making your own hex files, you can customize the firmware by enabling /disabling options and not necessarily have to rely on the authors preferences in a premade hex file.
- wbp
- Posts: 260
- Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:18 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
he doesn't need to recompile to change options. if the code fits (and it will on a 328p) he's all set, all of the features can be setup in the menu. he's happy that he could use the .hex file, which he has already loaded. why are you guys suggesting he bother with installing anything else, he's already got what he needs, as he said, and was quite happy to have it.
"if it ain't broke..."
"if it ain't broke..."
- jarchie
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:16 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
Apologies if I've stepped on your toes. I did not mean to suggest that ukewarrior should be using my xmas firmware instead of yours. But I do see value in trying different firmwares in order to find the one that best fits a user's preferences, so I wanted to post information that might help with that.wbp wrote:why are you guys suggesting he bother with installing anything else, he's already got what he needs
Also ukewarrior's comment seemed to be an indirect comparison to my firmware, as a lot of posts in this thread deal with xmas and I don't provide a precompiled hex. Since I've spent a fair bit of time documenting, I wanted to point out that the documentation is around and (hopefully) not as difficult to find as ukewarrior posted. Of course, I may be overinterpreting ukewarrior's comment.
I can't speak for PhilD13, but I interpreted his comment as "learning to compile is not all that difficult and is, in general, a worthwhile skill" instead of "ukewarrior should be doing X".
Do you really believe that? You've done a terrific job with your custom firmware, but the Adafruit firmware is okay. Can you see the value of trying different things and seeing what you like the best?wbp wrote:"if it ain't broke..."
I suspect we would all agree that ukewarrior is the only one here who is fit to decide what ukewarrior should be doing.
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- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:38 am
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
Thanks for all the offer of help.
I have built 3 of these clocks and plan to run three different firmwares on them, just for grins.
I'm more of a hardware guy and ordered all my own parts and PCBs from various suppliers and the enclosure from adafruit.
I wasn't commenting on anyones distribution or choice to provide a .hex file or not.
I was only saying what I said. When all you want to do is get your clock up and running, having a hex available is really nice. Sometimes, that's all you want.
I did go back and reread this chain and will someday attempt the tool chain install and compile.
If I had to make any comment at all for you firmware developers, it would be this:
- Don't put options as source code changes in your code. Instead, plan to use the larger uP (328p) memory, and put all of the options in the menus. That way, you CAN provide a hex file that anyone can use at any time.
Please don't take my one suggestion as a criticism. I'm only trying to provide constructive feedback from the perspective of someone that does not plan to change the code; YET, deeply appreciates the improvements in the firmware over the stock adafruit firmware.
Shoot, just the fix for the last digit dimness is worth a hex reload and adding a GPS is simply outstanding !
I applaud everyone's efforts !
What's next? I'd love to see some nixie clock designs that use through hole components and are totally shared unlike most everything else in the nixie community.
I have built 3 of these clocks and plan to run three different firmwares on them, just for grins.
I'm more of a hardware guy and ordered all my own parts and PCBs from various suppliers and the enclosure from adafruit.
I wasn't commenting on anyones distribution or choice to provide a .hex file or not.
I was only saying what I said. When all you want to do is get your clock up and running, having a hex available is really nice. Sometimes, that's all you want.
I did go back and reread this chain and will someday attempt the tool chain install and compile.
If I had to make any comment at all for you firmware developers, it would be this:
- Don't put options as source code changes in your code. Instead, plan to use the larger uP (328p) memory, and put all of the options in the menus. That way, you CAN provide a hex file that anyone can use at any time.
Please don't take my one suggestion as a criticism. I'm only trying to provide constructive feedback from the perspective of someone that does not plan to change the code; YET, deeply appreciates the improvements in the firmware over the stock adafruit firmware.
Shoot, just the fix for the last digit dimness is worth a hex reload and adding a GPS is simply outstanding !
I applaud everyone's efforts !
What's next? I'd love to see some nixie clock designs that use through hole components and are totally shared unlike most everything else in the nixie community.
- jarchie
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:16 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
Wow! If you're that interested in this clock, you might be interested in my xmas design, if you haven't already seen it.ukewarrior wrote:I have built 3 of these clocks and plan to run three different firmwares on them, just for grins.
I'm more of a hardware guy and ordered all my own parts and PCBs from various suppliers and the enclosure from adafruit.
Then I apologize for misinterpreting!ukewarrior wrote:I wasn't commenting on anyones distribution or choice to provide a .hex file or not.
If you know the hardware you'd like to support (e.g. Adafruit clock with dimmer and GPS), I'd be willing to post a compiled version here.ukewarrior wrote:When all you want to do is get your clock up and running, having a hex available is really nice. Sometimes, that's all you want.
Thank you for the suggestion, but I'm not sure that's the best choice for my firmware for three reasons. First, there are already a lot of menu-configurable options, so adding unnecessary extra options would make the interface even more confusing. I already get comments that the many options are confusing, even though the options are documented and well-organized. Second, xmas-icetube supports loads of different hardware configurations, and enabling some of the features through the menus would make the clock nonfunctional. The only way to fix the clock would be to reflash the chip, and I don't like the idea of someone being able to break the clock through the menus. Third, I'm already starting to push the memory limits for the 328p, so putting everything in menus might not be possible. So for those reasons, all hardware-configuration options are compile-time options, so the firmware is simply compiled for a particular clock, and the menu-settable options only include user preferences.ukewarrior wrote:If I had to make any comment at all for you firmware developers, it would be this:
- Don't put options as source code changes in your code. Instead, plan to use the larger uP (328p) memory, and put all of the options in the menus. That way, you CAN provide a hex file that anyone can use at any time.
I hope that helps clarify the reasons behind that particular design decision.
But I like criticism. It often sparks interesting debates!ukewarrior wrote:Please don't take my one suggestion as a criticism.
- phild13
- Posts: 247
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:05 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
Pretty much sums it up as to what I was getting at.I can't speak for PhilD13, but I interpreted his comment as "learning to compile is not all that difficult and is, in general, a worthwhile skill" instead of "ukewarrior should be doing X".
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- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:38 am
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
Has anyone tried to design a micro version of this clock with the IV-21 tube?
- jarchie
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:16 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
Well, yuck. Since William (wbp) has not replied to this thread, I'm worried that I scared him away. Since I know him, I took the liberty of jibing a bit harder than I normally would. I intend for all of my posts to be good-natured, but sometimes they don't come off that way.
So William, if I have offended you, I sincerely apologize. That was certainly not my intent!
So William, if I have offended you, I sincerely apologize. That was certainly not my intent!
I'm not aware of open hardware projects with that tube, but I have seen some prebuilt designs on eBay. I do know that William has done some work on another awesome VFD clock. Perhaps he will chime in.ukewarrior wrote:Has anyone tried to design a micro version of this clock with the IV-21 tube?
- jarchie
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:16 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
If you just want to get xmas-icetube up-and-running, the attached files will do. They include support for GPS and the dimmer mod, but will work fine on an Adafruit Ice Tube Clock v1.1 with or without those mods; you'll just have extra menu options that have no use unless those hardware mods are made. The usage documentation is on the xmas-icetube GitHub page.ukewarrior wrote:When all you want to do is get your clock up and running, having a hex available is really nice. Sometimes, that's all you want.
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- xmas-62fc6c05ef.zip
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- Posts: 14
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Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
I downloaded this firmware and loaded it onto a 328p with the instructions in the readme file.
It works, but there is only one menu option, to set the alarm.
Also, the display seems to be at its very dimmest. (This is not the clock, other firmwares light it up just fine)
Any ideas?
It works, but there is only one menu option, to set the alarm.
Also, the display seems to be at its very dimmest. (This is not the clock, other firmwares light it up just fine)
Any ideas?
- jarchie
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 2:16 pm
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
I suspect you're trying to use the "menu" button to go to the next menu, and the "+" button is used for that. Maybe take a look at the usage documentation? A description of how to set the brightness is also there.ukewarrior wrote:Any ideas?
With xmas firmware, the menu button means "enter menu" or "exit menu." Meanwhile, the plus button means "next."
With the Adafruit firmware, the menu button means "enter menu," "next menu item," or "exit menu," depending on context. Meanwhile, the plus button means "next selected option," "increment selected number," or "exit menu," depending on context.
Last edited by jarchie on Sun Jan 12, 2014 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Posts: 14
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Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
Ah yes ! RTFM.
That always helps.
I was able to brighten the display up.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
That always helps.
I was able to brighten the display up.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
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- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:38 am
Re: Ice Tube GPS Mod
With wbp and jarchie's help, I now have all three of my clocks running.
Thanks.
One with adafruit firmware, one with wbp firmware and one with jarchie firmware.
I'll take a video soon and post the youtube link.
I'm awaiting on a GPS module that I plan to integrate with one of the clocks.
Should be fun.
Thanks.
One with adafruit firmware, one with wbp firmware and one with jarchie firmware.
I'll take a video soon and post the youtube link.
I'm awaiting on a GPS module that I plan to integrate with one of the clocks.
Should be fun.
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.