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Wise Clock 3 is an open-source, highly hackable geeky clock that shows a lot more than the time. Its main function is to display user-editable quotations retrieved from an SD card (like those used in photo cameras).
In addition, Wise Clock 3 can show the time in "Pong" mode or "Pacman" mode. It can also display the date, including the day of the week and the temperature.
Another catchy function is to show a personalized message (e.g. "Happy birthday"). Wise Clock 3 can be also used as an alarm clock, as a scoreboard or as a countdown timer. To see the other features, please check out the "User manual", the last step of this instructable.
The clock is shown in action here:
Some technical details:
- based on ATmega644P microcontroller;
- open source, published, software and hardware;
- user-programmable through a 6-pin FTDI cable (or breakout);
- uses extremely accurate (+/- 2 minutes per year), temperature-compensated, real time clock chip DS3231;
- multi-color (red, green, orange) display with 32x16 LEDs;
- compatible and programmable with the Arduino IDE.
Wise Clock 3 can be purchased as a complete kit, here .
In addition, Wise Clock 3 can show the time in "Pong" mode or "Pacman" mode. It can also display the date, including the day of the week and the temperature.
Another catchy function is to show a personalized message (e.g. "Happy birthday"). Wise Clock 3 can be also used as an alarm clock, as a scoreboard or as a countdown timer. To see the other features, please check out the "User manual", the last step of this instructable.
Updated Sep 5, 2011
Convert Wise Clock 3 to Night and day clock as described here.
The clock is shown in action here:
Some technical details:
- based on ATmega644P microcontroller;
- open source, published, software and hardware;
- user-programmable through a 6-pin FTDI cable (or breakout);
- uses extremely accurate (+/- 2 minutes per year), temperature-compensated, real time clock chip DS3231;
- multi-color (red, green, orange) display with 32x16 LEDs;
- compatible and programmable with the Arduino IDE.
Wise Clock 3 can be purchased as a complete kit, here .
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Signing UpStep 1The Wise Clock 3 kit - parts list
The complete Wise Clock 3 kit includes (as shown in the photo 1):
- a set of electronic components (see list below) and the PCB;
- the 3216 bi-color LED display from Sure Electronics;
- a pair of laser-cut transparent or smoky plexiglass plates;
- a set of hardware parts (standoffs, nuts, screws, washers).
Photo 2 shows the electronic components of the kit. They are:
- PCB;
- ATmega644P controller with Arduino bootloader (also programmed with the latest version of the software);
- DS3231 real-time-clock (pre-soldered to the board);
- SD card socket (pre-soldered to the board);
- 40-pin socket for the controller;
- 16MHz crystal and 2 capacitors 22pF;
- CR1220 backup battery for RTC;
- holder for the coin battery;
- miniB USB connector;
- 3V3 voltage regulator;
- piezoelectric buzzer;
- 9 resistors 10K;
- 3 resistors 4K7;
- resistor 100 ohms (optional);
- blue LED (optional) - power indicator;
- 4 right-angle micro push buttons;
- 6-pin right-angle male header (FTDI connector);
- 2 x 16-pin female headers (display connectors);
- 3 decoupling capacitors 100nF.
- a set of electronic components (see list below) and the PCB;
- the 3216 bi-color LED display from Sure Electronics;
- a pair of laser-cut transparent or smoky plexiglass plates;
- a set of hardware parts (standoffs, nuts, screws, washers).
Photo 2 shows the electronic components of the kit. They are:
- PCB;
- ATmega644P controller with Arduino bootloader (also programmed with the latest version of the software);
- DS3231 real-time-clock (pre-soldered to the board);
- SD card socket (pre-soldered to the board);
- 40-pin socket for the controller;
- 16MHz crystal and 2 capacitors 22pF;
- CR1220 backup battery for RTC;
- holder for the coin battery;
- miniB USB connector;
- 3V3 voltage regulator;
- piezoelectric buzzer;
- 9 resistors 10K;
- 3 resistors 4K7;
- resistor 100 ohms (optional);
- blue LED (optional) - power indicator;
- 4 right-angle micro push buttons;
- 6-pin right-angle male header (FTDI connector);
- 2 x 16-pin female headers (display connectors);
- 3 decoupling capacitors 100nF.
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I would suggest you pick an Arduino-based schematic (for an alarm clock) that is tested and works, then program it to your needs. You will get great help in the arduino.cc forum.
However what will be the extra cost to ship it to INDIA ?
Somnath
Email: somnathkolkata@hotmail.com
You only need to copy 3 files at the root. These 3 files (message.txt, quotes.txt, time.txt) are found in the folder "copyToSDcard" in the zip file you mentioned.
Please re-format the SD card before you copy the 3 files.
If it is not an SD related issue (can you read the SD cards on a PC?), I would try to make sure, with a multimeter, that all lines from processor to the SD card are intact.
(Schematic is here: http://timewitharduino.blogspot.com/2011/01/introducing-wise-clock-3.html)
Also, does the voltage regulator output 3V3?
Another very important question: did you place the 4k7 resistors in the right places (R5, R6, R7, as shown in the photos in this instructible)? Take out the processor from the socket and measure their values, making sure they are 4K7.
As I said before, you can email me directly ( s o m e o n e at c i f o dot c o m)
So you are saying electrically everything looks good, according to the schematic. Did you check the actual value of the supposed 4K7 resistors (measure their resistance in circuit, should be good enough)?
The email address should work, it's the right one. Also try replacing someone with florin.
Could be a finicky SD card.
Does the clock work in the other modes (pacman, pong)?
Please email me directly (addr in the top right corner of the page timewitharduino.blogspot.com).
You may have the Dec2011 software release, which requires a different set of files on the SD card (please read this post: http://timewitharduino.blogspot.com/2011/12/wise-clock-3-dec-2011-software-release.html)
To format the SD card with FAT16, you can follow this tutorial:
http://www.ladyada.net/make/waveshield/formatcard.htm
Your SD card should be 2GB or smaller to be formatted FAT16.
I hope this helps.
FlorinC
Many thanks and best regards
Vincent
Thank you for your interest.
FlorinC
some queries :
1. Is ATmega644P controller with Arduino bootloader always already pre- programmed ?
Please can you Help me out with Design and Programming work. [any LINK]
Please !
Email : akshayjadhav@live.com ----If required
if you have any sample tutorial or by giving me a LINK to appropriate tutorial on the web.
Would be a Great Help :)
Thank You !
-
akshayjadhav
I see that you are interested in selling kits. I'm sorry but $120 is a very steep price. Have you thought about optimizing the cost a bit?
Ethernet would be a great addition to this project, for automatic time sync, and for weather and stuff like that. Perhaps power it using POE as well
Not really interested in selling the kits, honestly. I am just trying to spread the joy.
$120 is actually well below the "industry standards" for pricing. Try to buy the parts individually and I am sure you will pay more. Try ordering the laser-cut plates yourself. And I did not mention the design and programming work I put in.
How/where do you see the cost optimization (genuine question)? Maybe mass-manufactured in China?
Adding Ethernet would make the kit even more expensive. Also, it would tether it to a computer network. And then it would become an expensive internet device with a LED screen.
You can offer the same kit with SMD resistors, 0805 is ridiculously easy to solder, most people just don't realize it. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xcEG_c0uaM
You should make your own LED matrix module instead of depending on Sure Electronics. It will seem like a heavy investment to make a large batch, but I really think it'll pay off.
Also, you do not need R1, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, use the ATmega's internal pull-up resistors instead
If you run the ATmega at 8 MHz instead of 16, you can eliminate the resonator from your design (use the internal RC oscillator). Plus you can use 3.3V instead of 5V, meaning you can get rid of R2, R3, R4 R5, R6, R7, which form your voltage dividers to the SD card. I highly doubt anybody is going to actually notice any difference in run-time performance
Also use the ATmega644 instead of the ATmega644P if the P version is more expensive. This might save you a few more pennies.
Perhaps look into capacitive touch technology in order to eliminate all the buttons from the design. Try using QTouch with your design.
The cheapest flash memory chip I found on digikey is about $0.67, while the cheapest card holder was $1.15 , so you can consider changing the type of memory you are using. If you are worried that loading text will be too hard for the user without a card slot, then add V-USB to your design and have them do it directly over USB.
The ethernet idea is not economical, but it'll make it cool, I don't recommend it for the kit though
Once you've optimized your bill-of-materials, try asking Seeed Studio for a quote for turning it into a kit, you'll be surprised with how much cheaper the list can get
Sorry about the rant, I might seem overly critical. I honestly think your clock will sell like water if you priced it under $50 somehow.