Binary Clock

Marco Freitag

Unusual clocks are not uncommon in

Elektor Electronics. The version presented
here is based on the binary clock (not yet
on display) in the new Museum of Math-
ematics in Gießen, Germany (www.mm-
gi.de/htdocs/mathematikum/index.php?5
13), but it is entirely compatible with an
ordinary living room. However, the
hours, minutes and seconds have been
further divided into units and tens to
make them easier to read, which yields
six columns: tens of hours, units of hours,
tens of minutes, units of minutes, tens of
seconds, and units of seconds. The val-
ues are read row by row from top to bot-
tom: one, two, four, and eight — in other
words, binary. With a bit of practice, it’s
even possible to quickly and easily read
the time in a single glance.
The supply voltage for the circuit comes
from a simple mains adapter with an ac

IC1
K1 LM7805

+5V
7V...12V B1
R11
390Ω

I = 100mA max.
C3 C1 C2 C4
B80C1500 D21
470µ 100n 100n 47µ
25V 16V
D22

1N4148 Hours Hours Minutes Minutes Seconds Seconds

R12 R1 x 10 x1 x 10 x1 x 10 x1
220Ω

220Ω
+5V
"1"
R2 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6
220Ω
R13 R14 R16 C5
D23
"2"
4k7

4k7

10k

100n D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12

R3
220Ω
14
1N4148 "4"
17
RA0 R4 D13 D14 D15 D16 D17
4 18
MCLR RA1 220Ω
3 1
RTCC RA2
IC2 2 "8"
RA3
D18 D19 D20
11
RB5
10 T1
RB4 R5
13 9
RB7 RB3 1k
12 8 T2
RB6 RB2 R6
PIC16C54 RB1 7
1k
6 T3
RB0 R7
OSC1 OSC2 1k
T4
16 15 5 R8
X1
1k
T5
R9

S1 S2 R15 D24 1k
C6 C7 4MHz C8 T6
4k7

R10
1k
10µ 15p 15p
4V7 16V

6x BC550C 020390 - 11

elektor electronics - 7-8/2006

 020390-1

H1
H2

D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6

D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12

D17
1-093020

020390-1
D13 D14 D15 D16

D18 D19
D20
T2 T3 T5
T4 T6
T1

D23
R10

R16
R5
R6
R7
R8
R9

D24

R4
R3
R2
R1
IC1

IC2

C6
R11

C5

C2
X1
R12
R15
R14
R13

C3
C1
C8

C7

C4
D21
D22

B1
H3

H4

K1 ~ ~ S2 S1

output voltage of 8–15 V at a maximum

output current of 300 mA. The voltage COMPONENTS LIST D1-D20 = LED, low current, colour to
personal taste
must not be rectified, since the micro- D21 = LED
controller uses the frequency of the ac Resistors: D22,D23 = 1N4148
R1-R4,R12 = 220Ω D24 = zener diode 4.7V, 0.5W
voltage (50 Hz) as a clock signal with
R5-R10 = 1kΩ IC1 = LM7805
long-term stability. As PIC16C54 does R11 = 390Ω IC2 = PIC16C54-04/P (programmed,
not have enough output ports to individu- R13,R14,R15 = 4kΩ7 order code 020390-41)
ally drive all of the LEDs, and doing so R16 = 10kΩ T1-T6 = BC550C
would also require several additional
Capacitors: Miscellaneous:
components, the display is multiplexed. C1,C2,C5 = 100nF K1 = 2-way PCB terminal block, lead
In order to nevertheless make the low-cur- C3 = 470µF 25V radial pitch 5mm
rent LEDs nice and bright, the magnitude C4 = 47µF 16V radial S1,S2 = pushbutton, 1 make contact
of the current pulses is made significantly C6 = 10µF 16V radial X1 = 4MHz quartz crystal
C7,C8 = 15pF Project software on disk: order code
higher than the rated current.
020390-11 or Free Download
Buttons S1 and S2 can be used to set the Semiconductors: PCB, order code 020390-1 from The
time. If you press S2, you will arrive at the B1 = B80C1500 (80V piv, 1.5A) PCBShop
setting menu after a brief LED test (all LEDs
on). The value of the first column can now
be set to any desired value using S2. the components to the board couldn’t be should only be soldered after the LEDs
Pressing S1 takes you to the next column. easier, although you mustn’t overlook the are all nicely lined up.
This continues in the same manner until set of nine wire bridges. As one of them The board can be displayed ‘bare’ or fit-
the configuration mode is exited after the is underneath the microcontroller, the lat- ted into a small plastic enclosure. A
final column. The clock will continue to ter must be fitted with a socket. The LEDs transparent enclosure is quite practical,
run, starting with the newly set value. should initially be fitted with only one since it eliminates the need to drill holes
We have designed a printed circuit lead soldered in place, after which they for the LEDs.
board layout for the binary clock. Fitting must be aligned. The remaining leads (020390-1)

7-8/2006 - elektor electronics