nixietube-clock

Clock control software with mpd support for the raspberrypi nixietube board from cathode creations.

nixietube-clock was written to control the RaspberryPi nixie tube from cathode creations, on a raspberrypi.

It could easily be modified to provide the functionalty to some other display, by replacing nixieString() with a function that displays on a different output device.

I've used the mpd integration with mopidy, but it should work with any mpd server local or remote.

Features

• Displays time
• Periodically scrolls in Date Display
• If MPD server is playing music displays songs number and percent complete
• Displays volume setting if MPD changes volume

Setup

1. Install dependencies
   • Python3
   • python-mpd (if mpd integration desired)
   • RPi.GPIO
2. Customize configuration
   • $EDITOR nixietube-clock.py
   • $EDITOR nixietube-clock.service
3. Copy script to install path
   • sudo cp nixietube-clock.py /usr/local/bin/
   • sudo chmod a+x /usr/local/bin/nixietube-clock.py
4. Copy systemd service file into system config
   • sudo cp nixietube-clock.service /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants
5. Have systemd load and start service
   • sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   • sudo systemctl start nixietube-clock.service

Files

Name	Description
nixietube-clock.py	Python program with the main clock control loop
nixietube-clock.service	Systemd service file to enable the clock to launch at boot

ToDo

• Add requirements.txt file [https://pip.readthedocs.io/en/1.1/requirements.html]
• Do not update display if nothing changed
• Replace regular interval sleeps with calculated sleep until next expected display update
• Consider prebuffering display on wake-up then calculate afterward.
• Add command line arguments to control configurable parameters i.e. mpdhostname, port
• Add Weather reports
• Add display to stdout, if requested or RPi.GPIO unavailable
• Come up with better song playback display
• When playback detected, periodically show time
• Remove old nixietube board demo options