Frequently Asked Questions

Which one should I buy?
This is really a difficult question. Some like apples, others might like pears.
Fleurie comes with digital numbers, ocean-blue color and very bright display. If you wish to use it in a very sunny location, Fleurie might be more visible than Pixie. But it won't bother you during the night, as it can automatically adjust it's brightness.
Pixie, on the other hand has analog, rounded digits, orange display and is a bit dimmer than Fleurie. Also, it does not have automatic brightness adjustment (due to technology's limitation).

Why such a "high" price? Chinese kits are as low as $150.
For multiple reasons.

Firstly, those kits usually do not come with original tubes. Original tubes are kind of pricey, considering that they are not actively manufactured any more for almost 30 years.

The enclosure is entirely hand made out of high quality wood, laquer and paint. Due to this, there are no two identical units. In case of hand made products, it's not possible to drop the price as low as when it's manufactured mainstream in high quantities.

Our time keepers connect to the internet and syncronize with NTP time servers to provide highly accurate time. The software has higher complexity and needed more work to be finished.

Will it work without an active internet connection?
No!
In order to have a very accurate time, our Time Keepers query the time server (NTP) that was set up earlier every 10 minutes and adjusts itself automatically. In case the connection is interrupted, it will keep it's local time, however if it's restarted (unplugged/replugged), then it will try to connect to the AP again. If it fails, it will create and AP on it's own to be able to connect it via a mobile phone and set it up.

Can I change the timeserver? What about the timezone?
You can change both!
It could be that some NTP servers will be discontinued in the future. In this case you should search for another address (Just Google "ntp server address"). Also, the timezone can be and must be changed, otherwise the time that is displayed won't be accurate.

Can I change the brightness?
Fleurie not only can change it's brightness, it has a light sensor and can adapt it's brightness automatically, based on the ambient light. It's also possible to set a fixed brightness using the web interface.
Pixie has fixed brightness, due to the nature of the nixie tubes. However, keep in mind that nixie tubes discretely glow in the dark and are not as intrusive as LED displays, for example. It's possible however to set from the web interface a timeframe where it switches off it's display. In case you need complete darkness during the night.
Check out the picture gallery, for more details.

What is a "timeserver" ?
According to Wikipedia: "The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is a networking protocol for clock synchronization between computer systems over packet-switched, variable-latency data networks. In operation since before 1985, NTP is one of the oldest Internet protocols in current use. NTP was designed by David L. Mills of the University of Delaware. NTP is intended to synchronize all participating computers to within a few milliseconds of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). It uses the intersection algorithm, a modified version of Marzullo's algorithm, to select accurate time servers and is designed to mitigate the effects of variable network latency. NTP can usually maintain time to within tens of milliseconds over the public Internet, and can achieve better than one millisecond accuracy in local area networks under ideal conditions. Asymmetric routes and network congestion can cause errors of 100 ms or more."

Do they have "CE" certificate?
The AC adapter has CE certificate, but the Time Keepers do not.
It's very expensive to get a CE certificate and we are just not big enough to afford it. Out products are designed to be safe using high standards and it's likelihood to catch fire is very low to inexistent. But make sure to properly dispose them when they reach end-of-life.

What mains plug does it ship with?
The time keepers are shipped with "Schuko" plugs. A Schuko plug features two round pins of 4.8 mm diameter (19 mm long, centers 19 mm apart) for the line and neutral contacts, plus two flat contact areas on the top and bottom side of the plug for protective earth. In case your country needs a different plug, you will have to buy an adapter. We don't recommend using it with a different adapter, but if you really need it, make sure it can deliver at least 2A.

What is the lifetime of these tubes?
VFD tubes have a lifetime of around 30.000 hours, while nixie tubes can last as up to 300.000 hours, as long as they do not suffer mechanical damage (LEDs last for around 30.000 hours, as a comparison). If the glass is damaged, the vacuum (VFD) or the neon gas (nixie) will escape and the tube won't work any more. So don't drop the unit!

We need our company logo engraved on the copper plate!
We're pretty confident that it will be a classy gift, either for your best employees or for your business partners. And of course, you can put your company's custom logo on the upper plate (but you will have to keep our small logo on the front), as long as it fits. Just contact us using the form and to discuss the details.

We need a bigger volume. How fast can you manufacture?
As you might have read on the About page, we are a small team consisting of only 3 people and we're doing this as a hobby project. There are usually 1-2 units ready. In case you need more, contact us and we can discuss the delivery date.

What payments are accepted?
You can pay via PayPal, Revolute or buy from ebay. . Bank transfers are also possible, but they're usually slow (2-3 days to one week).