Digital Clock
Attempting to make a fully discrete digial logic clock.
Build with 14/16 DIP ICs and using a 32.768 kHz crystal oscillator to keep time.
No microcontrollers, or firmware.
Made with KiCad.
Circuit
AS OF 2026-10-10 THIS STILL NEEDS TO BE TESTED AND VERIFIED
7 Segment Display
Each display is powered by a SN74LS247N with a common annode 7 segment display with an array of resistors between each segment.
1Hz Clock
The clock was designed using a CD4060BE and a 32.768 crystal.
The output only divided to 2Hz so an additional CD4013BE flip-flop was required to divide it into a 1Hz signal we can use for the clock.
< Connor Insert image >
PWM
PWM control was added to control the brightness of the 7 segment displays as well as the clock’s colon LEDs.
It is designed using a TLC555N driving a 2N7000 transistor for the common cathode of all the LEDs.
< Connor insert image >
Counter Logic
The counting circuit was designed using a CD4518BE BCD (Binary-Coded Decimal) counter. This means it goes from 0-9 and after 9 it resets back to 0.
Not all digits need to go from 0-9:
- Seconds Tens digit -> Need to reset after 0-5
- Minutes Tens digit -> Need to reset after 0-5
- Hour (ones and tens digit) -> Need to reset after hours reach 0-23