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Electronics USA Vintage Digital Clock Museum

Novus Model 500A-6-P (USA)

Novus was the consumer products division of National Semiconductor

Estimated years produced: 1975

Original Price: Unknown

MM5375AG/N clock chip, with 75492 and 75493 LED driver chips

Alarm function

Power failure indication

Auto display dimming

12 hour time format only

This clock is unusual in that it offers a six digit display (hours, minutes, seconds) and an alarm function! This was, and still is to this day, unusual for an assembled consumer product. Yes, Heathkit offered six digit alarm clocks, but they were kits requiring assembly. Most alarm clocks consist of a simple four digit display of hours and minutes. In fact, Novus also produced a four digit version, the 500A-4-P, which used the same exact case and larger size LEDs.

The Novus 500A-6-P used the MM5375AG/N, a clock chip that was more functional than the already aging and far less functional MM5314N which was popular during this era.

It is interesting to note that this clock has a power interruption indicator, using a 2 Hertz flashing LED to the left of the 10's of minutes digit. But I suppose they still had not figured out a way to provide battery back up timing in the event of a power outage. It's an important feature we take for granted with our current alarm clocks today!

Novus Model 500A-6-E (USA)

Expensive, high build quality executive level gift version of the 500A-6-A.

Beautiful design, with what appears to be a heavy, thick, brushed aluminum enclosure, accented on the sides with real wood pieces, not a faux wood veneer.

Estimated years produced: 1974

Original Price: Unknown

Similar if not identical interior electronics as the 500A-6-A. See above.

Weight: 1.9 lbs! It's solid and robust.

Alarm function

Power failure indication

Auto display dimming

12 hour time format only

This may very well may be the most interesting clock on this webpage, not only because of its beautiful design, but also because of our discovery to learn that the legendary Swiss made Heuer digital clocks had some competition back in the mid 1970's! Like the Heuer clocks, Novus seemingly was attempting to offer a special high end digital clock targeted as an "executive level" gift. The "E" in its model number probably designated this distinction. Here we try to capture this unique clock's essence with two separate photos. It is not an easy clock to properly photograph. Overall, it was a very fine effort by Novus (National Semiconductor) to offer this clock. It's difficult to beat those Heurer clocks and their gorgeous large Panaplex displays and cutting edge modern designs. But Novus deserves a big round of applause - a very fine clock indeed.

ArcherKit Model 28-4040 (Japan)

Sold by Radio Shack as an electronic kit

Years produced: 1974 only

Original Price: $59.95

MM5314N clock chip

DG-12H VFD tube displays

This is a really cool clock! It was sold by Radio Shack and offered only as an electronic kit. It was an interesting period in the history of digital clocks. LEDs were becoming more common, and Nixie displays were long gone by this time. But this ArcherKit clock used six individual Japanese manufactured DG-12H Vacuum Flourescent Display tubes to display hours, minutes, and seconds. These displays are beautiful to look at, especially in dim lighting.

Optoelectronics Inc. Model 850-4 (USA)

Sold as an electronic kit via ads in electronics magazines

Estimated years produced: 1975 - 1977

Original Price: $23.50

MM5314N clock chip

Fairchild FND-359 LED displays

This is one of the first products produced by Optoelectonics Inc., a company that is well known today for RF test and measurement instruments. And it's a gem of a cool digital clock! They offered different kits for sale, but this was their "See The Works" model, a kit that caught the attention of many kit builders and electronics hobbyists in the mid 70's because it was really cool looking. The circuit board is mounted between two clear plexiglas panels. Unfortunately, over time, the original multiplexing transistors fail. This one was built in 1977, and four transistors failed over the years. So we really wonder how many of these are still ticking today. Sadly, I think many of them ended up as land fill as we rarely see the 850-4 come up for sale.

Ramsey Electronics Model DC-5 (USA)

Sold as an electronic kit via ads in electronics hobbyist magazines

Estimated years produced: 1975 - 1979

Original Price: $22.95

MM5314N clock chip

Fairchild FND-359 LED displays

I would venture to say this was the most popular low cost digital clock kit of the 1970's - iconic in this class of clocks. The beautiful aluminum machined case was a great selling point, and very difficult for the competition to beat! The case was available in gold, silver, bronze, black and blue (pictured). It was also lower in price than some of the comparable clock kits of this era. In my high school electronics class, in 1977, most of the kids bought this model. I was different because I built the above Optoelectronics 850-4, which I still think is cooler looking, but the DC-5 is certainly beautiful.

Caringella Electronics Model SSC-1 (USA)

Sold fully assembled or as an electronic kit

Estimated years produced: 1974 - 1975

Original Price: 59.95 for the kit.

Litronix DL-747 (large) and DL-707 (small) LED displays

MM5314N clock chip

This beautiful six digit clock has a wooden case and is very well made. Like the above clocks, it also uses the 60 Hertz line frequency as its timebase for keeping time. CEI produced several other clocks, and a unique WWV shortwave time signal receiver! Great stuff. Stay tuned for more information on this clock, plus a video will be produced as well.

Data Time Inc. "Venus" Nixie Clock (USA)

Sold fully assembled as a premium gift item

Estimated years produced: Early 1970's

Original Price: $150.00 ($918 in 2019 dollars!)

Not electronic. Electro-mechanical design uses a synchronous motor

Uses Philips ZM1005 nixie tube displays

This beautiful nixie clock was produced by Data Time Inc., a company that was based in Beaverton and Portland, Oregon, USA. Information on this company is scarce, with rare instances of their products showing up on the famous auction site. Our research shows they produced at least six different clock models: The Venus (featured here), Gemini, Jupiter, Libra, Orion, Pegasus, and the World Clock model. The Venus keeps excellent time with its 60 Hertz synchronous motor. It runs quietly, with some pleasant ticking and clicking sounds. But the star of the show is when it changes time - a really cool "clunk" type sound eminates from its very nice and elegant mahogany wood and smoked acrylic plastic case. The Venus is an enjoyable clock.

Optoelectronics Model 5314-5 Clock Kit (USA)

Sold as an electronic kit, pictured with optional case

Estimated years produced: mid to late 1970's

Original Price: $19.95 plus $6.95 for the case

Uniquely shaped acrylic case which served as both the red bezel for the displays and a chassis for the clock. It's nicely designed, efficient, and effective.

MM5314N clock chip

Fairchild FND-503 LED displays.

This clock kit was widely marketed in Ham Radio and electronics hobbyist magazines back in the mid to late 70's. It was their "Jumbo Digital Clock Kit" which featured the larger 0.50 inch FND-503 red LED displays compared to the 0.25 and 0.40 inch display kits which Optoelectronics also offered for sale. Unlike the 850-4 (featured above on this page) which had an external wall transformer, this clock has an internal transformer mounted in the case and is directly wired to 120 volts AC. It uses the 60 Hertz AC line frequency as its timebase.

Seth Thomas Model 869 "Solid State" (USA)

An electronic member of the famous and venerable Seth Thomas family of clocks

Production year: 1973

Original Price: Unknown

A unique and somewhat mysterious looking clock design with faux wood plastic

MM5314N clock chip

Sperry planar gas discharge displays: SP-151 for the hours and minutes, and SP-332 for the seconds. These are good examples of "Panaplex" displays.

Well, this vintage digital clock is quite a gem, and a VERY unique offering from Seth Thomas. We believe this is the only clock they ever made with a six digit display featuring hours, minutes, and seconds! Mechanically, it's a somewhat fragile design, as the plastic that "clamps" to the weighted base has a little play to it, moving around slightly from side to side. The electronics are in the top part of course, where a small AC transformer is on the circuit board along with the ubiquitous for its time period National Semiconductor MM5314N clock chip. It has all the hallmarks of the good ol' 5314 - the Fast setting (hours advance, while minutes rapidly advance), Slow setting (minutes advance, while the seconds rapidly advance), and of course Hold, for stopping the seconds count. It also has the 5314's distinct "b" shape for the 6 digit, and q shape for the 9. The 869 functions very basically, as there is no alarm function on this clock, and it is permanently set for 12 hour time format. The Sperry manufactured displays for the hours and minutes have "AM and PM" indicators but they are not used. The MM5314N does not have the capability to display this at all.