

These lights are situated on the display so that they display two sets of two digit numbers. But the light segments are designed to be able to light up in any array to display the numbers 0 to 9. For instance, the number 8 uses all 7 lights. This LED or LCD light display is called a “7-segment display.” This is because there are seven segments that can light up to display a number. Each of the counters is connected to an electronic chip that signals to the display which uses lights to display the time.

The six counter sets up the hours, since it counts for 6 sets of 10 – or 60. This sets up the 1 Hertz signal so that it can pass seconds because the actual definition of 1 Hertz is one oscillation for each second. The first counter will count one for each set of ten oscillations, and the other one will count one for each six “tens” oscillations.
Simple digital clock series#
By using a series of counters, the oscillations from a 60 Hertz oscillator is reduced to a 1 Hertz oscillation. The sound which is heard at a regular frequency is then converted into an electronic signal. As an electric charge passes through the crystal, it will change shape slightly and make a very light sound. In a digital clock, this is usually provided by using a crystal which is made out of glass. It will use either Light Emitting Diodes (LED) or a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) to display the lighted time.Īn oscillator is needed for any type of clock to work. And for the display the digital clock typically uses one of two kinds of lights. And a digital clock has an electronic “gear mechanism” usually called a counter. It also has a time base that is electronic and “ticks” at an accurate rate. For instance, digital clocks use an electronic power supply, either AC power from an outlet in the wall or from a battery. Some way of displaying the time (analog clocks use a face and hands, digital uses a lighted display)ĭigital clocks are not a lot different than analog clocks except that they handle the basic time keeping functions using all electronic components instead of mechanically.Components which break down the time base into components: seconds, minutes and hours.A time-base or counter that keeps time and is the heart of the clock, or its heartbeat.No matter what types of technology or electrical components are used in a clock they will all share these features or qualities that make them a clock or a time keeping piece: No matter what type of clock is being considered, they all have some components in common. They both tell time, hopefully accurately, but what makes these two types of time pieces different? What makes a digital clock work?Ĭomponents Associated with all types of Clocks There’s no doubt that various types of timing devices have undergone changes over the last few years and with the rise of mobile devices, which are totally digital, there are fewer analog clocks. Analog clocks are not as popular as the whole world seems to be switching to digital options.
