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    Old Nixie tubes hacked into glowing, electric chess set

    Old Nixie tubes hacked into glowing, electric chess set

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    Nixie tubes aren't exactly the most cutting-edge technology, but there's something to be said for their retro-futuristic glow and style. Enterprising hackers have make clocks out of these tubes, as the cathodes contained inside are often shaped like numerals — but for something different, take a look at this Nixie tube chess set.

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    Nixie Tube chess set
    Nixie Tube chess set

    Nixie tubes aren't exactly the most cutting-edge technology, but there's something to be said for their retro-futuristic glow and style. Enterprising hackers have make clocks out of these tubes, as the cathodes contained inside are often shaped like numerals — but for something different, take a look at this Nixie tube chess set. This hacker built a full-sized chess board along with two sets of pieces that are made from Nixie tubes. Rather than use tubes with numerals, this chess board features ex-Soviet tubes manufactured in the early 80s that display scientific symbols — each symbol corresponds to a different piece on the chess set. Perhaps the coolest thing about this chess board is how the tubes light up when placed on the board, with no wires required, making the board a feasible solution for playing a game.

    While the symbols are a little tougher to discern than traditional chess pieces with different physical shapes, this board certainly has a wow-factor not seen in your average set. The board's creator has posted a number of striking photos of his set, as well as a few videos of it in action which can be seen below. If that's not enough, Tony (the board's creator) says that he is planning to put together Nixie chessboard kits for those who want to built there own — but be warned, it's not for beginners.