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Programmable Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD)

Posted by timothy on from the dashboard-toy dept.

An anonymous reader writes "There is a review of a programmable Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD). It is used to monitor computer related stats e.g. temperture, voltages, uptime etc. The article can be found here. Looks like an interesting toy!"

6 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Something a bit cheaper... by tchuladdiass · · Score: 4, Informative

    Pick up any HD44780 compatible LCD, and hook it up to your parallel port. There's a driver for linux that controls this using the same commands that Matrix Orbital uses. However, a 20x4 LCD will run less than $10.00 at many on-line parts houses. I use one for my digital jukebox project.

  2. Re:So... um... why? by cybermace5 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Well, it actually does require software to give that info. It connects via serial port, see? It's not tied in to the chipset.

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  3. Re:how much is it? by Gudlyf · · Score: 4, Informative

    $123 direct from their site. Not worth it, IMO.

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  4. Interesting Power Requirements by Angry+Black+Man · · Score: 3, Informative

    Displays are really popular things today. They're always trying to come up with something brighter and more efficient. These VFDs take the crown from the relatively new OLED technology. They operate at a wider temperature range (some research I did shows -20 C to 70 C). They also use less voltage (around 5VDC as compared to 8 of most OLEDs).

    VFDs sound like the perfect backlighting technology to go into everything from phones to handheld consoles (the Gameboy Advance is seriously in need of something like this) as they would go easier on battery life thanks to the minute power draw and low temperature.

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    the byproduct of years of oppression by the white man
  5. More Info by limekiller4 · · Score: 3, Informative
    For those of you seriously considering getting one, another review can be found:

    http://www.bit-tech.net/review/77/

    ...and can be purchased here:

    http://www.matrixorbital.com/products/vk204-25.htm

    The Slashdot-linked review didn't seem to have the price, either, and that is listed as between $123.12 and $148.12, depending on what features you wanted.

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    Limekiller
  6. Re:Odd.... by cybermace5 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Apparently, you understand neither technology.

    CRT: Fluorescent material glows when struck by electrons from a cathode in a vacuum tube.

    VFD: Fluorescent material glows when struck by electrons from a cathode in a vacuum tube.

    The only difference is that the CRT electrons are steered across the surface of the display with coils. The VFD simply places cathodes near a corresponding phosphorescent element.

    So...not quite as different as you believe.

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