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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!"

10 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Pr0n Meter by syntap · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now you can watch your hard drive space count down to nothing in real time!

  2. So... um... why? by WPIDalamar · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Is it just the coolness factor? Or is there another reason to have one?

    1. Re:So... um... why? by Zathrus · · Score: 5, Interesting

      About the only reason I can see to use one of these (at least, once you get out of the geek subset that's into case modding) is for a home theater PC. Having an HTPC that could display current input, current song/video playing with time elapsed, etc. would be nice. And most LCDs have a visibility measured in inches (centimeters) rather than feet (meters).

      Would probably want to be able to turn the brightness down though, since if it's too bright it's distracting in a darkened room.

      And, all of that said, this display is too large to be used for most HTPCs -- the display itself is about the right size, but requiring 2 5.25" drive bays kills it.

  3. Odd.... by cybermace5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's kind of interesting, how these case displays seem to be so popular.

    I have a vaccuum flourescent display on my machine right now. It's multi-colored and large, so large that it needs a separate case and power supply. It displays cpu stats, news, weather, even games!

    Hopefully, these case kiddiez will discover the wonder of this thing called a "monitor." One thing at a time, I suppose.

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    1. 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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  4. 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.

  5. Price? by prockcore · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why is it that these hardware review sites never give the price? You would think that the price would be at least as important as Baud Rate or some of the other things they listed.

  6. Throw in a reel to reel tape deck. . . by kfg · · Score: 4, Interesting

    that fits on top of my tower and I'll be set. The dinosaurs aren't dead, they've just taken a while to "evolve" to a smaller package.

    PC's are birds. I guess Linus realized that when he chose the penguin as a mascot.

    I mean really, think about it. You can get a card with a vacuum tube on it, visual state displays, tape backup and water cooling, all the things that micros "obsoleted."

    The more things change. . .

    KFG

  7. Register lights! I want register lights! by dpbsmith · · Score: 5, Funny
    What we REALLY need is a 32 by 8 array of lamps--preferable incandescent--that will display, at all times, the contents of the general-purpose regsisters, another group for the segment registers, another for the EIP...

    ...and a way to connect a speaker to the high bit of register 0 so we can hear it "thinking..."

    ...and, of course a "speed" pot, and a 9-position "speed decade" pot that allow us to adjust the clock speed anywhere from 1 to 1000000000 Hz so you can see the instructions executing...


    and a nice D'Arsonval analog CPU speed meter that displays the number of instructions per second that are actually being processed.

    Then we can have contests to write programs that turn all the lights out, turn all the lights on, make interesting patterns in the lights, etc.

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    "How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!

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

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

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