After having been sent a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) based clock for a review, [Anthony Francis-Jones] took the opportunity to explain how these types of displays work. Although VFDs are generally praised for their very pleasant appearance, they’re also relatively low-power compared to the similar cathode ray tubes. The tungsten wire cathode with its oxide […]
Have you heard the saying “the problem is the solution”? It seems to originate in the permaculture movement, but it can apply equally well to electronics. Take the problem [shiura] had: a Casio Mini CM-602 that had let out the magic smoke. The solution was a twofer: rebuild the Casio into a modern number cruncher […]
Obsolete hardware is all around us, and some of it has some pretty interesting tech buried within. One such device is an old Belgacom TV Box. Instead of using the ubiquitous LCD screen, it uses a VFD display for its user interface, and [Jean] has taken control of it with the ESPTimeCastVFD project. Inside this […]
Tearing down hardware from different parts of the world can be revealing, showing unique parts, techniques, and tricks employed by engineers living in a very different world from our own. To that end, [msylvain59] has been kind enough to give us a look inside the Elektronika MK-26—a calculator built in the former Soviet Union. There’s […]
VFDs — vacuum fluorescent displays — have a distinctive look, and [Anthony Francis-Jones] is generally fascinated with retro displays. So, it makes sense that he’d build a VFD project as an excuse to explain how they work. You can see the video below. VFDs are almost miniature CRTs. They are very flexible in what they […]
As [sjm4306] says, “You can never have too many clocks based on obsolete display technologies.” We couldn’t agree more, and this single-tube VFD clock is one we haven’t seen before. The vacuum-fluorescent display that [sjm4306] chose to base this clock on is the IV-21, an eight-digit seven-segment display on the smallish side. The tube is […]
No, you aren’t looking at a 30 year old Teac graphic equalizer that somebody modified. The MWA-002 Network Music Player created by [GuzziGuy] is built entirely from new components, and easily ranks up there with some of the most gorgeous pieces of homebrew audio gear we’ve ever seen. Combining modular hardware with modern manufacturing techniques, […]
There are a great many display technologies available if you wish to make a digital clock. Many hackers seem to have a penchant for the glowier fare from the Eastern side of the Berlin Wall. [ChristineNZ] is one such hacker, and managed to secure some proper Soviet kit for an alarm clock build. The clock […]
What’s wrong with the OEM display on a Prusa I3 Mk3? Nothing at all. Then why replace the stock LCD with a vacuum fluorescent display? Because VFDs are much, much cooler than LCDs. (Pedantic Editor’s Note: VFDs actually run a little warm.) At least that’s the reasoning [Scott M. Baker] applied to his Prusa upgrade. […]
We’ve seen more projects based on books, TV shows, movies, and video games than we could ever hope to count. Hackers and makers derive inspiration from what they see around them, and it turns out there’s considerable overlap between the folks who sit in their labs building stuff all day and the ones who spend […]