4 ms·

Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock

33 points by krige 6y ago

mysterydip 6y ago
Anyone an expert on VFDs? LCDs became popular by the time I was into electronics. I've only seen calculator-sized or radio-sized VFDs. Is it possible to make one larger, like the size of a monitor? Is it an expensive process? I've got an idea for a hobby project but have no idea if it's feasible.
- S_A_P 6y ago
  1980s stereos used them a lot. IMO they’re the best looking of the older display technology. As the article mentions they’re power hungry and complex-ish for displaying multiple words. Ends up being done as a 9 segment style or preformatted(custom made) words. Noritake still makes these. I would say, however that oled can look very similar and in most aspects is superior.
- janekm 6y ago
  Getting a custom VFD made would be a very expensive process indeed. If you need a very small number of segments then Dalibor Farny can make a custom Nixie tube, which is similar technology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nHkhJ52iA4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nHkhJ52iA4 Also a good introduction to how they are made (making a VFD would be similar but more difficult): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxL4ElboiuA&t=32s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxL4ElboiuA&t=32s Otherwise Noritake itron still make VFD monitors for industrial applications (seems they have high temp advantages over LCDs): https://www.noritake-itron.com/site2017/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=341 https://www.noritake-itron.com/site2017/index.php?option=com...
  - Nevada-Smith 6y ago
    > (seems they have high temp advantages over LCDs) According to Wikipedia [1], it's their low temperature advantage: "...unlike LCDs, VFDs are not limited by the response time of rearranging liquid crystals and are thus able to function normally in cold, even sub-zero, temperatures, making them ideal for outdoor devices in cold climates." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_fluorescent_display https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_fluorescent_display
- Gracana 6y ago
  I have a Noritake Itron display with a 256x128 resolution, which is probably the biggest VFD that's widely available. High voltage is generated by an onboard supply, and you drive it with an 8 bit microprocessor interface, so it's just about a drop-in replacement for a typical small LCD module. Pretty easy to use in hobby projects.
  - mysterydip 6y ago
    I wasn't thinking in terms of pixels, more like the "game and watch" or tiger LCD games of the 80s, but with a VFD. Thanks for the info (and everyone else!)
- AkBKukU 6y ago
  There are some larger 40x4 character display VFDs out there: https://www.noritake-itron.jp/eng/products/module/cu-u/ https://www.noritake-itron.jp/eng/products/module/cu-u/ Gas plasma displays were made in larger sizes though. A common example would be the orange screens on arcade machines.
- numpad0 6y ago
  For a monitor, CRT did fine and gas plasma display was probably thinner yet robust so I don’t think things like 10 inch SVGA graphic VFD exist. There are some early laptops in pre STN LCD era with black on orange monochrome gas plasma.
- manaskarekar 6y ago
  Not an expert on the VFDs itself, but we have a product that I've worked on with the 40x4. The display looks cool but nothing exotic (to me at least). What's cool to me are the amber monochrome monitors, which we've used in the past. They are truly a sight to behold in person.
deevious 6y ago
For anyone who wants to take a look inside one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4qiPhjW4us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4qiPhjW4us
- krallja 6y ago
  I love a good mystery!
tgflynn 6y ago
I'm a bit surprised at the display choices. I thought most hand-held calculators in the 70's used LED displays, which I assume would use less power than VFD's. Also I don't recall LCD's coming into widespread use until a good bit later, well into the 80's I would think.
oldandcold 6y ago
Back in the 70's... everything seemed to be red LED. When I first saw the various VFD displays...well, that was cool. I thought they were dead...but here is an interesting take on VFD technology... amplification! https://korgnutube.com/en/ https://korgnutube.com/en/
- watersb 6y ago
  Glad to be reminded of this. I wonder how the Korg Nutube compares to Tripathi style amplifiers.

33 points by krige 6y ago

Anyone an expert on VFDs? LCDs became popular by the time I was into electronics. I've only seen calculator-sized or radio-sized VFDs. Is it possible to make one larger, like the size of a monitor? Is it an expensive process? I've got an idea for a hobby project but have no idea if it's feasible.

S_A_P 6y ago
1980s stereos used them a lot. IMO they’re the best looking of the older display technology. As the article mentions they’re power hungry and complex-ish for displaying multiple words. Ends up being done as a 9 segment style or preformatted(custom made) words. Noritake still makes these. I would say, however that oled can look very similar and in most aspects is superior.
janekm 6y ago
Getting a custom VFD made would be a very expensive process indeed. If you need a very small number of segments then Dalibor Farny can make a custom Nixie tube, which is similar technology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nHkhJ52iA4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nHkhJ52iA4 Also a good introduction to how they are made (making a VFD would be similar but more difficult): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxL4ElboiuA&t=32s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxL4ElboiuA&t=32s Otherwise Noritake itron still make VFD monitors for industrial applications (seems they have high temp advantages over LCDs): https://www.noritake-itron.com/site2017/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=341 https://www.noritake-itron.com/site2017/index.php?option=com...
- Nevada-Smith 6y ago
  > (seems they have high temp advantages over LCDs) According to Wikipedia [1], it's their low temperature advantage: "...unlike LCDs, VFDs are not limited by the response time of rearranging liquid crystals and are thus able to function normally in cold, even sub-zero, temperatures, making them ideal for outdoor devices in cold climates." [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_fluorescent_display https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_fluorescent_display
Gracana 6y ago
I have a Noritake Itron display with a 256x128 resolution, which is probably the biggest VFD that's widely available. High voltage is generated by an onboard supply, and you drive it with an 8 bit microprocessor interface, so it's just about a drop-in replacement for a typical small LCD module. Pretty easy to use in hobby projects.
- mysterydip 6y ago
  I wasn't thinking in terms of pixels, more like the "game and watch" or tiger LCD games of the 80s, but with a VFD. Thanks for the info (and everyone else!)
AkBKukU 6y ago
There are some larger 40x4 character display VFDs out there: https://www.noritake-itron.jp/eng/products/module/cu-u/ https://www.noritake-itron.jp/eng/products/module/cu-u/ Gas plasma displays were made in larger sizes though. A common example would be the orange screens on arcade machines.
numpad0 6y ago
For a monitor, CRT did fine and gas plasma display was probably thinner yet robust so I don’t think things like 10 inch SVGA graphic VFD exist. There are some early laptops in pre STN LCD era with black on orange monochrome gas plasma.
manaskarekar 6y ago
Not an expert on the VFDs itself, but we have a product that I've worked on with the 40x4. The display looks cool but nothing exotic (to me at least). What's cool to me are the amber monochrome monitors, which we've used in the past. They are truly a sight to behold in person.

deevious 6y ago

For anyone who wants to take a look inside one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4qiPhjW4us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4qiPhjW4us

krallja 6y ago
I love a good mystery!

tgflynn 6y ago

I'm a bit surprised at the display choices. I thought most hand-held calculators in the 70's used LED displays, which I assume would use less power than VFD's. Also I don't recall LCD's coming into widespread use until a good bit later, well into the 80's I would think.

oldandcold 6y ago

Back in the 70's... everything seemed to be red LED. When I first saw the various VFD displays...well, that was cool. I thought they were dead...but here is an interesting take on VFD technology... amplification! https://korgnutube.com/en/ https://korgnutube.com/en/

watersb 6y ago
Glad to be reminded of this. I wonder how the Korg Nutube compares to Tripathi style amplifiers.