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.
Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock
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Re: Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock
#12Anyone 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.
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 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 Otherwise Noritake itron still make VF…
> (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
Re: Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock
#13Back 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/
Re: Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock
#14Anyone 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.
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.
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!)
Re: Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock
#15Back 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/
Glad to be reminded of this.
I wonder how the Korg Nutube compares to Tripathi style amplifiers.