Big Boy VFD & Plasma display, project ideas? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2015, 07:19:45 am
content: Hey all, came across dave's videos about hacking VFD's and it reminded me about these displays I managed to get for free, a few 40x2 VFD's, one 40x6, and one 32x8 plasma display.I definitely need to start putting these to some use, I'm new to parallel communication so I probably would take a bit to get anything fancy running on them but they'd be great for a weather station, or a fancy stock ticker or something.So far I've just powered up the 40x6 since it has a separate power connector and it draws about 1.3 amps with just that cursor on, we'll have to see with more. It is nice to hear it whine when it starts up though, makes me nostalgic for CRT's. (actually, I have an amiga 1000 that I just took off a desk, I should have booted that up again).Anyways looking for some tips/project ideas. I'm hoping the plasma display will be different, I have yet to look it up as of the time of writing this, buy maybe it's multi color or something like that. Either way looks like it won't just be 5v in. I just have to look for the female .01 inch headers I got so I can tap into these, I don't have any compatible cables kicking around, and on the 40x2 displays the pins for the connector are mostly underneath the VFD itself.What would be really neat is to take a big one and make a retro notebook out of it, essentially a pretty basic computer but be able to make notes and save them onto an SD card. That would be pretty complicated but cool, however I lack the skills to make it look nice.Side note, there were a couple nuts missing on the plasma and apparently it was repaired, you can see some much newer looking resistors in there. Also, the cursor on the big VFD did not blink, so perhaps it's just a very basic power on indicator, I'm guessing this will work similarly to what Dave had though.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 19, 2015, 07:23:28 am
content: Can't find much on that argus display actually, I don't know if this price is massively inflated due to it being obsolete, it definitely seems like it but who knows.http://www.plccenter.ca/en-CA/Buy/ARGUS/0310000256N?reload=1&redirect=trueGuess this is a good change to get sites where people have luck finding datasheets/manuals for obscure things or original pricing.Edit: another listing for this thing with a similar price.http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIB-Argus-Alphanumeric-Plasma-Display-03101-08-256N-0310108256N-O31O1-O8-256N-/150776589910

author: richfiles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 02:58:36 am
content: I have a small graphic plasma display (with some unfortunate burn in), and an old Compaq "Luggable" with a plasma display. It was pretty typical for them to glow an amber or orange color. Geez... I wish I had one of those 40x6 VFD units for my Kerbal Space Program "Command Module" style controller I'm building... All I have is a pair of 20x2 VFDs...

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 04:03:40 am
content: Quote from: richfiles on July 20, 2015, 02:58:36 amOh man that would be awesome to set up, they would give the perfect atmosphere for old commie space tech. You definitely need to post a thread about it. If that plasma is orange it could look pretty good for a retro/futuristic sort of vibe.That reminds me I wanted to build a nixie tube calculator too. One with thse 40x2 vfd's would be cool too though, plenty of room for long equations.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 04:05:10 am
content: Oh by the way does anyone know if they made small 1x4 VFD's or 1x6 or something? Haven't found any adding machines with something that small (and nothing locally), but a really tiny one like that would be nice to use for a couple ideas I have too.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 05:22:19 am
content: That huge one came out of industrial equipment like a CNC machine. Parts for those tend to be expensive.Serial "8888" -the Chinese would really like that.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 05:28:35 am
content: Quote from: amyk on July 20, 2015, 05:22:19 amHeh, I didn't even notice that.Yeah this was a forclosure, the guy was an xray tech, lots of junk but lots of cool stuff, I was so screwed up sleep schedule wise I missed out on loads including a mini fridge sized tape machine, god I would have loved to get thatI got a big box of caps though and a decently beefy looking power supply that powers up but has a few burnt components, I'll take pics of those in a bit. I also got this big 200w light, haven't been able to power it up yet.It needs 27 volts, and 80 amps

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 05:49:12 am
content: Rest of the stuff I got, another display of some sort, also 10 or 11 of these enclosures, some with circuit boards in them, most empty, some with random wires in them, not really usefull for anything, I thought they were full before. I also have four or five big circuit boards, they look brand new, not sure what they are for but they are in nice packaging and cardboard boxes.Linking the album so I don't spam this thread with 27 pictures lol. (unfortunately you can't embed it seems)I'm thinking that viewfinder might have potential to make a DIY night vision rig, if it's anything similar to the small ones on camcorders. I'd just need a camera and some high power IR LED's.http://imgur.com/a/lCAJs

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:18:48 am
content: That looks like a Xenon short-arc lamp. Beverycareful with it, it contains xenon atextremelyhigh pressure! They usually come in a protective casing likethis; definitely not something to be touching with bare hands.What happens when one explodes:

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:23:42 am
content: Quote from: amyk on July 20, 2015, 07:18:48 am... Oh wow, I didn't know they were high pressure, I had it just sitting on a box of various things, and right now it's wrapped in a towel in one of my toolbox drawers. It is a xenon arc lamp, this one to be specific.http://www.osram.com/_apps/products/product_details_tab.jsp?productId=ZMP_1200637&classificationId=GPS01_1028548&coid=28795I did stick 30v and a decent amount of amperage in it (can't measure how much, but its a modified UPS with the battery charge leads coming out the front) and I didn't get anything, maybe that one was overly sensitive but I've handled it loads and even bounced an end in my hand a bit because I thought I could hear something rattling in it, it was just one of the (I guess arc filaments?) vibrating a bit.

author: richfiles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:23:52 am
content: Quote from: XOIIO on July 20, 2015, 04:03:40 amQuote from: XOIIO on July 20, 2015, 04:05:10 amSadly, as I said, the lone plasma looks pretty badly burned in, and I have never had data on it. As for the one in the Compaq... I collect vintage tech (if you've seen any threads i've posted on, you may find pics, LOL) and i don't think I could ever kill it just for the screen.As far as VFDs go, for small calculators, 4 digit VFDs (with a colon between) were common on clocks and care stereos of the 80s. VCR displays are a good source for up to 6 digits, if you don't mind the spacing between hours:minutes:seconds. Old calculators (pre 1975) sometimes had individual VFD tubes, where each tube looked like a nixie tube, but instead contained a single VFD digit, much like my Soviet?? (Elektronika) 4-71?.The American surplus company Electronics Goldmine carries these small automotive VFD clock displays. Note that these actually ARE a complete clock. they run on 11-15 volts (12v nominal), and have mode and set buttons. In theory, you could maybe reuse the power supply, and then cut the lines to the built in chip and do your own line segment and digit drivers to control it.http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G19936Likewise, searching ebay for "VFD display" (redundancy department of redundancy, anyone?) nets you a HUGE variety of smaller style displays, everything from 4 digit clock modules and up.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:38:34 am
content: Quote from: richfiles on July 20, 2015, 07:23:52 amAh I totally forgot about car stereos, that might work. One of my ideas was a digital version of those little click counters, I bought some shift registers to multiplex the display from an attiny85, a small one with that retro green look would be nice. A bit of a gap for the : digits wouldn't be too bad.I haven't been on the forums much or into electronics for a while, I was more into gaming for a while but now I'm feeling the itch again.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:42:01 am
content: Here's that viewfinder with a few less layers on, nothing but good old through hole. Looks like it will be simple to find the power input pins, it's all pretty accessible.

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 09:59:40 am
content: If either of those displays can do customised characters a totally obvious use would be in a pinball machine.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 10:13:02 am
content: To get the Xenon lamp to work, it needs to be struck with a few tens of kV to get the initial arc then it will operate at the lower voltage.The characteristic is negative resistance, as they heat up they draw more current, so you must run them off a regulated supply

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 10:20:49 am
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 20, 2015, 10:13:02 amYeah I figured they would probably need something like a fluorescent tube driver (got some from scanners) to get the arc started, I recalled that from some of Photonicinduction's videos. Didn't know about the negative resistance characteristic though. Either way I don't think I have a power supply that could really power it up but a small arc inside would look pretty cool.

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 10:32:39 am
content: Quote from: Mechanical Menace on July 20, 2015, 09:59:40 amOh man, totally, or a big space invaders game, imagine making a mini cabinet with that 40x6 vfd. That would be awesome. Could do pac-man, pinball, space invaders, breakout...I'd just need to up my programming abilities tenfold but it would be cool as hell.Edit: the plasma would work a lot better actually, but maybe not look as cool as VFD green. I still haven't been able to find any datasheet for it, so I have no clue what sort of power inputs it wants on that 6 pin.

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 06:05:00 pm
content: Quote from: XOIIO on July 20, 2015, 10:32:39 amFound a PSU for that display:Won't help you with the pins but at least you now know you need +5V, +12V, -12V, and somewhere between 130-150V.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 06:45:20 pm
content: Powering a xenon arc lamp:http://youtu.be/K4Zvh-Luic0

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:03:05 pm
content: Quote from: Mechanical Menace on July 20, 2015, 06:05:00 pmHmm, darn. I don't have a power supply that can go up that high, not without tapping off the reserve caps anyways. That does help though. Doesn't need much current for that line actually so that makes it easier. I could even rig something up though I don't think I havea ny suitable transformers kicking around to make a power supply.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:28:26 pm
content: Be aware some of these plasma displays require floating supplies. One I encountered required a 5V rail that floated on top of the 120VDC scan bias rail. So effectively you needed 120V and 125V. And both must rise and collapse together or the scan ICs will fry.

author: Berni
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:38:25 pm
content: Wow i would love to get my hands on those beautiful VFDs. They are my favorite kind of display with there interesting construction and very nicely readable characters.Neat idea to build a kerbal space program display from such displays, but id never get over the work needed to put it together,

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 20, 2015, 07:41:41 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on July 20, 2015, 07:28:26 pmAh, that definitely makes it more complicated, I doubt I can source one of those power supplies for it either without spending a decent bit of coin.