Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock | Hacker News Reader

Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock

vintagecalculators.com

33 pointskrige14 comments

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.

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 VFD monitors for industrial applications (seems they have high temp advantages over LCDs): https://www.noritake-itron.com/site2017/index.php?option=com...

> (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

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.

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!)

There are some larger 40x4 character display VFDs out there: 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.

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.

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.

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

I love a good mystery!

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/

Glad to be reminded of this.

I wonder how the Korg Nutube compares to Tripathi style amplifiers.

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.

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