Looking for a LCD panel to use to replace VFD

[dorkshoei]

I have a piece of test equipment that has a cracked VFD (see picture).    Replacement VFDs have not been available for a long time.  The manufacturer of the VFD is familiar with the part but says it was sole use for this piece of test equipment so not surprisingly I've had no luck sourcing through the surplus marketplace.

The display board talks to the main board over a serial link so I've been pondering making a LCD based replacement,  maybe initially  prototyping on an Arduino if I can find a compatible LCD.

The actual display area on the VFD is 6-1/2" x 5/8" (256x26 dot matrix).    The actual window opening on the case is 7" x 1" and the recessed area behind the window (inside the case) where the VFD fits is 10-1/2" by 3".  So there is an option of a larger LCD and only rendering the visible portion.

I've not had much luck finding any suitable sized LCDs that are dot addressable and was curious if anyone had any suggestions?

Thanks!

[james_s]

You might look at OLED. Depending on the space inside the thing using a larger display with the edges masked may be an option, or a smaller display with a bezel around it. Might even work to use multiple displays side by side depending on how it gets used. When you've got a microcontroller reading the data you can massage it into pretty much whatever is needed to display it.

[Bendba]

Would this one fit?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F132455491071

[dorkshoei]

I'm kind of trying to avoid fragile VFDs all together.   

All the OLEDs I've seen are physically too small and stacking two next to each other isn't an option because the ones I've seen all have a smaller display on a larger pcb.

[krho]

Maybe one of them fits?
http://www.buydisplay.com/default/oled-display/3-2-inch
http://www.buydisplay.com/default/graphic-display/256x64-dots

[mikerj]

I know you don't want a VFD, but the Noritake GU256x32-8n00B (2D Drawing PDF) looks like a reasonable fit.  Slightly higher vertical resolution, but you should be able to cope with that.

[james_s]

Other than their typically high price I think VFDs are nice. In most cases they are not all that fragile once properly installed in the equipment. I don't think I'd use one in an industrial handheld instrument likely to be dropped but I've never managed to break one myself except for a bare display I had lying around.

[dorkshoei]

I have 3 broken.  The first got broken in international shipping as it was working when the seller shipped it.  The other two came in a bulk lot of surplus gear,  I didn't ask them to power on before they shipped so could have been existing.     I know another person who had one crack during shipping. 

[james_s]

It sounds like that particular equipment is poorly designed and either allowing the display to flap around and impact stuff, or part of the housing is flexing and damaging the display.

[Bendba]

I have 3 broken.  The first got broken in international shipping as it was working when the seller shipped it.  The other two came in a bulk lot of surplus gear,  I didn't ask them to power on before they shipped so could have been existing.     I know another person who had one crack during shipping.

You must be really unlucky.
I reckon VFD's are petty tough, I scavenged some out of busted up VCR's that bad the enclosure were bent but the display still perfectly working.

Plus they look good, and are easy to drive.

[CharnYarn]

Well, you can check this eBay listing as well.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/vfd-display


Admin: http://projectoreviews.com/

[james_s]

If it's cracking in the middle, try sticking it to the PCB with a strip of double sided foam tape assuming there's room. With proper mechanical support it shouldn't crack.

[dorkshoei]

If it's cracking in the middle, try sticking it to the PCB with a strip of double sided foam tape assuming there's room. With proper mechanical support it shouldn't crack.

This is kind of a non issue as I've not had one crack in my normal use. As I said I had one crack in shipping (and know of another person who had the same happen) and the other two I can't say where the issue occurred as they were sold to me as surplus scrap and not power tested prior to sale.

If I was shipping one, I would remove the part of the case that houses the VFD and separately box it from the rest of the (heavy) unit to avoid any issue.

[ebclr]

May be your are lock

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.115.53347d50BdW5K0&id=563323552460&ns=1&abbucket=14

[Hamster]

@dorkshoei

I am not in the need for 3 displays.. LOL..

I assume you never got anywhere on this.