Author Topic: Is this a VFD or LED display?  (Read 2369 times)

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Offline cdevTopic starter

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Is this a VFD or LED display?
« on: December 23, 2018, 02:50:36 pm »
I recently picked up this piece of e-waste very cheap which was originally a piece of rackmountable broadcasting equipment that now is apparently obsolete. It is meant to display a bunch of different data relating to time code.

On its front it has a matrix of switches and this VERY nice looking, bright alphanumeric display, which I suspect may be a VFD behind a sheet of green plastic. It looks to me like a VFD.

Its either that or an LED.

Anyway, I would love to be able to remove the main circuit board completely and re-purpose the case and its display and low profile encapsulated toroid 12+5v power supply (and 9 BNCs and two DB9s on its rear panel) to use with my GPSDO.

Its not so visible in any of the pictures but the individual portions of the display alternate up and down in a particular way. Which suggests VFD tubes to me. I'll have to get some better pictures.

Does this suggest any particular display manufacturer?

I have to clean my desk and put down my ESD mat, before I go taking this apart further. The entire front panel looks as if it might be useful with fairly minor modification IF I can figure out how to talk to it.

Its probably a standard protocol, accessible via the IDC header which can be seen. I suppose I could insert my own pair of IDC connectors leading to a breakout board in between it and the PCB and sniff it with my logic analyzer, if I cant figure it out any other way.



« Last Edit: December 23, 2018, 03:06:40 pm by cdev »
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Offline helius

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2018, 03:13:15 pm »
My vote is LED. No VFD I have seen consists of separate "tubes": they are constructed in a single glass envelope with a vacuum stem on the bottom center or on the side. VFD also do not show the grid of inactive segments like that, they are higher in contrast and more bluish in color (although color filters are sometimes used).
 
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Online ledtester

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2018, 03:39:14 pm »
I also vote for LED display... something like this:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/led-displays/4965361/

Pic attached below. Search for (HDSP | HCMS | osram opto) alphanumeric display

to find similar items.

« Last Edit: December 23, 2018, 03:49:24 pm by ledtester »
 
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Offline RoGeorge

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2018, 03:45:54 pm »
I'll say LED.

The VFDs I've seen were all in one tube of mostly transparent glass, where one could see the segments and the very thin longitudinal filament wire(s).
 
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Offline cvanc

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2018, 04:26:12 pm »
Looks like an Evertz box?  Send a photo of the entire front, I might have a manual.
 

Offline cdevTopic starter

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2018, 04:30:07 pm »
It is, it's a 5300.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2018, 06:28:49 pm by cdev »
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Offline cvanc

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2018, 05:12:28 pm »
Sorry I don't have a manual for the 5300 but I bet it's a LED display.
 

Offline cdevTopic starter

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2018, 05:29:18 pm »
I'm now pretty sure this is a HDSP 211x based display. Thank you everyone!
« Last Edit: December 23, 2018, 06:28:05 pm by cdev »
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Offline Canis Dirus Leidy

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #8 on: December 25, 2018, 04:08:58 pm »
No VFD I have seen consists of separate "tubes": they are constructed in a single glass envelope with a vacuum stem on the bottom center or on the side. VFD also do not show the grid of inactive segments like that
(out of sense of pedantry) Not always.™ Some VFDs (like IV-26) give the same effect as if it were a matrix of individual tubes:
 
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Offline wasyoungonce

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Re: Is this a VFD or LED display?
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2018, 12:22:17 am »
I'm now pretty sure this is a HDSP 211x based display. Thank you everyone!
Yeah I work on systems using 5x5 matrix just like this (for low pwr). Definitely these are very similar but 7x5 dot displays. 

They overflow char’s from one display to the other for longer words ...neat displays  and long lasting.


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