ILC1-1/8L Clock
By Andrew Gregory. Posted
This article was originally published as part of HackSpace magazine, which has since been incorporated into Raspberry Pi Official Magazine.
This Arduino Mega-powered clock/weather station combo (featuring humidity, pressure, and temperature readings) is a great example of the power of old technology.
The large display digits are provided by six ILC1-1/8L VFD tubes, which is a technology similar to electronic valves, running at a much lower voltage.
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The desktop computer you've been waiting for: Raspberry Pi 500+
The tubes that Christine used are still available as new old stock from Ukraine via eBay, and if you like the retro look of Nixies, but aren’t confident with the opening voltages they use, VFD is a useful intermediate technology to cut your teeth on.
Instructions to make your own are available here.
Features Editor Andrew trawls the internet for Cool Stuff while keeping the magazine running smoothly.
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