One issue with the Noritake display (common to all VFD devices) is that it draws over 100mA of current at 5V. A 3 terminal linear regulator running from 12V will need a reasonable heat sink to operate. A better choice would be a small switching regulator such as the LT1375 which I have used in a great many products. It's a small 8 pin device that requires only a handful of external components to convert 12V to 5 with excellent efficiency (no heat sink required). I may lay out the PWB for both types of regulators, depending on the type of display you want to use.
Didier KO4BB > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of jshank > Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 8:59 PM > To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement > Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Thunderbolt monitor > > The Noritake display looks great. > I am hoping that a kit of this proposed Thunderbolt monitor > with the Noritake display will be made available through TARP > in the near future. I am sure that many of the Thunderbolts > which recently became available would benefit from such a kit. > Jeff > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Didier Juges" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Time-Nuts" <time-nuts@febo.com> > Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:47 AM > Subject: [time-nuts] Thunderbolt monitor > > > >I made a second version (same firmware) of the Thunderbolt monitor. > >This one uses the plastic DIP version of the processor mounted on a > >small Radio Shack proto board and it uses a gorgeous > Noritake Vacuum > >Fluorescent display. > > > > The interface between the Noritake and any ordinary LCD > display is the > > same ( as far as pin-out is concerned), except that the > Noritake does > > not have a contrast adjustment. Otherwise, the firmware is > the same, > > once the differences are accounted for. The Noritake is > generally much > > faster than most 2 line LCDs when updating the data, but requires a > > little more time to initialize themselves at power up. My > software can > > drive either display without modification. > > > > The Noritake displays have a software command to adjust the > brightness > > down to half, and that's it. My firmware does not take advantage of > > that feature, which I find relatively useless, but may prolong the > > life of the display. > > The VFDs only have a few years of life under continuous > operation, so > > dimming the display or turning it off altogether when not > needed might > > be a good idea. > > > > See pictures at http://www.ko4bb.com/Timing/GPSMonitor/ > > > > Didier KO4BB > > > > _______________________________________________ > > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to > > https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > > and follow the instructions there. > > > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, > go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@febo.com To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.