Comments on: Using VFDs as amplifiers http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/ Fresh hacks every day Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:10:51 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: AnarKIT http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53424 AnarKIT Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:13:50 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53424 VFDs are still relevant devices today. They're cheap to make and reasonably efficient. You wouldn't be able to manufacture an LED or lcd display with the same variety of designs and colors as a VFD without increasing the cost and complexity by a significant amount. High brightness and readability are key factors in automotive applications. They could have used some other technology but that would have left them in a worse position than they are now. Plus when the zombie apocalypse comes, I certainly won't be complaining about easy to come by amplifier tubes. VFDs are still relevant devices today. They’re cheap to make and reasonably efficient. You wouldn’t be able to manufacture an LED or lcd display with the same variety of designs and colors as a VFD without increasing the cost and complexity by a significant amount.

High brightness and readability are key factors in automotive applications. They could have used some other technology but that would have left them in a worse position than they are now.

Plus when the zombie apocalypse comes, I certainly won’t be complaining about easy to come by amplifier tubes.

]]> By: andrew http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53247 andrew Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:25:34 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53247 orv: notice you said "my _'94_ honda" case in point :) orv: notice you said “my _’94_ honda”

case in point :)

]]> By: Orv http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53228 Orv Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:49:57 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53228 @jb: What's wrong with a modern car using a VFD? They're easier to read than LCDs, and provide a more visually pleasing and more washout-resistant display than LEDs. My '94 Honda had VFDs for the clock and radio display. @jb: What’s wrong with a modern car using a VFD? They’re easier to read than LCDs, and provide a more visually pleasing and more washout-resistant display than LEDs. My ‘94 Honda had VFDs for the clock and radio display.

]]> By: dnny http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53217 dnny Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:19:01 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53217 Here is the ring modulator link: http://www.electronicpeasant.com/projects/ringmod/trmod.html ring modulator made from VFD. Here is the ring modulator link:
http://www.electronicpeasant.com/projects/ringmod/trmod.html
ring modulator made from VFD.

]]> By: pepe http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53204 pepe Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:07:50 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53204 Kainka already did this years ago: http://www.b-kainka.de/bastel72.htm (german) Kainka already did this years ago: http://www.b-kainka.de/bastel72.htm (german)

]]> By: strider_mt2k http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53200 strider_mt2k Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:39:24 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53200 That's surprising and surprisingly cool! Well done! That’s surprising and surprisingly cool!
Well done!

]]> By: macegr http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53188 macegr Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:15:03 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53188 From his site, he's got a good YouTube demonstration video you could use for your usual "blah blah blah, after the jump/break/etc": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiszksJs9C8 From his site, he’s got a good YouTube demonstration video you could use for your usual “blah blah blah, after the jump/break/etc”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiszksJs9C8

]]> By: Clay http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53185 Clay Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:04:30 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53185 Wow, now thats neat. Bravo! Wow, now thats neat. Bravo!

]]> By: noah vawter http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53184 noah vawter Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:00:23 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53184 the rest of HPFriedrichs' website is really interesting too! lots of homemade tube experiments. the rest of HPFriedrichs’ website is really interesting too! lots of homemade tube experiments.

]]> By: JB http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53179 JB Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:53:35 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53179 "[Friedrichs] points out that his 2008 ford has a VFD for the multimedia display." And people wonder why the US autoindustry is in pain. I wouldn't be surprised if it weighs 3 ton and has a huge umpteen liter gas-gobbling engine too. “[Friedrichs] points out that his 2008 ford has a VFD for the multimedia display.”
And people wonder why the US autoindustry is in pain.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it weighs 3 ton and has a huge umpteen liter gas-gobbling engine too.

]]> By: kljsf http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53169 kljsf Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:51:17 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53169 i have also seen these used in ring modulation effects... google it.. just fyi... i have also seen these used in ring modulation effects… google it.. just fyi…

]]> By: gio http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53161 gio Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:12:14 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53161 great read, thanks. great read, thanks.

]]> By: adamziegler http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53160 adamziegler Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:56:11 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53160 Woah... very cool. Woah… very cool.

]]> By: rasz http://hackaday.com/2008/12/01/using-vfds-as-amplifiers/comment-page-1/#comment-53156 rasz Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:20:07 +0000 http://hackadaycom.wordpress.com/?p=6478#comment-53156 why didnt you embed his youtube clip? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiszksJs9C8 why didnt you embed his youtube clip?

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