What’s wrong with the OEM display on a Prusa I3 Mk3? Nothing at all. Then why replace the stock LCD with a vacuum fluorescent display? Because VFDs are much, much cooler than LCDs.
(Pedantic Editor’s Note: VFDs actually run a little warm.)
At least that’s the reasoning [Scott M. Baker] applied to his Prusa upgrade. We have to admit to a certain affection for all retro displays relying on the excitation of gasses. Nixies, Numitrons, and even the lowly neon pilot light all have a certain charm of their own, but by our reckoning the VFD leads the pack. [Scott] chose a high-quality Noritake 4×20 alphanumeric display module for his upgrade, thriftily watching eBay for bargains rather than buying from the big distributors. The module has a pinout that’s compatible with the OEM LCD, so replacing it is a snap. [Scott] simplified that further by buying a replacement Prusa control board with no display, to which he soldered the Noritake module. Back inside the bezel, the VFD is bright and crisp. We like the blue-green digits against the Prusa red-orange, but [Scott] has an orange filter on order for the VFD to make everything monochromatic. That’ll be a nice look too.
A completely none functional hack, to be sure, but sometimes aesthetics need attention too. And it’s possible that a display switch would help the colorblind use the UI better, like this oscilloscope mod aims to do.
I like the VFD. Nice Job!
‘Numatron’? Please spell it correctly. It’s “Numitron”
Numa Numatron. Now there’s an image!
Mi-a-hii
Mi-a-huu
Mi-a-haa
Mi-a-ha ha
Allo? Salut. Sint yel, un hydook.
Thanks so much for your constructive criticism. Fixed it.
This looks waaay better than the typical blue backlight screens from your cheap 3D printers.
(Pedantic Editor’s Note: VFDs actually run a little warm.)
Darn! Beat me to it!
B^)
Über pedant note: Num[i]i[/i]trons are filament based, not gas filled.
dammit, screwed up the italics. But yeah, Numitron.
Even über pedantic mode: Numitrons are filled with vacuum gas!
:D
vacuum =/= gas
No, Numitrons are vacuum with filament. No gas.
Normally VFD in conjunction with robots would be a drive (motor), not at display…
That would be a Variable Frequency Drive, this is Vacuum Fluorescent Display. I was confused too
VFD (variable frequency drive) vs VFD (vacuum fluorescent display)!
So, it lost a Liquid Crystal Display and gained a Variable Frequency Drive?
Interesting…
B^)
Did everyone miss the VFD that features prominently in the main image? And the “vacuum fluorescent display” in the second paragraph?