VFD Graphics EQ
My VFD graphic EQ was built to satisfy my need to use a VFD. It was my first VFD project. It was not an easy build for these reasons: the case I chose was to small for all the circuit; the datasheet for the LC7566 was in Japanese or Chinese, I only speak English and nether the chip or the VFD fitted the breadboard.
It was another device salvaged off an old hifi, I even got another VFD and its driver chip.
Some how through pure guess work and a datasheet of a similar chip I was able to decipher the LC7566 datasheet; I then built an adapter for the VFD and soldered wires to the chips pins. The stuff that did not fit was glued to the outside.
There were not to many problems in prototyping and I used three small 12V battery's to power my device as I wanted it to be portable. I did not use an inverter circuit as the ones I built ether did not work, the voltage was to low or there was no current. So battery's it was.
Soldering the device was a challenge as all the pins had about a millimetre of space between and I even soldered two wires in backwards, I never corrected that. however the device worked.
The VFD EQ was a success as it worked, although there are some problems. When fresh battery's are installed you have to twiddle with the on off switch leading me to believe that it requires an unstable power supply filled with noise. It eats the 12V clock battery's and consumes so much current that they get hot and act like they are shorting out. The gain is not very sensitive, although this could be sorted with a small amplifier.
All in all I am happy with the progress made as it took a lot of cunning to build this device, although I doubt I will do many if any modifications to it in the due course of time.
Now we have the VFD EQ open abouth right, are yes good old rats nest wiring. Of course the 555 timer is between the case and the AA battery's, its all a tight fit.
The back has the connectors and battery's which are housed in packaging and plastic once agene recycling in progress. The cable came from an alarm clock docking station.
Photographing VFD's in operation is always hard even with my excellent camera. The images have had to be reduced in size and quality to fit on the internet that's why they are not grate quality. It is taking an input but the camera did not portray that on any of the photos I took. When photographing VFD's use videos and then upload to YouTube.
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEPROM9?feature=mhee