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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 9:26 am   #21
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

Normally they're just different coloured LEDs. Some of the green ones used a VFD, and later backlit LCDs became common.
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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 10:30 am   #22
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

Thanks Paul. So the VFD ones use a vacuum tube type display?

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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 10:32 am   #23
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

Yes. It's not a great technology for a clock display that's permanently on, as the display wears out and goes dim.
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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 10:52 am   #24
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

By green, do you mean bold green or turquoise blue-green?

If bold green, that just means that green LEDs were used in the display module instead of red ones. The colour is determined by how the LEDs are made.

There are other types of display which are sometimes used in clock radios which typically have a pale blue or greenish blue hue, sometimes with orange elements or indicators. These would be Vacuum fluorescent Displays, a completely different display technology. They were not especially common in clock radios and were more often found in Hi-Fi equipment and video recorders.

Edit: Crossed with others

Last edited by SiriusHardware; 23rd Jun 2022 at 11:06 am.
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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 10:54 am   #25
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

Green displays are usually VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) and these are totally different to LED's. They are a glass envelope like a valve and they also have small heaters (filaments) like a valve. Old VCR's and the like usually used these.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum...escent_display

Having said all of that... you can get green and yellow LED 7 segment displays but I've never seen them used in clock radios.
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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 10:56 am   #26
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

Oops... looks like I didn't turn the page....
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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 11:40 am   #27
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

Thanks gentlemen.
I was thinking red and green as in these two Sony clock radios
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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 12:04 pm   #28
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

I'm pretty sure both of those are LED, though you'd have to look inside to be certain.

Generally speaking, VFD displays are custom made for the application, and will have graphical symbols for AM/PM, alarm status etc. LED displays just have a single LED as a PM indicator.
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Old 23rd Jun 2022, 11:49 pm   #29
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

Quote:
I'm pretty sure both of those are LED
Agree, the Sony with the green display is using green 7-segment LEDs.
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Old 24th Jun 2022, 10:04 am   #30
Mooly
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

I suspect red (and quite dim) is probably a preferred colour option for something lit up at night.
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Old 24th Jun 2022, 10:32 pm   #31
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Default Re: Old digital clock radio display fault

I remember my Dad's clock radio had an auto dim feature so it didn't dazzle him at night.
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