Vacuum fluorescent shows (VFDs) occupied a degree in historical past after Nixie tubes had been largely out of date, however earlier than LED shows and LCD screens grew to become the norm. Most individuals acknowledge them as the brilliant teal numerical shows that was widespread on microwave ovens, VCRs, and hi-fi stereo gear. They had been a good selection as a result of they provided nice distinction and brightness. However they appear fairly retro lately, which implies that their use signifies a stylistic alternative. That’s actually the case with RobsonCouto’s VFD-equipped KOAT0 cyberdeck terminal.
This can be a very nice VFD that will have been top-of-the-line again within the ’80s or ’90s. Most VFDs from that period might solely show a restricted quantity of knowledge, like 4 numerical digits on a microwave or three digits for the velocity on a automobile dashboard. This can be a basic objective VFD with a decision of 256×50. Which may not sound like loads, however it is rather good for a VFD. It is sufficient to, for instance, present a number of traces of a Linux terminal and that makes it good for this software.
The KOAT0 appears to be like actual good, of us. It has the quintessential ’80s cyberpunk aesthetic that all of us love a lot. The asymmetrical 3D-printed enclosure has a carry deal with on one finish, with the remainder of the house taken up by the keyboard, the VFD, and an enormous ol’ emblem. The colour scheme is ideal: largely grey with simply the correct amount of orange accents.
Like most cyberdecks, this accommodates a Raspberry Pi single-board pc. That could be a Raspberry Pi 3 Mannequin B, which RobsonCouto selected as a result of he could not get his arms on a Raspberry Pi 4. The keyboard is a generic mannequin from AliExpress labeled as a “K68,” however there aren’t many particulars about it. Energy comes from a USB battery financial institution.
This GP1294AI VFD was designed to work with microcontroller growth boards, just like the Arduino Uno. However RobsonCouto needed it to attach on to the Raspberry Pi with none extra {hardware}. The Raspberry Pi can output the proper alerts by way of the GPIO pins, however he wanted a solution to push all video (or terminal textual content) by way of. That pressured him to develop his personal show driver for Linux, which was a considerable enterprise. Fortunately, he appears to have gotten that working pretty properly — although it’s a bit “hacky.”
The completed KOAT0 ought to enchantment to all of the Neuromancers on the market and can be a useful terminal.
