I can't find a digital clock LED display anywhere!!

Microcontrolled

Hi,
I've been writing an article for N&V on my FlipClock, but when making the BOM I realized I can't find anything like the display I used for the project! All the ones I find have the digits ridiculously close together, making it almost impossible to tell the difference between hours and minutes. I picked mine up at an expo for free and it has no parts numbers on it, and looks like it was manufactured in the 80's. I've come to a stopping point in writing the article until I can get one like this, so help would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks,
Microcontrolled

Leon

Use individual displays. You can butt them together if the third digit is turned upside down, so that you get a colon effect by using the DP on the second and third digits.

davejames

Leon wrote: »

Use individual displays. You can butt them together if the third digit is turned upside down, so that you get a colon effect by using the DP on the second and third digits.

...clever!

WBA Consulting

What you are looking for is sometimes called a "88:88 Clock Module" so mixing up those terms may help in further searching. However, here's two at Mouser:

Avago Technologies HDSP-B03E

Lite-On LTC-4627JR

You can also do a search for "LED Clock Display" at Digikey and get a lot of results.

I have also been looking for these for the Wrestling Timer/Scoreboard I am designing for my brother. I also found some interesting 7 segment items at Futurlec. Another idea I was looking at is to use to two digit modules and put to individual LEDs between them because I found some 4" tall double 7 segment modules at really good prices.

Other idea is one of the many Serial 4 digit Clock display modules that are around.

PJAllen

Here are two options, one is pretty big:

http://www.alltronics.com/cgi-bin/item/28L006/20/4-Digit-Clock-Display

http://www.alltronics.com/cgi-bin/item/93L003/20/Fairchild-FCS8024-4-Digit-Display

Duane Degn

Microcontrolled,

Watch out for clock displays that are three and a half digits instead of four. I've seen lots of digital clock displays that can only display an "1" in the first digit.

I haven't noticed this ploblem with any of the suggestions here.

wjsteele

Duane Degn wrote: »

Watch out for clock displays that are three and a half digits instead of four. I've seen lots of digital clock displays that can only display an "1" in the first digit.

All MY clocks are that way! :-) Why would anyone want it any other way? <removes tounge from cheek>

Bill

Duane Degn

@Bill, why military time of course. (I kind of set myself up on that one.)

Leon

The 24 hour clock is the norm outside the USA.

pacman

Whilst NOT a clock module as such, I recently got this link off ebay.. could something like this do what you need (but better...)?

Sure Electronics (on ebay)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230626296100&category=66954&ssPageName=ADME:B:SEMK:US:SHOWI&emailtemplateid=33442841&sellerid=RiQT1QfV9O24snS4mg0chQ==&buyerid=FpRekKD1aqDRCHeUtSQxhw==&refid=store

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230623226418&category=66954&ssPageName=ADME:B:SEMK:US:SHOWI&emailtemplateid=33442841&sellerid=RiQT1QfV9O24snS4mg0chQ==&buyerid=FpRekKD1aqDRCHeUtSQxhw==&refid=store

Microcontrolled

Thanks for all the links. I'll need to check them, but they will have to have the same style of pinout, meaning all the segment pins are tied to each other, ready for multiplexing, plus 4 common pins and 2 pins for the colon (one - and one +).

WBA Consulting

FYI, Pacman's post reminded me of the link on my work laptop to the tall LED display modules I had mentioned. They are from Sure Electronics and are 4" tall, 2 digit modules for $17. On sale right now for $12.99. They have some nice modules under the LED Segment category.

Bean

Years ago when we needed a big digit display we found it was actually much cheaper to go to k-mart and buy a clock with 3" digits and remove the display from it. We got 4 digits for about the same price as 1 digit from digi-key.

Bean

Oldbitcollector (Jeff)

Thrift shops are also good for this... except...

I picked up a big digit display clock for a $1.00. It worked, so the wife wouldn't let me tear it apart. She gave my alarm clock to my oldest boy and put the "new" one I bought in our room.. (It's still there.)

OBC

schill

If you are willing to ignore your requirement for the same pinout, don't forget that you are allowed to make your own colon with two "normal" LEDs (T1 3/4, etc.). You don't need a single module 88:88 module.

OBC's clock story reminded me (I don't know why) of the LED clock radio I have in my bedroom. It's not a thrift store purchase. It was a Christmas present - in 1976 or 1977 I think. It's been used every day since and is still going strong.