Vacuum fluorescent shows (VFDs) occupied a degree in historical past after Nixie tubes have been largely out of date, however earlier than LED shows and LCD screens turned the norm. Most individuals acknowledge them as the intense teal numerical shows that was frequent on microwave ovens, VCRs, and hi-fi stereo tools. They have been a sensible choice as a result of they provided nice distinction and brightness. However they appear fairly retro lately, which implies that their use signifies a stylistic selection. That’s actually the case with RobsonCouto’s VFD-equipped KOAT0 cyberdeck terminal.
This can be a very nice VFD that may have been top-of-the-line again within the ’80s or ’90s. Most VFDs from that period may solely show a restricted quantity of data, like 4 numerical digits on a microwave or three digits for the velocity on a automobile dashboard. This can be a normal function VFD with a decision of 256×50. That may not sound like rather a lot, however it is vitally good for a VFD. It is sufficient to, for instance, present a number of traces of a Linux terminal and that makes it excellent for this utility.
The KOAT0 seems 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’ brand. The colour scheme is ideal: principally grey with simply the correct quantity of orange accents.
Like most cyberdecks, this accommodates a Raspberry Pi single-board laptop. That may be a Raspberry Pi 3 Mannequin B, which RobsonCouto selected as a result of he could not get his palms 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 wished it to attach on to the Raspberry Pi with none further {hardware}. The Raspberry Pi can output the proper indicators by means of the GPIO pins, however he wanted a option to push all video (or terminal textual content) by means 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 effectively — although it’s a bit “hacky.”
The completed KOAT0 ought to enchantment to all of the Neuromancers on the market and can be a practical terminal.
