VFD Display
 

FYI, I did get to play with a VFD. Documented in the code hacks wiki page, it was pretty trivial to add after getting LCDs working.

http://ecomodder.com/wiki/images/8/87/Mpguinovfd.jpg

Followup: I did road test it, and I've already switched back to the LCD :) The display was very responsive and probably would be less prone to extreme low temps BUT

1. It drew a LOT of current. I couldn't keep my finger on the regulator, even on lowest brightness setting. It eventually went into thermal shutdown. The input diode wasn't real happy either.

2. If it gets into direct sunlight, it becomes completely unreadable even at highest setting. I tried to bounce it off the windshield, but couldn't see anything.

3. it is like 3.5 times the cost of an LCD.

So I cannot recommend the VFD approach at this time, ah well. Will update wiki.

That's too bad, VFD's look so cool.

It looks like 16x2 VFD's can use up near 150mA, as opposed to the regular LCD's, which use about 4mA...so yea, power definitely becomes an issue. Even with all the pixels off, the VFD I was looking at uses about 10mA, which is 2.5x that of an LCD that's on.

If you add a smoke colored plastic lense in front of the LCD it should help with the glare and sun light I think moving it back from the lense will also help. I have a digital dash in my chrysler and it uses the same display. The instrument cluster has a dark tint to it and it is shrouded some by the dash board. This may help. As for the Voltage regulator I do not know as I have no schematic but maybe a seperate one for the display. I would like to use a larger display as my eyes are not as good as they use to be any ideas??
Hugh