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Re:Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock by janekm on Thursday April 30, 2020 @07:39AM (#23029772)
Getting a custom VFD made would be a very expensive process indeed.

If you need a very small number of segments then Dalibor Farny can make a custom Nixie tube, which is similar technology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nHkhJ52iA4 Also a good introduction to how they are made (making a VFD would be similar but more difficult): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxL4ElboiuA&t=32s

Otherwise Noritake itron still make VFD monitors for industrial applications (seems they have high temp advantages over LCDs): https://www.noritake-itron.com/site2017/index.php?option=com...

Re:Casio CQ-1 calculator and clock by Nevada-Smith on Thursday April 30, 2020 @12:48PM (#23032991)
> (seems they have high temp advantages over LCDs)

According to Wikipedia [1], it's their low temperature advantage: "...unlike LCDs, VFDs are not limited by the response time of rearranging liquid crystals and are thus able to function normally in cold, even sub-zero, temperatures, making them ideal for outdoor devices in cold climates."

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_fluorescent_display