Re:Calibration Display for NASA (2019)
by WorldPeas on Friday March 31, 2023 @09:40AM
(#35387007)
Interesting read, I'm surprised these tubes are so fast considering my one remaining filament bulb always takes a few seconds to warm up after being switched on. Do these use a different filament type?
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I think the filament stays on and you switch what cathode is being used.
edit, I just read the wikipedia page on nixie tubes, there is no filament, despite looking like one it is not a thermionic vacuum tube. it is a cold cathode gas discharge lamp. so one anode with many switched cathodes.
Nixies don't emit light by heating, it's closer to neon tube
That clears things up, although I'm curious now why a VFD wouldn't be better
I think the answer is that they are making Nixie tubes:
https://www.daliborfarny.com/project/custom-nixie-tube-for-k...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nHkhJ52iA4
Obvious choice would not be VFDs or nixies but plain LEDs I'd imagine.