Affordable 4-digit panel meters?

[Werty]

I can find lots of LCD & LED 3-1/2 panel meters for under US$20. But look for
4 digits and the price triples.

Is this just my experience, or is this pretty standard pricing?

I'm flexible re. type (prefer LCD), background lighting (not necessary),
color (prefer green), and size (have ~25mm x 50mm panel openings waiting to
be filled).

I've looked at Mouser & Digikey. Spendy!

Where else to look?

Thanks,

__________________________________________


Why over work the human operator ? Use a
ARM STR710FZ2T6 mcu..
Thats what im doin .

I will hook my MFJ209 to it and create
a DMM . A super MultiMeter ...
Test Coax , read the true inductance
and capactance and Q .....read real stuff
as the circuit is actually working ...

 

[Peter Orban]

Hi Al,

Those low cost panel meters are usually built around the ICL7106/07
(LCD/LED) chips and their derivatives.
Check out their data sheets and application notes.
These chips are rather fussy about their input's range relative to the power
supply voltages, so separate power supplies is an easy solution.

Good luck, Peter

 

[jasen]

Hi Al,

Those low cost panel meters are usually built around the ICL7106/07
(LCD/LED) chips and their derivatives.
Check out their data sheets and application notes.
These chips are rather fussy about their input's range relative to the power
supply voltages, so separate power supplies is an easy solution.

Good luck, Peter

if you have any old 10-base-2 network cards (thin coax ethernet)
in your junk box they have on them a wide-DIP shaped isolated powersupply
5v in 9v out, 10 seconds on the underside with a blowtorch and they just
fall out.

 

[[email protected]]

I can find lots of LCD & LED 3-1/2 panel meters for under US$20. But look for
4 digits and the price triples.

Since this is apparently a one-off, observe that MPJA has 4-1/2 digits
for $18.95 <http://www.mpja.com/productview.asp?product=7160+ME>