I'm having some trouble getting a Futaba VFD going. There are
two data sheets that conflict, and rather than blow the tripes out
of it by mistake I'd appreciate a pointer or two. I've tried Futaba
service a couple of times but apparently no one's awake this
month and there's b-all on the web. Plenty about LED/LCDs, no
VFDs

It's a pretty basic 11-ST-26ZA. This is an 11 digit numeric display
with upper and lower commas and decimal point. The SIL pin out is

1,26  Filament
2,3,25  NC
4,6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20,21,32      11G,10G,9G,...1G
5,7,9,11,17,19,22  g,f,e,d,c,b,a
13  comma2
15  DP
24  comma2

The data sheet from Futaba says (typical values)

Filament Voltage 4VAC @ 18mA
Anode,Grid Voltage 20Vp-p
Anode,Grid Supply Voltage 24.5Vp-p (starting to lose me)
Duty Factor 1/15
Cathode Bias 4.5VDC (applied to the C-T of the Filament Tx winding)
Grid Cut-off Voltage -5.0V (lost me)
Anode Cut-off Voltage - no value (why mention it then ?)

Apart from physical diagrams, that's it

The data sheet for the Allegro 6118 driver shows one end of a line
to be VBias and the other end VFil. This is where things are getting
fuzzy. Is Cathode Bias the same as VBias ? Why show it as part of
the Filament ? If Cathode Bias connects to Tx C-T and the other end
of this line is VFil, why have a C-T transformer ?

Getting data to the display would seem to be easy enough. Making
it visible is another matter. Does anyone have a practical circuit or
can explain the terms used in the data sheets ? For example, exactly
what is required by way of power supplies ? If Futaba's aim was to
baffle me, mission accomplished

TIA

**************************************
A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful
inquiry that can establish truths of great value.

Isaac Asimov

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