Magic Eye Replacement.

[Michail Wilson]

I thought this was a good idea for those than can’t get eyes.

 

https://hackaday.com/2022/08/29/magic-eye-tubes-go-solid-state-with-this-plug-in-replacement/

 

 

Michail

 

[gregebert]

I found out the hard way that magic eye tubes dont last long.

Back in the 70's I salvaged a 6E5 along with it's unusual socket which has a built-in resistor and saved for a later date when I found a datasheet and could hook it up for a future project. There it sat in a junkbox for about 40 years, until I rediscovered it and was eager to finally light it up. Filament is fine, yet no glow on the tube face. Such a disappointment.

I was planning to use it in the center of my alternate big clock which has green neon bulbs, like it's neon cousin pictured in my google icon that has traditional orange NE-2s for hands and an A101 dekatron spinning in the middle.

Someday when the project backlog clears-up I'll take the 6E5 apart and make one of these.

[Adrian Pardini]

I assume you already tried increasing the anode voltage. Also, does it
show any kind of fluorescence under black/uv light?

Regards

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--
Adrián Pardini

[Mac Doktor]

On Aug 29, 2022, at 4:41 PM, gregebert <greg...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Someday when the project backlog clears-up I'll take the 6E5 apart and make one of these.

No need to wait. Grab one of these ($20) and start goofing around with it:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/193443031569

Pros

$20

Works

Socket accepts EM800, EM84

Includes Chinese 6E2 (EM84)

Has proper connectors for hookup (not terminal blocks)

12V barrel jack

3.5mm mini-phone jack

Includes mic capsule for fun with ambient sounds

Cons

Cheaply made but surprisingly good considering the price. I have no regrets.

I also bought six of these boards:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/191011269169

And two packs of these sockets:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/193444297823

Voila. All of the necessary sockets for EM80/EM81, EM84/EM800 and 6E5S (Soviet 6E5). I have at least two of each tube.

The seller has individual boards with some of the above tubes. They're more expensive but...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/201015164495

...the same board with a Soviet 6E1P (EM80) for $54? That's cheap and it works straight out of the bubble wrap.

Only four left. I prefer an EM81 but EM80s are cheap.

Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"

https://www.astarcloseup.com

“...the book said something astonishing, a very big thought. The stars, it said, were suns but very far away. The Sun was a star but close up.”—Carl Sagan, "The Backbone Of Night", Cosmos, 1980

[Michail Wilson]

That is PCB only.  No tube.

 

Michail

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[gregebert]

Yeah, cranked it up to 500V (the limit on my HV supply). But I didn't try UV light.

I've wanted to get a UV light, but I'm worried about damaging my eyes or skin because the effect is so mesmerizing.

[Mac Doktor]

On Aug 29, 2022, at 6:29 PM, Michail Wilson <M...@Michail.com> wrote:

That is PCB only.  No tube.

The first one...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/193443031569

...does in fact come with a tube. It's down in the description.

I'm not saying that this stuff is the greatest in the world but for $20 why not? I've got five different tubes going right now. Some were more expensive than the boards and sockets.

I have some dual tubes that I need to power up...