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please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

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propman

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please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post26 Jan 2008, 10:22

Hi !

My name is Stephan from Germany and I am building movie prop replicas.

Well, I hope that you can help me with some information about a prop which I try to build up.

It is from the movie "Aliens" from 1985 and it`s called "Locator Tube".

They used this device in the movie to track down a missing person.

My guess is that they used a LED watch inside of the tube, maybe with a stop watch function. But the little dot at the bottom of the second digit looks more from a calculator.

After spending hours over hours watching hundreds of watches I come out with empty hands :( You guys are my last hope.

The diameter of the tube should be around 1 inch.

Here are some screen caps :

Image

Image

What are your opinion about the "watch in the tube" idea ?

Thanks in advance,

Stephan
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rewolf

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: please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post26 Jan 2008, 20:50

Hi Stephan,
as you alread mentioned, the dot makes it rather not look like a LED watch.

It could be a standard 3-digit 7-segment display, like a Siemens (later Infineon, then Osram OS) DL-430M. 22.7mm wide, digit height 3.8mm.
Or the smaller DL-330M, 15.1mm wide, digit height 2.8mm.
These multi-digit displays are not made any more. I tried to get a few DL-440M (4-digit version) about 3 years ago for a little private project - IIRC an Israelian chip broker offered some for a horrendous price..
A datasheet is here.

Drive it with a multi-digit counter like a Mostek MK50395, or build your own with 3x CD4510 BCD up/down counter + 3x CD4511 BCD to 7-segment decoder. At least that's what I would have done 23 years ago ;-)
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Old Tom

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: please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post27 Jan 2008, 18:42

Hi, like Rewolf says the RH decimal point suggests calculator display chip rather than watch. The only devices I can think of that would have a two digit left, one digit right display would be a digital thermometer or digital windspeed meter. Other possible devices are pedometers, calorie counters or bite counters but these tend not to have the decimal dot. My money would be on a digital thermometer for an off-the-shelf device.

If you wanted to make something similar I could help with a 4 digit display (Hewlett Packard 5084-7414 which is a 15mm wide, common cathode display chip) but you would have to make your own driver electronics.

@ Rewolf- if you could still use one of these (or the five digit version) I'd be happy to send one to a good home!
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rewolf

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Re: : please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post27 Jan 2008, 19:28

Old Tom wrote:@ Rewolf- if you could still use one of these (or the five digit version) I'd be happy to send one to a good home!
Thanks for the nice offer :-)
Are these "70s-style" LEDs (thin red line, chip visible), or the "alarm-clock stal" style with light guides? What I could use is a 4-digit display in 70s -style. It's rather easy to get the modern ones in small sizes, but I want the "original" look ;-)
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Old Tom

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: please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post27 Jan 2008, 23:46

Genuine 1970s HP replacement LED displays for their calculators!- I used to buy all sorts of electronic surplus in the early 1980s and these came my way. So, they are 7 segment + DP bar displays with a RH DP, digit height about 3mm (they have integral magnifier lens). Will try to post photo tomorrow.
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propman

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: please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post28 Jan 2008, 15:17

Thanks for the very fast reply !

I saw a few LED watches with a calculator or stopwatch function - does these have the decimal dot ?

A thermometer is a good idea but it should be difficulty to set it on a specific number I think.

Most "movie props" were built out of found items - I don`t think that they specially built the LED electronic for the movie.

Hypothetically they used a calculator with magnifying bubbles - is it possible to cut off the left 4 or 5 digits without harming the function of the remaing 3 ?

On one screen cap the display showes "00.0" - what device could show two "0"`s before the dot ?

Cheers,

Stephan


just found a 2-digit one with a dot :

http://www.digitalwatches.de/LED_Zenith_Futur.htm
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Old Tom

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: please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post28 Jan 2008, 20:43

Photo of HP displays (4 & 5 digit), hopefully;-

Image
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propman

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: please help me to identify an unknown LED watch

Post28 Apr 2008, 15:33

Hello again !

Just some months ago I asked about this and today I can proudly present the result of the request on this fantastic board :-D

My biggest thanks to Timecomputer for the DL330M and all the inspirations - and Rewolf for the circuit plan and all other electronic components. Without these guys I had never realized my project - THANK YOU AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some images of my new movie-related LED gadget :

Image

"prototyp board"

Image

"behind the scenes"

Image

"battery & poti position"

Image

"alu tube with installed board"

Image

"single components"

Image

"finished prop"

The LED read-out is glowing a bit too much on the image - in real life it matches the screen-caps above :-D

By turning the black knob at the bottom I can change the display between "00.0" and "99.9".

Thanks to MAXIM`s free samples of the Voltmeter IC also !!

Cheers,

Stephan

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