Reverse engineering a flip dot sign

Here's a little demonstration about how to control a flip-dot sign. These mechanical display devices were common before LED displays took off, and this device in particular is surplus from a city bus. Curiously, this one actually has LEDs on it to light the sign, however the physical dots probably provide a much higher contrast ratio, allowing the sign to be viewed in the daytime.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• flip
• dot
• sign

[cactuarizamoron]

hey, i have a flip dot sign with similar side to urs. its off a bus and i cant seem to get it out of its metal box. i can open up the back hatch to see the electronics but i cant seem to take the flip dot board itself out because the bottom of it is attached to its frame and theres a clear screen in the front thats permanantly screwed in. aany help here?

[Mahto]

@cactuarizamoron Hmm, thats hard to say without actually seeing your device. Mine came pretty much as seen, without an enclosure or drive electronics.

[mailerdiablo]

Price tag at bottom-right : $10~! :D

[Mahto]

@mailerdiablo And those are Canadian dollars, back before they were at parity!

[ECDT1089]

is there any way possible I could buy on of these?

[Mahto]

@ECDT1089 I wish I knew; I don't actually own this one, my friend lent it to me. She purchased it at a surplus store in Canada some years ago.

[mahorka777]

хуйня

[pimper37]

lol

[TwiztedIndian]

Did you ever do anything with this? I have a HUGE 4' long flip dot sign I would like to drive but I cant find any info on it...

[stdavross666]

what happens when you mash you hand into it??

[pudgeman10]

you sound like Gabe from the office

[aeiou911]

Hanover Display?

[sylvie606]

I give you a C... A for effort but C for design ;)