Old Plasma Screen Displays Current Radiation levels Reading
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For those with an interest in electronics and radiation monitoring, reverse-engineering a monochrome plasma display like the Elektronika MS6205 can be a rewarding project. This vintage Soviet-era display, known for its monochrome character-based output, has found new life in custom radiation monitors, as demonstrated by recent community projects.
The Elektronika MS6205 is a 100x100 pixel plasma matrix that was primarily used as a text-only display with Latin and Cyrillic characters. If you're intrigued by its unique charm, you might also find Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFDs) appealing, as they share a similar aesthetic.
To reverse-engineer and integrate an MS6205 display for radiation monitoring, follow these key steps:
- Documentation and Physical Examination: Obtain circuit diagrams or datasheets for the MS6205, if available. If not, use a multimeter and oscilloscope to map pinouts, voltage levels, timing signals, and data/control lines. Be prepared for TTL-level signals and level shifting or buffering, as Soviet-era hardware often requires these.
- Signal Analysis: Capture the waveform characteristics of the control signals during normal operation. Understand the timing for scan lines or multiplexing, how pixel energization is achieved, and any character encoding if the display is structured for alphanumeric output.
- Developing a Driver: Use a microcontroller or FPGA to replicate the required waveforms and protocol. Open-source projects or hobbyist communities may provide clues or partial driver code for similar vintage plasma displays.
- Integration with Radiation Sensors: For radiation monitoring, the display acts as an output device showing real-time radiation levels. Data from scintillation or Geiger-Müller tube sensors can be digitized and formatted for display.
- Software Layer: Implement firmware that reads radiation sensor data and translates the results into character or pixel data suitable for the MS6205 display.
- Testing and Calibration: Ensure the displayed data corresponds accurately to sensor readings. Calibration may involve comparing with standard instruments or known radioactive sources.
Community projects, such as the one documented by the "Chornobyl Family" YouTube channel, demonstrate the practicality of this approach. Although these projects may not provide detailed technical schematics publicly, studying their videos and repositories can provide invaluable hands-on insights.
To power the display, a post-1995 model of the Elektronika MS6205 is recommended, as it requires 250V to ignite. This may require additional work for North Americans, as the standard voltage is 110-120V.
If you're inspired by the Elektronika MS6205's unique aesthetic, you might also be interested in Vacuum Fluorescent Displays. They can be easier to find in the West, and their reverse-engineering process shares many similarities with the MS6205.
Extra symbols and Greek letters can be unlocked on the Elektronika MS6205 by cutting a trace and replacing it with a bodge wire. This adds a personal touch to your custom radiation monitor.
In conclusion, the reverse-engineering process for the MS6205 involves electrically characterizing its interface and control signals, instrumenting a modern controller to drive it correctly, and integrating radiation sensor data to display meaningful measurements. This approach leverages both vintage display technology and contemporary radiation detection advancements for innovative monitoring solutions.
A video of the device in action and more background information can be found here. [Alex] has also made the wiring and code for interfacing with the Elektronika MS6205 display available on the project site. Happy reverse-engineering!
The intricate reverse-engineering process of the Elektronika MS6205 display demonstrates how hacking vintage technology can be integrated with modern artificial-intelligence and technology to create innovative solutions, such as custom radiation monitors. With similar appeal, Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFDs) also incorporate technology and can be hacked for various purposes.
