13 Mar 2007, 03:17
Fellas
On the subject of early LCD I found in my dads original watch parts and suppliers bookbinder an Optel 1053 Liquid crystal clock display preliminary bulletin dated 3/15/71.An official company letter addressed to my dad offers 1,000 of these displays at ($15.00 each)The date of the letter is June 2nd, 1971.
In the same section of the binder on displays there are other suppliers including ILIXCO founded by the guy that invented the TN type LCD.The data sheet is labeled OPTILOGIC in big letters for the Bilevel Liqquid crystal displays available in white background with black letters or vice versa.One of the first customers for ILIXICO was Gruen watch of Switzerland,another close contender to the race to market the first solid state digital readout wristwatch.Obviously my father went with Monsanto Inc.,the early pioneer in LED,s and already had 2 watches working utilizing a differnt display offered by them and the early tunning fork 1968 wire filliament display version from a company in Ohio.
All I am thinking is that this kit in Pop Electronics was more or less the only way to dispense of the DSM type displays that were obsolete for manufacturers of both LED and LCD by 1974.The $80.00 is for the fun of building more than having the best display available.Still a Bargain in those days.
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