Selecting a seven-segment display
We chose a 6.5" seven-segment display for this chapter. We chose it because of its giant size but each digit needs a separate driver. The following figure shows a seven-segment digit with a driver soldered on its back:
Figure 6.4 – 6.5" seven-segment digit with a driver on the back
The total cost of a single digit comes to around USD 30. It can get quite expensive and so we wanted to suggest some alternatives that might suit your budget. We found a smaller display on eBay for USD 4. It is available from here: https://ebay.to/3nKtd4F.
You should be able to use the drivers written for the giant seven-segment display to drive this tiny display (shown in the following figure). The only disadvantage of this display is that it is very small and the numbers cannot be seen from a distance:
Figure 6.5 – Small seven-segment display
If you are looking for a slightly bigger display at...