looking to build or find inexpensive 3-digit 7-segment LED display

I need to display the numbers 0-255 in decimal on a 3-digit LED display for a microcontroller project (it would need to be visible in the dark). Ideally the display would be inexpensive and not take up too many uC outputs, but what I am finding is expensive ($30 or more). Does anyone make an inexpensive 3-digit 7-segment LED module that accepts serial input from say, a PICAXE or a BASIC Stamp 2? Also I haven't done anything using serial i/o yet but I saw some displays that had a "clock" pin (so the controller can sync up the data stream with the module). Would I need to get a clock module for the basic stamp to talk to the display module? What would a good one be? Can you build a reliable clock for less using a 555 timer? I as thinking about how such a device might work without a clock and thought of a way to do it with 2 lines output, 0-0 would mean no data, 0-1 would mean here comes some data, 1-0 would mean low, 1-1 would mean high. The display module would consist of a microcontroller with 2 inputs and 12 outputs (3 groups of 4 outputs going to a 7-segment encoder IC to drive each digit). Is this a decent solution or unnecessary? Any advice or links to a good example would be appreciated... Thanks.

Reply to
mad.scientist.jr
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Save your cash, forget electronic toys, you will be starved.. Only buy what you need. Take me for example, I am out of job, I have to post my fancy ad at the bottom of my post every time. Go figure.

...Jim Thompson

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|  James E.Thompson, P.E.                                       | mens  | 
|  Analog Innovations, Inc.                                        | et moi  
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Reply to
Jim Thompson

You sure ask a lot of questions for someone from New Jersey.

Is that a joke?

Why has no one ever pointed out that ASICs are actually AN-SICs?

Reply to
William Sommerwerck

Because Jim and I are retarded bastards. Your definition sounds to close to ANSI C definition. There are million ways to name a thing.

Reply to
MooseFET

Becasue ahe troll forging post as Jim thompson doesn't know what you're talking about.

Jim post though cox, not aioe.org.

Xref: sn-us sci.electronics.components:138775 sci.electronics.design:803965 sci.electronics.repair:473092 Path: sn-us!sn-feed-sjc-03!sn-us!sn-feed-sjc-02!sn-xt-sjc-11!sn-xt-sjc-09!sn-xt-sjc-12!supernews.com!postnews.google.com!news3.google.com!feeder1-2.proxad.net!proxad.net!feeder1-1.proxad.net!club-internet.fr!feedme-small.clubint.net!aioe.org!not-for-mail From: "Jim Thompson"

Newsgroups: sci.electronics.components, sci.electronics.design, sci.electronics.repair Subject: Re: looking to build or find inexpensive 3-digit 7-segment LED display Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:42:34 -0800 Organization: Forte Inc.

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Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
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Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

I forgot to mention Michael A. TerribleIl, he's a super-retarded soldier who went with the idiots to war, they claimed they did it for Iraq, then claimed it's for us, then claimed it's for the world. It's funny to no end.

Reply to
MooseFET

What does C have to do with ICs? As usual, one needs to spell out everything.

An "application-specific IC" is no more an application-specific device than blank sheets of paper and pile of pencils are a novel. They should actually be called "application non-specific ICs".

Reply to
William Sommerwerck

"A" stands for "application-specific" dummy. No need to make it lenghty.

Reply to
MooseFET

Again, you miss the point.

Reply to
William Sommerwerck

Responding to some name faking twit i see. Check the headers.

Reply to
JosephKK

Talking up the to the sewer rat still? Check some more headers.

Reply to
JosephKK

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