Wow... I wasn't expecting such an overwhelming response. I'm touched, really.

I'm going to mull every post and come back to share some ideas of my own. Many, many thanks to all!

 

A "Zero" is a single dot jumping every half second from corner to corner until it becomes a "1".

I really like this. And -

If an "8" is not the 8 outside dots, but the "7" pattern with the lower center dot added, then "0" can be the 8 outside dots with no moving lights.

ak

 

I'm touched

Yeah, we've know that for a while ...

 

I'm kinda in the mood to build myself on of these.

View attachment 232716

First I have to finish up my printer cabinet. Based on the Ikea Lack tables, an enclosed print area over 2 shelving units, one closed for dry filament storage, bottom open for "stuff."

This one is even neater:

 

I’ve seen this somewhere...

An array of LEDs, with each 5 rows containing
5 leds (hours, in either 12 or 24 format)
3 leds (minutes, tens)
4 leds (minutes, ones)
3 leds (seconds, tens)
4 leds (seconds, ones)

The digits are displayed as binary in each row.

 

My coworkers gave the tech manager a binary clock when he retired. It was a small one that used green LEDs and was available as a kit back then. Will have to dig out a picture. It had 5 rows - each digit on its own row

Just saw this on the Arduino site: Roman numeral clock

 

Maybe something could be done with this:

​

The high frequency is the minute hand and the low frequency is the hour hand.

The graph represents one rotation of the hour hand.

It seems that wherever the plots cross one another, that's where the hands of the clock would coincide but I'm not sure that's true...

 

If an "8" is not the 8 outside dots, but the "7" pattern with the lower center dot added, then "0" can be the 8 outside dots with no moving lights.

My thinking on the 12 dot matrix using the 8 pattern I chose was to avoid some confusion between the 8 and 12. On the 9 dot matrix there is no easy way to make a zero. So you COULD have absolutely no lights lit for a zero, but then how might you see it in a darkened room? So I chose to keep the 8 patterns the same on both 9 and 12 dot matrices. Both 8's are the same with the exception of one being 12 dot matrix and the other being 9 dot. The moving dots COULD circle the matrix, I just chose the four corners. One could choose any pattern desired.

 

Yeah, we've know that for a while ...

you just had to make it weird...

 

Where did you see this, please?

You should have not needed to compose this question. My apologies Sir.
https://decoholic.org/unusual-clock/

 

Hello,

An other weird clock is with a magnetic fluid:
https://www.tuvie.com/rhei-liquid-clock-creates-beautiful-illusion-where-time-always-moves/

More here: https://www.tuvie.com/search/digital+clock+designer

Bertus

 

On the 9 dot matrix there is no easy way to make a zero.

If the 8 is as I described (all of the bottom row, all of the middle row, plus the two top corners), then a "0" is the only digit that looks almost like a number, a square.

OR - for a 0, light the center LEDs in the four sides to form a diamond; again, a pseudo printed character. OK, I like that one better.

I like a stationary pattern because it doesn't require a uC. Your dice display could be adapted to any digital clock circuit / kit / existing device.

ak

 

An other weird clock is with a magnetic fluid:

I've seen that before. Absolutely the strangest display out there.

ak

 

Hello,

An other weird clock is with a magnetic fluid:
https://www.tuvie.com/rhei-liquid-clock-creates-beautiful-illusion-where-time-always-moves/

More here: https://www.tuvie.com/search/digital+clock+designer

Bertus

Now that is way cool!

 

I've been thinking about using a board of pins like this one as a display:

​

The main problem would be finding a feasible technique to individually control each pin.

 

​

The main problem would be finding a feasible technique to individually control each pin.

How about a linear array of actuators that can do one "line" at a time and moves along the frame like a raster scan. It might be like a storage tube: you set it, the erase it all at once. Maybe using gravity (tilt the frame) or magnets.

 

How about a linear array of actuators that can do one "line" at a time and moves along the frame like a raster scan. It might be like a storage tube: you set it, the erase it all at once. Maybe using gravity (tilt the frame) or magnets.

I've been considering all that... the challenge is that the pins are packed too close together.

 

If the 8 is as I described (all of the bottom row, all of the middle row, plus the two top corners), then a "0" is the only digit that looks almost like a number, a square.

OR - for a 0, light the center LEDs in the four sides to form a diamond; again, a pseudo printed character. OK, I like that one better.

I like a stationary pattern because it doesn't require a uC. Your dice display could be adapted to any digital clock circuit / kit / existing device.

Truth is - you can utilize any arrangement you like. IF I understand what you're trying to convey - change the 8 to like the right most digit and use any of the first three to represent a zero?

 

I think I remember this clock

Maybe not.

I remember a single digit clock where you had to move your head to see the time in one sweep.

Then there is the new Nixie tube clock: https://www.daliborfarny.com/

 

Truth is - you can utilize any arrangement you like. IF I understand what you're trying to convey - change the 8 to like the right most digit and use any of the first three to represent a zero?
View attachment 232754

Yes. The more I think about it, the more I like the far left image as a 0. I suppose another option is for zero to be a single dot, bottom row, center. Not intuitively obvious, but a very small learning curve.

ak