The hottest Displays Substack posts right now

Vacuum tubes were the foundational electronic devices before transistors, used to control electron flow for amplification and switching. They powered radios, TVs, telephone systems, and early computers and enabled things like displays, X-rays, and microwave sources.
The vacuum tube was not a single gadget but a whole family of related devices — gas-discharge tubes, triodes, tetrodes, CRTs, magnetrons, klystrons, and more. Each type evolved on its own path and found different practical uses.
Semiconductors replaced tubes in most everyday electronics, but many tube technologies remain essential for high-power, high-frequency, or specialized scientific work. Examples include magnetrons in microwaves, klystrons and gyrotrons in accelerators and fusion experiments, and vacuum X-ray tubes in imaging.

The Department of Energy appears to be moving away from the ALARA radiation-safety principle, which could lower nuclear project costs but also change long-standing safety practices.
Big tech is betting on nuclear power to fuel AI centers, with Meta backing new reactors and buying output from existing plants to secure gigawatts of electricity by the early 2030s.
OLED displays give brighter colors and faster refresh rates but use uneven subpixel layouts that can cause colored fringing on text and static graphics, due to blue-pixel lifespan limits, human vision quirks, and manufacturing constraints.

LCDs are becoming outdated as technology advances, and companies like Apple are moving away from them. This shift opens up new opportunities for chip manufacturers.
Major players in the semiconductor industry, such as TSMC and Micron, are buying old LCD factories to repurpose them for chip packaging. They aim to use larger glass panels instead of traditional silicon wafers for better efficiency.
As companies pivot from making displays to chips, the expertise from the LCD industry will still play a role in future technology, especially in the growing AI sector.

OLED displays are generally better for microcontroller projects than traditional LCDs. They are easier to use and deliver better performance and visuals.
For projects with limited RAM or CPU, smaller OLED displays like the SSD1353 and SSD1333 can be effective. They are simple to set up with basic connections.
Setting up these OLED displays involves a few key commands and configurations, making it manageable even for beginners. Once connected, getting them to display graphics is straightforward.

Flip-disc displays have a nostalgic charm that brings back memories of train stations and travel with their satisfying clicking sounds. They feel magical and make experiences feel more real.
This project combines old-school flip-boards with modern technology, offering interactive displays that you can control with your code. It’s a fun mix of art and tech.
Building something physical that reacts to your commands is very rewarding. The joy comes from creating a display that flips and moves, making programming feel more alive.

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Cheap microcontrollers are being repurposed as standard USB peripherals—ESP32s and similar boards can act as webcams (including thermal), USB-to-GPIO adapters, and tiny host-to-host bridges so hobby sensors plug straight into PCs.
Old and low-tech hardware is getting clever modern hacks: SNES controllers can share SPI-like buses, bargain analog clocks get Wi‑Fi NTP upgrades, and neon-lamp ring counters can drive Nixies without silicon.
The community favors calm, practical projects alongside playful demos—house e-paper dashboards, QR-paper audio players, and fake webcams streaming Pong all show a mix of usefulness, compatibility, and creative delight.