[Tfug] OT: Outdoor displays

[Bexley Hall]

Hi Adrian,

> > A zero-cost way of doing this is just to interface
> > an otherwise unusable LCD monitor to the scale (via
> > a "PC"), poll the scale and display the result in
> > a very large "typeface".
> 
> Instead of a LCD, why don;t you look around for a scrolling
> LED diplay (the type normally used for scrolling messages in large
> buildings).

Ah!  That's an idea!  Still have to worry about exposing it to
the heat, though (I figure on a nice 110+ day, you can easily
push the limits of what most "commercial" products are
rated -- since most are used indoors)

> I'm sure there is one hiding around the halls of WorldCare 
> somewhere.

<frown>  Change in philosophy at WC:  don't "keep" anything.
Stuff moves very quickly *out* of the building to the recyclers
from now on.

Perhaps Gary (broker) has one squirreled away in his room.
I suspect something like this, if working, he would sell
pretty quickly.  :-/

> It should be plenty bright to see outside, under an overhang 
> it ought to be weather-resistant enough,

Temperature would be the big issue.  Relatively easy to
protect from rain (since it would be smaller than an
LCD).

> and it fairly innocuous when turn off and left outside. 

I think it would probably be less "tempting" to local
urchins (at least, compared to an LCD monitor). And,
probably more resistent to thrown stones, etc.

> Mount it up and continuously update it from a PC inside 
> attached to the scale.

That's an option -- *if* I can come across one!

Another option was to hook up some sort of "button" that
could be remotely activated (even if that means driving over
a switch) to "print" a "ticket" of the time/date/weight.
That eliminates the display issue entirely (in favor of
some sort of robust "switch").