Hello @WedCylinder1769,
I’m using a combination of 7-segment displays and orange LED’s.
- For the 7-segment displays, I use OPD-S3011LA-BW. This is the Common Cathode version (works perfect with MAX7219CWG). But also the “BW” version, which has a black front, which blends better with the rest of the black front.
- For the orange LED’s, I used the TH Panasonic LNJ876YK6AA. Unfortunately, I don’t think you can find them any longer. For my EFIS (work in progress), I’m using an alternative SMD HL-PSC-2012S22OC from Honglitronic. Most important is that the color has about the same wavelength as the 7-Segment display, which is around 600 nm.
- For the front plate, I’m using transparent plexiglass. I painted the back in black (don’t use a primer, because that reduces the blackness), and then used a laser to remove the characters. Except for the cutouts of the 7-Segment displays, I used some tape to avoid that these areas are coated with paint. Removing such large areas with the laser always leaves some “scratches”.
- To make sure that the light of the LED’s is guided, I used my 3D-printer to create a kind of spacer that encapsulates the LED’s, as you can see in below picture. This spacer is also used as a border around the PCB, to keep the front panel at the correct distance.
The above is based on a few trial and errors, with the best result as described above.
Small detail - the +/- before the V/S is also based on 2 LED’s, because I didn’t find a solution with 7-Segment displays. I know that +/- exists, but trying to find them in the same size, black front, and color seemed an impossible task.
I hope that this info is helpful. If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Hans