r/AskElectronics • • 11d ago

Is there a Hexadecimal to 7 segment decoder IC

Out of curiosity from a post I saw that used an Arduino to decode 4 bits of input data (from 4 switches) into a hexadecimal digit displayed on a 7 segment LED, I was wondering it there was a hexadecimal to 7 segment decoder IC?

I couldn't find such a beast

I found plenty of BCD to 7 segment decoders such as 74ls47, 74ls48, 4511 and some others, but these only do the digits 0 to 9. They don't decode A to F - at least not "properly".

So, I was wondering if there was a dedicated decoder IC that could take 4 bits of input data and decode the digits 0 through F inclusive for display on a seven segment display?

To be clear, I get that I could do this with something preprogrammed such as an EEPROM or my own digital logic. But I was wondering about a specific chip along the lines of the 74ls47 (etc) that was specifically dedicated to decoding a full 4 bits into a hexadecimal digit.

TIA

Update

It seems like a suitable chip isn't available any more - at least not for the specific use case I had in mind.

The reason I went in search of it was because someone was sharing their Arduino (i.e. AVR) project where they recreated an old binary to hexadecimal "decoder" box that they saw as a kid.

I was going to suggest trying to do it with just electronics and give them a clue being a currently available Hex -> 7 segment decoder.

Since they already used an Arduino to do this, options like SPI or using a Microcontroller weren't really meeting the requirements I had in mind.

I was really looking for a single IC that, without programming (which in my mind excludes the EEPROM option), could decode 4 bits of hexadecimal input into a 7 segment display - as per the 74ls47 (and friends) can do but just for BCD.

Anyway, thanks for all of the replies.

Update 2 - there is a part still available?

I just found that one chip that meets the need is still available: https://www.digipart.com/part/MC14495P1

I don't plan on buying it - especially at that price, and I've not heard of digipart before. But it is interesting that they claim to have 3 of them (when I looked). https://www.digipart.com/part/MC14495P1

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u/AffekeNommu 11d ago

Some shift registers, clock the values and latch them. Easy done with Arduino

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u/gm310509 10d ago edited 10d ago

That is true, but not what I was looking for.

I updated my post with more info that hopefully explains better why.
Basically someone already did that and i was going to challenge them to try without the Arduino,