Marvin> I have eight NOS seven segment displays in a 16 pin DIP Marvin> package. These displays have a glass cover and each of the Marvin> segments have a wire running between the two contacts. The Marvin> only markings I see are "Japan" and "3015-5" on the back and Marvin> "C-27-09" on the side. My suspicion is that they are Marvin> incandescent but I haven't found any information on them yet Marvin> using Google. Does anyone know what these things are called? I don't remember any distinctive name for those, other than perhaps "incandescent 7 segment display". Yes, those existed for a short while back when LEDs were very expensive and not particularly bright. paul

I have run across at least two variations of the 7-segment incandescent displays in 14/16 pin DIPs and they have different case size and pinouts. First ran across them when I bought four at Radio Shack circa 1972 when I was 12-or-so years old, to make a clock, but never heard the term 'minitron'. 'Minitron' *may* be a trade name for a particular manufacturer's version, rather than a 'type' name. Note that Numitrons are similar 7-segment incandescent displays from RCA, but in a small vacuum-tube style envelope.