Font for DEC indicator panels

[Toby Thain]

On 2018-11-13 10:21 AM, Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote:
>     > From: Toby Thain
> 
>     > To get closer I'd need better images of the panels.
> 
> Hi, I borrowed a DEC inlay from someone (a KA10 CPU bay) and scanned a chunk
> of it (as much as I could fit into my A4 scanner :-) at 200 dpi:
> 
>   http://ana-3.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/tech/jpg/KACPUPanel.jpg
> 

Nice job, that's a good reference.

> I have a TC08 inlay, but it's currently being used in my QSIC display (until
> we can get the RKV11-F/RPV11-D inlay done :-), and I didn't want to yank it
> out. As far as I can tell, it's the same font on the two of them.
> 
> 
>     > the closest I know of off the top of my head is Akzidenz Grotesk.
> 
> The Akzidenz Grotesk Medium is indeed very, very close (other than the zero).
> Do you happen to know if that font available for use in non-commercial
> settings?

I am not aware of one, but I can hunt around. I'm also waiting on a
friend who might have an idea about the DX11 panel, which is a different
font from this one.

Forgetting about identifying the original for a moment, I just stumbled
on this NEW (and very good) design, which is a bit closer to the DX11
and could be a suitable basis for a set of modern panels? You could
license this font for your product and its branding (or documentation,
web site, etc). It even has a monospaced variant:

https://lettersfromsweden.se/font/lab-grotesque/

--Toby


> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 	Noel
>