We are all makers
This clock uses an old monitor and a PIC chip to display the time in a fantastic, old-school, way. The schematics and code are available online. If you have an old monitor, this could be a fun project to display the time in your lab.
This piece of software generates a standard VGA signal, displaying in it a standard 6-digit date-time clock. The chosen color is green, but it can easily changed to red or blue (no gradients, unfortunately). Its use could be the creation of a big, luminous wall-clock, by using old VGA monitors ready to be dismissed. Or, brand new flat LCDs, if you feel like!
Check out the VGA clock with USB interface
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More about a Simple PIC VGA tester