Not exactly a Nixie device, but still a cold cathode device are the Dekatrons (GC10B/S) 4KHz maximum frequency rate decade counter tubes. These are the grandfathers
of display devices. I downloaded the Ericsson design manual from Deiter's site. The extensive manual shows how to make actual frequency dividers. I hope to make a frequency
counter out of the tubes. Some have blown away zero cathodes from displaying zero all the time, but those can be used as reverse Dekatron spinners spinning counter clockwise.
Aussies will enjoy this because water going down the drain goes in reverse compared to us Northern Hemisphere people.
The tubes need 450 Volts DC. Hooking up to a computer such as an Arduino, Raspberry or any other computer is a piece of cake. All timing is done in software and no big deal.
My counter will use discrete components and interfaced by optoelectric means. There is a section in the manual that touched on this using photodiodes/transistors. Six or eight pin
optoisolators are everywhere and should not be a problem. 4KHz is not high frequency, but a hybrid could use the four tubes on the left displaying the KhZ or MHz value with the other
tubes used as indicators driven by high speed TTL or ECL.
Lastly there are two Japanese edge lit displays. There are ten etched glass wafers inside; each driven by a 48 Volt miniature bulb. It is possible to use high intensity LEDs instead of
the bulbs to make it easier to interface to logic chips/drivers but would require one to make a pc board instead of what is there now. Not a big deal for the determined.
I must say that a blue led display looks really cool. Any colour LED could be used. High intensity white and blue are what I have on hand. The white looks good too.
I suppose mulicoloured LEDs could be used. An ever changing display with all the colours of the rainbow... Hmmmm....
The two digits I have were used in some sort of time measurement device, probably a clock or time event counter. The left digit is wired from zero to five while the other is from
zero to nine. All of the bulbs work but interfacing 48V to CMOS or TTL requires more parts either as discrete transistors or a few high voltage driver chips. Also, miniature 48V bulbs
are not common any longer.
Dang typo errors... Never see 'em in the preview before posting. Always after when everybody can see the typos...