For the Cat Feeder Unreminder, I originally wanted to run LED indicators but I think it would be cool to run a reflective LCD display like on solar powered calculators.

For a display I was looking at Varitronix‘s VI-422-DP-RC-S. I was thinking I can hardwire the display to say FEED. What is weird with these displays is they run on alternating current (AC).

The solar power subsystem provides 3.3VDC which won’t work for activating the segments. Google searching around shows that these displays run on AC square waves. Initial thoughts are to make a push/pull transistor circuit that can drive and source high and the low side can sink giving us a 3.3V AC drive source.

But after chatting with some folks I think using a 4049 Hex Inverter like this will work great.