Ugly real time clock on PIC version 2. Cool VFD display

So, want build ugly real time clock (RTC)? ;)
This clock is based on clock ver1. But it is more complicated. It uses VFD (Vacuum fluorescent display) display from some sat receiver. Exact model for VFD is NEC FIP8XM9A, 2 and 1/2 seven segment indicator, 8 dot-matrix (5x7) and few receiver indicators: "TIMER", "MAC", "STEREO" and etc. Heater for VFD uses 6V, but works quite well from 5V. Anodes and grids requires max 25V, but works quite well from ~15V.
To drive such device typically you can use special Allegro device, but they didn't send samples for me, so I needed to build some interface by myself.

POWER SUPPLY FOR VFD
Power from mains transformed and rectified using simple wall "cube". But this cube produces typically 12V. A bit too low for VFD. If I would like to use some higher voltage cube for 25V it will be hard to find, and to much power will be dissipated in 5V supply for logic parts.
Browsing old junk I found old ATX power supply. There is one chip in AT/ATX power supply: TL494 (or analog), pulse width modulator, generator, etc. etc. Switching power supply controller. Using this chip you can build any switching supply, or PWM regulator. Using typical parts from AT power supply and powerfull mosfet from mainboard I constructed boosting regulator. Schematics are here. The main parts are: T1, Q1, L1, D1. T1 is used to drive powerfull mosfet. Mosfet is connected in simplified way, so called passive on. It must be driven using totem pole schematics, but who cares if it works. L1 is some inductor from old HP printer (about 50 turns, 1cm height, 0.5 cm width with windings, open inductor). D1 is fast schotky diode from some other device. It is SMD part from motorola- the device is unknown. (Motorola just loves to encript devices...some top secret paranoia).

POWER SUPPLY FOR LOGIC
This supply is made using 7805 chip using typical schematics. This supply is used for VFD heater and all logic chips.

VFD INTERFACE
VFD is organised in such way: 10 grids and lots of anodes. To light some symbol you must select element by connecting grid to 25V supply and construct symbol by selectively connecting anodes to same 25V. So you need to connect 40 anodes and 10 grids to CPU. You can not connect them directly- the 25V will burn out any CPU. Also, you need lots of ports to manipulate all anodes. If I could get Allegro chips it could be done in quite easy way. Now I've done in ugly way.
Every anode and grid is connected to TTL logic with generic npn transistor- I found lots of them in same ATX power supply- BC945 (up to 60V in Uce).
Serial to paraller conversion is done with 74HC164 chips (5 pcs.).
Schematics are simplified. I don't want to draw all 5 chips, 40 transistors and 80 resistors... You must catch the idea.
The grids of the VFD is driven in same way, but as we need only one grid at a time, I used 4 to 16 line decoder. High voltage parts are the same. Schematics are simplified too. Note that output "zero" is not used. During this state all VFD is out.

Full Schematics. And ugly pictures of working device here and here.