diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 0fba560..92e451f 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ static void vfd_shift(void)
 	gpio_set(VFD_PORT, VFD_STR); // disable HV output
 	gpio_set(VFD_PORT, VFD_NLE); // latch data
 	gpio_clear(VFD_PORT, VFD_STR); // enable HV output
-	// normally there is minimum time before/after the latch
+	gpio_clear(VFD_PORT, VFD_NLE); // stop latching data
 }
 
 /* transmit each digit and dot */
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ int main(void)
 
 	bool vfd_transmit = false;
 	uint8_t digit = 0;
-	uint8_t c = 128;
+	uint8_t c = 0;
 	/* blink the LED with every transmitted character */
 	while (1) {
 		while (usart_received) { // echo every received character
@@ -424,12 +424,14 @@ int main(void)
 			vfd_transmit = true;
 		}
 		while (vfd_transmit) {
-			vfd_transmit = false;
-			printf("%u:%c\n",digit,c);
+			c = digit+'0';
 			vfd_digit(digit,c);
 			vfd_shift();
 			digit = (digit+1)%10;
-			c++;
+			// let the fluorescence glow up a bit
+			for (uint32_t i = 0; i < 0x2000; i++) {
+				__asm__("nop");
+			}
 		}
 		__WFI(); // go to sleep
 	}