> So why bother... four seven segment displays then this will cost me 9$, while when I go for an LCD I will pay 14$...

I think the disparity is much greater... a two digit seven segment display in bulk costs about 30 cents (US) whilst the cheapest LCD Display (Hitachi compatible) is just under $1.25. Despite all the drawbacks, the seven segment display remains the cheapest solution for many applications. My original comments at the start of this thread still stand... if you can connect up and program an LED, you can connect up and program a device with seven of them.