Guide Make your own USB LCD controller!

wow....great work

 

I'm going to make a couple of these, but I have problems finding a suitable rotary encoder.


Will this work? It seems to have only 3 terminals, as opposed to 5.
Or do i have to get this one (more expensive)?

Edit: Never mind that. I just figured that the first one lacks a switch...


Oh, and will this controller work with a 40x1 display?

edit2: It looks like it will.

If I want more GPOs, what pins do I connect the transistors to, and is this configured in the existing firmware?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Variable-Resi...VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247
i i was wondering if that would do for the Rv2
thanks in advance
masterhoulahan

 

Should be fine

 

I may be stupid, but how do I enable the buzzer in LCD smartie? I have some LEDs connected to that output, but I just can't get them to turn on. (Tried all the GPOs)

Edit: I figured it out. (GPO 5, if anyone else wonders)

Sorry about all my useless posts today...

 

LCD Smartie Ver 5.4 hangs

Hi CH424

Great work! I have breadboarded your project and it works! The only problem is that LCD smartie sometime complains about the matrix display driver and hangs after displaying few screens. I have also tried LCDC and it works better but it too hangs once in a while. I have not incorporated the encoder yet, but is it possible to control the screens in LCDC using the same schematics in your project? Thanks for providing a nice project for all modders.

Also while using lcdsmartie , i can get the image on all 4 lines if i choose 40X4 rather than 20X4

 

Anybody interested in programmed chip

To those who are interested, I can send programmed PIC chips to your destination on proper payment for the chip and delivery.
Cheers

Burotech

 

I have this problem sometimes. I suspect it's because c5 and c3 is too far away from the PIC. Either that, or the USB lines get some noise. (Bad PCB layout)

I'll probably etch a new PCB this weekend. I'll let you know if that helps

 

I had the same issues with LCDSmartie locking up after a few screens. After removing C3 and C5, the problem went away. On one of my breadboards I needed the caps, but when I changed to a different board, I had to remove the cap.
I find that I have to plug in the device and then start LCDSmartie...otherwise it complains about the matrix driver.

Exactly what are you trying to do with LCSmartie that you have to choose 40x4 to get the "image"...not sure what you mean.

 

Yeah, I was going to say try moving C3 and C5 closer to the PIC. Yes, 40x4 will work and be slightly buggy.

 

5 Button version

CH424,

Just to let you know, I got the 5 button version working flawlessly. I removed the rotary encoder and added two more buttons. Awesome!

the buttons do the following:

previous screen
next screen
freeze
go to winamp screen
backlight toggle

(for now)...I am constantly changing things around.
Next I'll be adding LED indicators for different things...maybe email...maybe IM contacts online...who knows.

Again, thanks for this great project.

 

Fixed the LCDsmartie hangup

Hi Erik and CH424

Thanks for your suggestions. Actually I had fixed the problem yesterday but did not have time to post the response yet. My error was not including the caps at all in the breadboard version. After adding the 220 mf and .1 caps things are working perfectly. I guess the reason with the matrix driver error was because of the circuit misbehaving w/o the caps and lcdsmartie not finding the display.

Do you think that the rotary encoder will work with the unmodified code with LCDC software too? Some of the screens of the LCDC program are quite neat and I would like to use it as well.

Regarding the 40x4 option, if i set the display type to be 20x4 ( I am actually using a 20X4 LCD) in LCDsmartie, the display only shows up on 2 alternate lines but come out properly when I choose the 40X4 option.

Erik can I have the code for the 5 button version? my email is boseanjan--at--gmail.com (without the --)

Cheers to all of you for your great work and support!

Forgot to thank Smilodon for your comments! Thanks man, all of you are right , it was the caps ( I completely forgot to include them!)

I will post photos of my completed project once I get a nice cover for this (hopefully by this weekend)

 

Hi Erik

Thanks for the hex file, very much appreciated. The programmer I use for burning the PIC is PICKIT 2 and there is no option to set the configuration bits in the programmer software other than code protection bits. The only other place that I can include the fuse setting is when I compile in MPASMWIN but for that I need the source code. I know in some programmer you can specify all the configuration bits when you have the hex file but not in PIC Kit 2.

Is the hex file that you sent me ready with fuse bits for the 18F2455? then I can buy that chip and program it? If not what are the fuse settings that needs to be incorporated?

Yes, I agree that the display not working properly in the 20X4 setting is a bit strange and need to figure that out

Thanks again for your help

 

Great to see you guys have got this working well.

i also would love to get a copy of the code changes to make a 5 button version instead of the rotary encoder i have.

my email is ---progers---at---optusnet.com.au---. I have the original code so just the changes would be all that i need.

for some reason i could just never get the encoder working well.

also guys i would love to see pics of what you have made .

Thanks Peter

 

Can't find 4x20 lcd.

New here.I can't find a 4x20 lcd in my area. Is it possible to use a 4x16 lcd.

 

Yes, it is. Where do you live?

 

Thanks for the reply.Or i will be still wondering what to get.Me living in Singapore.
Is not that i can't really find it. The 4x20 lcd cost US$26 here.
And the 4x16 only cost me only US$10.
So do i need to edit any of the code.
Anyway great work you got here. Been looking for something like this for sometime.

 

CH424

The encoder gives the same output (A) when rotated both clockwise and anticlockwise. How do we get the (B) Output? The S works fine though( which is basically the on of push switch of the encoder.

I am using the alps rotary encoder with the same pin configuration illustrated in your diagram.

 

I just saw the request...not a problem, I'll send it when I get home from work.

It is away...let me know if you have any problems.