This may sound kinda like a noob question, well it is, but what are the parts needed for running a Noritake 800 VFD? a RS232 -> TTL Converter?? Also, how do you connect the converter to the 800 VFD? Primus, Could you e-mail me the full picture so i can see the back of that bad boy ATFNegotiator@moddingsystem.com
Could you post a link that we could click on at our own risk (with 56k warning) so we could all enjoy it. Or just email me a copy at: ramseyboyd@hotmail.com Thanks
Damn slackers... by big I meant physically... looked funny posted in a thread. http://www.geekmods.com/images/Noritake1.jpg http://www.geekmods.com/images/Noritake2.jpg
:\ low qualify jpeg. well doesn't show much, i guess i have a general feeling on how you would go about attaching a RS232 Converter to the VFD. Thanks for the help and pictures.
Click the little pics for the bigger ones Mine were waiting for me when I got home today, so I had to take and post some pics:
thank you!!! that was exactly what i need, edit: Now I'm confused about what the pins your dealing with, picture says what im asking:
The short data sheet should spell it out pretty completely. Only the pins in the white and black housing are what we use. Here's the thing about RS-232 -> TTL converter, I don't think that's gonna be adequate to allow you to drive this display serial. More on that in a second. But, since you asked, the relevant pins in the black connector are: 15: serial in 2-24, every even-numbered pin: ground 21: serial clock 26: /RESET (the slash means it's active low) My money is on us not using LCDC, and connecting in parallel instead. In that case the relevant pins are 1: D7 3: D6 5: D5 7: D4 9: D3 11: D2 13: D1 15: D0 17: R/ /W And in the white connector: 1: +5V 3: ground There's also a set of solder jumpers (no pins on them) that select serial/parallel, and Intel/Motorola byte order for parallel. They're right under the second of your arrows from the left. Now, about this serial business. You are responsible for providing a clock signal on pin 21. This isn't something that async serial ports (like on your peecee) do. Even if it could be hacked, I think it would take software modifications beyond what's reasonable on the peecee side. Using parallel would be faster communication, easier wiring (no additional hardware required), and all around more likely to work. There's a Noritake option to buy a converter board, but I'm a little unclear on what that offers, I'll talk to Noritake about it sometime here, but I wouldn't rush out and buy that just yet.
I've contacted them about those serial converter boards before, and they cost more than the VFD did in the first place, something like $24 and will allow async serial communication... Run in Parallel... It's faster like linear said, and will more likely work.
Don`t forget the C/D line, which selects command or data mode. Here is my wiring diagram: Code: Par Port VFD D0 - D7 D0 - D7 /Strobe /WR /Autofeed /RD Select In C/D Init FRP Tie CSS to GND. (EDIT: for some reason this font tag didnt work...) (Edit[ChriX]: use code tags ) This will work with both the WinAMP LCD plugin and should also work with Liquid-MP3, and of course my own software. If anyone is interested I can mail them my test software for Windows, or beta software for AmigaOS. MoJo
I just got my two vfds today. I was wondering if it would be possible to write a short tutorial for all the newbs (like me) to get this to work. Im just a 17 yr old highschool student that knows squat about electronics, though Im more than willing to learn if that what its goign to make this vfd usable. Just a question though: You say its more likely that this will work with parallel rather than serial, so is that the route that most of us should go? Will that RS232 (this comes from the computer?) to TTL (the signal the vfd accepts?) converter, or something similar, be needed if the vfd is hooked up through parallel?
I would write a tutuorial if I had the VFDs We will have to go the parallel route if we want to use the software mentioned above, the converter will not be needed.
This board offers both a serial (TTL [Transistor-Transistor Logic] type not a RS232 that is used on PCs [ http://www.ctips.com/rs232.html ] ) and a paralel [ http://www.ctips.com/para.html ]. To use this board with the pc rs232 serial port we would need to covert the signals from TTL to rs232. But if connected through the parellel port no conversion will be needed.
Sorry for nost posting my software yet, but I ran into a problem: my display died I have no idea why, it was running as usual, went blank, and now does not power up at all. I`ll get on to Noritake about it as it`s not a year old yet. In the mean time, I suggest people be careful experimenting with Liquid MP3 as that was what I was using at the time. If you made a 128x32 skin it seems to work nicely with the alpha version. Just in case some random command blew the display up (can`t see how it could, but you never know) I`d be careful with it. I`ll try and post my software soon. I`m wondering if I should though, as if there is a way in software to kill a display I don`t want to be responsable for doing it. It sounds unlikely but it is possible with some hardware (was it the old Tandy computers that could kill your TV?) MoJo
FYI: I don't know if anybody saw this or not, but here is what our VFDs were originally intended for.... I was thinking this may help someone, maybe not? Digital Services Group I don't think we should bug them, but this could help us understand them better maybe.
could someone PLEASE make a full, complete tutorial on how to wire up and get the software setup for the 800?!?!?! its soooo difficult going through all these pages and posts trying to peice together info! A guide with everything all in one spot would just be fantastic.
