Electronics Issues with 1x16 display, software, or hardware?(LCD NOW STUCK)

hey all
ive got a seiko 1x16 lcd, and to put it simply, when using LCDsmartie, with the settings set to 1x16, only the first 8 blocks of the lcd are 'utilized', the last 8 remain blank...

however, if i change the settings to 2x16, or 2x20 or 2 x anything, or larger, the text which is meant to be on the second line, is placed on the last 8 blocks on the lcd which were previously blank.

ive used crystalfontz's diagnostic program, the test message appears correctly.

however, ive tried numerous programs and cannot get the display to work as it should.

wiring has been checked countless number of times, and im just at a loss at what to do.

also, does anyone know of any CHEAP places where i could by a larger lcd from? ideally a 4x20 that utilises the hd44780 controllers.


can anyone help?

(i know ive already posted about this, and im sorry. but i didnt seem to be getting much answers, and i thought that might have something to do with this particular issue being brought up halfway through the thread. i apologise yet again)

thank you.

 

What happens if you use a terminal program to send commands to the LCD?

 

hey
ok....whats a terminal program?!(is it just dos?)
how would i go about sending a command using a terminal program?
thanx

 

A terminal program is a program that makes your PC work like an old fashioned RS-232 console. Hyperterminal is one for Windows and minicom is one for UNIX.

 

ok...........so how do i use one then?!

 

Open the program, select the port the LCD is connected to, and just start typing in commands to see what happens!

 

He's wired it to LPT so Hyper Terminal won't work. Do you have the datasheet for your LCD?
E-bay's is loaded with HD44780's.

 

@coorz (you have a reputation with lcds i hear!)
i can get the datasheet, its a seiko M1641 LCD
http://www.character-lcd-lcds.shopeio.com/inventory/details.asp?id=435&cat=Lcds&sub=Character Lcd
if you go to that site, just above the price, you can download the spec sheet from there.
someone on another forums suggested it may infact be a 2x8 lcd kinda 'stuck together' i didnt know this was possible. if so, what software supports this?
thanx.

 

also...is £12 shipped good value for a 4x20 backlit lcd?
thanx

 

According to that datasheet it has a KS0066 controller which is HD44780 *compatible*, though i guess differences could exists and be the source of your problem.
Also which scheme did you use to wire it up? You could take this problem to the Smartie support forums, as they are the character LCD specialists.
12 quid isn't that expensive no. Nothing in the local ebay market?

 

lol.that is from ebay.

umm...
i used this wiring scheme:
http://www.overclockers.com.au/techstuff/a_diy_lcd/

so should i look for a 'ks0066' wiring guide then?
thanx

 

Wire the RW pin (which you have grounded) to pin14 of LPT.
That's the only difference in yours and Smarties wiring scheme;
http://lcdsmartie.sourceforge.net/circuits.htm

 

hey
ive attached pin 5 of the lcd to pin 14 on the printer port
same thing....
this is getting really annoying now!i thought it was gna be easy!lol.
(and that is an insanely beautiful lcd!)

 

ok....
my lcd is now stuck with the first 8 characters display 'queens o' (QOTSA), and ive pulld the power, put it back in, still stuck on that.....whats wrong.....

 

bixie_62,
One (hopefully final) help that I could try: take a picture of the LCD with the wirings and another of the parallel port connector with wirings. I hope you used wires of different colours (or ribbon cable, which is what I use for my LCD). I could try checking your wiring, which is what the problem appears to be. Or a faulty controller.

ARM

 

hey
ARM, do you have MSN?
the problem is, i dont have access to a digicam or anything like that.
but ive made a table which shows what is connected to what including the pinouts for the parallel cable.

its not stuck anymore, i just left it off for a bit. working fine rite now.

BUT...i still cant get it to display a FULL line of 1x16 text.its really annoying.

should all of the other wires on the parallel port be grounded? perhaps this is an issue?i dont know.
thanx

 

are there any programs that support 2x8 LCD's, or is there a version of lcdsmartie that does, that way i could just set it to that and tell it to carry on onto next line,that would work.
thanx again arm, and everyone else.

 

Bixie_62,
Sorry I don't have MSN.
All my LCD projects follow the circuit posted in the LCD Smartie FAQ section, and it works. You can leave out pins 15 & 16 if you do not have backlight. Pins 18 to 25 of the parallel port are connected to ground (I don't know why you mentioned this). Anyway, I would suggest that you use this circuit as it works.
LCD Smartie does not have 2x8 config LCD, as far as I know.
I forgot to mention this the last time: when checking the wires, do it with a multimeter (ie check that there is continuity between the wires) and not just by visual.

ARM

 

hey
checked with multimeter twice, everything matches up,
same thing even if i use the lcdsmartie schematic
anyone?
thanx

 

Hi,

It looks to me as if the problem is that you have a 1 line by 16 display that is organised as 2 lines of 8 characters (yes there are some like that around see : CFAH1601AYYBJP.pdf on the CrystalFontz web site).

In such displays the characters 0 - 7 (conceptually Line 0) occupy the leftmost 8 positions in the physical display and characters 8 to 15 (conceptually Line 1) occupy the rightmost 8 characters.

That means that when the software reaches character position 8 it has to jump to the character position for the start of the second line (normally hexidecimal 40 or 64 decimal). As you only have a one line display telling the software that you have a two line by 8 display should fix the problem - just keep in mind that when sending characters 8 - 15 you will have to tell the software to send the desired characters to line 1 positions 0 to 7.

I don't use Smartie so I don't know if it caters for 2x8 but if it doesn't tell it that you are using 2x16 (or 2x20) but just make sure that you don't try to send anything beyond the first 8 characters to either line (they will be lost if you do!)

Good luck,

JohnH