Modding Noritake GU126x32F-K612A4 graphic VFD

Hi all, it's been along time,
I'm sitting here and suddenly i realise i have one of these displays sitting up in my pc being completely unused for the last 4 months. Now the reason i originally bought it was in the hope that LCDG would come out soon or somebody would make a spectrum analyser plugin that would work with this display.

Now LCDG doesnt seem to go anywhere and the only new feature i see in LCDG are all for the matrix orbital displays. The only thing i noticed on http://lcdc.planetdps.com/help/plugin_WA2.htm is that there seems to be some way to get a spectrum analyser, my question: does this work with the Noritake display or not? and if yes how to get it to work? Sorry if the question's allready been asked but with more than 50 pages of posts i dont really feel like going post hunting, a quick search reveiled nothing either so, well if the question's allready been asked just point me in the right direction.

Is there any chance we might someday be able to get some cool equaliser thingie for our displays or should i drop this Noritake one and go get a new Matrix orbital?

Thanks

 

You won't get an equaliser working in LCDC... sorry

Rob.

 

A nice man called Geoff sent me some files earlier in the week, I don't have a clue what they do (can't test them!) but I've added them to the first post Someone take a picture of their display running the screen for me, I'd like to know what I'm missing...

Cheers,

Rob.

 

It uses a plugin to calculate multiplier, fsb, cpu speed, etc.
Many other options also.
Just a nice graphic...

 

I emailed the generic sales address at Noritake before reading this thread, so I hadn't seen Phil's address yet. The reply I got was from a representative in Illinois, he pointed me to Digi-Key as a US supplier. I went to the Digi-Key site and sure enough they appear to carry many of the VFD's, all available for online ordering. Their part numbers don't exactly correspond to the usual Noritake ones, but a 20x4 display goes for about $92 plus less than $5 for shipping. The price isn't much different for a 40x4. For $8 I can have them ship it 2nd day air.

Anyway, in 55 pages of posts I'd thought I should have seen this come up, but since I didn't I'm skeptical. Is this too good to be true? Has anyone ordered from Digi-Key in the US?

Also, their specs show (under "Character Format") either "5x7 dots" or "5x7 CURS." What the heck is the difference and what does it mean?

Here's the link to the catalog listing:
http://dkc3.digikey.com/PDF/T031/1058.pdf

Here's the link to the main site:
http://www.digikey.com/


In any case, after doing enough reading on the net at work to get me fired, I'm still a bit undecided between the Noritake and MO's. I can get a 20x4 MO for not much more than $20 over the price of the Noritake. True, it only comes with one GPO but then that's all you can control on the Noritake through LCDC anyway. The support and ease of programing through LCDC (I'm guessing) appears more streamlined with the MO's.

Still, I have an emotional attachment to the Noritake for some reason, I just need someone to show me the clear advantage (besides cost).

 

The main point here is the difference between alphanumeric displays (like the VFD's MO sell, and the digikey noritake VFD's you linked to) and graphic displays (like this one - only available through Noritake-Itron as it says in the first post of this thread).

Have a read of this - http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5582

Rob.

 

If anyone has an extrra one or has one to sell/trade, please talk to me.

email: pizzaeatnmonkey@mchsi.com
MSN: pizzaeatnmonkey@hotmail.com
AIM: a name maybe

I have two graphic 128x64 displays and a 20x4. all of which are Noritake VFDs. I just miss having LCDC to work with, I like it so much better.

 

Graphic Vs Character Displays

Hello Luke,
Thank you for posting your comments. I’d first like to concur with Rob, and say that the graphic VFDs reviewed here are Noritake product designed and manufactured in the UK.

Without wanting to get “off topic” I’d just like to clarify a couple of points. (I’ve sent Luke a personal detailed reply, so as not to digress too much in these threads)

1) Their (Digi-Key) part numbers don't exactly correspond to the usual Noritake ones

Yes they do! Noritake has over 400 products, and the part numbers mean something about the display, so a 4 x 20 character display can have similar numbers but no 2 are the same. Eg CU20045ECPB-U2J and CU20045ECPB-W5J. So please ensure that you are considering the right type of display. Have a look at the Itron web page and see just what we have to offer! ITRON

2) Is this too good to be true? Has anyone ordered from Digi-Key in the US?

Yes I know personally of 2 people from this forum that have used Digi-Key. BUT the products that needed were the graphic GU128x64-800A. NOT the KGU126X32F-K612A4 or KGU126X64F-K612A4 that have been reviewed on the Bit-Tech pages. (Note the similar numbers but the displays are VERY different!!
Please order from Digi-Key with confidence, they are recommended by Noritake Inc in the US.


3) I'm still a bit undecided between the Noritake and MO's. I can get a 20x4 MO for not much more than $20 over the price of the Noritake. True, it only comes with one GPO but then that's all you can control on the Noritake through LCDC anyway.

I’d say please compare apples with apples. The VFDs reviewed here are 126x32 or 126x64 graphic types. The 4X20 are character types and can not produce such a nice high-resolution screen. Using a 4x20 is like looking at the 126x32 through a Georgian window! Its lots of dots but with big vertical and horizontal separation bars!
I’ll bow to the expertise of the likes of ::Cheese::, but I thought LCDC could handle the many I/O that the KGU126X32F-K612A4 has.

As a side comment about MO, I think they have 4x20 VFD that is like the 4x20 LCD, because it uses a Noritake character VFD with their interface and driver board.

In summery I’d say use the Noritake-Itron VFDs reviewed here, well I would wouldn’t I, as I think you’ll have some fun installing the display in your case, and making your own screens etc. Once you’ve used a VFD you’ll never want to use a character LCD again.

Phil Dakin
Itron (UK) Ltd

 

amen to that, VFDs are far supperior to LCDs

 

So I take it that nobody has an extra one, or wants to trade? darn. I dont have 125 bucks to hand over for one of these. just a 128x64 800 series display and 20x4 character, and a little bit of cash

 

You can buy a serial controller for the 800 series from noritake (they're about $30 I think) - and then you should be able to control it using lcdc if you're sufficently good at setting up lcdc for a new graphic display.

Either way you know your request shouldn't be in this thread, we have a forum for sales/trades and the 800 series isn't the subject of this thread.

Cheers,

Rob.

 

Well, the good folks here have convinced me. I'm looking forward to my own VFD soon!

 

Does Anyone have problems with the BBC News Display? it says feed not yet checked? been doing it for the last 2 days and i havent changed any settings for ages.. CNN and others work fine!

Anyway the main thing i wanted was.. Has anyone made a screen for Winamp 3?

Or has anyone modified the WA2 to a WA3 screen!

If so i would like it Are there any other funky screens others have made?!

MSN: crocket2k@hotmail.com

 

Most of the news feeds have a maximum rate that they let you update them at (like once per hour), if you exceed this they ban you ip

Rob.

 

but my pc usually has an uptime of a week atleast.. im constantly connected to the net via a static ip. ive had this display since erm october ish.. running the bbc news feed no problems.. how come its not updating now!


is there a way to find out if im banned? or if i can try and unban myself? if this is the problem!

 

the BBC feeds have changed, here are the new ones:

BB1:BBC World=http://www.bbc.co.uk/syndication/feeds/news/ukfs_news/world/rss091.xml
BB2:BBC UK=http://www.bbc.co.uk/syndication/feeds/news/ukfs_news/uk/rss091.xml

You will have to edit the RSS config file in LCDC

 

Reset the display

I tried to reset the display as it was descibed at the first page, but i didn't get any text when i started it up... So, is there an other way to reset it? It just stopped recieving commands/text i am sending to it... :/

 

Give Noritake-Itron a ring, your display is probably dead and they'll probably fix it for free...

Rob.

 

Re: Reset the display

Hello PUT440,
I have to agree with Rob ( ::Cheese:: ), I think your display may have blown the fuse.

Please contact me directly at p.dakin@noritake-itron.com and I'll arrange for you to send the display back and we'll fix it if we can!

If it’s the fuse or something simple we'll do it at our cost.

Best regards,

Phil Dakin
Itron (UK) Ltd

 

Few Questions

Hey,

I am going to buy a noritake VFD but have a few questions first

Funks; Do you still accept orders directly through credit card, and are you willing to ship to new zealand? Or do i have to order through digikey?? Also, do you sell the connecting cables as a kit with the display (i.e. is it included in the price) or is it an additional cost on top?

Cheese; Does LCDC support all of the GPO of the noritake display? or can i just use one?. What about input functions, can i use any of these as inputs?? E.g. Similar to the keypad function of some MO Lcds

And to anyone else; I understand that I cannot display a winamp spectrum analyser on noriatake VFDs because they do not contain the custom characters to do this, is this correct?? Is there any way around it??


Thanks alot for all of your help