Hi guys, I've been poking around looking at options for LCDs. I'd love to get a Matrix Orbital, but alas I don't have $100 to smack around. I am, as they say, on a budget. Anyway so I looked around on the conrad website (comparable to maplin but better ) and found a Phillips 2x20 LCD for €25! Lemme translate the ad for y'all: Inteligent, alphanumeric dot-matrix display with integrated CMOS microprocessor and LCD-driver. The module displays 5x7 characters with a cursor and displays the entire ASCII character set plus 8 user-programmable symbols. Technical specs: Supply voltage: 5v, ca 1,5mA current draw. Direct interface for every 4- or 8- bit microporcessorbus. Led backlight. Now my question is, is it really as simple as soldering a serial cable to the LCD module's contacts and pluggin it in, ready to go? Or am I overlooking something here?
The way that sounds it should be a parallel LCD not serial. See if you can find out if the controller is HD44780 compatable. If it is just search for "HD44780 parallel port hookup guide" or something similar in google, or in the forums. The 44780 is a very common controller chip, and has a lot of sortware that can work with it. However you need to use a parallel port, not the serial port. But yeah it is that simple solder the cable to the pads, maybe another power connector for the backlight, plug it in, and run the software.
Cheers, I'll look that up! I've been poking aruond guitar electronics for a while now. Looking forward to getting to PC electronics
Right I've checked that out. It uses an HD44780 controller! Is there any software that stands out above the rest for parralel LCDs?
Is it difficult to do your own LED backlighting for an LCD? Cos I found a non-backlit version of the same LCD for 10 euros less... Is it worth the trouble?
Don't bother backlighting it yourself, that €10 isn't worth the effort and risk. BTW for a little bit more you can be the proud owner of a VFD, that'll beat most LCD's out there /Shameless plugs>see my sig
How much is a little bit more? Cos €25-30 was about the max I wanted to spend on it... I could rake a little more $$$ together though... But I need to upgrade my P200MMX too
See this thread. A P200MMX won't be fast enough to drive a 311 VFD properly. The T23 character VFD or other LCD's should run fine. Also checkout this Dutch site for LCD's, better priced than Conrad. Don't forget; with the character LCD's you'll need some additional components too like potmeter/resistor.
Wow, that's a really sweet site, thanks Coorz! I'm confortable with electronics so pots and resistors don't scare me.... much Wow now I can get a 4x20 for the same price, and with a backlight. Conrad'll charge €50 for that, if not more! Cool, I'm happy I think €40 for a VFD is a little over my head, I'm not counting on having enough cash for a new PC before February So I think I'll opt for the LCD that my P200 can handle. Right, lemme browse around that site for a bit, thanks for the info!
And it's a white on blue one too . I have one of them...somewhere. And most established LCD apps support the HD44780 controller, so do'nt worry about that. Good luck!
