Just a quick question: i just found some USB - paralell adapters... can there be used to controll and LCD directly? and how do they work? do i just plug it in and change the port adress in some cind of software?
I don't think it would work. USB and Serial displays use the same controller chip but parallel ones use a different one.
nono... it's a ready made converter.. originally made for using paralell printers (with an centronics plug) on an USB port... something like this: http://www.komplett.no/k/ki.asp?sku=107835&cks=PRL
yeah.. i guess i'll just buy one and try it out... now i just need to find a female centronics connector... or mabye i'll just take the whole thing apart and stuff it in the same box...
I wouln't use a centronics connector because not all the wires are connected, and some of them are connected together. Search digi-key and find a 25 pin extension cable (male-female) I know there are tons of different kinds in the catalog.
well... i was thinking of using a centonicsonnector so i didn't have to take the adaper apart... but i guess that's just as easy...
Ok its morning and I'm not feeling lazy now , I'll actually get the catalog and find a part number for you. For $7.66 digi-key has a 6foot grey ribbon cable with a male 25pin D-sub connector P/N :C7MXT-2506G-ND C7MXG if you want gold pins instead of tin, thats $8.54 for the gold pin version.
the parelell -> usb will apear as a virtual parrelel port, you will still need parellell software to control the lcd.
that's basicly the answer i needed... i know i need paralell software... So i just plug it in and change the adress the LCDsoftware writes to then? (that's the way i thought/hoped it worked) ConKbot of Doom: i think i'll just take the whole thing apart and wire ut up to the LCD directly... i still need to hack the USB wire for power... (yea, i know it is theoreticly wrong, but i have ran an LCD and a VU meter of the USB for about half a year now without any problems at all, so...)
4 reasons: 1: I want to use the parallellport for a realycard i have... 2: I want to move the LCD a bit... and parallell can't handle wery long cables... 3: Connecting it to usbe is much more practical... (thinner wires, and the display already occupies an USBport for power, so..) 4: (the most important one) I want to try something new...
ok.. so i have got the cable now the only thing i need to know now is how to communicate with the thing... I'm using jaLCD to run the LCD, and it needs the port adress to know where to send data... (currently using 378)... how do i find out the adress of the USB thing? is there even such and adress, or does it exist some sort of program that can "redirect" the data? this will be PERFECT if i can get it to work
Hi Smilodon, I was thinking of doing the same thing as you. I have still not decided wich usb 2 parallel adapter I will buy. Which one did you get? Do you need drivers for XP? I want to connect 2 graphical displays, and I only have one parallel port. Your idea is going to be usufull for all the people who want to connect their LCD to the USB. It is by far more aestetic connect it to usb than directly to the parallel port (you can attach the adapter to the lcd and only one tiny cable goes to the motherboard). Please, keep on updating this thread. I will write my experiences as soon as I get some time to do it (still have to wire my lcd's). (And please, if someone has done the something as Smilodon, please update, pleeeease). Thank you.
I used the cheapest adapter i could find But i think they all work about the same way... To use it for what it's meant to, just plug it in in XP and it works right away... It came with a floppy ( ) with some drivers... i might take a look and see what's there... Have to find out how to work this out aswell... (been asleep until now...) I'll ceep you updated...
Hi Smilodon, Try the U-LCD2 that I have. It's a USB backpack for LCD modules with support for many many LCD softwares. http://web.singnet.com.sg/~code17/usblcd_index.html
Well, i already have an adapter, so i don't want to buy a different one... to much hassle to import from singapore aswell, so that's out of the question...
ok.. i have everything hooked up now (changed that centonics connector) all i need now is some way of getting a LCD program to write to "USB001", wich is the name of the virtual printer port. I was hoping it had an adress i could write directly to, but it doesn't seem so. Does anyone have any programming skills, and want to make a little plugin or program that can "redirect" the data some way or another... (something that writes to a spesific printer port, NOT and adress...)
I get it it shows up under USB devices.. It says someting like USB printing support... it doesn't show up under LPT and COM ports though...
