Electronics VFD + printer parallel port palaver

Discussion in 'Modding' started by Goughy_Gough, 9 Mar 2002.

  1. Goughy_Gough

    Goughy_Gough What's a Dremel?

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    after that nifty bit of alliteration, the problem :

    I want to runa VFD off my parallel port
    I also want to run a printer off it

    See the problem ?

    I am going for cheapy cheap here - hence the parallel version, but i need the display to be blue, hence the vfd.

    Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

    Any clever ideas anyone ?
     
    Goughy_Gough, 9 Mar 2002
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  2. Tim S

    Tim S OG

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    Im sure you could pick up a parallel port switch box for not too much.... Ive seen them used with a parallel printer/zip drive combo... they shouldnt be too expensive to buy :)

    Also, welcome to the forums my friend! Enjoy your stay! :D
     
    Tim S, 9 Mar 2002
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  3. linear

    linear Minimodder

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    How about running the printer off USB via a parallel converter?

    Welcome to the boards, we could use more alliteration around here...
     
    linear, 9 Mar 2002
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  4. cderalow

    cderalow bondage master!

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    alliter...what???

    hehe welcome to the forums.... I found that getting a cheap parallel data switch was the way to go as far as thats concerned... but i use my printer a lot (on a side note, you need to turn off the LCD program before you switch to printer or printer goes nutty... learn from my experience)... but if you don't use your printer that much, you could just unplug vfd when you want to use it and leave printer unplugged the rest of the time.... thats the free solution....
     
    cderalow, 9 Mar 2002
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  5. Goughy_Gough

    Goughy_Gough What's a Dremel?

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    spliffingly good suggestions there guys - I like the idea of a USB printer, any idea where to get appropriate kit from ?
    otherwise just a whol bank of DPDTs should do the trick :p

    Hmm

    OK - next problem - serial GPOs.
    Im thinking about wiring up a PIC to my serial port to run fans, cathodes, LEDs etc as and when i can be arsed. Any ideas how hard this is onna be to implement under win2k re. software, control panel extensions etc ?

    And forgive me for being dumb, but is there any way of running an ordinary program as a service under 2k ?

    Ta muchly

    Maybe alliteration should be my trademark - look out for it in the future !:cool:
     
    Goughy_Gough, 9 Mar 2002
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  6. linear

    linear Minimodder

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    Disclaimer: I am not a PIC kind of guy.

    But I understand it's really straightforward. In fact, the serial displays from Matrix Orbital and elsewhere use a PIC for serial-parrallel conversion and driving GPOs.

    So why not go with a serial VFD, either homebrew using your same PIC as the GPOs, or store-bought from Matrix Orbital (or some other serial backpack arrangement that uses a PIC)?

    And then as far as services/control panel doodads/access to the ports under NT kernels you may find that using LCDriver is more satisfactory than rolling your own. Or you may very well not. ;)
     
    linear, 10 Mar 2002
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