LCD & VFD items

[unit24]

Welp, I was waiting for the forum to come back so I can give an update on the LCDs & VFDs I purchased from MPJA Online (A great place to pickup a bunch of modding parts, some good prices, some fair)

I've found a couple of software programs that look like they will work with several of the items (PowerLCD v2.0 and LCDStudio )

The one I am really hoping to get working is this - it has a Toshiba T6963C Controller that seems fairly standard and is usable with both software packages. There are several types of this LCD that have been used in modding projects. This looks like a really good bet for the lan/game server.

an Optrex DMF5003NFU-SFW 160 X 128 Graphic LCD. This will be great for the front of a LAN/Server boxen I am putting together. I'd love to have temps, fan speeds, net traffic and such on this. It looks like it should fit on the front of a server case I have with no problem.

Next is this

An NEC FD20X2AA-C VFD, I want to get this into a HTPC - I like how bright the VFD displays are. Just the thing for an HTPC display.

Then there are these, just for kicks.

This seems to have a variant of another popular controller - a Hitachi HD44780. I'm still working through online sources for info on the other items.

Top right: Hitachi LM044LB 20 X 4 LCD Display - Info
Top Left: Truly, MC162DPLY-2N,5 X 7 X .18" char. ht., dot matrix display with LED Back Light - Info
Bottom: Hosiden 5 X 7 , dot matrix 16 X 4 LCD Display EL Backlite - Info

As I get more info, I'll update the thread.

 

[n64man120]

Displays seem soooo cool and those seem cheap. Do you need to buy anything for them to work or just plug it in and use software. Also does it plug into com port or something?

 

[killernoodle]

Usually the parallel port, but sometimes they plug into usb or whatever. I think the hitachis use the printer port.

I just finished mine up a few days ago, looks pretty sweet.

I dont have any pics of just the LCD, but you can see it in the 3 1/2" drive bays. It is the Crystalfontz 4x20 with the deep red background and bright red letters.

 

[Tanis143]

Yes, most LCD's usually go into the printer port, though some hookup through the serial port. Here is a pic of my LCD I just finished a short while back. Its hooked up to a printer port and the 12v power is done by a pair of matching power plugs *size n from Radio shack, 1 male and 1 female*. I put the female into a pci slot cover and wired it up with a molex connector to run off the power supply, then I have the LCD wired up with the male connector. THis is the finished product:

 

[Jawadali]

Looks cool, unit24. Let us know how everything goes.

 

[MoFoQ]

Usually, they are 5V TTL based (LCD's and 44780-compatible VFD's) so you can interface them via parallel or serial or USB with the necessary hardware.

I'm currently working on mine too; a USB based method.
Assembly of the interface and stuff is done; just have to write the USB interface libraries and then write 44780 command libraries. Don't know how to convert the USB interface libraries to make it Linux compatible though.
Luckily, the VFD I got has virtually the same pin layout (14pin) with a 44780 LCD that I also have. But I haven't finished the coding due to finals and "anime" (hahahahah )
I might post my results on like overclockers.com or something

 

[xonik]

MoFoQ, how did you learn how to do the USB interface libraries? Is that information available to the average person for free? I'd like to know more.

 

[Tanis143]

My bad, I ment 5v, posted while at work so I wasnt thinking

 

[Qwertyman]

hey what kind of desk is that?

 

[Tanis143]

Which one? Mine is a wal-mart fall apart that I just got about 3 months ago.

 

[unit24]

Displays seem soooo cool and those seem cheap. Do you need to buy anything for them to work or just plug it in and use software. Also does it plug into com port or something?

Yah, they seem to have fairly inexpensive prices. The only problem is you have to wire them up yourself. Not a real problem if you have the diagrams, otherwise you have to figure out the connections by trial and error.

xxiv

 

[Qwertyman]

sorry i meant killernoodle

 

[MoFoQ]

MoFoQ, how did you learn how to do the USB interface libraries? Is that information available to the average person for free? I'd like to know more.

o...the interface chips I got comes with a dll u can use or info you can use to make ur own interface with the drivers (win9x/2k/xp). I'm writing my own in .Net (in C++ though my gui program will be done in C# since it has less "baggage"). Thirdparty stuff for linux exists too.

here: http://www.delcom-eng.com/

 

[YellowPeril]

just so you know, powerlcd ONLY supports the resolution of 240x128 for lcds, so that will rule out that software for you, although it really is great software except that the developer hasnt updated the software since sometime last year, and there are still a few outstanding bugs. grrrr

 

[FLECOM]

you might think about writing your own app for the toshiba display... or having someone write it for you... that would let you use the display interactively, ex. have menus and such so you could run your server w/o a monitor

thats the kind of LCD app that somone really needs to make, but alas

some of my displays...

20x4 HD44780 from eio.com

BGMicro 2x20 VFD

SED1330

4x20 HD44780 i got off ebay long time ago

Noritake 800