LCD display hookup to x86 motherboard ?

[bad_knee]

Hello,
I am trying to figure out a way to hook up an lcd
display (kinda like this one
http://www.newark.com/product-details/text/CD121/3877.html)
to an x86 motherboard and I dont know how.

It seems that some of these displays are parallel and some are serial.
Does that mean you just solder some wires from the parallel or serial
port of the motherboard to certain inputs on the display and then
send
some ascii out the parallel or serial port, and *bam* you got a text
display?

Are most of these LCD / VFD components pretty much the same as far
as ripping one out of an old Microwave oven to use (VFDs are
expensive!) ?

What are the advantages of the serial over a parallel LCD/VFD, or
vice versa?

Thanks for your time!
Tobias

 

[Eugene Rosenzweig]

http://backupteam.gamepoint.net/smartie/

and go to circuits, its got a parallel port -> Hitachi HD44780-compatible
LCD (most of them I believe?) I cannot vouch for that particular design but
it looks ok and I have made a few similar ones, they work a charm apart from
from obviously tying up the parallel port...

"bad_knee" <bl8n8r@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:e817ca4d.0307310355.244974aa@posting.google.com...

Hello,
I am trying to figure out a way to hook up an lcd
display (kinda like this one
http://www.newark.com/product-details/text/CD121/3877.html)
to an x86 motherboard and I dont know how.

It seems that some of these displays are parallel and some are serial.
Does that mean you just solder some wires from the parallel or serial
port of the motherboard to certain inputs on the display and then
send
some ascii out the parallel or serial port, and *bam* you got a text
display?

Are most of these LCD / VFD components pretty much the same as far
as ripping one out of an old Microwave oven to use (VFDs are
expensive!) ?

What are the advantages of the serial over a parallel LCD/VFD, or
vice versa?

Thanks for your time!
Tobias

 

[A E]

bad_knee wrote:

Hello,
I am trying to figure out a way to hook up an lcd
display (kinda like this one
http://www.newark.com/product-details/text/CD121/3877.html)
to an x86 motherboard and I dont know how.

There isn't enough information there to know what you want...

It seems that some of these displays are parallel and some are serial.
Does that mean you just solder some wires from the parallel or serial
port of the motherboard to certain inputs on the display and then
send
some ascii out the parallel or serial port, and *bam* you got a text
display?

WHY would you solder anything to a motherboard?

Are most of these LCD / VFD components pretty much the same as far
as ripping one out of an old Microwave oven to use (VFDs are
expensive!) ?

Microwave ovens use VFDs that have special display icons and are probably custom
made for each model.

What are the advantages of the serial over a parallel LCD/VFD, or
vice versa?

Thanks for your time!
Tobias

Usually, if you have a serial VFD module, you get a RS-232 serial cable, hook
it up to a MAX232 level converter and drive the VFD with that.
I have a Noritake unit that needs 3 pins for everything, ground, 5V and serial
in. Check out those guys.

 

[bad_knee]

"Eugene Rosenzweig" <ugn@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<3f2914a1$1@news.comindico.com.au>...

http://backupteam.gamepoint.net/smartie/

and go to circuits, its got a parallel port -> Hitachi HD44780-compatible
LCD (most of them I believe?) I cannot vouch for that particular design but
it looks ok and I have made a few similar ones, they work a charm apart from
from obviously tying up the parallel port...

Parallel is easier for me to program as well, so that is good. Thank you
for the link. With that information, at least I know it is possible to work
with x86.

Tobias

 

[bad_knee]

Usually, if you have a serial VFD module, you get a RS-232 serial cable, hook
it up to a MAX232 level converter and drive the VFD with that.
I have a Noritake unit that needs 3 pins for everything, ground, 5V and serial
in. Check out those guys.

Thank you for the info.

 

[bad_knee]

well, just an update for anyone interested.

I went to http://www.crystalfontz.com/products/index-ser.html and bought
a 632 model serial LCD display. I forgot to order the serial cable for it
but if you go to radio shack and get two female db9 connectors, you
can make your own. (for around $3 bucks)

The 632 has a backlight which needs 5v of juice from the power supply.
You can get 5 volts from a floppy power connector, as well as ground for
the backlight. Otherwise, the only other connections you need are on
the db9.

The display doesn't light up until you open the serial port. I was
a little concerned at first because nothing came on when I fired up
the computer.

It's just a matter of feeding the right ASCII control codes over the
open serial port to talk to the display. It's pretty slick and the whole
adventure has cost under $50 bucks. Including the OS (Linux)