Does anyone have experience interfacing a LCD display module to a cFP unit?

[jokerak]

I am building a satellite antenna de-ice system using a cFP 2020 unit. For status indicators I built a front panel PC board with tri-color LEDs. I would like to update it with a LCD display and remove the PC board, I have a few Toshiba TLC - 501 displays (20 characters X 2 rows) at my disposal which looks like it may be a good fit.

I have no experience with these types of displays and was hoping someone might be able to cut my learning curve.

Thanks!

[Vikask]

Hi,

   You have not provided sufficient information.let me try.

You have to  connect your LCD display through RS232 or RS485 (whichever is interface available for your disply) to cFP 2020

In first step develop a program on PC which will communicate with LCD device by reffering protocol guide of display device.This program will allow you to display whatever information you want to disply on LCD device.

Finally you download this program in  cFP 2020 to make it independent of PC.

HopeI understood yor requirement and this helps you !

Message Edited by Vikask on 12-29-2005 04:35 AM

[tst]

You could start by looking here.

[jokerak]

Thanks for the response,

Since my first posting I have found a little info about the Toshiba TLC - 501 displays (I crossed them to AND501GST/GST-LED) and they appear to be a parallel 8 bit device. Looks like I could use a DO-401 (16 bit digital output module) to set up the 8bit data plus the required enable, R/W lines.

Thanks again for the help!

Bruce

[Eric Gross]

I'm assuming if its 8-bit parallel it is probably an HD44780 interface.
Those are quite common for small character-based LCD screens. While you
could hack up something to speak the correct protocol
(http://home.iae.nl/users/pouweha/lcd/lcd.shtml) using a digital output
module, you might have an easier time using a converter to convert the
HD44780 interface to a serial one. There are plenty of so-called "backpack"
devices that you connect one end to the HD44780 interface and you have a
serial connection on the other (check http://www.seetron.com/slcds.htm for a
popular one). Then by simply outputting characters over the serial line you
see them on-screen (along with special characters to do certain actions).
Given how cheap native serial LCDs have become though, you can probably buy
a new serial-based LCD for around the same price ($20-30) as the serial
backpack itself would cost.

Hope this helps,
Eric Gross

"jokerak" <x@no.email> wrote in message
news:1135894435902-304744@exchange.ni.com...
> Thanks for the response,
> Since my first posting I have found a little info about the Toshiba TLC -
> 501 displays (I crossed them to AND501GST/GST-LED) and they appear to be a
> parallel 8 bit device. Looks like I could use a DO-401 (16 bit digital
> output module)&nbsp;to set up the 8bit data plus the required enable, R/W
> lines.
> Thanks again for the help!
> Bruce

[jokerak]

Thanks Eric,

You are exactly correct about the chipset used in the LCD display. Thanks also for the helpful links, I think I should persue the serial displays instead of converting these 'free' displays - probably will cost the same!

Bruce