Help With Paraller Screen Program Configuration (address)

helpdan · Post by **helpdan** » January 2nd, 2007, 2:57 pm

hello this is my first post so i hope its in the right place. i was bought a 2x16 lcd parallel port screen , it came with no instruction no drivers the person who bought it me just said google lcd smartie for free software. i connected the screen and the mouldex connector d loaded software +drivers, all to no avail the screen has power but only displays block squares all along one line and nothing along the other. ive been through the faq s on the website but still no joy. please please help cause it looks like a great mod for my case. ps there is also a number on the back of the chip tc1602a

Post by **limbo** » January 8th, 2007, 5:58 pm

Hello Helpdan

Blocks is a good indication!

Lets get things one by one.

Which is the schematic that you have used for the connection?
Is this a parallel port connection?
Which version of the program are you using?
Have you selected the correct driver?
Do you have the link of the seler (the ebay page) to check for a photo of the module?
Can you post a photo for visible confirmation?

Post by **limbo** » January 8th, 2007, 6:00 pm

I found on the web some info about the chipset of your LCD module...
I'm not sure that is your module but maybe you can confirm it. please check below:
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/defau ... =5&m=82763

helpdan · Post by **helpdan** » January 8th, 2007, 8:12 pm

hello the unit came all wired up , and i cannot get in touch with person who bought it me to trace its origan. iv tested the wiring with a m meter and it all checks out and i am using the newest v. of smartie , as for drivers im using the ones from the link on smatie web site (port95nt). cheers pal.

Post by **limbo** » January 8th, 2007, 10:30 pm

So it's a parallel one? (I mean which port are you using?)
Any picture of the display (?)

Please check the driver setting to be correct ones on the parallel port!
btw is the parallel port native to your motherboard?

helpdan · Post by **helpdan** » January 9th, 2007, 3:48 pm

sorry yes its a parallel port i would send you picks if i new how. my bios settings are port278,mode epp, epp version 1.9, irq irq5 are these anygood ,plus my display settings in the smartie version i d loaded did'nt look like the ones in the pick. cheers pal.[/img]

Post by **limbo** » January 9th, 2007, 4:01 pm

You can "Add an Attachement" to your post

Select the HD44780 driver under the "Display plugin"
Try the $279 on the "Startup parameters" on the driver settings instead the LPT1 (the default one).

Fast351 · Post by **Fast351** » January 10th, 2007, 5:10 pm

Post by **limbo** » January 10th, 2007, 5:20 pm

Fast351 wrote:$278

Thanks for the correction Fast351 the address must be $278

helpdan · Post by **helpdan** » January 11th, 2007, 7:46 am

thanks for your help ITS ALIVE . the suggestions you made where right cheers. and once again thanks alot.

robert murray · Post by **robert murray** » January 21st, 2007, 1:30 am

Hi. ive had the same problems with my lcd. here is the link to where i got it from. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/20x4-LCD-Characte ... dZViewItem

i did what the lcdsmartie instructions says, installed port 95 nt, installed smartie, all that happens is that it lights up and has blocks right across lines 1 and 3. tried the last suggestion that was made changing it to $278, still no joy. hope you can help. [/url]

Post by **limbo** » January 21st, 2007, 7:56 am

robert murray wrote:Hi. ive had the same problems with my lcd. here is the link to where i got it from. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/20x4-LCD-Characte ... dZViewItem

i did what the lcdsmartie instructions says, installed port 95 nt, installed smartie, all that happens is that it lights up and has blocks right across lines 1 and 3. tried the last suggestion that was made changing it to $278, still no joy. hope you can help. [/url]

Check again the wirings!
Most problems are there. Are you sure about the pinout of your LCD?
CheckLCD Smartie sitefor wiring diagrams and instructions.

Look on system properties for parallel port address (378,278) and use the correct one.

robert murray · Post by **robert murray** » January 21st, 2007, 10:48 am

I am a newbie to lcds. What do you mean check pinout? Will take it out in and check wires. The item came With the wire already made up. checked system properties and is it the resources tab i am meant to be checking? If so it reads I/O range 0278-027f

Post by **limbo** » January 21st, 2007, 11:22 am

Ok let's say that the wirings is OK

(not sure for that)

In any case, if you 're using the latest beta you have to enter the LPT port adreess to the config (which is $278) to stratup parameters or simply LPT1

No success?
Can you try an older version of the program? (5.3 final has predefined the parallel port settings and you can select by using a simpe drop menu).

robert murray · Post by **robert murray** » January 21st, 2007, 11:59 am

yeeha. its going at last. after aa day of fiddling. lol. thanks a lot for all the help. would of been here this time next week. lol

robert murray · Post by **robert murray** » January 21st, 2007, 12:01 pm

p.s, cable connector was in the wrong way. lol

Post by **limbo** » January 21st, 2007, 1:18 pm

robert murray wrote:p.s, cable connector was in the wrong way. lol

Most problems are caused from cables

Cheers

Emmer · Post by **Emmer** » May 22nd, 2007, 7:12 pm

How do i fill in the parameters?

Just behind one another?

Thx anyways.

Emmer.

ps found it out..........works fine

dust939 · Post by **dust939** » February 29th, 2008, 4:55 am

I know this thread hasn't been active for a while but I seem to have run into an issue related to the thread.

A friend recently gave me a parallel 4x20 LCD (not sure of the make). Works fine on one of my computers till I tried it on my recent build that I intend to permanently install it on. The mobo didn't have a native parallel port so I bought a cheap PCI card. I noticed the question was asked in a previous reply weather the parallel port was native to the mobo or not but it wasn't really clear why that question was asked. Does LCD Smartie not work with PCI parallel cards?

My mobo is an Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe. Im running XP Pro with SP2. The parallel card is made by Rosewill and I'm running the drivers that came on the disk. My device manager shows the card as "MosChip PCI Parallel Port" and is assigned as LPT 1. It seems my mobo thinks it has a built in parallel port being that there is another one listed in the device manager that was there before ( shown as "Printer Port (LPT 2)").

On LCD Smartie 5.4 I have the display plugin set to HD44780.dll and the start up parameters to LPT 1. And the screen size is set correctly. All I get is the two bars that go across the display. I installed port95nt as well (not really sure what to do with it but I didn't need it on my other system).

I'm sure the answer is simple, all I know is it works on my other system with the exact same settings, just that this one is using a PCI card to connect it. I will do my best to answer any questions. I appreciate what ever help you can give me.

Abi_J · Post by **Abi_J** » March 9th, 2008, 10:06 pm

Look in device manager (in system properties) at the ports, you say you have 2 listed, check the resourses tab for each, noting down the I/O range numbers - usually the very first number in the list (mine is 0378-037f), enter the first number int "startup parameters" in LCDSmartie (0378 in my case) substituting the 0 for $ ($378), if the number for the first port doesn't work, try the number for the second port. I believe that LCDS should work with add-on cards, as there is a physical port to control, it will not work with such things as usb-lpt cables, as they are virtual ports (software).

Hope this helps,
Abi.

dust939 · Post by **dust939** » March 10th, 2008, 9:18 pm

Got it working

Thanks a lot.

Was confused at first being that the address range was 9C00 - 9C07 but sticking a $ in front of the 9 ($9C00) rather than replacing the 9 got it working.

Abi_J · Post by **Abi_J** » March 11th, 2008, 7:35 am

I'm glad you got it working, enjoy!

Abi.

jjandrj6679 · Post by **jjandrj6679** » March 31st, 2008, 9:36 am

Hi all I am haveing the same problems to, If you want to read my origional thread that started this then here it is
http://forums.lcdsmartie.org/viewtopic. ... c2b31f12e4
I have completly run out of ideas. All I get is the top row lit up, the back light but nothing else. Just cant configure smartie so it recognises it.
I am also using a PCI parallel card and getting no where slowly, any help please.
JJ

Bellerophon · Post by **Bellerophon** » March 7th, 2009, 2:19 pm

Abi_J wrote:Look in device manager (in system properties) at the ports, you say you have 2 listed, check the resourses tab for each, noting down the I/O range numbers - usually the very first number in the list (mine is 0378-037f), enter the first number int "startup parameters" in LCDSmartie (0378 in my case) substituting the 0 for $ ($378), if the number for the first port doesn't work, try the number for the second port. I believe that LCDS should work with add-on cards, as there is a physical port to control, it will not work with such things as usb-lpt cables, as they are virtual ports (software).

Hope this helps,
Abi.

Many thanks for this. The first number prefixed by the $ got it working in my case $AC00

LCD Smartie

Help With Paraller Screen Program Configuration (address)

Help With Paraller Screen Program Configuration (address)

xspc lcd 20x4

Re: xspc lcd 20x4

lcd

Re: lcd

re

Same Probs too

Many many thanks