Make yourself a 4x40 USB LCD

[caesar]

This project is in it's first stages for now, stay tuned for further development.
Ideeas and feature requests are welcome and will be solved based on my available free time.

It does MO emulation (just basic commands) and connects with LCDSmartie on a virtual COM port.
It has all display commands implemented, contrast and backlight.
Note: home and clear screen in fact just position cursor @ 1,1 on display as it's 400x faster than using the display controller's home and clear screen commands.

Schematic for now is:
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3738/4x40usbsj2.png
the same one, other link:
http://rapidshare.de/files/33736048/4x40USB.PNG

You can use other crystal values but must take care to set the fuses for correct USB operation.


HEX file to program the PIC 18F2550 with:
http://rapidshare.de/files/33735388/4x40USB_v1.hex.html

Fuses are:
http://rapidshare.de/files/33735949/fuses.txt

[botbuilder]

I am very interested in developing something very similar.

Would you be willing to share the pic source?

[Simbo]

HEX file to program the PIC 18F2550 with:
http://rapidshare.de/files/33735388/4x40USB_v1.hex.html

Fuses are:
http://rapidshare.de/files/33735949/fuses.txt

hi,

these links are dead can some one please upload the (source if possible) hex and fuses again please?

thanks

Simbo[/quote]

[limbo]

HEX file to program the PIC 18F2550 with:
http://rapidshare.de/files/33735388/4x40USB_v1.hex.html

Fuses are:
http://rapidshare.de/files/33735949/fuses.txt

hi,

these links are dead can some one please upload the (source if possible) hex and fuses again please?

thanks

Simbo

Damn Rapidshare links
Uploaded to forums... login and download it from here.

[caesar]

Thank you limbo for taking care of it!

[Simbo]

Thank you for repairing the link! Even though this message is a while after my last post.

I'm interested in developing something similar.

is there any chance you would share the source?

Thank you

Simbo

[caesar]

Here you go, have fun with it!

[Simbo]

Thank you so much. Hopefully this will help no end!

Simbo

[valenti]

Hello,
I was wondering how hard would it be to create a 4x20 version of this project.

[Master1280]

The schematic?

Rapid share is the worst server dont use please.

Thanks.

[caesar]

Here you go!
(right click, save as...)

[mattcro]

C4 and C5 at the crystal should be 22pF (not nF)

[caesar]

C4 and C5 at the crystal should be 22pF (not nF)

Indeed!

[Master1280]

Cant see again.

[lucas_siglo21]

Hello, so i've decided to take this design for a spin in 2024!, as ive been wanting to do a 4x40 lcd build for my desk...18 years old project!..i just thought to myself what the hell i'll just release everything..

so, i've designed a small pcb around this with UCB-C connectors, added a horizontal and vertical connector on the board (so you can choose what you prefer for your design).

also i added a jumper on the contrast control because if you use a VFD 4x40 variant the contrast pin can be used as a reset signal and it's safer to leave it disconnected on this case..the pcb i made it with labcenter electronics proteus 8 but im also providing the gerber files.

here is the PCB design, im uploading it to google drive as i can't upload attachments, but i'd recommend to do so if we want it to be available in another 18 years!, changed the circuit a tiny bit, used more modern components..all available on digikey


https://drive.google.com/file/d/107rmEN ... drive_link

then, i've been looking to the original PIC18 code..i ACTUALLY found a bug (18 years old bug!!), the brightness and contrast don't work, as the code is sending the wrong thing to both CCP modules on the pic...fixed it, also i updated the project for MPLAB X IDE v6.20, added the fuses to the .hex which are now setup for using an 8mhz crystal
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iOIygw ... drive_link

Finally, i've been designing a case for a 4x40 VFD LCD, the Noritake CU40045-UW1J
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/det ... 1J/1628377
with the USB backpack..
the case is designed to be milled and it looks like this, i've just sent it to manufacture in anodized aluminum and ill be posting pictures



it's also compatible with the usual LCDs, will need some small plastic separators inside in that case..here are the 3D models and manufacturing blueprints..
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ocm7qm ... drive_link

i only need to do one more thing, the original code as it is will not control brightness on the VFD variant..the VFD has 4 brightness levels that you setup via a specific command of this panel as it doesn't have a backlight, i'll be posting the VFD brightness version of the code when i finish it

any question just contact me

regards

[limbo]

Nice Project.
It is a well designed board and I love the case.

I need some time to download the source and check it.
How about upload all these files and source into a Github repo?

[lucas_siglo21]

Okeyy, as i promised, this is the version of the code with brightness control for VFD displays, which has 4 brightness settings and you set it via a character after the initialization command.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UaXikG ... sp=sharing
I also left the PWM control in the code so it should work for the LCD model as well, i actually tested it and at least in my case the extra characters don't cause any problem at all in my LCD display as the first chars on the usual char table are empty on most LCDs, but if it does just use the first code i posted..
this controls the brightness on the VFD module:

case 14 : CCPR2L=input_buffer_char; //brightness adjust
savecontroller=controller; controller=3;
LCDw(0b00111100);
if (input_buffer_char <64)
{
LCDch(0b00000011);
}
else if(input_buffer_char >= 64 && input_buffer_char < 128)
{
LCDch(0b00000010);
}
else if(input_buffer_char >= 128 && input_buffer_char < 192)
{
LCDch(0b00000001);
}
else if(input_buffer_char >= 192)
{
LCDch(0b00000000);
}
nextchar=0;
controller=savecontroller;
break;

How about upload all these files and source into a Github repo?

yeah that's actually a good idea..

btw some pictures in a protoboard, didn't get the case yet..





the VFD is REALLY COOL, also very hard to photograph properly, but yes, it looks super cool..

[lucas_siglo21]

Alright!, i finished the thing, enjoy the pictures, the result is amazing:

[lucas_siglo21]

Made a GIT repo:

https://github.com/lucassiglo21/4x40-Be ... interface/

regards

[hydrolisk1792]

Made a GIT repo:

https://github.com/lucassiglo21/4x40-Be ... interface/

regards

This would look bad ass with a red gel in front of it
Very good work on this!!!

[limbo]

VFD's are the badass of the screen modules but their prices are out of this world in some cases.

[hydrolisk1792]

VFD's are the badass of the screen modules but their prices are out of this world in some cases.

That is all I use now. You can find them pretty cheap on ebay for "Customer Display" modules. That is where I got all mine
Got to really look to find a deal now adays though. Find listings that have been up for a year+ and see if they have several for sale and make a deal on the entire lot. I got about 25 4x20 VFDs for around 10 bucks a piece using this method.

[lucas_siglo21]

VFD's are the badass of the screen modules but their prices are out of this world in some cases.

That is all I use now. You can find them pretty cheap on ebay for "Customer Display" modules. That is where I got all mine
Got to really look to find a deal now adays though. Find listings that have been up for a year+ and see if they have several for sale and make a deal on the entire lot. I got about 25 4x20 VFDs for around 10 bucks a piece using this method.

wow that's a very good deal, i guess people don't value them that much and on the industry they prefer LCDs because of..well..they are not a vacuum tube..
basically the real market is retro aficionados and people using them for the high visibility?

VFD's are the badass of the screen modules but their prices are out of this world in some cases.

I did find something quite interesting on aliexpress the other day, this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004465771709.html
it's a graphical one, 256x50 for just 40usd



i bought one for the lulz and i'll be checking it out...im sure it would be very possible to write a firmware on an arduino or some other micro to use it as a regular character display, you could fit 5x42 characters with 1px separation per character..

i don't have the time to tackle the project right now but i'm throwing the idea

[hydrolisk1792]

To make it more compatible I'd go with trying to make it a 4 x 40. Some of those displays like that have a built in character set. I have come across some from soda vending machines that can be a giant text 1x10 through a 2x20 made by noritake.

[lucas_siglo21]

To make it more compatible I'd go with trying to make it a 4 x 40. Some of those displays like that have a built in character set. I have come across some from soda vending machines that can be a giant text 1x10 through a 2x20 made by noritake.

v5.6 allows custom display sizes, the matrix orbital display plugin is compatible with something like 5x42 i think, i actually did some testing with custom display sizes (17x8) using a graphical LCD and an arduino with the U8G2 library..unfortunately i don't have pictures but it mostly worked
(had some issues where sometimes some lines weren't cleared properly when changing screens but idk if this was a problem on the arduino side or the lcdsmartie or the display plugin)