Rock wrote:

>I'm building an exercise computer with three 4 digit LCDs (7 segment). I think
>that's too many to drive directly with the PIC, and the PIC with a built-in LCD
>driver is expensive (and I guess I'd need one for each LCD).

I have used the Telcom TC7211 chip a long time ago.  It is a four-digit
 7-segment
LCD controller.  I believe that MAXIM is now making (or at least second-sourcing
the chip) as ICM7211.  I've no idea on the price, but I have used these and the
ICM7218 (8-digit 7-segment LED Mux/Decoder/Driver) with success.

It (the `7211) uses a four-bit data bus and four seperate digit select pins.
Of course you could reduce the pin count by two using some logic circuitry
 between
two pic pins and the four select lines.

The data sheet in PDF format can be found at:
        http://209.1.238.250/arpdf/1675.pdf

Best of luck on your reducing program!  ;^)

Michael

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