Fred,

These displays, and any using the 44780 controller chip, are particular
about the initialization
routine to get them ready for use.  Make sure you have properly initialized
the display, and then
just feed it the data, and it should work.  I've used a couple of these
displays, and they work fine.
The key is initialization.  Also, make sure you have the read/write (R/W)
pin grounded.  Otherwise,
you'll be commanding the display to send data to the PIC instead of the
other way around.  Let me
know if this helps you get it going.


Regards,


Jim
-----Original Message-----
From: firewall_fred@HUSHMAIL.COM <firewall_fred@HUSHMAIL.COM>
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Saturday, October 09, 1999 12:27 AM
Subject: Re: 9237-op lcd interface


>Michael:
>
>I purchased a few of these and so far, I have yet to get any of them
working. One of them may have been shot when I hooked it up in reverse -
$3.95 pissed away - no biggie. Yet the other two don't seem to respond at
all. I would think that even without a signal I should be able see something
happen with the display when the LCD voltage is adjusted from 0-5V, but I
see no changes. The backlight LED works great, so the worst case is they
become sophisticated night-lights ;-)
>
>I'm using the 4-bit interface. I thought timing might be an issue, so I
slowed the 16F84 down to eliminate that as an issue. I can see the
appropriate signals reaching the device on my o-scope, looks like clean
signals with sharp rise/fall transitions. I'm not one to give up easily, so
I'll keep plugging away - if you have suggestions, I'd be really happy to
hear them.
>
>Thanks!
>
>-------Original Message--------
>> I purchased this unit from mpja, and found their spec sheet which shows
>pinouts. What it doesn't describe is the method of interfacing with the
>unit. Anybody know how to work with this device?
>>
>Try looking at Myke Predko's website for interfacing PIC's to LCD's.
>There is a lot of information about what is needed to set up the
>interface as well as displaying characters.
>
>
>Take a look at: http://www.myke.com/engres/lcd.htm
>as well as some of his other articles at Rentron:
>http://www.rentron.com/pic.htm
>
>
>Michael Barker
>
>
>P.S. - How is the LCD unit?  I was interested in purchasing one
>of these as well as the 20x1 LCD modules.
>
>
>
>Myke - hope you don't mind me plugging your sites-they've come in
>handy plenty for me, especially after I bought your book on PICs.
>
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