LCD Front Panel Set:

2x16 LCD w/HD44780 controller, 4 push buttons, 3 LEDs and a 2x12 pin header.

• 16 x 2 char LCD (STN). Non backlit. Light grey background and dark blue characters. Single character size aprox 0.2 x 0.1 inch (5 x 3 mm)
• Standard Hitachi HD44780 controller, (actual Hitachi, not a clone) Compatible with most LCD microcontroller code.
• 4 Push Buttons: SPST high quality with gold plated contacts.
• 3 LEDs for use as indicators.
• Contrast adjustment pot.
• One common 24-pin connector (also gold plated pins).
• 4 layer PCB with grounded outer layers: Excellent EMC and ESD protection.

Pete says: "Your 2x16 LCD panel is hot! Any chance you have a 4x24 unit in the works?" James Newton answers Sorry, no. These are one of a kind, overstock items that will no longer be available when the existing stock runs out. I can't begin to make such an item for this price.

juanmarod says: "Thank you. Very good Displays. Every think ok. I put you a positive feedbak on Ebay."

John Muchow says: "James, I just received my order of three LCD Front Panels, thanks for the great service! I'm looking forward to getting my PICs hooked up to them. :-)"

Tom Lackamp says: "I spread the module's pins out at a 45 degree angle, then took the last .200 or .250 inch and formed them back to the vertical so I could plug them into the breadboard using .300 spacing." Toms modification allows the LCD module to be used with a standard "whiteboard" breadboarding system. Since the connector pins are quite long, even after being bent, they seat into the breadboard firmly.

Bud Justen points out that an old IDE or other 2x12 or better cable will plug right into the header and provided some nice instructions and code for using it with the popular Arduino. Richard Cooke provided a sample project with the PICAXE BASIC system and an ADC test circuit.

Measurements in millimeters and inches.

Arnbient Temperature Range: 32...122'F (0...50'C)
Storage Temperature Range: -13...158'F (-25...70'C)

  Questions:

• spampascor at verizon.net asks:

  Who is the manufacturer for *this* particular display and what is it's part number ??? I haven't been able to locate it elsewhere after many hours of web searching.

  James Newton of Massmind replies: No one knows. The units were purchased from a company that was going out of business and no records of who they purchased the units from has survived.+

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• Data Sheet for the newer HD44780U LCD contoller Can anyone find an HD44780A00 data sheet?
• Any chance this panel can be driven by 3.3v supply & I/O? Thanks - Steve James Newton replies: No, sorry, it needs 5 volts.+

  Ben Voigt replies: Sad that all the information I can find seems to be for the newer -U version of the chip, which does support 3.3V inputs (even when supply is 5V), as all signals above 2.2V are considered "high". Might that work with the chip used on these boards as well? [Of course the microcontroller needs 5V-tolerant I/ (mine does) or the return data will blow it up, I guess this can be prevented with either series resistors or by keeping the R/W line set correctly.]+

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• spamcharlie2224 at msn.com asks:

  Hey, I am way new to this whole LCD Panel + microcontroller stuff, can you give me a few links to places where I can learn to write and load software onto this thing? I really love this product and it's exactly what I need!

  James Newton replies: See: /techref/io/lcd/44780.htm+

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• spamcaramel_s_t_m at hotmail.com asks: " does this works with 4 and 8 bit mode ? is the EN pin is 5 or 6 ? in it supports 4 bit mode , do I have to ground the none used pins ? thanks" James Newton replies: As with any 44780 LCD both 4 and 8 bit modes are supported. Enable is pin 5, and you can ignore unused pins.+

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• spamcaramel_s_t_m at hotmail.com asks: " I'm using the basic stamp2. Is this lcd compatible with it" James Newton replies: Yes!+

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• spamjochen.burkert at hap.com asks: " Hi I`m using a PIC18F4580 and want to know if your display is compatible to it. Regards Jochen" James Newton replies: Sure! Any microcontroller with a few IO lines free should be able to use it. We do NOT supply sample code but you may be able to find it on the net.+

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Comments:

• I was climbing the wall trying to get more than one line displayed on the Phico LCD.
  The problem was low battery. Only 3.9v when a minimum of 4.5 is needed.+
• The Shift 1 serial LCD driver is designed to directly connect to a standard 1x15 LCD panel. If you want to use it with the LCD Panel 1, you can wire them together.
• spampascor at verizon.net

  This LCD module is a custom Phico model which has long been out of production. It uses the original Hitachi HD4470 5V-only IC which has several minor design bugs, none of which are of much concern. It works fine in both 8-bit and 4-bit parallel data bus mode. Even with the newer HD44780U IC, don't expect to be able to read CGRAM and DDRAM. Hitachi blatantly neglected to provide proper documentation for RAM read timing even though they claim this can be done. However, there is really no need to read RAM, since the programmer is supposed to know what he wrote to RAM in the first place. Creating custom characters works fine, but Hitachi gives an incomplete character code chart, much like their HD44780(U) data sheet.
  
  I have also have a complete AVR program that writes to the LCD and LEDs. I haven't tested the switch inputs yet, but that seems like a no-brainer. If anyone is interested in getting any of this corrected info then just let me know. You can find that code here: Atmel AVR, LCD Display driver, PHICO Panel, HD44780, Ray Pasco

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