Question about LCD's

crashlander42 · Joined: Oct 21, 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Orlando, FL (US)

I was looking at this LCD on BG Micro and noticed it says "needs EL inverter". What does that mean?

http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10605

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

It means you would have to purchase or make another board to invert the DC input power to a low amperage 120VAC required to power the Electro Luminescent backlight.

crashlander42 · Joined: Oct 21, 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Orlando, FL (US)

Ok. I'll pass on that one.

thanks!

Danno Gee Ray · Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 1351 Location: Telford, PA USA

No problem. Check the surplus houses for the inverters, they shouldn't cost too much there.

State Machine · Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:08 am Post subject:

Here is a guy who sells the inverters for $8.00 ........

http://techknowman.com/Electronics/Kits/Kits.htm

Bill

crashlander42 · Joined: Oct 21, 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Orlando, FL (US)

I could, but then I'd be up to $13ish. I think I'll just order a 16x2 blue LCD from Futurlec for $9ish. I was going to order some other stuff from them anyway.

I'm getting ready to build my ucApps Midi2CV. Very Happy

I've been waiting to do this for a while.

Thanks anyway!

State Machine · Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:01 am Post subject:

bugfight · Joined: Aug 02, 2007 Posts: 188 Location: Arlington, TX USA

State Machine · Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:21 pm Post subject:

I have used these LCD's in the past from Scott Edwards Electronics. They have the serial backpacks which make life easier for programming the displays using a USART. I wrote the low level "papallel" drivers for these type displays when I was using 8051 type MCU's but by the time I got with using other processors, I started using the serial LCD units.

http://www.seetron.com/slcds.htm

These guys are good if you need a quick fix. They make building block type IC's ........

http://www.elabinc.com/Semiconductors/AboutSemiconductors/tabid/71/Default.aspx

I used one of their serial LCD controller IC's a while back for a rocket payload data logger project .......

Bill