LCDInfo.com

My Noritake 128X32-311 is on it's way....seems to be the perfect "starter" VFD. Thanks for the schematics posted in the forum, and I look forward to making it show stuff via LCDInfo.

The schematic shows the BUSY line as not connected. The spec sheets I've seen for this display, though, indicates that in order to have the fastest response time on the VFD (especially in flickerless mode), the BUSY line should be polled. I'm just curious why this isn't being done. Is polling that line over the parallel port not practical? Or does it not actually benefit you to do so? I know display update rate is one of the main criticisms of this display, and I would think polling the BUSY line would ensure the fastest rate.

Thanks for any illumination.

Oh, and for anyone who has wired this (which I'm in the process of doing)...Should I connect EVERY GND signal together? Whether logic pins or the GND wire from the molex connector...crimp them all together? Thanks!

Well the BUSY issue you'll have to ask Henri or Eelco (LiqUId-MP3) but i'm quite sure if they didn't implement it, they'd have good reason!
No need to hook up all ground pins (should, but i never do that).

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My Plexeon-Insane LCD!-Or this one!-LCDinfo-LCDStudio

Ok...hopefully Henri will pop in with an answer here, and I'll email Eelco about it. I'll plan to hook up all the grounds, just since it won't be hard to do.

You know, I swear...lcdstudio, lcdinfo and liquid mp3 should just MERGE. But that's my own personal opinion....

EDIT: Ummm...I couldn't find a user named Eelco at liquidmp3.

Eelco=Schijf

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My Plexeon-Insane LCD!-Or this one!-LCDinfo-LCDStudio

oh, ok. gotcha

On my Noritake 256x64 VFD there's no dedicated busy-line but the controller is faster than the LPT port in my PC so I don't have to worry about it.

Must be nice.

Well, Spock over at lcdstudio.com gave me some insight. I think it boils down to the idea that polling inputs is bad....it's basically a great way to eat up CPU. I'm guessing that's why wiring diagrams don't even bother with it. Why would I want to dedicate my entire PC to running this VFD?

I suppose in theory the BUSY line could be incorporated into the IRQ....but I think I've just exceeded what I feel I can do for my first VFD adventure.

Oh well, worth a try.

If I remember correctly polling the BUSY line was tested with this display but it was even slower that way. A lot slower.
Anyway polling in windows isn't really useful anyway because of the reasons mentioned.