LCDInfo.com

Have you tried increasing the spectrum update rate ? In the default files it was set to 100ms/10fps but you can increase it. The internal LCDInfo timer ticks at 50ms so that's the fastest rate currently available.

Currently there aren't any user adjustable settings for the spectrums. The spectrum values can be adjusted but currently it requires a recompile of the plugin. I'm planning to make a configuration dialog where spectrum properties could be changed.

Also the 64x32 pixel spectrum 1 and 128x32 pixel spectrum 2 are the only currently available.

I've been eagerly following this thread for some time.

I have one of these and got it to work just fine. The Winamp screen shows and though I didn't have Winamp running, the fields displayed as expected.

However, I am looking to get this to work with Girder or similar to display DVD information (for an HTPC I'm building). I know LCDHype is supported by Girder, but it uses the parallel port driver and the driver for the display doesn't work nearly as well as this one.

Thoughts?

It's been a while since I looked at Girder but I'm going to check it tonight and see if there was some easy way to make them work together.

That would be great, as I have the exact same VFD and would love to have mine working with Girder too

From what I can tell, it doesn't look too hard, Girder is pretty modular.

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- Rexxie

this was a rather old topic, it works now. but its kinda slow

Hi people am i missing out on something,. i wired up the vfd exactly like the diagram,. wired up the power and my screen doesnt do anything,. even when i power on my pc i get no light or anything,. should i see anything at all when i first boot up,. how do i get the test on the screen working,. is it possible my display arrived to me dead,. any help or anything would be apreciated,.
sorry im a total noob at this

neutek: What you are seeing is normal. You won't see anything on the display until you fire up LCDInfo and select the 311 driver. It should work even without WinAmp running; it will just display the field names.

There is a test mode that you can activate by shorting pin 2 (T0) on the power connector to pin 3 (GND) when you power up the display. The display will cycle through all possible characters. Disconnect the power to end. I don't think it matters, but I leave the data connector off when doing this.

BTW, Henri, what's the outlook on Girder support???

cpuwiz: How do you activate the test mode exactly? Do you know if this will work for other vfd? I have the GU140x32F showing no information when connected to power. The manual tells about RESET using jumper J6.1 and J6.2. If I got you right, this seems to be similar shorting Pin 3 (paralle interface) to GND for the GU140x32. But maybe I'm totally wrong... Any idea?

Thanks
wittus

Hey guys, I've also just got one of these, but I can't get a display off it. I was wondering how you activated that test mode to check its working firstly.

I've plugged everything in while the pc was off, and powered it up. Then I ran a pre-configured version of LCDinfo from coorz, selected the 311 driver and restarted LCDinfo. But the screen remains completely blank! The parallel port is on 0x378 - which is what it says in LCDinfo as well. Anything I've missed?

Check your BIOS LPT settings as well in Windows, mines at ECP.
If possible try the display on another PC.

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

I've changed the setting in the BIOS from ECP+EPP to just ECP, although I wouldn't have thought it would make a difference, and it didn't help. I've also tried it on another computer with the same result. I can't even get it to light up using the test mode

I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with the VFD

Are you sure you are getting +5v power to the VFD? I actually blew the 2A fuse behind the power connector the first time and had to replace it. It's SMT, so it was a pain, and I ordered a couple extra just in case.

One way you can confirm you are getting +5v to the VFD is to apply power to the power connector and then measure on either side of the fuse with a multimeter. If only one side shows +5v, then you have a blown fuse.

If I'm not mistaken, the test mode should work even without the data connector attached. It just causes the display to cycle through all of it's possible characters/patterns and I believe it actually ignores the data line when in this mode.

Hmm, that was a good guess cpuwiz. I think you might be along the right lines there. I'd used a multimeter just on the power connector pins and there's +5V between 1 and 3, but if I leave the GND probe on pin 3 and move it to the fuse one side gives +5 and the other nothing.

Would you mind posting a pic of the back of your display, because a couple of the ICs look a bit funny and I want to be sure they aren't busted as well.

How do I go about getting hold of one of these fuses and swapping it out?

Based on what you've described, I'd say you blew the fuse. I didn't even know it was blown for quite awhile and was pulling my hair out trying to figure out what was wrong. I went over all my cabling several times until I finally noticed the fuse and tested for power across it. I got +5v on side, 0v on the other.

Here's a pic of the back of my unit. It's mounted in an HTPC that I'm building, so pardon the angle.

http://izzywizzy.org/images/IMG_2745.jpg

And a closeup of the new fuse:

http://izzywizzy.org/images/IMG_2742.jpg

It's a Littelfuse 2A SMT fast-acting fuse. I actually ordered this from Digikey:

http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Criteria?Ref=214079&Site=US&Cat=31916779

'cause I wanted the fuse block to make it easy to replace a blown fuse in the future. Unfortunately, the fuse block was too wide and just wouldn't squeeze in there between the IC, capacitor and power connector. I ended up just soldering it directly, though it was a bit tricky to get my soldering iron in there on the left side.

The fuse by itself is this:

http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Criteria?Ref=219381&Site=US&Cat=31916779

Just for grins, here is a comparison of the old fuse to the new one. The blown one is on the bottom:

http://izzywizzy.org/images/IMG_2749.jpg

Thanks a lot - very informative

I'm now trying to find a UK distributor for the Littelfuse part. They appear to have a factory in Swindon, but it would still be international shipping from the US and I don't really want to wait that long.