LCDInfo.com

Hi all!

i'm using the SED1531 driver that henri kindly made for a display i have... my problem is... that i cant get to put the LCDinfo working... i'm going to be more specific...

i cant understand what i have to do first, before load the LCDinfo (0.6).

is there any tutorial for starters? what do i have to do first?

here's what i "think" i need to do...

first create a LCDinfo.ini
edit the screens.xml

this just to get something displayed

what should i put inside the LCDinfo.ini file?

thank you all and sorry for this n00b post

_________________
bee happy

Firstly..

Make sure the driver is in your LCDinfo directory.

Then run LCDinfo and configure the correct driver by right clicking on the LCDinfo icon in the system tray, and clicking "Select Driver". Select the right driver (the one Henri sent you). Click on configure, to see if there are any configuration items you need to set. Set them for you display if there are.

Then, go into the Screens sub-directory under LCDinfo, and edit the screens.xml file to point to a test screen... set up you screens as documented here:http://forum.lcdinfo.com/viewtopic.php?t=386 and you can't go wrong.

_________________
Syridian,
http://syridian.com

Done, location C:\LCD (were the software is)


I didnt get any special instructions, so i think its the way it is... Driver loaded.



done that...

here is my screens.xml file:

<screens>
<screenfile>c:\lcd\screens\128x64\bug.xml</screenfile>
<screenfile>c:\lcd\screens\128x64\winamp.xml</screenfile>
<screenfile>c:\lcd\screens\128x64\system.xml</screenfile>
</screens>

all that i've changed in the original screens from the 128x64 folder was the location, i added the c:\lcd\ to all bitmaps.

the LCD doesnt show anything. It turns on the backlight (even if i dont give the main power to backlight) but nothing shows.

any ideias on what may be causing this?

_________________
bee happy

Start with a very basic test screen... Just a screen with "test" at the 0,0 location and see if you can get that to display first.

Also, you do need to set the driver if you are using LCDinfo (0.6). so make sure that LCDinfo is running by looking for it's icon in the bottom right corner, and right clicking on it, click select driver. If you haven't set the driver you won't get anything.

_________________
Syridian,
http://syridian.com

First, "n00b posts" are nothing to be sorry about. After all that is telling where the instructions should be made better. Unfortunately at this time there isn't very good getting started documentation available.
The best I have to offer as first steps to get going is available here:
http://forum.lcdinfo.com/viewtopic.php?t=471

I noticed that in your example screens.xml you posted you have absolute paths. It could be because of this it's not working.

You can try this:



If you're still having problems getting anything to show after you have setup the driver settings let me know and I'll make you some test exe that should just verify if communication with the lcd is working.

i've just set it as you say.

i've changed the screens.xml to the one that you show, but there is nothing showing in the lcd.

it lights up the backlight only, no text, no dots nothing

if you can send me that "exe" to test the comunication with the LCD.

thank you all

_________________
bee happy

i've just checked the log.txt and found this error

4.48:8:907 Not valid LCDinfo plugin: C:\lcd\lcdinfo\WinIo.dll

it seems to be the only plugin that is not beeing added...

then there are some other errors...

4.48:8:907 interface version: 1
4.48:8:907 ok 103
4.48:8:907 ok 102
4.48:8:907 next factory not found

and goes like that... lol

_________________
bee happy

Dont quote me (n00b also) but that error can be ignored, would assume LCDInfo scans the directory for dll's checking for plugins. It finds the winIO (used for IO control) but the file signature shows its not a plugin, so returns that error....

Actually, you can quote him on that. He's right. Ignore it.

_________________
Syridian,
http://syridian.com

ok... i've ignored that error... but still, i dont get anything displayed on LCD

i've rechecked cable connections, cheked the power cable (that is connected to a usb port only with the power wires +5v and GND), and everything seems to be alright.
The computer i'm using is a laptop, P4 2.6Ghz 512DDR, winxp sp2. I've killed all unnecessary process's to release the maximum amount of memory, but nothing happends.

one question... using the USB port to supply the 5v's to lcd and backlight, should i connect the GND from the paralel port to LCD gnd and USB GND?

i have all GND together. LPT1, USB, and LCD. i hope this is right

thank you all

_________________
bee happy

Ummm... Do you have a multimeter? Can you check the +5Volts at the LCD? If you don't have a multimeter, just try disconnecting the Backlight. USB +5Volts can only supply a limited amount of current, and I'm unsure what that is, but some LED backlights will draw close to 200mA sometimes more depending on the size... If thats being pulled down, it could be lower than the Logic levels needed to accept the digital info, but still be enough to light the backlight.

Do you have a datasheet for the display? Hmm... my times limited, I'll do some research, this is only a theory, and I currently don't have the time available to check it out.

PS: Henri... Hmm I must have glossed over your earlier referance to the documentation... I haven't forgotten... was actually waiting to hear back from you about whether I had collected all of it. But I will get stuck back into it. even with the basic stuff I collected in November. Send me anything else you wouldn't mind adding... Or, and sofar undocumented features that you have been playing with, but haven't quite finalised. Hehehe

_________________
Syridian,
http://syridian.com

uhmmm..thats a good point... unfortunnaly i'm at work and i dont have a multimeter here, but i can notice that if i unplug the USB cable the LCD stays with the backlight on, but faded, very low light, and nothing shows (thats normal because the lcd doesnt have power to work). I'm going to try disconnect only the backlight, and get back to you

here is a pic (sorry bmp only ) of the electrical specs of the LCD.

http://ignatz.alojamentos7.com/dcspecs.bmp

edit: disconnected backlight power, nothing happends

_________________
bee happy

OK.... Snuck a quick 10mins here at work to check it out...

Your USB port max power I believe is 100mA, just from a quick search on the web... Your LED backlight for the display is 120mA, plus the 3.5mA max drawn from the display driver circuitry. Not a great deal over the specs, but enough to possibly drop the 5Volt rail to below operating specs.

The other alarming thing in your last post, was that the backlight is still on when you unplug the USB. Where's it getting that voltage from?????? Even though it's somewhat dimmer, it's still illuminating which is suggesting that there's 40mA at least being supplied from somewhere else. And the LPT port specs don't allow for anything near that kind of current. Even if they did, it shouldn't be able to get through to the Backlight.

I would check and recheck your wiring, use a multimeter to check for shorts, and incorrectly connected pins. Let me know how you go with testing it with the backlight removed (The backlight is always the last thing I connect with any new LCD, as it's only window dressing, the LCD will operate without it).

Anyway, Good luck!

edit: OK... can you draw me an exact schematic of how you have physically connected the display. ie; copy the physical wiring of the non working display. Maybe there a wire out of place...

_________________
Syridian,
http://syridian.com

I remember having read somewhere that LCD's on a laptop's LPT might not work always. Have you tried the LCd on a normal PC?

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

I noticed the same thing with the LM6023B display that the backlight might light up slightly even if there was no power connected to the display. I have noticed the same thing with some other display before too. I don't know if the truth is anything like this but it might be some current from the parallel port flowing through the protection diodes in the controller IC pins.

Anyway I have now sent you also a little test program that should at least verify if communication with the display is working. You just need to run the exe and if everything is ok it should output that 50x8 pixel rectangle to the upper left corner. If it doesn't work you could try in another PC too and then I could also try some timing changes and additional delays.