[Lcdproc] Help with Futaba 40x2 VFD M402SD06GL

dia3olik dia3olik@gmail.com
Sun Feb 11 19:59:03 2007


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Thanks Stefan!
As soon as i had time (today, as soon as i finished working) i tried!
I caught myself dreaming about my vfd at my job's desk...he he
The system and display are connected to lpt since i haven't found time
to go out buying the parts needed, i work all day long!
(address checked in dmesg output, it's 0x378 as default),
but i can't fix some random characters appearing on the vfd...
especially a set of T, a strange letter similar to W and W.
(and sometime this 3 chracters set is blinking "over" other characters)

i've taken some pics with my phone and uploaded here:

http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/01.jpg
http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/02.jpg
http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/03.jpg

I tried with iso settings in serialvfd portion of LCDd.conf
but either yes or no are the same...probably with custom-characters  
option?
I can't find to what it refers...or it can be a cabling issue?
(pic 03.jpg seems tell me that wiring is ok...)
Select on pin 18 is connected to LPT ground, or i have to "bridge"  
with VFD ground?
Maybe an interrupt problem? Or a grounding problem?
Or, worse, a defective display?
I've no clue...
Thanks again for your help to a displays novice like me!!!!!!
Good night,
Tommy


Il giorno 10/feb/07, alle ore 14:22, Stefan Herdler ha scritto:

> Hi,
>
> Robert Buchholz wrote:
>> dia3olik wrote:
>>
>>> that pin 23 is SELECT but display connector has only 20pin!
>>>
>>> From the guide on itx-corner it seems that SELECT is on pin  
>>> 18...what do
>>> you use guys?
>>>
>> I connected it the way itx and the data sheet recommended :-)
>>
>> But then again, maybe the howto should be edited.
>> Stefan, what source did you have on the wiring guide?
>>
> The wiring is from file called "paralell-Serial.pdf". It seems to  
> be the "official" wiring suggestion of Futaba (Futaba logo on the  
> pages, ...), but I can't remember where I found it. The file  
> doesn't contain informations about the pin-numbers, so I took them  
> from the datasheets of the M402SD06GJ and M204SD01AA.
> .. and according to the datasheets SELECT is on pin 18, so I have  
> to fix the LCDproc user guide.
>>
>>> Also someone had to connect pin 17 and 18 together, is it really  
>>> needed?
>>> (i don't think so but someone had to do it...)
>>>
> Both versions should work. But setting SELECT to enable (connecting  
> pin 18 to GND) is the cleaner way I think.
>>> Which connection is preferred/used by you? Serial or Parallel?
>>>
> I would prefer the serial connection, if your display supports the  
> standard (like 9600 or 4800 bps) baud-rates.
> - The lower CPU-usage
> - Less wires (but a transistor and 3 resistors needed)
> - The signal quality with long cables should be better
> - The serial port is harder to fry than the parallel one
>
> Some older displays just provide "exotic" incompatible baud-rates.
> E.g. on the M402SD06GJ the standard baud-rates are optional only.  
> But I don't know if that applies to M402SD06GL too.
>>
>>> In serial mode does this display needs the signal to be inverted  
>>> like others?
> afaik yes.
>>> What's the best baud rate?
> I haven't changed the default of  9600bps so far.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Stefan


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV>Thanks Stefan!</DIV><DIV>As =
soon as i had time (today, as soon as i finished working) i =
tried!</DIV><DIV>I caught myself dreaming about my vfd at my job's =
desk...he he</DIV><DIV>The system and display are connected to lpt since =
i haven't found time</DIV><DIV>to go out buying the parts needed, i work =
all day long!</DIV><DIV>(address checked in dmesg output, it's 0x378 as =
default),</DIV><DIV>but=A0i can't fix some random characters appearing =
on the vfd...</DIV><DIV>especially a set of T, a strange letter similar =
to W and W.</DIV><DIV>(and sometime this 3 chracters set is blinking =
"over" other characters)</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>i've taken some pics with =
my phone and uploaded here:</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/01.jpg">http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/01.jpg</A></=
DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/02.jpg">http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/02.jpg</A></=
DIV><DIV><A =
href=3D"http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/03.jpg">http://hdtv.o0o.it/vfd/03.jpg</A></=
DIV><DIV><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I tried with =
iso settings in serialvfd portion of LCDd.conf</DIV><DIV>but either yes =
or no are the same...probably with custom-characters option?</DIV><DIV>I =
can't find to what it refers...or it can be a cabling =
issue?</DIV><DIV>(pic=A003.jpg seems tell me that wiring is =
ok...)</DIV><DIV>Select on pin 18 is connected to LPT ground, or i have =
to "bridge" with VFD ground?</DIV><DIV>Maybe an interrupt problem? Or a =
grounding problem?</DIV><DIV>Or, worse, a defective =
display?</DIV><DIV>I've no clue...</DIV><DIV>Thanks again for your help =
to a displays novice like me!!!!!!</DIV><DIV>Good =
night,</DIV><DIV>Tommy</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>Il giorno =
10/feb/07, alle ore 14:22, Stefan Herdler ha scritto:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">  Hi,<BR> =
<BR> Robert Buchholz wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE =
cite=3D"mid45CB0E2C.3010002@gentoo.org" type=3D"cite">  <PRE =
wrap=3D"">dia3olik wrote:
  </PRE>  <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">    <PRE wrap=3D"">that pin 23 is =
SELECT but display connector has only 20pin!

=46rom the guide on itx-corner it seems that SELECT is on pin 18...what =
do
you use guys?
    </PRE>  </BLOCKQUOTE>  <PRE wrap=3D"">I connected it the way itx and =
the data sheet recommended :-)

But then again, maybe the howto should be edited.
Stefan, what source did you have on the wiring guide?
  </PRE> </BLOCKQUOTE> The wiring is from file called =
"paralell-Serial.pdf". It seems to be the "official" wiring suggestion =
of Futaba (Futaba logo on the pages, ...), but I can't remember where I =
found it. The file doesn't contain informations about the pin-numbers, =
so I took them from the datasheets of the M402SD06GJ and M204SD01AA.<BR> =
.. and according to the datasheets SELECT <B>is</B> on pin 18, so I have =
to fix the LCDproc user guide. <BLOCKQUOTE =
cite=3D"mid45CB0E2C.3010002@gentoo.org" type=3D"cite">  <PRE wrap=3D"">  =
</PRE>  <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">    <PRE wrap=3D"">Also someone had to =
connect pin 17 and 18 together, is it really needed?
(i don't think so but someone had to do it...)
    </PRE>  </BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> Both versions should work. But =
setting SELECT to enable (connecting pin 18 to GND) is the cleaner way I =
think. <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE cite=3D"mid45CB0E2C.3010002@gentoo.org" =
type=3D"cite">  <PRE wrap=3D""></PRE>  <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">    =
<PRE wrap=3D"">Which connection is preferred/used by you? Serial or =
Parallel?
    </PRE>  </BLOCKQUOTE>  <PRE wrap=3D""></PRE> </BLOCKQUOTE> I would =
prefer the serial connection, if your display supports the standard =
(like 9600 or 4800 bps) baud-rates. <BR> - The lower CPU-usage <BR> - =
Less wires (but a transistor and 3 resistors needed) <BR> - The signal =
quality with long cables should be better<BR> - The serial port is =
harder to fry than the parallel one<BR> <BR> Some older displays just =
provide "exotic" incompatible baud-rates.<BR> E.g. on the =
M402SD06G<B>J</B> the standard baud-rates are optional only. But I don't =
know if that applies to M402SD06G<B>L</B> too. <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE =
type=3D"cite"><BR>  <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><TT>In serial mode does =
this display needs the signal to be inverted like others?    </TT><BR>  =
</BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> afaik yes.<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">  =
<BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><TT>What's the best baud rate?</TT>  =
</BLOCKQUOTE> </BLOCKQUOTE> I haven't changed the default of=A0 9600bps =
so far.<BR> <BR> <CODE><EM></EM></CODE><SPAN class=3D"term"><CODE =
class=3D"literal"><SPAN =
class=3D"emphasis"><EM></EM></SPAN></CODE></SPAN><BR> Regards,<BR> <BR> =
Stefan  </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>=

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