Sparkfun's Nokia Knock-Off LCD

Rayman

I've just started working with this $19.95 LCD...

So far, I've gotten Paul Bakers code to work with it...
I've tried jkroylance assembly SPI code, but it doesn't seem to work.· Maybe he had a different LCD?· I noticed in the original thread that some people had the Philips chip and that code doesn't seem work with this board...

I've converted the C example on the Sparkfun page to SPIN.· I think it gives good insight into how to use the commands.

I didn't use any resistors.· Just directly connected the Sparkfun's breakout board.

Definitely going to need the ASM SPI code as this is slow...· (I'm wondering if I should have gotten Sparkfun's other LCD with parallel interface...)

I've started collecting info here:
http://www.rayslogic.com/propeller/Programming/RaysStuff/Nokia/SparkfunNokia.htm

Harley

Rayman,

Cute display. Good to have them in color finally.

A bit too small for some of my immediate needs.
Wish they'd drop to around $1/in. instead of closer to $10.

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Harley Shanko

deSilva

@Rayman:
- optimized serial transfer with SPIN is limited to a 30µs clock = 30 kbit/s (assembly drivers wil get you 1 Mbit/s )
-However your bottle-neck is using SPIN at all:
LCD_put_Pixel has 8 procedure calls, plus the calling sequence for itself will take another ms.
This adds up to at least 2 ms per pixel. As you have 10k of them this should take you 10 to 20 seconds alone.

A better performance can be achieved by sending bulk data. Flickerless refresh is possible. This needs a similar kind of display buffer as with TV. I think one can make it compatible (same tiling, 64 color-sets. 4 colors each only!)

S65 implementation will follow soon My devices (8 Euro each) had not yet been in the post yesterday :-(

Rayman

deSilva: I think you're right. I need to get as much into assembly as possible...
Harley: With all the focus on recycling cell phones, I think there will be a ton of recycled displays soon that will be dirt cheap...

Right now, I'm debating between 8 and 12-bit modes... I think I'm leaning toward 12-bit mode so as to be able to show pictures more easily...

Rayman

I've ported the 12-bit color example to Spin...

This is again, very slow but does work...· This one can set pixels, fill areas and draw text with Prop's ROM font.

Rayman

Just converted the shiftout routine in the above code to assembly with Beau Schwabe "SPI Engine".
It's now reasonably fast...