Bigger serial 2- or 4-line LCD screens?

xanatos

I have an application that is currently using the old faithful Parallax Serial LCD display, but I have been requested to use an LCD screen that has larger characters. Is there a Basic Stamp compatible serial LCD display that anyone on here uses that is about maybe twice the size as the standard display?

I suppose I could mount a magnifying glass in front of the screen... :-)

Thanks,

Dave

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Some links:

http://www.siliconcraft.net/pdf/SC1602LC%20User%27s%20Manual.pdf
http://www.siliconcraft.net/pdf/SC1602LCPro%20RS485%20Serial%20LCD%20Display.pdf
http://www.mcustore.com/displays-i-o-boards/56-20x4-large-digit-character-lcd.html

-Phil

jdolecki

I got some not twice the size but free if you pm me your address

You will need a serial interface if you want to go that way.

erco

jdolecki wrote: »

You will need a serial interface if you want to go that way.

Inexpensive serial adapter with large characters built-in: http://www.phanderson.com/lcd106/lcd107.html

GordonMcComb

I think you're going to find most of these don't provide physically larger characters, just more lines and rows. You display big characters by combining separate digits, and can at most show only a few digits at a time. I have the unit Phil mentions in his post, and the characters are only a tad larger (it seems to me). Don't think it's 2X size.

To keep with serial there's always graphical LCDs, and then you define the size of the characters. Here's one:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9351

The default baud rate is 115,200, well out of BS2 range, but you can supposidly send an escape character and slow it down to 9600 or 19200.

There are others, so do a Web search and compare prices and features.

For real big, you could use a Propeller Backback and any LCD monitor with a composite video input. You can find 8-14" color LCD monitors intended for automotive installation for under $100, sometimes much less (Erco could probably tell you where on eBay). A little more expensive, but very flexible. This is what I do when I need BIG.

-- Gordon

RDL2004

Displays with larger size characters do exist. The display on the gate control at my apartment complex has characters that look like they're about an inch tall.

Here's a cheap surplus display at All Electronics that has 4.84 x 9.66 mm characters:

Large Character LCD 16x2

It seems to me that character size used to be a searchable parameter at Mouser, but I don't see it there anymore.

Newhaven has some displays with 5.22 mm width characters which is probably close to double the size of the Parallax 16x2. Scroll down toward the bottom of this page:

www.newhavendisplay.com 16x2 LCD displays

Look at the 0216SZ series, the ones that are 122 mm wide.

jdolecki

Picture of the ones I get from American science and surplus.

Below a 16x2 from sparkfun.

And they are back lit also. 1.99 for the circirt board you just have to remove them yourself.

xanatos

Hi there,

Going to try out New Haven Displays - they look like they may be big enough and they have them already backpacked or serialized somehow.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'll let you know how it works out.

Dave

xanatos

Thanks again for the reference to New Haven Displays. I got a nice one that's not quite twice the size but is far more readable at a much greater distance. And the command set was a snap to convert from the original LCD to the new one.

The resources that are available on this site are the best in the industry... you all rock! :-)

Dave