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Serial VFD Problems — Parallax Forums

Serial VFD Problems

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-02-26 04:31 in General Discussion
I have a serial VFD display. It is supposed to operate @ 9600 n,8,1
baud. I'm trying to use it w/ my BS2 (it is TTL compatible), but I
can't get it to work. All I get is a bunch of garbage on the display.
There is info and a brief data sheet at:

http://www.dalewheat.com/projects/Serial%20VFD/

Please help if you can. Thank you.

-Brian Edmonson

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 02:06
    I have a serial VFD display. It is supposed to operate @ 9600 n,8,1
    baud. I'm trying to use it w/ my BS2 (it is TTL compatible), but I
    can't get it to work. All I get is a bunch of garbage on the display.
    There is info and a brief data sheet at:

    http://www.dalewheat.com/projects/Serial%20VFD/

    Please help if you can. Thank you.

    -Brian Edmonson
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 02:18
    Does the VFD expect a normal or inverted serial signal?

    I went through this with a crappy budget serial LCD and was getting the same
    results. You need to know if it expects the serial line to be held low (at
    ground) and swing up to 5 volts when data are sent (normal) or if it expects
    the serial line to be held high (at 5 volts) and swing to ground when data
    are sent (inverted). The Stamp will do either if you tell it to.You may also
    need to have a pull-up or pull-down resistor on the serial line to keep the
    line held in a constant state while the Stamp resets.

    Look over the documentation and see if it mentions anything in particular.

    Original Message

    > I have a serial VFD display. It is supposed to operate @ 9600 n,8,1
    > baud. I'm trying to use it w/ my BS2 (it is TTL compatible), but I
    > can't get it to work. All I get is a bunch of garbage on the display.
    > There is info and a brief data sheet at:
    >
    > http://www.dalewheat.com/projects/Serial%20VFD/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 02:31
    I'm pretty sure that it wants an inverted signal. But, i tried both
    to see what results I'd get and it was the same garbage. I also
    tried a pull up resistor w/o results but i didn't try a pull down
    resistor. Thanks for your help.

    -Brian




    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
    > Does the VFD expect a normal or inverted serial signal?
    >
    > I went through this with a crappy budget serial LCD and was
    getting the same
    > results. You need to know if it expects the serial line to be held
    low (at
    > ground) and swing up to 5 volts when data are sent (normal) or if
    it expects
    > the serial line to be held high (at 5 volts) and swing to ground
    when data
    > are sent (inverted). The Stamp will do either if you tell it
    to.You may also
    > need to have a pull-up or pull-down resistor on the serial line to
    keep the
    > line held in a constant state while the Stamp resets.
    >
    > Look over the documentation and see if it mentions anything in
    particular.
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >
    > > I have a serial VFD display. It is supposed to operate @ 9600
    n,8,1
    > > baud. I'm trying to use it w/ my BS2 (it is TTL compatible), but
    I
    > > can't get it to work. All I get is a bunch of garbage on the
    display.
    > > There is info and a brief data sheet at:
    > >
    > > http://www.dalewheat.com/projects/Serial%20VFD/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 03:20
    Can you post the "serout" command you used.

    -Rob

    Original Message
    From: <be068095552@y...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 9:31 PM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: Serial VFD Problems


    > I'm pretty sure that it wants an inverted signal. But, i tried both
    > to see what results I'd get and it was the same garbage. I also
    > tried a pull up resistor w/o results but i didn't try a pull down
    > resistor. Thanks for your help.
    >
    > -Brian
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
    > > Does the VFD expect a normal or inverted serial signal?
    > >
    > > I went through this with a crappy budget serial LCD and was
    > getting the same
    > > results. You need to know if it expects the serial line to be held
    > low (at
    > > ground) and swing up to 5 volts when data are sent (normal) or if
    > it expects
    > > the serial line to be held high (at 5 volts) and swing to ground
    > when data
    > > are sent (inverted). The Stamp will do either if you tell it
    > to.You may also
    > > need to have a pull-up or pull-down resistor on the serial line to
    > keep the
    > > line held in a constant state while the Stamp resets.
    > >
    > > Look over the documentation and see if it mentions anything in
    > particular.
    > >
    > >
    Original Message
    > >
    > > > I have a serial VFD display. It is supposed to operate @ 9600
    > n,8,1
    > > > baud. I'm trying to use it w/ my BS2 (it is TTL compatible), but
    > I
    > > > can't get it to work. All I get is a bunch of garbage on the
    > display.
    > > > There is info and a brief data sheet at:
    > > >
    > > > http://www.dalewheat.com/projects/Serial%20VFD/
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 03:26
    I looked over the documentation and it appears the level-converter (Q1
    circuit) for RS232 to TTL inverts the signal, so the TTL input may be
    normal. Try a 10k pull-down resistor and normal SEROUT mode and see what
    happens. Also, just to be on the safe side, I would put a 220 ohm resistor
    between the Stamp pin and the TTL input. Keep the Stamp pin low for a good
    2-3 seconds before trying to send any serial data.


    Original Message

    > I'm pretty sure that it wants an inverted signal. But, i tried both
    > to see what results I'd get and it was the same garbage. I also
    > tried a pull up resistor w/o results but i didn't try a pull down
    > resistor. Thanks for your help.

    > > Does the VFD expect a normal or inverted serial signal?
    > >
    > > I went through this with a crappy budget serial LCD and was
    > getting the same
    > > results. You need to know if it expects the serial line to be held
    > low (at
    > > ground) and swing up to 5 volts when data are sent (normal) or if
    > it expects
    > > the serial line to be held high (at 5 volts) and swing to ground
    > when data
    > > are sent (inverted). The Stamp will do either if you tell it
    > to.You may also
    > > need to have a pull-up or pull-down resistor on the serial line to
    > keep the
    > > line held in a constant state while the Stamp resets.
    > >
    > > Look over the documentation and see if it mentions anything in
    > particular.
    > >
    > >
    Original Message
    > >
    > > > I have a serial VFD display. It is supposed to operate @ 9600
    > n,8,1
    > > > baud. I'm trying to use it w/ my BS2 (it is TTL compatible), but
    > I
    > > > can't get it to work. All I get is a bunch of garbage on the
    > display.
    > > > There is info and a brief data sheet at:
    > > >
    > > > http://www.dalewheat.com/projects/Serial%20VFD/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 03:33
    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Staph" <rstaph@a...>
    wrote:
    > Can you post the "serout" command you used.
    >
    > -Rob
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: <be068095552@y...>
    > To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    > Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 9:31 PM
    > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: Serial VFD Problems
    >
    >
    > > I'm pretty sure that it wants an inverted signal. But, i tried
    both
    > > to see what results I'd get and it was the same garbage. I also
    > > tried a pull up resistor w/o results but i didn't try a pull down
    > > resistor. Thanks for your help.
    > >
    > > -Brian
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
    > > > Does the VFD expect a normal or inverted serial signal?
    > > >
    > > > I went through this with a crappy budget serial LCD and was
    > > getting the same
    > > > results. You need to know if it expects the serial line to be
    held
    > > low (at
    > > > ground) and swing up to 5 volts when data are sent (normal) or
    if
    > > it expects
    > > > the serial line to be held high (at 5 volts) and swing to
    ground
    > > when data
    > > > are sent (inverted). The Stamp will do either if you tell it
    > > to.You may also
    > > > need to have a pull-up or pull-down resistor on the serial
    line to
    > > keep the
    > > > line held in a constant state while the Stamp resets.
    > > >
    > > > Look over the documentation and see if it mentions anything in
    > > particular.
    > > >
    > > >
    Original Message
    > > >
    > > > > I have a serial VFD display. It is supposed to operate @
    9600
    > > n,8,1
    > > > > baud. I'm trying to use it w/ my BS2 (it is TTL compatible),
    but
    > > I
    > > > > can't get it to work. All I get is a bunch of garbage on the
    > > display.
    > > > > There is info and a brief data sheet at:
    > > > >
    > > > > http://www.dalewheat.com/projects/Serial%20VFD/
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject and
    > Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > >
    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    > >
    > >
    > >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 04:29
    Thanks to everybody for your help, but I think we can quit now. I
    just fried the serial controller circuit. I accidentally reversed
    the +V and GND and it is history. This bites! Thats my luck for ya.
    Oh well, back to parallel inputs. :-( (good thing it wasn't brand
    new).

    -Brian Edmonson
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-02-26 04:31
    Bummer. Done that myself once or twice.

    I now double-triple-check my work before I apply power.

    Original Message

    > Thanks to everybody for your help, but I think we can quit now. I
    > just fried the serial controller circuit. I accidentally reversed
    > the +V and GND and it is history. This bites! Thats my luck for ya.
    > Oh well, back to parallel inputs. :-( (good thing it wasn't brand
    > new).
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