20X4 LCD Display

Archiver

So I bought a Matrix Orbital 20x4 serial LCD off the parallax site.

I am trying to test it straight thru the pc's comm port.

I have followed the instructions and have the db9 connections correct as well as
the power connections.

The LCD comes on and lights up. However, when I send characters to it from
either Hyperterminal, StampEditorDebug, or VB using msComm control, i get
garbage.

I have double and triple checked the speed settings and tried several different
ones being careful to set it both on the LCD and in the VB code or
StampEditorDebug.

I rewired my serial cable just to be sure. It get the same exact junk with the
new wire.

Any ideas? Anyone else using this device with any luck?

thanks,

matt


[noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Archiver

I've used all sorts of Matrix Orbital displays, never had any trouble
with them. You said "rewired my serial cable..." doesn't your unit
have a DB-9 connector on the back of it? You should be able to just use
a straight-thru 9pin serial cable to hook up to it.

"Junk" on the screen is more often than not a baud rate mismatch
(especially if it's the same junk each time you send the same
characters). Try using Hypterterm, or similar program, and going
through the various baud rates. Also Matrix has a handy program on
their site for testing their LCD's, might want to download it and give
it a try. http://www.matrix-oribtal.com

On Mon, 2003-04-21 at 22:12, Matt Lorenz Jr wrote:
> So I bought a Matrix Orbital 20x4 serial LCD off the parallax site.
> Any ideas? Anyone else using this device with any luck?
>

Archiver

Matt

At what baud rate are you communicating with the unit? It is set to
19200 by default.

Miles


--- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, Matt Lorenz Jr <mklorenz@c...>
wrote:
> So I bought a Matrix Orbital 20x4 serial LCD off the parallax site.
>
> I am trying to test it straight thru the pc's comm port.
>
> I have followed the instructions and have the db9 connections
correct as well as the power connections.
>
> The LCD comes on and lights up. However, when I send characters to
it from either Hyperterminal, StampEditorDebug, or VB using msComm
control, i get garbage.
>
> I have double and triple checked the speed settings and tried
several different ones being careful to set it both on the LCD and in
the VB code or StampEditorDebug.
>
> I rewired my serial cable just to be sure. It get the same exact
junk with the new wire.
>
> Any ideas? Anyone else using this device with any luck?
>
> thanks,
>
> matt
>
>
> [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Archiver

Hey, that program on the matrix web site IS handy.

Of course it threw the same garbage as all the other programs i tried.

The unit does have a db9 connector. I was using a straight thru cable that
I wired myself - I was just second guessing my own wiring ability. I got a
new straight thru cable from Radio Snack just to make sure.

Turns out that SP232 IC (the one that controls the rs232 comm) on my
matrix-orbital has 2 missing pins - looks like a factory defect to me. Took
me forever to notice it - the solder on the PCB is shining and giving the
illusion of pins where there are none.

Anyhow, as usual, parallax was super nice about it and is going to replace
it with a new unit.

mkl

---

Original Message

---

From: "Brian" <stamp@k...>
To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2003 5:57 AM
Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] 20X4 LCD Display


> I've used all sorts of Matrix Orbital displays, never had any trouble
> with them. You said "rewired my serial cable..." doesn't your unit
> have a DB-9 connector on the back of it? You should be able to just use
> a straight-thru 9pin serial cable to hook up to it.
>
> "Junk" on the screen is more often than not a baud rate mismatch
> (especially if it's the same junk each time you send the same
> characters). Try using Hypterterm, or similar program, and going
> through the various baud rates. Also Matrix has a handy program on
> their site for testing their LCD's, might want to download it and give
> it a try. http://www.matrix-oribtal.com
>
> On Mon, 2003-04-21 at 22:12, Matt Lorenz Jr wrote:
> > So I bought a Matrix Orbital 20x4 serial LCD off the parallax site.
> > Any ideas? Anyone else using this device with any luck?
> >
>
>
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