Best, Easiest to use and Least Expensive GLCD

Using Arduino Displays
1

Who sells them? I've seen a Hundred Adverts, All Claim the Same Basic Things... Some Claim Arduino ready with incomprehensible AVR Library's with 2007 - 2009 file dates
and even Bigger 8051 library's... I quit writing '51 assembler in the late 1990's.
A few Claim that Their Libraries are Modified for 1.0... Ebay is a Nightmare and although I might buy one at SparkFun or Farnell...
The Prices stated are clearly part of the next payment on the Secretaries new BMW.
All I would like is one that is straightforward and easy to use... Oh Yeah, I am an old man and somehow a 24mm display simply isn't in the cards...
Where Can I buy a real one???

Doc

2

From that I've seen cheap != easy.

Not real cheap (~$70) but easy is the 4D Systems displays, just a serial interface.

One of our members (avenue33) has also written a nice library to drive them.

Rob

3

I Thank You for your response. I am of a similar opinion myself, that having been said this is IS a forum and although the... Quorum may be the best way by far to go and I am REALLY of that mind m'self...
Frequently some neat and unusual gems have a way of percolating to the top... Lets wait and see what if.. anything comes of it... I still have till Wed before Uncle Sam arrives...

I do have another related question. Is there there Any advantage in dealing with 4D directly or take my chances at not getting clipped at SparkFun??? I understand that many prefer to wait for the "Sloow Boat From China"... then hand money willingly to them, that however might have been a grumble from someone than fact. I don't have any direct experience and here little more than a purveyor of Rumor... Any Opinions???

One last one From America... Southern California Which is better for price/Quality Farnell or SparkFun

Doc

4

sparkfun is a minefield

for one example a 40 pin zif socket that would cost you 10-15 bucks everywhere else is about 4 bucks on sparkfun... on the other hand they will charge you 1.50$ for a shift register that digikey sells in single quantities for 60 cents, or a radio shack wirewrap tool for 16 bucks when it only cost 6.49 AT freaking radio shack.

I would avoid them unless you just happen to stumble on the one or two real deals in the entire shop or its something that no one else makes and you just cant live without (which has not happened for me yet), they prey on ignorance and I don't support a company intentionally set out to screw over noobies who don't know better.

5

I would deal with 4D directly, but then I'm in Aus so the postage is probably cheaper/faster. YMMV.

I haven't used my displays yet but have posted a couple of questions on their forum with good results.

The cheap LCDs I've seen have been Chinese with half a page of "documentation" and good luck getting any support I would say.

Rob

6

Now I have to get a real one... I found as Adafruit 1.8" tft display in my Junk box (box of wannabe junk), copied the libraries and it compiled and worked... once I got it hooked up right...
But 1.8" is just too small for my Tired Beady Old Eyes. IMO

Doc

7

Indeed, in fact too... IMO

Doc