LCD newbie HELP!

Hello guys , i am planning on bying an arduino and i have made a huge list of parts .The list that i made includes all parts that are needed for the Arduino Lessons from Simon Monk on Adafruits website: Parts | Arduino Lesson 0. Getting Started | Adafruit Learning System . I don't know if it is a good series of lessons , i hope so.I just settled on his lessons because after some searching he has the most detaild lessons imo. That was a long intro :relaxed: (ofc any ideas of other beginner lessons are greatly aprecciated). My questions is about the lcd that is needed : Overview | Arduino Lesson 11. LCD Displays - Part 1 | Adafruit Learning System
because i am not willing in spending a lot of money i found this two options : 1st ------> LCD : Recommendations For You - DealeXtreme Arduino : Recommendations For You - DealeXtreme
2nd option : Package of LCD and Arduino uno ----> Recommendations For You - DealeXtreme
OK, the money difference is very small(4$) so i am not rly concerned.But the thing is that in the 1st option the lcd display has no pins to connect with the lcd,although in the discreption it says: - With a 16-pin connector...As i am new to the whole arduino world i dont actually know what that means and how you are supposed to connect it with the uno(i looked at the comments and they reffered to soldering,i know how to solder). The second option seems better as it also has the official arduino uno and the lcd already has some pins on it,BUT what are all these buttons on the lcd,i need the lcd in order to do the lessons and i dont know if it is suitable for that purpose . Thats where i need your help, is the second option suitable for beginners ? Can i connect the lcd on the first option to the arduino?? P.S I KNOW HOW TO SOLDER :stuck_out_tongue:

The 16 pins refers to the row of connectors on the LCD. The displays themselvces could be identaL, just one is already on a shield and the other isn't. There is no problem connecting the first to an Arduino, you could even mount it on a shield. The second is more convenient. I assume the second is more expensive but the extra $4 is well worth it, even if, like me, you never use the buttons.

Note that the bare display is the "standard" method and I believe it is implemented painlessly with the standard example given. The shield design of the second varies between manufacturers and there can be problems getting the connections right in the code. This is a problem that only happens once and should not be enough to deter you from getting it. It is just a matter of being forewarned and forearmed and you might ask the supplier about this.

Thanks for the help, i will probably go for the first , because i dont want to have any problems coding as i am new,but it will not bother me so much finding a way to mount it

If you think the wiring will be too much of a hassle, you could get a I2C backpack that way you only need to worry about 4 pins instead of 16. Different library of course but not by that much.