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[on:]

Hi!

The uLCD-32PT(SGC) from 4D-Systems looks promising with a 320x240 TFT LCD, a touch panel, a micro-SD adaptor with FAT16 format, and an embedded PICASO-SGC controller.

Connection is done by a serial port.
uLCD-32PT-SGC-DS-rev1.pdf

A set of commands manages the LCD, the touch panel and the SD card.
PICASO-SGC-COMMANDS-SIS-rev5.pdf

What is the feed-back form the users?  How well does it match with Arduino?

Thank you for sharing your experience  .

[Reply #1 on:]

I can't say from experience, but I've just designed a board to interface with the uLCD-32PT(SGC) and I don't expect any reason it won't work well.

One thing I'm not sure about it the drawing speed, eg if you have a touch menu and press a button how long will it take to redraw the menu. No way of knowing without trying I suppose.

One thing to know, your talking about the serial version, it is exactly the same hardware as the 4DGL version so you can reflash and start writing 4DGL code to offload a lot of display code into the uLCD processor. That's my plan B if it is too slow because of the serial interface (unlikely I think, it can go pretty fast). However if it is slow because of the graphics engine and there's nothing to be done about that.

______
Rob

[Reply #2 on:]

Rob,

Thank you for your answer.

Would you mind keep us updated when you go further? Thanks.

[Reply #3 on:]

Hello,
Similar spec display but a parallel version
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,8798.0.html
Regards drawing speed direct port manipulation is a lot quicker than using digitalwrite() (about 10x) and the display im using uses HX8347-a controller chip which allows for auto address increment and sub windows, that being where you might only want to draw an icon or button, so instead of redrawing the whole 240x320 (76800 bytes) display you only redraw a small window say 30x30 (900 bytes) or whatever

[Reply #4 on:]

That looks quite neat, I gather that you're talking raw commands to the controller so will have to create a library of primitive drawing, SD and touch commands.

PS if you get PCBs make don't forget to fix the header spacing

______
Rob

[Reply #5 on:]

I pushed too hard on the shield and the pins bent, yes im talking to the hardware direct and am in the process of creating a library
For SD i use Fat16 library, it works very well and is not too complicated to understand
Most of the code i have found has been for use with the 8051 uC's so has not been to hard to convert for Arduino

[Reply #6 on:]

Thank you for your feed-back  .

[Reply #7 on:]

Did you get anywhere with this library? Thanks.

[Reply #8 on:]

Bit late and for another module. I have one of the µOLED-160-G1(SGC) modules with a goldelox processor on it. Fit's very well to an arduino in my opinion.

Made a lib. (there are others as well) and a circuit board for it. Now it serves as screen, 5 button input , sd-card interface and sound (noise )output.

regards,

Jeroen.

[Reply #9 on:]

I bouthg this display in SparkFun and I forget to buy the usb-to- serial adapter ( USB converter that uses the DTR signal to pulse the Reset line on the processor) but I found this information (http://www.mauroalfieri.it/informatica/tutorial-ulcd-32pt-e-arduino-come-programmatore-seriale.html) about to change the mode (SGC or GFX)  of the uLCD-32 PT (see down)

"GFX mode update the site builder software releases PMMC SGC-Loader and firmware load on the screen: ULCD-32 points-SGC-I-R22.PmmC
The software runs only under Windows.
Changing how the SGC and GFX viceversa can be done as many times as you want, depending on the manufacturer's website, however, take the relationship to the warranty: warranty directly from 4dsystems label to read before any operation with the screen.
The procedure is very simple, you need:
1 Arduino (Duemilanove or Uno)
1-32-point screen ULCD
n. 5 cables female / male to connect the display to the Arduino
ATTENTION: remove the microprocessor (ATmega328 or not) arduino,

(http://www.mauroalfieri.it/informatica/tutorial-ulcd-32pt-e-arduino-come-programmatore-seriale.html#)

In this mode behaves just as a arduino serial-USB interface, connects all as in the figure:

(http://www.mauroalfieri.it/informatica/tutorial-ulcd-32pt-e-arduino-come-programmatore-seriale.html#)

in practice it is necessary to connect:
arduino pin 1 (TX) TX to show
0 of arduino pin (RX) RX to show
+5 V pin screen --->  +5V Arduino (NOTE Correction: the user said Vin but he used +5 V of Arduino
pin GND ---> GND arduino screen
RESET pin  ---> arduino screen RTD"