20X4 LCD controlled by Smartie

Using Arduino Displays
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Im trying to get my pc to send information to my lcd screen using smarties program
i have spent hours trying and fail as i am super new to arduino and spend all day trying so was wondering
if anyone could help me out with some code ?

also due to my inexperience i seem to have purchased a fake arduino.....
Leonardo Pro Micro ATmega32U4 Arduino IDE 1.0.3 Bootloader replace Mini
here is a picture of it sorry about quality was taken with mobile

i have since purchased a real arduino uno and as im waiting for delivery i thought i could mess round with this fake one in the meantime.

i have used this schismatic to connect lcd to fake arduino

however i have chosen my own pins on the fake arduino

  • LCD RS pin to digital pin 9
  • LCD Enable pin to digital pin 8
  • LCD D4 pin to digital pin 7
  • LCD D5 pin to digital pin 6
  • LCD D6 pin to digital pin 5
  • LCD D7 pin to digital pin 4
  • LCD R/W pin to ground

iv loaded examples like hello world and it all works perfectly i just cant get it to talk to my smarties.

my lcd is HD44780 Backlit 2004 LCD 20x4
i also have a 602 HD44780 LCD 16x2

i assume the code would be tailored for the 20x4 lcd and therefore would not work on the 16x2 lcd as well ?

if anyone could help me i would really appreciate it. thanks :slight_smile:

2

I googled SMARTIE and all I got was Candie.
I need a link to find out what your talking about.
About the TinyRTC,
look at this post:
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=177297.0

3

the picture with the TinyRTC, in it was to show the fake arduino. (that is next to the rtc) im not using the rtc
jus want to connect lcd to smarties. iv tried code i found online but some dont work and some bring up errors and as im new im struggling to config the code correctly so was just asking for some help on coding

4

I googled SMARTIE and all I got was Candie.
I need a link to find out what your talking about.

5

this is what iv got so far but i have a problem with it. screen is blank.when i start smarties 3 letters come on the screen at the start GEE followed by the text i send to the lcd. cant seem to er rid of the GEE

// include the library code:
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

// initialize the library with the numbers of the interface pins
LiquidCrystal lcd(9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4);

void setup(){
    // set up the LCD's number of columns and rows: 
  lcd.begin(16,2);
  // initialize the serial communications:
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{
  // when characters arrive over the serial port...
  if (Serial.available()) {
    // wait a bit for the entire message to arrive
    delay(100);
    // clear the screen
    lcd.clear();
    // read all the available characters
    while (Serial.available() > 0) {
      // display each character to the LCD
      lcd.write(Serial.read());
    }
  }
}
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Pete,
I still don't know what "SMARTIES" is.
Like I said , I googled it and all I found was candy..

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I still don't know what "SMARTIES" is.
Like I said , I googled it and all I found was candy..

Try 'LCD Smartie'

Don

8

i assume the code would be tailored for the 20x4 lcd and therefore would not work on the 16x2 lcd as well ?

I don't know anything about LCD Smartie (other than it's correct name) but I do know about LCD programming.

There is no basic difference in dealing with a 16x2 compared to a 20x4. The code will be almost identical, the only difference being the part that deals with where you put the characters.

If you use code designed for a 16x2 on a 20x4 your messages will appear on the first and third rows but they will be entirely visible.

If you go the other way, using code designed for a 20x4 on a 16x2 some or all of the message characters may not show up since only 32 of the 80 memory addresses actually correspond to the 16x2 screen locations. As long as you stick to using the first 16 characters on row 1 you should be completely OK with swapping the code back and forth.

For all the gory details follow the LCD Addressing link at http://web.alfredstate.edu/weimandn.

Don

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iv loaded examples like hello world and it all works perfectly i just cant get it to talk to my smarties.

my lcd is HD44780 Backlit 2004 LCD 20x4
i also have a 602 HD44780 LCD 16x2

i assume the code would be tailored for the 20x4 lcd and therefore would not work on the 16x2 lcd as well ?

Are you saying that the Arduino/LCD portion "works perfectly"? When you run the code you've shown and open a serial monitor, does the proper text show up on the LCD?

i assume the code would be tailored for the 20x4 lcd and therefore would not work on the 16x2 lcd as well ?

Which code? The LCD Smartie code? I don't use Smartie but it looks like the Set Up GUI includes an input box for the LCD configuration.

I'm not sure what your real question is. Are you asking how to configure LCD Smartie in serial mode?

10

Pete1886,
You need to pay attention to what you are being asked.
Go back and read the last several posts and make a list of the questions and then answer them.
You are not going solve your problem until you pay attention to the questions you are being asked.
This is just wasting time.

For all the gory details follow the LCD Addressing link at http://web.alfredstate.edu/weimandn.

You better grab a cup of coffee before you do that...

I found LCD SMARTIES. It's an SW for LCD/VFDs ;

They're working on a USB/lcd HW adaptor for their software.
Here's a sneak peek:

cant seem to er rid of the GEE

Try changing your serial monitor Line Ending to "Newline" to see if that eliminates the "GEE"

11

Hoi Pete,
i know SMARTIE from the beginnings, also all the other SW like LCDHype or jaLCDs http://www.jalcds.de/files/[/b] - they all work fine with most all kinds of displays, incl. TFT, VFD etc.
Both sides are offline now, but some pics can be found still here: http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ocinside.de/assets/lcd_display/jalcds_config_9.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.ocinside.de/html/lcd_display/lcd_display_jalcds_config_d.html&h=654&w=689&sz=25&tbnid=RDl5Hi7DR3lVnM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=95&zoom=1&usg=__pZ3qLd711qbX1y-NrWakKJ_pfzs%3D&docid=bUZ6Ju8tbiiXZM&sa=X&ei=0Mb0UqL5NcKhtAbkiICgDg&ved=0CD4Q9QEwAQ&dur=1804

The HD44780 part is the easiest - but i really dont know what you want ?
Try to connect the LCD (as written) to a PC ? Only possible with REAL LPTport (in case of BitBanging Ecnhilada) or SerialPort.
(and, btw, then this is the wrong forum :smiley: )

@Chewbacca:
SMARTIES are candys (its a brand of a sweets company), but, as Floresta wrote, LCD Smartie is the real name.

12

Thanks YODA,
What would I do without you...
(as you can see I already found the candy and
the display but better late than never...

13

OK i can see i am not going to get help on this forum. getting the piss taken out of me for a typo error
and replying with stupid comments trying to make me feel stupid.i did mention im super new hence im not a qualified engineer .anyway i now have it working thanks to a different forum. all it tuck was a nice experienced user 2 minutes of his time to write a bit of code for me.and because he did im sending him a bunch of lcd's to him as a thank you

admins please feel free to delete my account

14

getting the piss taken out of me for a typo error

Does anybody know what he is referring to ?

That's funny, when he went to the LCD Smarties forum he seemed to be more forthcoming with information....
http://forums.lcdsmartie.org/viewtopic.php?t=3506

15

You'd be doing a service to others if you provided an explanation of how you fixed your problems. Include the code that solved the issue.

16

getting the piss taken out of me for a typo error

That's not all that needs explaining...

Besides his original post, the OP posted Reply #2, & Reply #4, and then nothing until he complains he
was treated unfairly in Reply #12. No attempt was made to answer any questions about the actual
issue, or even to explain what he meant by "Smartie". While he might say I was harsh to ask him to
answer the questions, it still doesn't explain what he's complaining about with the "typo error".

17

admins please feel free to delete my account

not even this he is able to do by himself :sleeping:

18

raschemmel:
That's funny, when he went to the LCD Smarties forum he seemed to be more forthcoming with information...

Quite so.

Well, let's see. As I read it, the "Smartie" is or was proposed to be "open source" but I cannot find on the site any reference to its code (except in a "secret" forum) or schematic. Since there is no photograph of it with sufficient clarity to discern the chip, I do not know what chip it uses, but presume it is a USB PIC.

It appears to be significantly more expensive than an Arduino which will perform the same task (with a couple of extra components) perfectly well, and of course much more expensive than a "clone", which is no doubt why pete1886 is attempting to use an Arduino. And using an Arduino is much more extensible, to drive quite a number of displays (4, 5, 6 ...).

It apparently is in fact a USB to LCD interface, so has no connection whatsoever with Arduino in itself. As best as I can figure, pete1886 seems to imagine that the code he cites for the Arduino in some way approximates to the firmware of the "Smartie" which sounds rather improbable as the "Smartie" implements many more functions such as software control of the contrast setting and backlight which require an "intelligent" command language rather than raw data fed to the LCD. So we are at a loss as to from where he got that code, and why he would imagine that the (rather complex) PC software for the "Smartie" hardware would somehow work with it.

So he made one post to the "Smartie" forum and - contrary to our expectations here - has been engaged by a benefactor in a "side-channel" discussion who has "set him straight". Somehow!

And it is fascinating to note that he has determined that the "Arduino" he has purchased is a fake, and wishes now to obtain a genuine one, but not out of ethical fairness for the Arduino project, instead imagining that the genuine article will work somehow differently to the "fake" though he has just demonstrated that it is perfectly functional!

A.R.Ty:

admins please feel free to delete my account

not even this he is able to do by himself :sleeping:

I think you can delete your own account. You can delete your own replies (as I do if I make a formatting suggestion which is satisfactorily and quietly resolved), but you cannot delete threads however, even your own.

19

There is no mention of any arduino in his post on the
LCD Smarties forum. Just PC, LCD and a printer cable
and LCD Smarties SW. (The HW is still is not released
yet).

 Ok so im new to all this and got myself a lcd screen. in particular this one>
HD44780 Backlit 2004 LCD Display Blue Backlight 20x4 Arduino Raspberry Pi AVR
Character count: 4 lines x 20 characters
Operating voltage: 5V DC
Module dimension: 98mm x 60mm x 13mm
Viewing area size: 77mm x 26mm
Backlight: BLUE
Controller IC: SPLC780D or similar (HD44780 compatible)

im pretty handy wit a soldering iron so i got to work

i have got a brand new printer cable (25pin ) and i have cut both of the plugs off it and purchased 1 new d25 case plug that is dismantable.
i cant post any pictures as this website tells me my post looks too spamy with url links to my pics. can admin help me with this ?


i have plugged it in and give it power and this is what i get on he lcd screen >picturere moved<
picture not that good but its 2 white lines/ squares .apparently this is a good sign that indicates itc connected correctly as i read online


now my problem is trying to get smarties to send information to the screen to display it.just white squares 

i am running on windows 7 64bit
my motherboard is M5A78L-MLX v2 (latest bios)
bios setting 
epp
3f8/irq4
378
irq7

i read online as im using 64bit OS there i no drivers, thought i did follow instructions that said to download InpOutBinaries_1500 (1)

in device manager under ports it says printer port (LPT1)

im hope its just a setting that needs changing to get it to work as iv spent all day searching online trying to do it and im at the point of giving up if no one here can help me  :lol: 

id be soo happy if i can get it going. any help or more info let me no thanks :)
i have pictures of the build and screen shots of smarties program if it would help ?just need to find a way t post them on here
pete1886
 
Posts: 1
Joined: January 29th, 2014, 10:08 pm

Link to his post on LCD SMARTIE FORUM:
http://forums.lcdsmartie.org/viewtopic.php?t=3506

able this not even he is by himself to do

That says it all Yoda ...

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