This is an upgrade to my original serial LCD backpacks that I mentioned here, first picture:
http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,72344.0.html
Now they come with face plates and keypads. Take a look!
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You can purchase this at inmojo.com Just select the kit + 16*2 lcd + faceplate option
](http://www.inmojo.com/store/liudr-arduino-and-physics-gadgets/item/serial-lcd-back-pack---phi-panel/)
The keypad and faceplate + mounting hardware is just what you want if you want to input number/multi-tap text besides displaying text with a serial LCD. The price is a steal!
Here is what I copy and pasted from my original post:
Hardware:
*ATMEGA328 microcontroller manages all hardware
*TTL-Serial (0-5V) interface, compatible with all Arduino variants and most other microcontrollers
*Serial addressable option to run up to 254 displays on one serial port
*16X2 or 20X4 character display
Keypad has 0-9, four directional keys, enter, and escape, for backpack, connect to a 44 matrix keypad
*Multi-tapping on keypad
*4 LEDs (only on panel)
*Buzzer for simple buzz or any tone (connect to a buzzer on backpack)
*Software adjustable LCD back light intensity
*Reset key behind the panel so you can decide whether the user can reset the panel (panel only)
*Firmware can be upgraded for more functions
Software (display):
*Wraps messages automatically at the end of a line.
*Automatic scrolls lines up with new messages.
*Supports control characters: newline (‘\n’), return (‘\r’), backspace (‘\b’), tab (‘\t’).
*Supports most ANSI escape sequences: cursor position, blinking/underline cursor.
*Supports local echo of key presses for regular inputs or no local echo of key presses to conceal inputs for password fields.
*Supports LCD back light brightness control 0-255.
Software (keypad):
*Relays key presses via serial port such as ’0? to ’9? on the number pad and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on the arrow pad and enter and escape.
*Getting user input with multi-tap (like on cell phone number pad) for alphanumerical and symbol inputs
*Getting numbers and passwords is as easy as 1-2-3 with few lines of code.
Software (interactive features):
*Supports phi_prompt user interface library such as long text areas, interactive lists or menus, YES/NO or OK dialogs and various number and text inputs.
*Supports on-the-fly baud rate change.
*Planned upgrade will support “store and recall” functions to store messages, menus and lists on-board the panel so they can be recalled by their indices (like display menu#1 instead of sending of the entire menu) to free your Arduino FLASH by up to 256KB (requires serial adapter, special software and external EEPROM).
Software (peripheral):
*Can control 4 LEDs for status indication
*Can output any tone on the buzzer
The panel has integrated functions to render interactive menus and long messages to display menus and long information texts besides all the screen manipulation functions I can think off, all accessible via serial.print commands. A menu can be made simply like the following:
Serial.println(“Menu:”); // Display ” Menu” on line 1
Serial.println(“1.Display GPS info”); // Display option 1 on line 2
Serial.println(“2.Record GPS info”); // Display option 2 on line 3
while(1) {
if (Serial.available()) { // Make sure there is a key press
char response=Serial.read(); // Read key press from phi-panel
if (response==’1?) display_GPS(); // Display GPS info on LCD
if (response==’2?) record_GPS(); // Record GPS info on SD card or EEPROM
break; // Breaks out of the while (1) loop.
}
}