Today I received subj and if powered, shows first and third line full of big boxes (same as big cursor character, but not blinking). Sending data to display does nothing.
You know what's wrong? Any advice how to connect the LCD otherwise and try to go directly on HD44780 chip?
How about providing a link to the specific display and/or serial interface board that you are using?
Don
LCD-09568 - Serial Enabled 20x4 LCD - Black on Green 5V - LCD-09568 - SparkFun Electronics
and JST cable Pololu - 3-Pin Female JST PH-Style Cable (30 cm) with Male Pins for 0.1" Housings
Very carefully I checked the polarity before I connected it and turned on, I even tried the demo from SparkFun's site (both demos). Ucc on the LCD is 5.01V, so it's good.
If you see the black bars then it means that the LCD wasn't initialized. I don't know whether the built in driver does this at power on automatically or you have to issue a command. Look at their user guide.
If you have not read the comments about this board, check them, there are 40, not all/many good ones
Comments near the bottom of the page.
You display should be giving you a 1/2-second 'splash' screen when it is powered up. Do you see that screen before the display reverts to the two rows of boxes?
Don
I think that If it doesn't show anything except the black bars, it means that the PIC µC chip on the back is either blank or dead.
I think I would contact the seller, and demand a working solution ! Sounds like you did all due diligence.
floresta:
You display should be giving you a 1/2-second 'splash' screen when it is powered up. Do you see that screen before the display reverts to the two rows of boxes?
no splash screen, only boxes
TheCoolest:
I think that If it doesn't show anything except the black bars, it means that the PIC µC chip on the back is either blank or dead.
My question is, is possible to reprogram or at least read the PIC µC chip and determine if really dead? I do not want send defective goods back to abroad reseller, if it is not absolutelly necessary.
I went over the source code of the PIC chip onboard that LCD, it will not respond to any commands over serial, so I don't think there's a way to check it by software.
I'm not very knowledgeable about PIC programming, but I believe you would need a programmer to do it. It seems to have the PGD PGC pins exposed, so I think it's possible, but I don't think it is worth messing with.
In regards of testing whether it works or not, you could send it different characters and check the data pins with a multimeter to see if they change, but again I don't really think it's worth the time. Contact the seller, explain the problem (add pics for proof), even post a link to this thread. They should replace the item.
I went over the source code of the PIC chip onboard that LCD ...
I took a look at the initialization code for the LCD and I see a serious problem. The very first step in their procedure is to wait until the 'busy flag' is clear. They do this before they do the three 'function set' commands that reset the device into a known state. The HD44780U datasheet clearly states that the busy flag is not available at that point in the sequence. The steps following the reset and the actual 'function set' are incorrect as well.
Don
floresta, you would know better than me, but I hope that they tested it at least on one display before releasing such a product to the mass market.
The LCD's datasheet states something about an automatic initialization, maybe they were trying to do it that way (see Pg. 23, Reset function). It states that the Busy flag is available for the first 10ms after Vcc rises to 4.5v.
Either way, it doesn't matter whether the PIC is dead, blank or has a bug in the initialization code, the end result is still a defective product which the average user can't fix without specialized equipment (PIC programmer and compiler). So I think that the vendor should be asked to replace this display with a working one or receive a refund.
The LCD's datasheet states something about an automatic initialization, maybe they were trying to do it that way ...
It does indeed look like that. Too bad they didn't read the note about midway down that same page.
These displays were initially intended to be used as one element of a larger system where the manufacturer of that system would have control over every aspect of the system, including the power supply. Clearly this is not the situation here.
For more information follow the LCD Intitalization link at http://web.alfredstate.edu/weimandn.
Don
So back to the topic. I bought the FTDI Breakout Reloaded and now I'm looking for instructions how to connect FTDI to LCD and upload firmware into PIC16F88.
I can not find some relevant guides 
I don't know much about PICs but it really looks like you need an actual programmer to load software onto a PIC.
An FTDI breakout won't help you, it only works with an Arduino because of its bootloader which supports self programming over Serial.
The FTDI adapter won't do you much good with a blank AVR chip either.
EDIT: Maybe this can be of help, though: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php/topic,92929.0.html
So back to the topic. I bought the FTDI Breakout Reloaded and now I'm looking for instructions how to connect FTDI to LCD and upload firmware into PIC16F88.
Unless you plan to try and fix the initialization problem I mentioned previously you do not have to upload any firmware into the PIC16F88 that is on the back of your LCD. It has already been programmed by the manufacturer to convert serial signals from the Arduino into parallel signals fro the LCD. If you do want to attempt this then you should probably ask your question in a Microchip forum.
Your serial enabled LCD requires 5V TTL serial signals which is exactly what the Arduino provides, so you do not need the FTDI breakout in order to use this LCD.
So, first things first...
You haven't answered my question in reply #5": Your display should be giving you a 1/2-second 'splash' screen when it is powered up. Do you see that screen before the display reverts to the two rows of boxes?
Don
An FTDI breakout won't help you, it only works with an Arduino because of its bootloader which supports self programming over Serial.
The FTDI adapter won't do you much good with a blank AVR chip either.
The FTDI breakout is a standard off-the-shelf USB to serial converter and variations of this device (in a different physical form) have been around for years, probably since well before the Arduino. The FTDI breakout is NOT used with the Arduino since there is one (or an equivalent) already on the board. It is required with other boards that are compatible with the Arduino software but which do not contain the USB to serial hardware.
Don
From K5CZ's post I gathered that he wants to program the PIC by connecting it to the computer using that breakout board. So I tried to explain that he can't use it to flash the PIC MCU using it.
An FTDI breakout won't help you, it only works with an Arduino because of its bootloader which supports self programming over Serial.
The FTDI adapter won't do you much good with a blank AVR chip either.
English is my native language and I misinterpreted what you were trying to say. How about this:
An FTDI breakout probably won't help you because the PIC most likely does not have a bootloader. It won't do you much good with a blank AVR chip either for the same reason. The only reason that it works with the Arduino is because it's AVR chip contains a bootloader.
Don
Hehe, thanks. That pretty much sums it up 
