NEW low-power LCD 128 x 112 for MSP430

[pascal]

Hello!

This time I post this one in the hardware section because I will not spend
too much time on desctibing software. This new screen should be wired
to 2 parallel ports, which makes it unusable with small CPUS like the
F2013. It needs 1 port for data in / out and 5 bits for control.
These controls are:
- Reset
- Data / command
- Chp select
- Write
- Read

I used Texas Instruments' board, but I have removed the default LCD.
Here is a picture of the Texas board equiped with 2 graphical LCDs.
Hello Hamayan, it is still the code I sent you that runs on the 2013!
Click here for a bigger image.



As you can see, the display is a little bit smaller in width and bigger in
height.

Here is a closeup of the screen:



As you can see, there are 3 gray levels (blcak, dark gray, light gray, and
white (let's say transparent)). This should allow to draw nicer images.

Now some more detail on the screen itself. Here is a picture of the
front and back of this screen.
Click here for a larger view.



Unlike the other model PW10164LCD which has no backlight capability
(except if you setup a backlight yourself), this one has a lightguide
and there is space for two LEDs on the back plane holder.
It can be set directly on a PCB (you would need 4 holes for placement),
and needs a 30-pin connector.

Software is easy to use, and I have kept the same interface, the same
function names as much as possible, except for the color.
For example, what was:

Code: Select all

WriteString(uint8 * str)


is now:

Code: Select all

WriteString(uint8 * str, uint8 color);


Color can be either of WHITE, LGRAY, DGRAY, BLACK.

As usual, we deliver the driver for MSP430 to our customers.

Pascal

[Noriaki]

Hello!

I would be interested in this screen. Is there any possibility to use it in serial mode with a MSP430F169? For example replacing Soroban's screen with this one in a derivative hardware.

Nori

[pascal]

Hello Noriaki!

As I was explaining, this screen needs 8 bits data and 5 bits for control
Of course, with MSP430F169's 6 ports, you can do something. However,
I used the ports on Soroban as follows:
- Port 1 for event-related issues (timer, buttons, etc...)
- Port 2 is not used, but since it is interruptible, it would be better to
save it for something else.
- Port 3 is partially occupied by SPI port / UART;
- Port 4 is used for commands (chip enable of the SPI devices)
- Port 5 also has a serial port;
- Port 6 has analog capability.

So it seems it is difficult to use on Soroban although not impossible.
If you redesign something based on the Soroban schematic, then
you can free one of the ports for data and get the control bits one by
one where there is space left.

Beside this, PW128112LCD is driven by a chip that has serial capability.
I may try to set it up in a later driver although I am not sure it is possible
at the moment.
BUT: keep in mind that you will have a lot more data to send.

The advantage of PW10164 LCD is that is total DRAM amounts 832 bytes.
For PW128112, you need to transmit 3584 bytes (2-bit per color,
therefore 1 byte for 4 pixels. 128 x 112 / 4 = 3584 bytes. More than
4 times. It depends of course on your refresh rate...
And the other advantage of PW10164 for a Soroban owner is that you
have nothing to change.

Pascal

[Michel]

Hi!

So apparently this screen cannot work with a F169 because the parallel access takes a lot of pins. But most of the LCD driver chips I know can also be accessed in serial mode. What about this one?

Michel

[pascal]

Hello Michel!

I didn't say it cannot work. It depends on your design. If you know in
advance that you will never need for instance port 4, then go ahead
and use port 4 for the LCD.
But there is another issue. If you have more than 3584 bytes RAM,
you can keep an image of your screen in memory, and refresh the
screen with the DMA (I didn't try it yet). So this can be done with a
1610 or 1611 (don't remember), but not with a 169.

Now for the serial port issue. The documentation of the graphic chip indeed
says it can work in 3 modes, SPI, I2C and parallel. But there are no pins
like MOSI, MISO, (neither DO, DI or something that could hint a SPI use)
coming out of the LCD module itself. Maybe this can be configured, but
I don't know how, and I use it in parallel mode.

Pascal

[Michel]

By the way, when will it be on sale? It was originally supposed to be on sale at the end of April, now it is end of May.

[pascal]

Hello Michel,

The release of this screen is delayed due to a FPC connector problem.
I should receive new connectors within a few weeks.
One more thing: this LCD (PW128112)will not be as easy to use as the
smaller one (PW10164). The reason is that I have no PCB for it. I was
originally thinking about a PCB with only a connector and the 4 capacitors
it needs, but I will design a module with this screen later. So in a first time
I will sell it with its connector (and possibly capacitors) only.
If you feel comfortable with soldering a 0.5 mm pitch connector, then this
LCD is what you need.

Pascal