Hi all. I want to incorporate a 16x2 LCD Display Module to show some parameters from my patches, but i dont know how. I've heard that the Arduino would be a nice host for it, but i was thinking about connecting it directly to the serial port of my computer? I am new to this kind of hardware.

Thanks in advance.

Anyone? Please.

what's wrong with the arduino or freeduino approach?

http://www.ladyada.net/learn/arduino/lcd.html

@arif said:

what's wrong with the arduino or freeduino approach?

http://www.ladyada.net/learn/arduino/lcd.html

Nothing WRONG necessarily, but it does require extra hardware. I like the idea of doing it with just the rs232 port. I think they even have USB LCD devices now that emulate a COM. Check out the serial protocol on the device you are using, and try shooting it some data with [comport]

Isn't 'serial' old technology? i.e. the stuff that connected mice and keyboards before USB and firewire came along, or am I thinking of something else?

• That's why I figured if you could go usb/arduino, to do it.

Thanks a bunch guys. I didn't know about the [comport] function. Neat for all sorts of things . My problem is that i know nothing about Arduino and C/C++/java/or programming at all.

You could definitely get an arduino to do it. However, communication from pd->arduino is done using a virtual serial port over USB, implemented by FTDI Drivers(Ultimately using [comport] anyway). Your better off skipping a step and getting an lcd with a serial port on it (sparkFun has tons, varieties....) and talking to it directly. Sadly, serial is "Old" tech now, they have even stopped including them standard on PCs! However, rs232 is a great, lightweight, protocol, albeit slower than USB. I work in the Museum A/V field and we spec hundreds of devices which are controlled and scheduled via rs232 each year. The only thing I see threatening to replace serial is network control, we'll see.

you can buy little USB LCD displays now. have a google and you will find one. about $20 or so.

not sure about hooking one up to pd though? maybe with [HID] ?

http://linitx.com/viewproduct.php?prodid=11294 - this looks good!!

"Open source SDK and source code" -- I'm guessing that you'd need to write an external to utilize this. Even though it says it is HID compliant, I think I recall that HID has little or no host->client capabilities. Hans would know way more than me about that.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9066

This is a device that has a TTL interface. So, you'd need only a USB-TTL adapter, then you'd be sending ASCII string in no time, it seems. OR, you can use the "Basic" model of the version above with a, FTDI cable (from ladyada or sparkfun), but this would require some soldering.

I think that i'll use theese two:

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8580
&
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9395

That should do it. I never thought that i would get this much help here. Thank you all.

The LCD you have there is TTL, not rs232. rs232 and TTL are at different logic levels. Get that LCD, but use a USB->TTL cable from adafruit.

http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=33&products_id=70

You may have to solder the leads, or re-arrange the header.

Wow, thanks. I have no knowledge about this But then i cant use the [comport] output?

now i'm just confused.

How would i wright something to serial TTL? Is there an object for this?

You need a TTL adapter. There are FTDI models that I mentioned above, which are molded d irectly i not a usb cable and emulate a serial port you can use [comport] as long as you have the appropriate drivers.

Great, thanks!