From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On 6/5/26 00:53, rbowman wrote:

On Thu, 4 Jun 2026 23:14:27 -0400, c186282 wrote:

My recent order included a couple of I2C two-line LCD displays for my
Zeros. I *think* the listed source was AdaFruit. They DIDN'T make
these in their basement.

Smart move, getting the backpack model. The older ones eat up a lot of
pins.

They're smaller but the SSD1306 OLEDs are I2C and a lot more flexible.

OLEDs eat up more power - and don't last as long.

Happy with plain old LCD. Those can last 20 years.

I2C is kinda 'crude', but CAN serve quite well
for a number of little devices. Also gonna add
a "1-wire" temperature sensor. Made a lot of
those in the past.

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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

c186282 wrote:

My recent order included a couple of I2C two-line LCD
displays for my Zeros.

Well nobody would set out to use HD44780 based displays except for
legacy reasons.
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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On 6/5/26 04:26, Andy Burns wrote:

c186282 wrote:

My recent order included a couple of I2C two-line LCD
displays for my Zeros.

Well nobody would set out to use HD44780 based displays except for
legacy reasons.

Don't CARE if they're old or new, so long
as they're cheap and work easily. All I
want is a slow scroll of maybe half a
dozen stats - not video games.

Long back used Seetron serial displays.
NOT cheap - but worked well and were
easy to use with a wide variety of
micro-controllers.

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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On Fri, 5 Jun 2026 09:26:31 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

c186282 wrote:

My recent order included a couple of I2C two-line LCD displays for my
Zeros.

Well nobody would set out to use HD44780 based displays except for
legacy reasons.

Many of the kits for Picos, Arduinos, and so forth include them in all
their 16 pin glory. SunFounder, and i think Eleego, come with a I2C
'backpack' installed.

https://www.adafruit.com/product/292

They also tend to include 4 digit 7 segment displays to test your ability
to stick DuPont wires in the right holes.

https://projecthub.arduino.cc/SAnwandter1/programming-4-digit-7-segment- led-display-5c4617

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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On 6/5/26 13:36, rbowman wrote:

On Fri, 5 Jun 2026 09:26:31 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

c186282 wrote:

My recent order included a couple of I2C two-line LCD displays for my
Zeros.

Well nobody would set out to use HD44780 based displays except for
legacy reasons.

Many of the kits for Picos, Arduinos, and so forth include them in all
their 16 pin glory. SunFounder, and i think Eleego, come with a I2C 'backpack' installed.

'Zactly ... and they're under $10 per and well
documented. Many close variants to be had.

https://www.adafruit.com/product/292

They also tend to include 4 digit 7 segment displays to test your ability
to stick DuPont wires in the right holes.

https://projecthub.arduino.cc/SAnwandter1/programming-4-digit-7-segment- led-display-5c4617

Latest And Greatist is just fine - IF they are
appropriate for what YOU are doing. The ones
I ordered are for ZEROS ... hardly "high-performance"
boards. Just want some rolling stats, that's all.
May zip-tie 'em on.

Why order a $90 display for like an Ard Uno or
equiv ?

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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On Sat, 6 Jun 2026 00:16:45 -0400, c186282 wrote:

Why order a $90 display for like an Ard Uno or equiv ?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GBVWBWCR/

I splurged and went for the $7 version rather than the 4 for $10. That was
a couple of years ago so maybe the Chinese weren't fully cranked up.

https://toptechboy.com/using-the-ssd1306-oled-with-an-arduino/

You can do Lissajous curves easily. Try that with your 2 line LCD.
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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On 6/6/26 02:08, rbowman wrote:

On Sat, 6 Jun 2026 00:16:45 -0400, c186282 wrote:

Why order a $90 display for like an Ard Uno or equiv ?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GBVWBWCR/

I splurged and went for the $7 version rather than the 4 for $10. That was
a couple of years ago so maybe the Chinese weren't fully cranked up.

https://toptechboy.com/using-the-ssd1306-oled-with-an-arduino/

You can do Lissajous curves easily. Try that with your 2 line LCD.

Well, for my particular need right now, ONLY need
a slow stats scroll. Better the 3-for-$9.95 displays.

Job, needs, Why Spend More ?

Did you ever use SeeTron or equiv "serial"
displays ? If it could do RS-232, even by
crude bit-banging, it would work. LCD was
kinda new back then - most were VFD. Got
one to work with a PIC-12xxx chip once.

Tried to look up SeeTron lately ... does not
seem to have a real page any more alas. It's
mentioned, but not REALLY there.

DO like VFDs ... they still make 'em - crude
or even bit-addressable.

Got in the equip to make a bigger square hole
in that fancy aluminum ZERO case previously
mentioned. The big hole added 10% to the wifi
signal, this should add another 10%. Have some
fiberglass tape to cover the hole. Case top will
still be maybe 60% there to dissipate heat and
provide mechanical protection.

One step at a time.

Now gotta remember how to wire 'parasite mode'
on a DS temperature unit ......

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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:43:15 -0400, c186282 wrote:

Did you ever use SeeTron or equiv "serial"
displays ? If it could do RS-232, even by crude bit-banging, it would
work. LCD was kinda new back then - most were VFD. Got one to work
with a PIC-12xxx chip once.

I don't think so. The handheld pH meters had a custom LCD, but I can't remember the interface. If I did it with an 8049 it wasn't very complex.
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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On 6/6/26 16:19, rbowman wrote:

On Sat, 6 Jun 2026 02:43:15 -0400, c186282 wrote:

Did you ever use SeeTron or equiv "serial"
displays ? If it could do RS-232, even by crude bit-banging, it would
work. LCD was kinda new back then - most were VFD. Got one to work
with a PIC-12xxx chip once.

I don't think so. The handheld pH meters had a custom LCD, but I can't remember the interface. If I did it with an 8049 it wasn't very complex.

Well, RS-232 is so BASIC ... ergo those devices
would work with almost ANYTHING - even PIC-12xxx
if needed.

But they weren't cheap.

Got in my LCD displays ... suprisingly actually a
tad LARGER than a PI-0. Gotta find DOCS though,
nothing in the box.

Anyway, five, six, maybe seven slow-scrolling lines
of basic stats - that's ALL I want. Quick ref. The
displays are super-cheap ... ideal for the use .....

I2C displays work. NOT sophisticated or fast but
FUNCTIONAL and generally just 4 wires. Lots of
libs for them - Ards/PIs/BBBs/etc.

And yea still, I really kinda LIKE the look of VFDs.
They used to be IT ... now they're more an 'option'
and more expensive. The LCDs will serve my immediate
need however.

Will post on a 'web-cam' I got ... TRIED to cheat
the automatic IR-LED/lens-switch by pulling plugs
(hey, I always take such things APART). No good.
Fair cam - but, as said, need tricks. For NOW just
taped black cardboard over the IR LEDs .....

As for "seetron" ... appears to be mostly defunct.
Kinda sad.

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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.misc

On Sun, 7 Jun 2026 05:54:51 -0400, c186282 wrote:

Got in my LCD displays ... suprisingly actually a tad LARGER than a
PI-0. Gotta find DOCS though, nothing in the box.

The ones i have are 2.25 x 3.75 inches OA. Some of that is the circuit
board. Unlike the old days you don't get a data sheet with anything. There
are libs for Arduino, MicroPython, and CircuitPython to handle all the I2C
bit banging.

https://randomnerdtutorials.com/micropython-i2c-lcd-esp32-esp8266/

Even the SSD1306 OLEDs are easy with the libraries though you do have to
do more work for graphing etc.

For your next project:

https://hackaday.com/2026/06/06/pi-pico-demos-therefore-it-is/

My eyes glassed over about 15 minutes in but then I never liked screwing around with OpenGL. Still, it's impressive and the guy knows his way
around a 2340. I like the part about using a debug flag to intercept the
GPIO output without using the pins.
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