Re: Advice on custom input/output for pc

["Graham Howe" <graham@xxxxxxx>]

OK I think I have got all the info I need, thanks for all the advice. For
anyone interested, here is what I have gleaned:
Farnell have the following VFD module
882951 VFD MODULE - CU20025ECPB-U1J  £34.45
According to the manufacturer this is 'Compatible with HD44780 controller'
>From the WinAmp site there is a LCDisplayer v0.59 Plug-in
I went to the author of the plug-in site and got this:
'Display various information on an LCD panel. Display all kinds of
information about the file Winamp is playing (title, track time, bit rate,
sample rate, etc.) on an LCD panel (with an HD44780 compatible controller)
connected to a parallel port. Will only work on Win95 and Win98.'
It seems quite popular for people to use numeric keypads to control MP3
players so I am thinking of cannibalising one to map to the buttons on the
facia (and yes I may be mapping Ctrl + Alt + Del !).
The only item I haven't managed to find yet is the HD44780 controller,
anyone got any ideas ?

Regards

Graham
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nigel Orr" <Nigel.Orr@xxxxxxx>
To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 11:04 AM
Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Advice on custom input/output for pc


At 10:50 01/08/00 +0100, you wrote:
>The case has space for a small display and has 10 buttons (excluding
power).
>The rest of the gear in the rack (from the same company) has green led
>display on black background, I obviously want to match that.

Probably VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display) instead of LED, they're available
from electronics suppliers, eg http://www.farnell.com .  Cost is about
£30
for a basic alphanumeric hi-fi sized one.  Add another £30-£40 for a serial
interface and you should be able to just spurt data out the serial port at
it.  I've looked into these in fair detail, but not yet put one together...

>it to the PC, what software might be useful (that would have
intelligent
>output to the text display).

Apparently WinAmp has an LCD plugin available, which might work with the
VFD display too.

>  Also the same for the buttons, how to connect
>them, what software would be easy to control with them (I was thinking
of
>having them mapped to cursor controls, return button etc).

Might be easiest to tear an existing PC keyboard apart and connect the
switches as appropriate for the key you want them to emulate.

> the PC will be running windows (either 95,98,NT4 or 2000) so please
don't
>suggest unix software.

It'd all be easier under Lin^W^W^W^W^W^W OK, I won't... just remember to
bring Del, Alt and Ctrl out to the front panel switches- they might come in
handy for something :-)

Nigel










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