Matrix user forums

I have noticed several posts about people wanting a 4 line LCD Display and how to make one.

This is how I went about it:

I needed a 4 line x 20 display for a project.. see below.

Parts List

1 x EB 017 Patch Board Kit
1 x 167-1507 LCD MODULE 4 X 20 (Farnell)
1 x 960-8257 0.5w Trimmer 63MT (Farnell)

Optional items

1 x 972-9119 2.54mm pin header (Farnell)
1 x 972-8910 2.54mm header socket (Farnell)

Foam rubber (Bit of draft excluder or equiv or nylon spacers)

Referring to EB005-00-3 Data sheet and the circuit diagram
The pin configuration was checked against the two devices and the following connections where made

Display pin number EBlock connection

1 – Power supply ground GND rail
2 – Power supply +5V +V Rail
3 – Contrast Adjust Wiper on pot
4 – RS PIN 5 on 9 way D Plug
5 – R/W GND Rail
6 – Enable PIN 6 on 9 way D Plug
7 – DB0 NOT CONNECTED
8 – DB1 NOT CONNECTED
9 – DB2 NOT CONNECTED
10 – DB3 NOT CONNECTED
11 – DB4 PIN 1 on 9 way D Plug
12 – DB5 PIN 2 on 9 way D Plug
13 – DB6 PIN 3 on 9 way D Plug
14 – DB 7 PIN 4 on 9 way D Plug
15 – A BACK LIGHT No Back light not used
16 – K BACKLIGHT No Back light not used

The next step was to solder the pin header to the module, and to link J1 on the module PCB (this is to enable remote contrast adjustment)

I prefer to use pin headers and sockets so that if necessary the module can be removed quite easily without a lot of hassle of unsoldering. In doing this though the display module doesn’t sit flush to the EB 017 and some sort of spacer is required (hence the foam rubber)

After all the soldering and components have been fitted.
BEFORE plugging in the LCD module.
TEST FOR SHORT CIRCUITS AND WIRING MISTAKES!!!

Then you can plug in the module and away you go.

I hope this is of some use and happy experimenting there is also another one here

http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmforum ... =23&t=7263

Thanks to medelec for the test file (from a previous post)

Your welcome Steve.
With both you and John making up EB017 Patch Boards,
Time I treated myself to some!
They do come in very handy

Or better still If my wife reads this:
Can you treat me to some for Christmas please

For spacing the board, I had a couple of pieces of sticky back foam slightly smaller than a stamp. These did the job nicely.
I did find the value of pot for the contrast adjustment stated in the data sheet, is a bit too high.

Think mine has a 22k pot, but from fully clockwise to about centre there is no display, doesn't turn on till after this point. Think a 10k would have given slightly wider control, but its not a real problem.