Anybody Using Silver's LCD Gen Software?

[Netcat]

In case it hasnt been answered

to send data to your serial port in DOS

FIRST:
Set your com port with the following swttings with the MODE command

i.e.
MODE COM1:4800,E,7,1

SECOND:
Use the TYPE command to send a TEXT file to that com port

i.e.
TYPE myfile.txt >COM1

Regards.

Tony

[loadman]

FYI

MaLa Frontend also has support for LCD.

http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/hardware.htm

[Silver]

So it does.... Can't tell from the site or program exactly how Mala does it (the LCD config in the program seems to be unavailble until you have it plugged it).

I think the LCD type they use is a standard RS232 interfact type so it should all be very similar. Does anyone know if Mala creates its own data to send to the LCD on the fly?

[Dariusz]

Silver,

Just read you post for the first time. A few days back I started a thread to see if someone can help me connect a 240 x 128 LCD display to the parallel port. The replier gave a response to a web site the gives the solution to not just to my display but many others too.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=41518.msg378902#msg378902

Please note schematics can be found on the web site, and the details so simple it just takes a few resistors, capacitor and the connections to hook up.

I haven't yet had a chance to have a look at you software, but does it support 240 x 128 LCD's using the T6963C?

If not, is there any chance you can support the display in your software? The link above will give you all the code you need, and I'll even throw in a display too

Dariusz

[Minwah]

Does anyone know if Mala creates its own data to send to the LCD on the fly?

Sorry to go OT, but since I added the [name], [description] etc. placeholders, it would be relatively easy to get my FE to do this on the fly.  Something else for my todo list 

[swindus]

I think the LCD type they use is a standard RS232 interfact type so it should all be very similar. Does anyone know if Mala creates its own data to send to the LCD on the fly?

Yes, it creates all (multiple, timer controlled switchable) screens and informations on the fly. Here is a list of all available placeholders: http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/wiki/doku.php?id=lcd (in german, but you will understand)

[swindus]

I think the LCD type they use is a standard RS232 interfact type so it should all be very similar.

No, it's connected via usb. (HD44780 or HD44780 compatible controllers)

(the LCD config in the program seems to be unavailble until you have it plugged it)

usb = plug & play -> no plug = no play

[Silver]

Silver,

Just read you post for the first time. A few days back I started a thread to see if someone can help me connect a 240 x 128 LCD display to the parallel port. The replier gave a response to a web site the gives the solution to not just to my display but many others too.

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=41518.msg378902#msg378902

Please note schematics can be found on the web site, and the details so simple it just takes a few resistors, capacitor and the connections to hook up.

I haven't yet had a chance to have a look at you software, but does it support 240 x 128 LCD's using the T6963C?

If not, is there any chance you can support the display in your software? The link above will give you all the code you need, and I'll even throw in a display too

Dariusz

Hi,

not supported at the moment but most are not hard to add - i normally just need some documentation on the control codes the lcd needs to display text (I note thats yours is a graphic LCD so probably capable of a lot more). My program creates text files with the correct control codes for a particular lcd for all the roms you have, then you can use Mamewah to send the text files out automatically (or another FE using a batch file to launch mame).

Did you say that there was a link to info on what codes you need to send to the display?

[loadman]

Yes, it creates all (multiple, timer controlled switchable) screens and informations on the fly. Here is a list of all available placeholders: http://mala.arcadezentrum.com/wiki/doku.php?id=lcd (in german, but you will understand)

Here is a basic automated German translation:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmala.arcadezentrum.com%2Fwiki%2Fdoku.php%3F&langpair=de%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools

[Dariusz]

Silver,

I have a number of links below for sample codes/programs, schematics on the LCD that uses the Toshiba T6963C. You are right, the LCD  is Matrix, so its cabable of displaying plain text and graphics. The graphics option of the LCD maybe of use to you one day?

Its good to hear that you program can be easily possibly adapted to support other LCD chip sets. If you are able to support the above chip set that would be sweet. The control codes for it I have links for you below:

Toshiba T6963C Datasheets (details control codes, and the later datasheets, simple example pseudo code):

Document by Steve Lawther, based on Toshiba T6963C Data Sheet (32 KB):

http://www.skippari.net/lcd/t6963c.pdf

Toshiba T6963C data sheet (1,5 MB):

http://www.lcdinfo.com/lcd/datasheets/e007211.pdf

The above two links come from this site:

http://www.skippari.net/lcd/t6963c_data.html

The above site has a forum on programming for the LCD displays and a whole lot more:

http://forum.lcdinfo.com/index.php?

the link below has links to source code and programs:

http://www.skippari.net/lcd/t6963c_prog.html

Schematics on how to connect the display can be found on the web site. all you need is basically a DB25 pin connector, the lcd (contact me if you need one), wires and some soldering tools. There is no electronics involved!

Also the displays are simple to get and cheap. Many displays are backward compatable as long as the have the same chip set.

Regards

Dariusz

[Silver]

Hi,

Thanks for gathering all the info together....

  What would be great is if you could test out your LCD by copying a text file out to it, via the parallel port, and report back.
  All the displays currently supported normally connect on the serial port. Most graphic displays connect via the parallel port as they need the greater baandwidth available. My program simply creates text files which can then be copied either manually from the command prompt or by a supporting FE (Mamwah and others) out to the serial comms port.

A lot of the funcitons on graphical displays seem to require the setting of various pins high/low for communication which you will either need a seperate application running to do, or convince an FE author to write code to allow parallel port control.

I know you can copy text files to the parallel port just like the serial port (eg "copy display.txt lpt1:" instead of "copy display.txt com1:") but I don't know how its passed down which pins. With the serial port its easy as there is only really transmit on one pin and recieve on another - it may be very simply in a parallel port, I just have no experience of it at all.

I don't have a parallel LCD to play with which makes it near impossible for me to investigate. What would be great is if you could find out from eg that site you listed what the simplist way is to display a text file on the LCD. Some of the programs on the LCD sites have there own parallel port drivers available, so it may be that all we need to do is install the driver or launch the app and then we can easily send a text file. I'd just post in a forum with people with the same board as you - then report back with the findings.

Sorry I can't really be more helpful at this stage, its a lot easier when you own the kit your writing for! I'm away for a few days but I will take a look myself when I get back and see how it looks....