i2c LCD Component

[acestu]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone has used the i2c lcd component, I have just wired one up and I am getting very strange results, should you be able to just use the i2c lcd component on its own or do I have to put another component with it ?.

The test chart that I am posting works in simulation but does not write anything on the screen when programmed.......

FC-i2c-lcd-test.fcfx

(3.41 KiB) Downloaded 459 times

thanks
Acestu

[JohnCrow]

Hi Stu

Your chart looks ok. Not tried one of these though.
The only I2C LCD I've used was written the long way in FC5.

Have you got the pull-up resistors connected to SDA and SCL lines? . It wont be the first time I've had I2C not work and realised Id forgotten them.

[acestu]

Hi John,

Yes I have had it going in a different project but it was giving strange results ie, I printed a string on the first line "TSL2561 TEST" and it printed but omitted the T at the beginning, so I put a space in at the beginning like this " TSL2561 TEST" and it didn't print anything at all, also there is a strange cycling as in the brightness of the module dims every second or so as if it is pulling the power down, but the led on the power supply is fine, I have tried different value pull ups as well, the reason that I am trying the i2c display is because I am doing the TSL2561 i2c tutorial as you know and I thought I would just hook up the sensor and the display to the i2c bus, it didn't work at first because I didn't know the address of the display so I hooked it up to the Arduino and used an i2c scanner sketch that Dazz gave me and it said it was on channel 27, so I put 0x27 in the LCD channel window and it changed to 39 ?

cheers
Acestu

EDIT: This is the lcd module that I bought, maybe it is not compatible with the Flowcode component ?

http://forum.hobbycomponents.com/viewto ... =39&t=1368

Also these are the files that they supply with it:

HCMODU0010_LiquidCrystal_I2C_V2_1.zip

(21.77 KiB) Downloaded 521 times

[GTF]

I have not had a chance to play with V6 yet but I see that the property type for the LCD Address field is set to "Unsigned Integer" so the value 0x27 is converted to 39. Also, have you tried selecting hardware Channel 1 as the channel?

Grant

[JohnCrow]

Hi Stu
That display looks interesting, I had a 10% coupon for that supplier so I've just ordered one to play with.

As I said earlier, I've used a similar module to control a Graphical LCDs, which worked fine in FC5 but I had to code that manually.
But FC6 has built in support for that sort of display now.
I'll let you know I get on with it.

[acestu]

Hi John,

I have ditched the i2c display for now as that's a problem for another day, I want to get on with this i2c project, I have rebuilt the breadboard today and I am currently doing a new chart, would be good for somebody else to have the same display though, we might be able to sort it out faster, they look like a standard LCD with an i2c piggy back, ok thanks for letting me know....

cheers
Acestu

[acestu]

Hi GTF,

Yes I have tried software and hardware i2c channels but both the same, anyway I am leaving the display for now, John Crow has just bought the same display so it should be sorted soon, I am just in the process of building another board with a serial lcd so that I can get on with the TSL2561 project, hopefully I should be programming it in about 20 mins...

cheers
Acestu

[GTF]

I have also just ordered the one Benj linked to in this thread: http://www.matrixmultimedia.com/mmforum ... lcd#p53127

I was previously thinking of adding one to some projects. Now you have got me interested again.

There are 8 available addresses for this device: http://www.nxp.com/documents/data_sheet ... F8574A.pdf

I notice that whatever value(32 in this case) entered in the I2c LCD address field is used in the C code like this:
FC_CAL_I2C_Master_TxByte_2(32 << 1);

[acestu]

Hi GTF

Well that's interesting, I think maybe the component is not so generic and is based on the model that was used in the component creation, I think Benj will probably sort this out when he returns to work after Christmas and New Year, he's probably earned his break

cheers
Acestu

[stewartbaker]

Hi,
Getting fed up using many pins and wiring to drive 2x16 LCD's so thought I might try an i2c one.

I don't know what particular i2c LCD V6 FC supports. Is it a generic one that can be modified ?

I have been looking at a PCB that attaches on the back of an LCD module as this seems to give a lot of flexibility.

http://www.hobbytronics.co.uk/i2clcd-backpack-v2

Any thoughts ?

Cheers
Stewart

[JohnCrow]

Hi Stewart

I've just had the one drop through the letterbox that Acestu is using.
Will post my findings once I've tried it.

I've used this one with FC5 (Not tried FC6 Yet) but you have to write the I2C code manually.
The display is a KS0108 which is supported by the FC6 component, but needs 2 Ports to drive it if not using the I2C adaptor

http://www.byvac.com/bv3/index.php?rout ... uct_id=161

[stewartbaker]

Hi John,
That looks interesting, and I will be following how you get on.

It is probably an overkill for what I want to do, which is to source a simple and cheap interface to the very common
Hitachi HD44780 display interface.

Cheers
Stewart

[JohnCrow]

Hi Stu

I've just tried the Hobbycomponents I2C LCD with the FC6 component, and I've not been able to get it to work either

Just tried it on my Arduino UNO with the supplied sketches and they work fine.
That confirms the hardware is ok and the I2C address is 0x27.

Its a nice clear bright display.

[stewartbaker]

Hi John,
Just got my "Backpack" from Hobbytronics. It works well, and looks like it will make things much easier on the basic LCD front.

I tried the generic i2c LCD component, but it did not work. Looking at the data with a Logic Analyser showed all the codes are wrong, being for some other display.

As the "Backpack" does much of the work itself there are only a few commands needed, and I have written a couple of macros to check things out.

What I would really like to do is either modify the generic i2c LCD component or make my own. Modifying is preferable as most of the hard work has already been done. However, I can't see how to do this as all the macros are hidden.

This is the frustrating thing about Flowcode, there is so much potential "under the hood", but it is difficult to get to grips with it because of lack of easily accessible information...

Stewart

[Benj]

Hi Stewart,

Here is the source of the I2C LCD component which you should be able to use to modify for your own display.

LCD I2C.fcfx

(43.36 KiB) Downloaded 430 times

Let me know how your getting on.

[stewartbaker]

Hi Benj,
Very many thanks !

That was what I was looking for...

I can now get to grips with modifying the code, and in the process learn a lot more about how Flowcode V6 works and it's potential.

Because my i2c LCD has fewer commands it should make changing things simple (famous last words).

Of course when I have completed the exercise I shall make the component available with full viability so others may have a good laugh !

I will (of course) be back with many questions...

Best regards
Stewart

[acestu]

Thanks guys,

I knew Ben would sort it out

Stuart

[GTF]

Now that I look back here it appears that I experienced the same issues as Acestu with the I2C display I purchased http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Blue-IIC-I2 ... 41754f6f10. So the component should also work with his display after the bug fixes. I have also ordered a 2 line display that uses the same backpack as his and will test that one when it arrives.

[GTF]

Just to update, the 2 line display with above backpack is also working properly with the I2C LCD component. I also have a couple of other backpacks to test when my LCDs arrive.