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Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) Glitch Profile Here is a link for all of you VFD character display fans. http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?category=search&item=VFD-202&type=store I bought a couple of these. They are very nice. If you are looking for a fairly large, brand new VFD display, you can't beat the price. Here's the catch (there is always a catch <g>): so far I haven't been able to find exact technical specifications for them. However, there are tech specs for similar displays on the Futaba websites. These may be similar enough to get the displays working. I haven't tried contacting Futaba directly for info on the display, but that might be an option later. I'll post more info on my progress on these if there is any interest (or any progress <g>). It may be a few weeks before I have time to play with them, but they may be sold out before I have concrete info for everyone. YMMV. Glitch Electronics run on smoke, if you let the smoke out they won't work 09-04-2003 19:06:39

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) ntsf Profile I saw this a couple of weeks ago, but without specs I decided against getting any... If you find something, let me know... 09-05-2003 10:04:11

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) wat931 Profile The VFD's look similar to the Futaba ones that i used in a product development i worked on a couple of years ago. I have one at home i used in a mp3 car project. If its the same, I have the specs too. They can be hooked up like a standard HITACHI LIQUID CRYSTAL CHARACTER DISPLAY MODULE (HD44780-based LCD modules), or changed to a Motorola parallel or serial by changing some 0 ohm jumpers. I'll check the part and post later tonight. 09-05-2003 11:37:50

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) zerozero Profile Hey, somebody posted some good info (pinout, etc...) on the link you posted. The Ultimate Vacuum Flourescent Character Display? 08/25/2003 Reviewer: Ken from Arvada, CO USA Could not find data on this display, so it needed to be reverse-engineered. (One test point is labled as 24V.) With the rotary switch on the bottom set to "0" and 20 volts DC applied, the display test screens appeared at full brightness. Upper case letters are 5x9 dots, about 1/2 inch high. The lower case g, p and q extend down one dot lower. It looks like this is the standard USA character set for letters, numbers and punctuation (probably 20h to 7Eh). The plug at the end of the cord will work with a standard 0.1" 2x4 pin header. Facing the end of the plug, with the retaining clip up and the exposed metal area of the shell down, here is the pinout: Upper row, left to right, +VDC .. DATA .. NC .. NC . The lower row is, left to right, -VDC .. DATA .. -VDC .. NC . (not connected = NC) The exposed metal area of the shell connects to an isolated display ground plane. I'll ground it. You can verify the hookup by checking for 0 ohms between the two -VDC pins as a sort of "key". This VFD draws about 550mA at 20VDC under test. The two data pins are going to a TI SN75176 differential bus tranceiver chip, designed for RS-422 and RS-485. It's serial data, but it's not RS-232. I'll need to convert to RS-422 or somehow wire around(?) this chip. Otherwise this is a 5+ star display! 09-05-2003 21:55:03

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) Glitch Profile zerozero: I have some reservations about the accuracy of the info provided. The most glaring problem is the 20v input voltage that he is recommending. I've looked at a dozen or so tech specs for similar Futaba VFD displays and they all run on 5v DC. His success with powering up the unit may be due to the DC-DC converter on the input. The DC-DC converter will make the unit robust to voltage levels, but 20v is way above the recommended max voltage of 5.5v. I'm not too sure about the display having to use RS-422 or RS-485 versus RS-232. This design limitation would be very unusual and shortsighted on Futaba's part. I would guess that the display can use all three protocols. This would more typical of what I've seen on other displays. Then again, I could be wrong... Glitch Electronics run on smoke, if you let the smoke out they won't work 09-06-2003 06:51:16

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) Glitch Profile Well... It looks like I was wrong (serves me right for posting before I've had any coffee <g>). The supply voltage does not work at 5v like I suspected. It looks like it is designed for 24v but will run with an i-Opener power supply at 19v (everyone has one of those lying around <g>). I am probably also wrong about the RS-422/485 stuff. I've found sites that sell adapter cables to adapt the ICL-9520 to RS-232. Examples are here and here. It looks like this display was used as part of a POS terminal scanner/scale system. The VFD modules are likely a custom pieces designed for ICL. This would explain the lack of data sheets and limited interface. There are actually two part numbers and the front and back displays are somewhat different. Only the front has an external connector. There is a second connector that links the two boards. It still may be possible to use the displays independently, but it will take a bit more hacking. I'm hoping that the control commands are common with the Futaba displays for which I have info. I have a few machines that have a RS-422/485 ports and a RS-232 to RS-485 converter. The next step is to try to send data to the display. Glitch Electronics run on smoke, if you let the smoke out they won't work 09-06-2003 10:21:26

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) vwbug19 Profile cons of vfd is that it's a vacumun eviroment just like the old vac tubes in tv back then if you drops or it develops gassing you will see the silver coating at the end where the process used to suck out the air becomes white then it becomes door stop! ive seen it happens couples times to the old tv and to my new tdd machine 09-06-2003 14:24:53

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 1 times) wat931 Profile ok all. the vfd i have is a 20x2 from futaba's LCD emulator line, P/N NA202SD16AA3-000. View1 View2 it is a 5V supply unit. the specs are found here. VFD Specs 09-08-2003 12:12:45

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) wat931 Profile sorry wrong link for the spec page. here it is. vfd_lcdemulator 09-08-2003 12:22:46

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) radarman Profile Has anyone verified if these displays are RS422/485? It would be great if they were, as I have a RS232-> RS485 converter. 09-16-2003 17:50:00

RE:Cheap VFD displays at All Electronics (modified 0 times) YouBecha Profile It probably came from a cash register display. Search back a year or so and you will find a cash register linux hack thing...has hardware info. 10-11-2003 07:27:43

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