VFD FUTABA – INNOVA – ECR – for Media Center – Media Portal

The prototype of this design was a combination of display removed from a cash register and a project of clock/thermometer based on VFD. The VFD display was equipped with a clock and date. Data for display were sent by RS232. In the case of lack of data, clock and date would be displayed for a few seconds.



Final version uses display from INNOVA cash register (this could also be Siemens or another similar cash register used in supermarkets). Such a display can display data received from port RS232, but not in a standard way. The screen is not recognized as cyclical buffer of characters, but the characters are displayed in lines – end of writing the last character in the second line results in shifting the second line to the first position and return to the beginning of the line, etc.

It can be processed so that it can work in a standard way and can be equipped with functions of the prototype.

VFD tube (202-md-18gok) is CIG (chip in glass) type, which provides the control that consists of serial sending information to 108-byte memory, on base of which the pixels are lit.**broken link removed** you can read more about such tubes.

Main processor was replaced on the main board of the original display with a PCB with Atmega8 and pcf clock.

Pictures:



Functions:

• clock and date, displayed only when data are not sent by port RS232 – this function can be enabled and disambled (stored in EEPROM)
• battery backup with information about deleting the settings of the clock using the icon on the display (when there is no power for a long time)
• change of brightness at certain two times (possible to program for a day and night – setting stored in EEPROM)
• possibility of standard backlight control – 13 levels
• possibility to enable cursor (stored in EEPROM)
• possibility to light triangles under each vertical line of characters
• deleting the screen
• setting the cursor
• setting the device from window application run on the computer
• setting the clock from the console application, which uses the current time on the computer – periodic synchronization available
• time and date pass through the display depending on the time in order to save the tube

The display operates with a speed of 9600,8,1,n and is connected to media center computer operating in Media Portal. Time is synchronized each time when the computer is run.

Programs in the attachment to the original thread require .NET 3.5 for configuration.

Link to original thread (useful attachment) - **broken link removed**