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diff --git a/README.MatrixOrbital b/README.MatrixOrbital new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1138b49 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.MatrixOrbital @@ -0,0 +1,40 @@ +# +# $Id: README.MatrixOrbital,v 1.1 2000/03/19 08:41:28 reinelt Exp $ +# + +This is the README file for the MatrixOrbital display driver for lcd4linux + +This driver supports the serial interface alphanumeric display modules by +Matrix Orbital Corporation (http://www.matrixorbital.com). + +I could only test it with the LCD2041 model, but I think every other (LCD) model +should work. These displays are supported: + + LCD0821: 2 lines by 8 characters + LCD1621: 2 lines by 16 characters + LCD2021: 2 lines by 20 characters + LCD2041: 4 lines by 20 characters (tested) + LCD4021: 2 lines by 40 characters + +I could not test the vacuum fluorescent display models, but I think they should work, too. +There are no entries for this models in the driver table (at the bottom of MatrixOrbital.c), +but they could be easily added. + +The displays come with an RS-232 and an I2C interface. The driver supports the RS-232 interface +only (because I have no idea how to find the I2C bus on my motherboard). + +Power can be applied either via an external DC power supply, a modified floppy power connector +(be aware that you can destroy your display if you get the pins wrong!) or via the RI (ring) +signal of the RS-232 port. I choosed the latter, and modified a serial card so that it supplies ++5V from the ISA bus to this pin (again, be aware that this is dangerous if you connect any other +serial device to this modified port). + +The driver supports vertical, horizontal and split bars (two independent bars in one line), +all bar types can be used simultanously. As the displays only have 8 user-defined characters, +the needed characters to display all the bars must be reduced to 8. This is done by replacing +characters with similar ones. To reduce flicker, a character which is displayed at the moment, +will not be redefined, even if it's not used in this run. Only if the character compaction +fails, this characters will be redefined, too. + +The displays have a GPO (general purpose output), where you can connect a LED or something. +The driver supports controlling this GPO, but this function is unused by now. |