Actions
Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 31 replies
  • Subscribers 386 subscribers
  • Views 4879 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Related

Looking for a small display recommendation

colporteur

Does any member have a recommendation for a small display that is appropriate for scrolling from right to left?

After an hour culling the adafruit website with few returns, I have come to the E14 community hopefully to get a recommendation. I've been asked to build a two signs, one that scrolls "Welcome to Snow Island"  and the other "Thank you for Visiting Snow" Island. The signs will be positioned on top of a bridge on an HO scale model railroad layout.

I had hoped to use a MAX7219 Dot led Matrix MCU 8x32 but it is way to large for the foot print I have to work with. The bridge has a large flat surface about 4X4 inches to hold the sign.

Like any model railroad project cost is a factor. I don't have a big budget. I'm hoping to combine the display with an Nano Arduino to simulate a continuous text scrolling road sign to message visitors.

If your suggestions could contain the source for the part that would be great.

  • image

    Thank you for the input folks. Here are two displays I have ordered. If the displays on the left work it should be fairly simple to finish the project. Very little work on my part. The display on the right require me to invest time in programming a pico. Something i have wanted to do for some time. With a project I have the motivation.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    I remember that project it was wonderful! 

    I have the same problem, getting inspired to buy things based on e14 topics. I just found the badger2040 from a local reseller 

    image

    something new to tinker with lol

  • in reply to scottiebabe

    I've been on the lookout for projects based around low cost HMI type control panels. Quite often it's just a case of needing to send/receive commands over a low bitrate RS-232 serial connection but the status display ideally needs to be a bit larger than your normal 16 character by 2 line display to make it useful.

  • in reply to colporteur
    colporteur said:
    The display on the right require me to invest time in programming a pico.

    Looks like there is some code out there for Arduino if you want to start out with the Nano.

    https://github.com/MartyMacGyver/LCD_HT1622_16SegLcd

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Believe it or not, I had a scientific calculator ~1977 that used small versions of those types of display. They are pretty retro. 

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    SOLD BD! Love you man.

    I  made a list of retirement stuff I am involved with. I then divided the list between short term and long term commitments. It seems I have made so many long term (multiple days over multiple weeks) I don't have cycles for short term projects.

    I need this to be a quick in and out. If the unit on the left works it should be quick. It talks about using a windows app to configure. I'm not sure what that involves. Hopefully it is just enter text here, what mode and upload. We will see.

    Again man, thanks for the resource.

  • in reply to robogary

    It reminded me a bit of my 1980s TI-66 calculator display when I first saw it.

  •   imageWait, here is my two cents.  How about 1/4 VGA with a cap touch screen??  No? $<35.00 distribution!!!! Hell Yes! Texas Instruments BOOSTXL‑K350QVG‑S1 I have used this beast with one of the 32-bit Tiva boards and there is a hell of a great library!! 

  • Have you looked at LilyGo? - they have a bunch of microcontrollers with Displays already mounted.

  • in reply to colporteur

    Do I buy or do I build? The S1144 (far left) displays arrived today. After installing the configuration software the display I wanted was working. At $10 per unit which includes the shipping. It was a cost effective solution.