I bought 2 16,2 lcd screens recently and only got to use 1 of them in the last few days. I have wired the lcd screen according to Adafruit’s wiring, and I have a 10k pot to set the contrast, but it doesn’t change at all. I then tried a 1k resistor, no change, then a 2k resistor, still no change. Then I just used a wire from the centre pin of the pot to ground, but no change there either.
It was just the same with the other lcd screen when I tried it.
Any other things I can do to get the contrast working.
I have the 16x2 that comes in the Arduino kit. I have the wiper middle pin wired to pin 3 , Vo on the display. Then one pin to Vcc and the other pin to ground. It works, kind of. I can adjust it but a very small turn of the pot seems to make a big change in the contrast.
I have a 16,2 LCD screen with the I2C backboard and the 16 pins clearly named as
VSS VDD VO RS RW E D0 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 A K. A and K are the backlight.
The LCD screens I bought from Pimoroni don’t have any identfication on the pins, but there are 2 layout pictures?? on the back of the board. They start from Pin 1 at the left hand side to Pin 5, and on the right hand side it is numbered 6 7–14 15 16, but at least it is clearly marked for Pin 1 on the right and Pin 16 on the left.
I’ve tried 2 arduinos, both lcd screens, and then as a long shot changing the ATmega chip on each Arduino.
No matter what I try, it doesn’t make any difference. It lights up ok, but displays hardly anything. I uploaded the hello world sketch onto 1 arduino with the lcd attached, but you could hardly make anything out on the screen.
I’m thinking of buying the adapter board from Adafruit to convert mine to i2c.
The one I have was in this kit,
Which as far as I know is the same one in this kit
I hunted up the projects book for the second one as I also have an Arduino Uno. Thats what I used to sort out what pin was what and how to wire it up. I can’t find the link to where I downloaded the book from at the moment though. My display has no markings what so ever showing what pin is what?
The I2C back board is handy as you only need half a dozen wires and suitable sketch to get it going. I bought 2 lcd screens from china which had the I2C back board, and they are both in use
Thats why I want it, easier wiring. Arduino is totally new to me, only just recently got my first one. And I’ve only done just a few things with it. still feeling it out etc.
The arduinos are quite easy to work with once you have uploaded a sketch, I prefer them over a pi3. Nanos are also good I think, as you just plug them straight into the breadboard.
I have 2 UNO’s and an MKR1000 WIFI. The MKR1000 will plug into a breadboard.
One UNO is dedicated to a ZUMO rover. I just got the line sensing edge detection add on for that.
Haven’t soldered that on yet.
I also have two BBC Micro-Bits so I’m not a total NOOB with Micro Controllers. I do a lot more with my Raspberry Pi’s though. So far anyway.
The i2c screen or the many colored wires screen?
I ask because I’ve seen several different ways to wire up the non i2c version.
Different outputs used on the Arduino etc.
I have a GPS module wired up that I can get the data from via the serial connection.
And the screen wired up that I get the basic hello world message.
Just haven’t got around to merging the two sketches into one so my GPS is displayed on the screen.
It’s the many (12) coloured wired screen that isn’t showing anything.
i thought I would have heard back from Pimoroni by now as I messaged them on Wednesday.
I’m no expert on this but its my understanding that your screen wiring has to match that of the person who made the sketch? For example in the Hello World Sketch I have it lists the following
Yes I get what you mean, but the thing is, supposing I wanted to use another sketch, which is completely different from the first etc.
Anyway, the contrast really has nothing to do with how the other wires go to on whatever pin number, as it is the VO pin which does that.
I have just sent a message to the support section and I await there reply.
Ok, I kind of figured I might be preaching to the quire.;)
I also have a resistor on the Vcc pin on mine. I believe thats the backlight?
Not 100% sure I need it but was safer to add it than to burn out my backlight.
220 ohm I think? This likely has no bearing on your issue just thought I should mention it anyway.
You can still use a resistor for the contrast, start with a 1k, then a 2k if needed. I have a 1k resistor on that last project I did with an LCD screen mounted under the lid or top of the box
