Model CFAH1602B-YYB-JP LCD has 16 pins

Morteus

New member
I just ordered the 16x2 LCD- CFAH1602B-YYB-JP and i noticed that it has 16 pins. I have wired up a 10 pin LCD from Bgmicro that used an EL Backlight, it didnt work (4-bit POS) so i am ordering a new one (very cheap budget). I was just wondering if those extra two pins were for the LED backlight. If someone could post a the pinouts for the last two pins i would appreciate it. Or just tell me which one is ground and which one is 5v. Also, becuase these are HD44780's they use the same pin outs as the ones from BgMicro (also used HD44780).
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CF Tech

Administrator
For pin-outs, plesase look on page 8 of the datasheet.

We do not recommend using a potentiometer alone for the backlight--or even worse connecting it directly to 5v. It is too easy to ruin the backlight by turning the pot too far. You should calculate the limiting resistor as described in this post to limit the maximum current (and set the maximum brightness) and then put that in series with a pot if you want to dim the backlight.

Fast answer for Rlimit on the CFAH1602B-YYB-JP:

(5v - 4.2) / 0.130 = 6.5 ohms minimum

The CFAH* series (which are "HD44780" compatible) LCDs (also commonly referred to as "parallel" or "character" LCDs) are not intended to be connected to a PC's parallel port as an end product. They are intended to be designed into a product. For connection to a PC, please consider our serial LCDs.

If you intend to go on with a parallel, first please read the disclaimer here:

http://www.crystalfontz.com/products/CFAH_WinTest/index.html

The schematic used is determined by the software, not the display. The most common schematic is shown below. Please determine which software you are going to use, then see what schematic it recommends.

Here is a page about 44780 based LCD's in general.

Here is a tutorial on a typical LCD parallel connection to a PC's printer port:

http://mpford.dyndns.org./

Then click on "LCD Display", and then "Step by Step how to build an LCD Display" (it is a framed site).

Another "Hooking up parallel LCDs" Article:

http://www.overclockers.com.au/techstuff/a_diy_lcd/

Both of these use this common schematic, less Rlimit:



Here are some pages with some general LCD connection details:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Peaks/9546/player/LCDConnection.html
http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/1495/ee_lcd.html
 
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