More info and misc links on LCDs, jtag pgmr, etc

Fri Jan 21 18:13:08 CST 2011

I’ve fielded a couple of questions about links to some interesting hardware.
Below are a few links to what I purchased.  On the ebay stuff, there are
other vendors out there, these are just the ones that I have had good
success with.  I’ve been having problems with IE on my email computer, so it
was not as easy to include links in emails.  This is from a different
computer (and I hope it gets through).

Note that some of these links are from when I purchased the items, but you
should be able to find updated links to purchase.  In every case, when I
looked them up, they said that the seller has an updated version.

Amazon sells a Sharp exact replacement LCD for the Sony PSP, which is
480x272, for only about $25-$30.  Go to Amazon, and search for Sony PSP
replacement screen.  It does not include the (weird) connectors or the
touchscreen portion.  The touchscreen and connectors are available from
Sparkfun, if you need them.  Mouser also sells the 40-pin connector for the
basic display.  I think there is a separate power connector for the Sharp
PSP display, Sparkfun and Mouser also sells those.  I can provide part
numbers if necessary.  I have one of these Sharp displays, but have not
fired it up yet.  I think it uses a higher-voltage for the backlight, above
12V.  I plan to use it with a TFT driver board that the Australian PicAStar
group created.  Note that this board required very small device wiring, it
is the first time that I have NOT been able to successfully hand-solder
something.  So, I am going to use other techniques to finish this board.
Note the nice-looking display shown.  See this site for the driver board:

http://www.carnut.info/tftpcb/tft.htm

I purchased and used a different 480x272 display at first, made by “Truly”.
It is a 4.3inch display, and has eight bits per RGB.  It uses about 12V for
the backlight, I just fed 12V via a series (current-limiting) resistor.  I
think szdigitalsquare is a good seller.  The display sells for $50, with
free shipping.  You may want to add insurance
  I like this display as it
includes the touchscreen in the display itself, and uses only one connector
for everything.  I have NOT used the touchscreen part yet in any of these
displays.

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-3-Truly-TFT-LCD-Module-Display-Touch-Panel-Screen-/190
382222565?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0
<http://cgi.ebay.com/4-3-Truly-TFT-LCD-Module-Display-Touch-Panel-Screen-/19
0382222565?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c53aa2ce5> &hash=item2c53aa2ce5

Note that this next link is one that I haven’t tried, but it looks an awful
lot like the Truly mentioned above.  The costs is certainly OK at $29.  Not
known if it IS the same

http://cgi.ebay.com/4-3-TFT-LCD-module-touch-screen-MP4-MP4-ARM-GPS-/2206182
03386?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2
<http://cgi.ebay.com/4-3-TFT-LCD-module-touch-screen-MP4-MP4-ARM-GPS-/220618
203386?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item335ddea0fa> &hash=item335ddea0fa

Here is the 640x480 LCD display that I ended up using, 5.6inch size, made by
Innolux.  It uses only six bits per RGB, but was easy to interface because
of the fairly “standard” 640x480 signal timings.  I used the same FPGA VGA
timing generator, and just changed the hardware connections in my FPGA ucf
file (user contraints file).  It uses only 5V for the backlight, I put a
small value resistor in series with a 5V supply.  In one instance, I have
even used a tap off an unused USB port.  You are supposed to have the
display running before applying backlight voltage, so I manually hook it up
last right now.  I plan to add a power switch to enable/disable the
backlight power.  It costs more, at $55, plus another $35 for shipping.
There is at least one other ebay vendor selling the same display.  I am now
more aware of buyer feedbacks, and virtolight was good when I bought mine.
It takes about 3 weeks to come from China.

http://cgi.ebay.com/5-6inch-INNOLUX-TFT-LCD-Module-AT056TN53-V-1-640x480_W0Q
QitemZ290371142570QQcategoryZ26206QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkpa
rmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26
otn%3D10%26pmod%3D280580644058%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D4707399469668409505

There are a few vendors on ebay that sell a small connector board that
includes space for a 40-pin connector, and connects to standard dual-row
.1inch connector.  Mouser sells a similar board, with the 40-pin connector
presoldered, at $10.  Mouser part # 763-NHD-FFC40, made by NewHaven.  These
connectors have tiny, close-spaced pins, so using this board simplifies
prototyping.

A Google search on each display model number will eventually yield links to
datasheets in PDF, and not from datasheets.com, but real datasheets.  I can
provide more info as necessary to play with these displays.

Here is the JTAG programmer that I bought to use with Xiling FPGAs.  Note
that you do NOT need this for the Digilent boards, but helps with the
Sparkfun and other Xilinx FPGA boards.  Note also that “jtag” is about as
standard as RS232!  Every different vendor that uses “jtag” has a different
interpretation as far as the programmer goes.  While the jtag signals are
standardized, pinouts of jtag connectors are not!  And, neither are the
programmers.  gr2009 was another good ebay seller in my experience.  

http://cgi.ebay.com/Xilinx-FPGA-CPLD-USB-download-Cable-JTAG-New-HW-Design_W
0QQitemZ200538724085QQcategoryZ163866QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_tr
kparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI
%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D260635746553%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5766617644110559282

Several other Chinese vendors sell the same JTAG programmer, just check the
vendor feedback!

The Gabotronics tiny oscilloscope, here is the link. The scope does not have
any amplifiers or attenuators, so it is range limited.  Around 200mV p-p
gives about ½ screen vertical deflection, and it works fine at over 3V p-p,
and it seems to max out at about 10V p-p.

http://www.gabotronics.com/development-boards/xmega-xprotolab.htm

More info as I get it, or others ask.

Terry

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