April 30, 2012

Controlling a Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) from a LeoStick (Arduino compatible)

Prolific "repurposer" Matt Evans is well known for taking old or discarded electronics and giving it new life. When he departed for the UK earlier this year he was given a Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) module as a parting gift - very appropriate!

He then combined it with a phone charger, some random bits of wire, and a Freetronics LeoStick:


Matt said: "The VFD has a row of 0.1" pins and is odd in that it's not serial nor HD44780-style, just ASCII over D[7:0] and Write/Busy handshake lines - the Leostick pushes straight onto the pins to drive it."

If you look to the left of the VFD you'll see the LeoStick connected to the side, driving characters to the display.

Nice work, Matt!

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