6

I would like to add an LCD to my current design (a project that is to be produced in low volume, around 50 to 100 units).

A small display size (around 8 or 16 characters) should be plenty since it is for measurement readout, and I would like to keep the price around 4 USD or less.

But most importantly, I would like to use I2C/SPI if possible, so as to minimize the number of pins used on my microcontroller.

Do pre-designed LCD modules/types of this kind exist (it seems to me they should be!)?

Or am I stuck with using modules with parallel-8bit-pinouts, or using raw glass panels and adding on my own in-between interfacing circuitry?

boardbite
  • 4,892
  • 11
  • 47
  • 73
  • Person who down-voted: It is proper form to state your reason, because I believe my question is stated in a completely suitable manner. – boardbite Nov 24 '12 at 17:43
  • +1 to cancel out the down vote, but my guess is that it was because this site isn't supposed to be an aid for shopping. These devices exist, but I'm not sure if they are in that price range. http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronics/Displays/LCD-Displays/LCD-Character-Display-Modules-Accessories/_/N-6j737 – Garrett Fogerlie Nov 24 '12 at 17:49
  • A link to more serial display modules. Again, way out of your price point at mid twenties. http://www.newhavendisplay.com/serial-displays-c-253.html – justing Nov 24 '12 at 17:58
  • 1
    @Inga Another -1 for price point. – Nick Alexeev Nov 24 '12 at 19:57

1 Answers1

6

Price point is something you'll be hard-pressed to negotiate without serious volume. If the price is not something that can slide, you're likely to be stuck buying raw panels and adding the controller ICs / communication ICs to a custom designed board.

If you can let the price slide, there are some nice pre-made modules you could look into. Adafruit has "backpacks" that are designed to solder to the back of the common LCD displays and handle the parallel control logic while giving you an I2C/SPI interface. Those are here.

They also have fully-packaged LCD modules with the backpack already attached. Here is an example of one with a basic 16x2 LCD.

Toby Lawrence
  • 3,098
  • 2
  • 26
  • 34