m3rdpwr

Not sure is this has shown up before here, but it does have a WinAmp Plug-in.

One thing I don't like is it uses the USB Port for Power and the Serial Port for data. Curious why they didn't go full USB...

http://www.gideontech.com/reviews/LIS_lcd/

-Mario

MP3Car.com

 

Charliey

In order to go full USB would require more usb converter chips, and it would make it more expensive. They only use usb for power, because the serial port can only supply power for the chips on it, not the backlight.

__________________
Project AutoBoxen: Coming along, almost ready to hook up in the car.
Celeron 500, 192mb ram, 8gb hdd, other stuff.
'91 Mazda 626: Its free, so ill use it.

m3rdpwr

I've seen serial to USB converters for $12-$13.

If you omit everything but the electronics, that's probably 1/2 the cost.

They could have added that for minimal and I think most people would pay the few extra dollars to not have to use both a serial and USB port.

Most people would kill for a second serial port and they could have made it better.

I myself would like to find something complete like that with maybe 4 lines of text, but I haven't seen anything as nice and refined as that one.

Just my thought anyway...

-Mario

Charliey

www.crystalfontz.com has USB character lcds:
http://www.crystalfontz.com/products/634usb/index.html
they are bare circuit boards, but they have panels that install into computer bays that fit the lcds, so one could be hacked pretty easily to fit in a car:
http://www.crystalfontz.com/products...ket/index.html

__________________
Project AutoBoxen: Coming along, almost ready to hook up in the car.
Celeron 500, 192mb ram, 8gb hdd, other stuff.
'91 Mazda 626: Its free, so ill use it.

m3rdpwr

Update:

Just got mine today and it works pretty well. Some quirks with the plug-in, but I can't blame them for that.

This display is bigger than I though, so I'll have to find a new home for it...


=============================
Thanks for that link.

Wonder why I never came across it before.

And best of all USB and Serial LCD's are the same price.
Just needed a $5 cable.
(Okay, so not the same price.)

Thanks!

-Mario

davesaudio2

Please point me to these $12 serial-to-usb converters?

m3rdpwr

www.compgeeks.com had them less than a week ago and I can't find it now. Perhaps if you look through all the catagories you will find them.

They did absolutely have them less than a week ago unless they sold out...

I will look again tomorrow and let you know if I find th epart # on their site...

-Mario

MP3Car.com