I just got an Arduino Uno, 16x2 LCD, SF serial backpack. The compiler can upload and LED 13 responds to test.
Ok, backpack attached; is there a Dummy Guide to working with this hardware setup?
The plan was to use Tx, but I read booting and loading affects this output and it clobbers the display. Is that true?
I need to initialize the Backpack for its’ display type yet.
What is Best Practice, and is there a sketch to verify its’ working with links to up-to-date libraries?
I haven’t been active in these forums for quite a while, so if anything has changed since a year ago I wouldn’t be up to date. Anyway…
Yes, if you use the tx/rx lines on the arduino and send code to it, the data would also be passed to the display. With all the data that gets sent during that process, there are chances that certain chains of lcd commands might be sent to the display which can reconfigure it.
#1: You can disconnect the display when you upload code then reconnect it when done.
#2: There is a library (or there used to be, possibly something better might be out now) called ‘newsoftserial’ that allows you to send and receive serial data on the i/o pins. Sending serial with it is very easy. Receiving serial is a little trickier because there is no hardware buffer to catch incoming data at all times. It would work great for a serial lcd cause you really aren’t worried about data coming from the display.
I think it’s time for me to get back into tinkering… 
Good luck, and yell if you have any questions.
I moved the serial in LCD to digital pin 3 so it doesn’t see the USB uploads. It works now without going crazy. I’m using serLCD.h found on SF. The display doesn’t seem to understand the println() or CR LF or \n, but I can live with that.
The serLCD.h file contains SoftwareSerial.h which the compiler can’t find so I just lob it in the main body then it works. Not sure why the compiler can’t see the recursive reference because all libraries are organized together. Hum…
My intention is to make a DSS signal generator. I am hoping the adapt the UNO board to the stuff found here >> http://www.scienceprog.com/avr-dds-sign … rator-v20/ .
Hi,
I just got the 16x2 white on black serLCD… but i cant even get it on… i try the example for a hello world and I can’t get it on…
I’ve tried uploading with everything disconnected, and as soon as I connect the power and the gnd of the serLCD the two integrated LED’s on the arduino almost shut off… and i dont get not even backlight on my display… Im powering my arduino via USB, i dont know if there is something wrong with that…
I’m including the SoftwareSerial.h library… could someone help me please???
caguayo:
Hi,I just got the 16x2 white on black serLCD… but i cant even get it on… i try the example for a hello world and I can’t get it on…
I’ve tried uploading with everything disconnected, and as soon as I connect the power and the gnd of the serLCD the two integrated LED’s on the arduino almost shut off… and i dont get not even backlight on my display… Im powering my arduino via USB, i dont know if there is something wrong with that… I’m including the SoftwareSerial.h library… could someone help me please???
Can you provide a link to which LCD you have ? There are 5V and 3.3V flavors and given your description above, I wonder which you have. Also can you make some diagram of exactly how you have the LCD wired to the Arduino ? (whuch Arduino BTW ?). Lastly, if you could post the code you’re using that may eventually help, though right now I think you have some sort of wiring error.