# Sparkfun Serial LCD Problem

**URL:** <https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-serial-lcd-problem/14686>\
**Category:** MicroMod\
**Tags:** avr-atmel\
**Created:** [February 27, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-serial-lcd-problem/14686 "2010-02-27T15:05:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Timm3h](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Timm3h](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/Timm3h)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-serial-lcd-problem/14686/1 "2010-02-27T15:05:53Z")

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I have a sparkfun serial LCD, this one to be specific:

[http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/produc … ts\_id=9395](http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9395)

I have had arduino projects writing to the LCD with no problems until yesterday.

However when I power it on now, I get the sparkfun logo followed by garbage text, mostly X’s

I have tried programming the most simplest program with just Hello world and I still get the problem.

Any thoughts?

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**Author:** ![sdisselhorst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@sdisselhorst](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/sdisselhorst)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-serial-lcd-problem/14686/2 "2010-02-27T18:46:21Z")

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Do you leave it connected when you upload your program? It can mess up the screen. Always disconnect it when uploading.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Timm3h](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Timm3h](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/Timm3h)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-serial-lcd-problem/14686/3 "2010-02-27T20:12:30Z")

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Oh yeah I know about that.

Like I said I have had it working before many times. It is almost like the firmware is messed up inside or something.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Timm3h](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Timm3h](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/Timm3h)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-serial-lcd-problem/14686/4 "2010-02-27T20:30:14Z")

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Finally got it working…

I had my LCD connected to the serial port instead of using software serial so that I could have a higher refresh rate… I never disconnected the lcd during programming… some special characters must have gotten sent and messed it up!!!

I found this thread to help me out:

[viewtopic.php?t=16844](http://forum.sparkfun.com/viewtopic.php?t=16844)