Trying to get a VFD display to work

[Big_D]

I have a IGT PE+ Poker machine that has a VFD display that was from the player tracking, BUT, all the player tracking was cut out so all I have is a display with the wires coming out.

I would like to get this working with TZTech's Microcontroller SAS project.  I have an Amicus module that I'm working on wireing into the machine and trying to Shift data out to the VFD but I get nothing on the display. 

The VFD is IGT ASSY No. 7511480 and I have the diagrams, but still not sure what I'm missing.

Has anybody ever got one of these to work??

[Foster]

Pictures of the VFD would be helpful and maybe post what info you do have on the VFD so I can look at it.
how you interface it, is determined by what display driver/controller is on it.

I have interfaced the Noritake VFD (Async Serial and Parallel) that are used in the Bally MasterCom 250 to work with the Arduino Leonardo and Uno or similar Arduino boards that use the ATMega328 or ATMega32u4
The Parallel version I use the Liquid Crystal Library
The Serial version I have to create a second serial port with the Software Serial library and create my own clear display and cursor control functions.

I am not familiar with the Amicus controller

[Big_D]

I will post pictures tonight when I get home from work, including the info I do have on the control board.

Dennis

[Big_D]

OK, here are some pictures of the VFD removed from the macine.
The Controller chip is a Mecrel 10937P-50.  According to the data sheet, data is loaded into the 10937 as a series of 8-bit words (MSB).

Just not sure what I'm missing, although experience tells me it's something easy and stupid

[Foster]

The chip uses Sync Serial input
which means a clock pulse for every bit.

A friend had a player tracking display that used that VFD you show
It just looked outdated with all Caps and such.
He changed it to a Bally MasterCom 250 (both of his displays are serial)

My suggestion is to get a bally MasterCom 250 setup and use the VFD and keypad from it
You wont be pulling your hair out trying to interface the Mastercom 250 parts.

You can even get a new VFD for 30-50
Mine is a 20x2 character VFD iwith a parallel interface used from the MasterCom 250 setup but Noritake still makes a matching VFD That can do serial or parallel
Noritake uses the HD44780 interface I think you can pick another parallel but the 44780 is the easiest to do.
Bally also used a serial VFD from Noritake.

Only requires 6 outputs from a micro-controller (7 input is grounded - no reason to read from the display) and Vcc and Ground or you can also use async serial if you like.

May of the small LCD screens in the player tracking panels use the Hitachi HD44780 interface

[TZtech]

Hi Big D

Agree with Foster - The Noritake VFD CU20025ECPB from a bally mastercom 250 setup is probably Your best bet. It is HD44780 compatible Display works great on the amicus board. Pretty sure one of the vendors will be able to supply these together with an appropriate bracket for Your machine. Alternatively You can get HD44780 lcd's in all shapes and sizes on ebay for dirt cheap but You will need to find a way to mount it in your existing player tracking screen.

For Your existing screen You will need to study the datasheet and basically code Your own "Driver" software.

[TZtech]

Data sheet for Your display is here
http://pdf.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets/400/27307_DS.pdf

Here is a test routine for the Noritake VFD that scrolls a message on line 1 and shows static text on line 2

Code:

' Test Routine for Noritake VFD as found on Mastercom 250 displays


'   Noritake                    Amicus
'   1   GND                     GND
'   2   VCC +5V                 5V
'   3   N/C
'   4   R/S                     RC5
'   5   R/W                     GND
'   6   Enable                  RC4
'   7   D0
'   8   D1
'   9   D2
'   10  D3
'   11  D4                      RB0
'   12  D5                      RB1
'   13  D6                      RB2
'   14  D7                      RB3
    
'   VFD Pin definitions

    Declare LCD_Type 0
    Declare LCD_DTPin PORTB.0
    Declare LCD_ENPin PORTC.4
    Declare LCD_RSPin PORTC.5
    Declare LCD_Interface 4
    Declare LCD_Lines 2
    
    Dim Char As Byte
    Dim Loop As Byte
    Dim Offset As Byte
    Dim EndOfstring As Bit
  

' -----------------------------------------------

    Main:
    
    Print $FE, $01                               ' Clear display
    Print $FE, $C0                               ' Move to VfD Line2 Position1
    Print "     NLG Rocks      "
 
    While 1=1
     
     Offset=1
     EndOfstring = 0
     Print $FE, $02
            
      While EndOfstring = 0
       Print $FE, $02
        For Loop = 0 To 20 
         Char = LRead Welcome + Loop + Offset
         If Char = "*" Then EndOfstring = 1
         Print Char  
        Next
        DelayMS 100
       Offset = Offset+1
      Wend
    Wend

' -------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome: CData "                    Noritake VFD Test Routine for Amicus Controller                    *"
  

[Big_D]

Thanks Foster & TZtech,

I will start looking for a Bally Noritake VFD to use in my machine.

Thanks for the code snippit TZtech it makes for a great starting point.

[Op-Bell]

If you want to use the Arduino LCD interface but prefer a VFD display (who wouldn't?), check out the Futaba VFD LCD emulators like the NA162SD07. Apart from the supply current, they're an LCD drop-in replacement.

[Foster]

Noritake displays that I and TZTech are talking about use the LiquidCrystal library that is part of the Arduino development software.

TZTech's code shows it is not too hard to implement in the Amicus platform either
the new version of the noritake that supports the Hitachi HD44780 interface is only about $30 but shipping is $9-11 and that is for a brand new display.

Here is a demo of an Arduino running the Bally display directly

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/JDyfhYUzkLk&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/JDyfhYUzkLk&rel=0</a>

[Op-Bell]

Interesting. I knew Noritake did make an LCD compatible once, but I thought they dumped it years ago.

[Foster]

here is a link to the one that matches the Bally display (parallel version) Noritake offerings

http://www.noritake-elec.com/uversion.php?model=CU20025-UW1J