Second LCD came today. This is the one that I am going to try and hook up to the USB port for power, so I can have it external to my laptop for instance.

I've found myself two 'ABS enclosures' which are just the right size to hold the LCD, one's a nice brushed metal one, that's the one that'll probably fit best too I have also found a prototype board, so the whole pot/resistor stuff is neater.. not sure if it will fit in the box though because it doesn't give any size specs! If it doesn't I can just hack it up I suppose Anyway, just trying to prove I am not entirely useless!

What I am looking for though, is a female parallel port connector, panel mount. Like the parallel port connector you find on the back of your motherboards, but one which you can screw to something and a female USB port connector, panel mount too preferably.. both with solder pads on the non connector side, if you know what I mean. That's all I need to find then I can order, wait, and start hacking things up

Help?!

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Alright, found a USB connector...

http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk/rkmain.a...66136&XPAGENO=1

Problem is it doesn't look panel mount at all! I suppose I could sit it on the bottom of the box, drill a couple of small holes for those clips things, poke the clips through and bend them. Reckon that would hold well enough?

*sigh*, can't do that actually... they USB ones are PCB mount so the pin holes would get in the way I think I don't need the data pins, might be able to just bend the two power pins or something... maybe... helpppppp

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There's actually the parallel port thing I need on there too, I think. It *looks* like a standard parallel port cable would fit?

http://www.rapidelectronics.co.uk/rkMain.a...28898&XPAGENO=1

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Alright. Ordering 4 different parallel connectors (to be on the safe side & they're cheap! ) and a USB B and USB A connector (... cheap!!!), the box, prototype board, a 1.8m parallel lead (m-f) and a USB lead (m-m). I think that outta do it, I think! Pictures will come... whenever (if ever) I finish it. Something is BOUND to go wrong! This is me making the order after all, mr useless attempt at a modder type effort!

Wish me luck!

(HA! something went my way.. I just ordered it all and it seems they didn't charge the delivery of £5 ish. YEY!)

doesn't usb only have like 3.3v of power? don't those backlights need 12v?

It's got a 5v line and a ground line, and in the middle the two data lines (one send and one recieve presumably) and a maximum of 500mA per channel apparently.

My display needs... 5v for the display, 1.2mA(?) and the backlight needs 4.2v with somewhere between 280mA-560mA (absolute max on the specs) The resistor I have limits it to something around 330mA max I think it was, so I shouldn't be in any risk blowing the port atleast Should work fine.. I think

radio shack has a lot of sht, you should try there

Dunno if we have that in the UK

Maplin... we have Maplin (yay Maplin!)

yes i work there, lol

LOL "bits and bobs?" You brits make me laugh.

And you don't have Radioshack???? That's like the coolest place ever!

bits and bobs! jibblets?

Too late! All ordered.. time to playyy the waiting gaaame! Our Maplin in Norwich seems to suck a little, by the way! Cept the old lady at the till who nearly died when I told her the cathode I bought shocked me.

"bits and bobs"??? what the heck is that? I thought it said TITS and BOOBS!

I'm disappointed.

HAHA!! sorry man, no tits and boobs here

awww no way... i guess me and claymeow think alike

I thought it said that to.

LMFAO. O man thats great.

Radio Shack is good but they overcharge.

Got it all today. I've fitted the parallel port connector into the box, cut the prototype board in half and trimmed down the edges of the box so the LCD PCB fits in horizontally.

Need to:

• File/sand down the edges of the screw holes so it fits in vertically (no idea how I am gonna do that, dremel bits aren't long enough to reach right down to the bottom )
• Solder a couple of wires on the LCD
• Cut the big hole for the LCD screen (that comes last)
• Broke one of the two hold down pin things off on the USB connector by accident, so that's either gotta be glued on (how?) or... dunno!
• Find out if a USB port can supply ~300mA. I read today it's limited at 100mA and if you need more you have to 'request it' somehow :| So the USB power idea might even have to be scrapped *cries*
• Make up all the wires I need for the LCD (attach them to the crimp pin things and stick them inside the pin header housing lala's)

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Well here's an update! I found a way to file/sand/strip down the screw holes in the box, but the LCD won't fit because the box goes inwards at a slight angle, so at the top of the box it's like 100mm wide but at the bottom it's probably about 97mm or something. The LCD itself is 100mm wide... soo... it doesn't fit, well it does but it only gets about half way down!!! No good!!!

Luckily I ordered two of these boxes, so I am gonna mount the LCD to the lid tomorrow, as it'll fit properly up the top of the box. Only problem then is the screws will be on the front, but still... all good! I managed to get the USB connector to fit too! So, tomorrow I will be doing all the cutting over again on the other box and hopefully it'll all fit nicely.

I'll post some pictures if I manage to get it all done tomorrow