LCD Controller

[AtomSoft]

Hello all, I seem to play with a ton of LCDs and always waste so many pins on it. I want to create my own LCD controller for my 1.8" LCD

I know how to write to the LCD as most have seen on my blog but the issue isnt communication but what to communicate...

I want to know what do you think a LCD Controller IC should do? Should i use SPI/UART for MCU communication to it?

But of course i want to make it as universal as i can. Like by having the option for a 8 or 16 bit LCDs and also have give the user the option to setup some GPIO for use a Clock Line, Enable line etc...

Even Backlight control!

I wanted to know where should i start?

I plan on using a ARM since it has so much to offer for something like this and i have all the tools and ICs needed to start this up. Also the speed is great!

 

[Noggin]

Personally, I'd find a graphic LCD driver with a SPI input instead of trying to reinvent it. Making a full blow graphics chip is much less fun, in my opinion, then actually putting stuff up on the display. I tend to use the 100 pin PIC32's though so I don't usually mind blowing 20 pins on a parallel interface to an LCD.

However, if you're dead set on making your own driver, I'd start by reading a few graphics driver datasheets. I'd start with the following:

• Ability to set output mode to 8 bit, 16 bit, 18 bit, or 24 bit bus
• Need to chose a uC with 256K ram (320x240 @ 16 bit resolution is 153K ram)
• Use configuration input pins to select SPI, I2C, or parallel input on your ARM
• Ability to page your graphics ram so that you can draw to one page while displaying another
• Ability to horizontally or vertically flip the display
• Ability to send commands such as Draw_Filled_Square(left, top, right, bottom) so you can easily draw big squares without sending hundreds or thousands of pixel addresses and colors
• Ability to load a font to the driver so that you can give it x, y, foreground, background, and text string info and let it draw it instead of you having to send many many commands

Sky is the limit. For every project you do, you'll probably think of something else you want to add to the driver.

 

[AtomSoft]

I was looking at : SSD1963

Looks like a nice IC... but its $20

Thats why i want to make my own. Ill try making my own but with basic stuff first. At least i can always add on to it in the future with firmware updates heh

 

[Noggin]

Have you considered using a display with the graphics controller built in (COG - chip on glass)?

 

[AtomSoft]

The issue with that is they are way more expensive. I can get a 1.8" LCD (16Bit) for about $2 wholesale ... if i get a COG LCD then im looking at about $15 each... even at wholesale...