Introduction

It is that time again for me to bring you the gift of a review. This time I will be looking at the Case ETC. 16x2 LCD Kit. I have noticed that the LCD's are becoming more and more popular these days around the entire case modding community. Cole over at Case ETC. told DiceMan that this was not an easy kit to work with. I would have to actually disagree from my standpoint. If you are not good at soldering, reading and following directions, then this kit will be difficult for you to do. At first I was like, "What the hell did I get myself into here." But after opening up the kit, reading the detailed instructions, checking over the Internet and Crystalfontz concerning Parallel LCD's, I figured that it may be a little harder then I expected. Since this was my first time EVER wiring up an LCD, setting up the LCD software, and getting it to run on the computer, I went ahead and researched a little harder just to be safe. I run Windows XP, Windows 2K, Windows ME, Windows 98, Linux, FreeBSD, BeOS, and Sun Solaris (Intel) here at my house and I wanted to see what operating systems I could use with the LCD. I will let you know how the tests with these operating systems went throughout the review. After opening up all of the packaging for the Kit, I went ahead and laid out all of the items that comes with the kit. After looking everything over and making sure nothing was broke (OHMed out the POT, resistor, DB-25 connector, SPST switch, and the LCD), I went ahead and started the project.

NOTE: If you do not know how to solder or have never soldered in your life, I would recommend on practicing the soldering techniques on a piece of material that is of no importance to you. You will have to solder in small places and running solder = DESTROYED LCD KIT!!! Use a small solder tip for your soldering iron or gun. The best solder I feel for this situation is the Radio Shack 60/40 Standard Rosin-Core Solder (.032 dia. / 8.0 oz.). Nice small solder that does not need flux to use since it contains the Rosin-Core.

16x2 LCD Kit Contents

After reading up on LCD's before I received the kit I thought that there would be a lot of components, a gazillion wires, and about 10 band aids for support. After opening up the package I was surprised as all heck to find out it doesn't take much to get an LCD to communicate with your PC. The Case ETC. 16x2 LCD Kit includes the following:

• (1) 16x2 Crystalfontz 636 LCD
  
• (1) DB-25 Connector
  
• (1) SPST Switch
  
• (1) Potentiometer (POT)
  
• (1) Resistor
  
• (1) Molex Connector
• (2) Small rolls of solid core wire

 
Here is the LCD unit Front, Back, and Side views.

 
Here are the DB-25 Connector, SPST Switch, and the Potentiometer.

 
Here are the Resistor, Molex Connector, and the small rolls of solid core wire.

As you can see from the pictures there isn't really much to the kit. The only information that I will not give you about this kit are the actual instructions and the OHMs of the Potentiometer and the Resistor. Now comes the time to put it all together. I hate to say it, but I will not be posting pictures of this process. If I was to give you all the information that you needed to do this kit, then one, it would be in the How-To section more then likely, and two, it would defeat the entire purpose of purchasing this kit from Case ETC. Sorry ;(

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