Introduction

LCD screens aren't exactly new in the computer world. They've been around for years, and even come in a rainbow of colors. That being said it has been a while since anything new and revolutionary has come to the LCD department. It appears the guys at Crystalfontz have done just that. The CFA-631 has something that sets it apart from any other LCD on the market. What is this you might ask? Well, I'll tell ya… Crystalfontz has managed to fit a 20x2 LCD and four buttons into a package small enough to fit into one 3.5” bay. This is an amazing accomplishment, and is especially useful for people running small form factor boxes and have limited expansion room, like myself.

LCD

First allow me to list the features of the 631 as according to the Crystalfontz website:

631 Series Features:

• The only 20x2 USB LCD with keypad designed to fit in a PC's 3.5" floppy disk drive bay.

• USB interface (115200 baud throughput)

• LED backlit negative mode STN 20x2 LCD

• Integrated LED backlit 4-button translucent silicon keypad

• "key legends" allows user assignment of soft keys to be shown easily on the LCD

• LCD characters are contiguous in both X and Y directions to allow the host software to display "gapless" bar graphs in horizontal or vertical directions

• Fully decoded keypad: any key combination is valid and unique

• Robust packet-based communications protocol with 16-bit CRC

• Built-in re-programmable microcontroller (factory operation)

• Non-volatile memory capability ("EEPROM"):

• Customize the "power-on" display settings

• 16-byte "scratch" register for storing IP, netmask, system serial number . . .

• Expandable firmware and configurable hardware that can be customized to add specific features for your system needs:

• Hardware or software watchdog can provide system reset

• Other analog or digital I/O

• Provide "dongle" functionality for software copy protection

• Autonomous hardware monitoring

• Fan control and monitoring, temperature monitoring

(Tooling fee may apply for custom firmware and hardware)

• Printable 1:1 Acrobat template: CFA-631 one_to_one.pdf

• Mechanical Characteristics:

• Compact size easily fits in 1U cases

• 101.6(W) mm x 25.4(H) mm Overall Size

• 66.0(W) mm x 13.8(H) mm Viewing Area

• 63.55(W) mm x 10.35(H) mm Active Area

• 3.13(W) mm x 5.15(H) mm Character Size

• Depth:
  Without Keypad or Overlay 90.0 mm
  Without Keypad, with Overlay 90.6 mm
  With Keypad 93.1 mm

• Keystroke Travel (approximate) 2 mm

The LCD itself comes in a wide variety of versions. It is available in either a blue or red backlight screen, with either a silver or black overlay. You can also get either an internal usb connector or an external type-a connector. I personally chose package # DB631BKTMFKU2 which is the blue screen, black overlay, and internal connector.

Front of display (duh)

The front of this display is very similar to most other LCD's out there, with some minor exceptions. The screen is slightly offset to the left, in order to make room for the four raised illuminated buttons. Personally I am not crazy over the buttons. I would of rather seen a larger, centered screen without the buttons. I may change my mind however once Crystal Control 2 is released, but more on that later.

The back of the display is fairly simple, with only two connectors. The one in the center is for the USB connector, and the one on the left appears to be unused, at least not for our purposes. You'll notice that there is no power connector on the 631, this is because it draws its power directly from the USB connection. Another thing missing from this display are any GPO's. For those who don't know GPO's are General Purpose Outputs. They are found on a lot of LCD's on the market and can be used to control any number of things. I'm assuming the reason there are none on the 631 is because of both space and power issues.