Introduction

Modding has certainly come a long way; hell, just about half of these introductions I have to write for every review usually include a blurb about the evolution of our hobby and progress the product up for review makes. Unfortunately (or fortunately), this time is no exception. LCDs used to be a product that the average modder found impractical due to the difficulties of having to first build, and then getting them to not only function alone, but also with ones PC. Let's face it, beyond a certain level of difficulty, even the most extreme modders won't bother attempting some things. As we've seen before, our community has had a demand for an easier product, and the manufacturers have come through. Virtual-Hideout has done a number of LCD reviews during the past couple of years, where you can actually see the progress manufacturers have made. Here's the ones I could dig up:

• PCMods.com Remote Serial Display Kit - 09 October 2001
• CaseETC.Com 16x2 LCD Kit - 25 November 2001
• Matrix-Orbital BLK202A-4BR 2x20 LCD w/ Keypad - 9 April 2002

I'll just briefly touch on each one. Some of the first non-home made kits we got were Remote Displays, like the one offered by PCMods above. Remote? That's one way to do it I guess. The CaseETC kit above is a prime example of why some of the not so electronic savvy might be intimidated. About a year ago, we reviewed a unit from Matrix Orbital, the BLK202A-4BR. This was probably the true break through LCD, offering never before seen capabilities and support. However, it was still somewhat behind the times using a Serial connection and the GPOs only supporting 5V connections. This review will basically touch on the new features of the LK202-24-USB LCD and revisions made from the BLK202A-4BR to the new MX212. Be sure to check out the Matrix-Orbital BLK202A-4BR review if you end up getting lost.

The Package

The MX212 bundle includes:

• LK202-24-USB Inverse Blue LCD Display (2x20 Characters)
• B202A 7-Button Keypad Drive Bay Insert
• Matrix Orbital Software CD
• Installation Instructions Paper

BONUS!

My buds over at Performace-PCs were nice enough to send along a USB Internal Header to Female socket adapter that'll allow us to connect the LCD to a USB connector on the motherboard, avoiding being forced to run the cable through the back of your PC some how and connecting it that way.

Shown above is just a quick look at the MX212 unit fully assembled. The USB connector on the unit is a Type "B" connector. This is the primary revision between the LK202-25-V and the LK202-24-USB. But, is it really worth it? Well, speed really isn't the issue; sure, it's a hell of a lot faster than Serial, but that's like upgrading from a 1GHz CPU to a 3GHz CPU to play Doom. On the other hand, Serial is simply obsolete and as motherboard companies move forward, Serial won't be; USB will. If Serial being obsolete isn't enough to convince you, perhaps the fact that this USB cable looks pretty cool, and is easier to plug in than Serial cables are. Lastly, I don't like rebooting, it puts me in a bad mood. USB, good; rebooting, bad.

Specifications

Before we continue, here's a look at some specifications of the MX212, from Matrix Orbital's product page:

Appearance

• 20 characters x 2 lines
  
• Module size: 116.0mm(L) x 37.0mm(W) x 27.5mm(T)
  
• Display size: 82.2mm(L) x 18.2mm(W)
  
• Character size: 3.20 x 5.55mm
  
• Bracket Dimensions: 146mm(L) x 43mm(W) x 60mm(T)
  
• Face Plate Dimensions:
  
• 149mm(L) x 43mm(W) x 2mm(T)
  
• Overlay color: PC Beige (standard) or Black (-BK option)
  
• Attractive and durable (coated rust-resistant steel mounting bracket; Lexan faceplate)

Functional Capabilities of Display

• Display text, horizontal and vertical bar graphs
  
• Software controlled speed, start-up screen, line wrapping, scrolling, contrast, backlight and time-out setting (up to 180 minutes)
  
• Memory chip saves settings
  
• Custom start up/splash on screen

Includes

• USB LCD Display with wide voltage (20 characters x 2 lines) - Product # LK202-24-USB
  
• 7-key keypad overlay, bracket, USB cable, and mounting screws
  
• Software and manual on CDROM
  
• LCDC!!!

Interface

• Interface with up to 24-key keypad
  
• Use 6 General Purpose Outputs
  
• USB communications (Connect up to 100+ displays)

Speed

• USB mode: 1200bps to 19.2 Kbps
  
• Fully buffered - no delays in transmission

Power Requirements (Ta = 25°C, Vin = 12V)

• Operates at 0ºC to +50ºC
  
• Supply Voltage: 5Vdc
  
• Supply Current: 25mA typical
  
• Backlight Supply Current: 115mA typical

 

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