Introduction

LCD's are nothing new to computing. For a while, they have been used on servers, their two or four line display outputting critical information such as CPU utilization, HDD space usage, memory usage and the like. The ability to monitor such fundamental statistics about a computer without having to resort to using a monitor has been a very useful feature. In the past few years, we've seen the emergence of consumer-level LCD's for the case modders out there. Their usage is similar to that of their forerunners, but has also expanded to include other things that a case modder would desire. Not only can basic stats be output to the LCD, but also temperatures and other hardware-monitoring stats can be displayed. In fact, with the right software, the LCD can be made to display a wide range of data, limited only by a person's imagination. In addition as being a valuable tool, a LCD can also add to the overall appearance of a modded case. In the recent past, however, LCD's could be somewhat tricky to install. Today, I'll be looking at a display from VLSystem, a Korean company whose product promises to be easy to install while producing quality results.

Specifications

There are three-different versions of the L.I.S LCD being offered, and the only differences between each are the bezel and backlight colours and the power consumption. (Each colour LCD draws a different amount of current at a different voltage) The blue-backlit display comes with a silver-coloured bezel while the red and green backlit ones come with a black bezel. (The shade of black appears to be different for each, but I'm not sure.) The one I received was the blue-backlit, silver-coloured, aptly named the "Blue Platinum". Personally, I like this combo the best - it should fit well with a wide range of aluminum cases, and beige goes quite well with it, as well. And, blue rocks :)

• L.I.S controller size: 74mm × 33mm (PCB)
• Communication Method: Serial Port (9pin) RS232-C
• 19200bps 8-bit(full), 1 stop bit
• 4 Line interface method: (GND, 5V, RX, RX)
• Power Supply: 5V (PC USB Connector)
• Supporting LCD: Character STN LCD (Hitach HD44780 Compatible)
• Display Module available in: Blue, Red, Green (Controller must be set to reflect this)
• Blue LCD Power consumption: 420mA @ 3.2V (according to VLSystem's site)

The display came well-packaged, with close to an inch of foam on the side, protecting the display and controller board from damage during shipping. The unit fit snugly in, so there was no room for its movement within. When you're spending money on such a nice display, you'll want the security in knowing the packaging superb. As you can see, included along with the display and its cables are a user manual and installation CD containing a version of VLSystem's L.I.S LCD driver software. The version of the software on the CD I had was outdated, but the specifications page for the Blue Platinum has a link to an updated version. The same link also contains a more detailed explanation of installation, for those that need it.

Nice packaging.

LCD is packaged well.

Clockwise, starting from top left: Power/Data cables, LCD unit, user manual, install CD.

The first thing you notice after unpacking this display is that it's pretty much all put together. There's little installation required beyond having to plug in two cables. This reduces the time spent during installation and increases the time you'll spend having fun with this thing. The LCD receives data and power from the same cable. One end connects to the controller PCB while the other end has two connectors, one female serial connector and a USB connector. Data is transmitted through the serial port while the unit receives power (5VDC) through the USB connection. A little weird, and this is the first time I've seen such an implementation, but it's ideal as both connections are at the back of the case, and you won't have to fiddle with power connectors from your PSU. The downside to this, of course, is if you have no available USB ports on the back of your case. The entire cable is about 1-m long.

Manual provides basic instructions.

The 4-conductor cable provides both power and data.

Two buttons on the unit.

The LCD module, the controller board and the switches are all attached to a bracket that can be mounted in a 5.25" drive bay. Brass screws hold the acrylic faceplate to the drive bracket, and also hold the LCD module and controller board in place. Upon inspection, I found that the nuts holding the screws in place were somewhat loose - not good thing, I thought. However, it turns out that the LCD PCB and the front of the drive bracket were already slightly bent from the stress from the screws, and in any event, the LCD module was in no danger of falling out completely. This 'problem' perhaps could have been solved by putting a nut on each side of the LCD's PCB. There are only two buttons on the front, one for power and the other for activating the backlight. The buttons fit in nicely with the package, both of them being metal. The labels are on the underside of the acrylic faceplate, and as such, they are protected as well as the LCD display itself.

A 20x2 display.

Buttons fit in nicely.

The LCD can be mounted into a 5.25" drive bay.

The LCD supports a 20 characters x 2 lines display and it is driven by VLSystem's own controller module. Because the display, a Hitachi HD44780-compatible, is a parallel unit, controller must convert the serial data signal from the PC into a parallel one that the LCD is compatible with. Also on the controller board is a small resistor that controls the contrast of the characters on the display; it can be adjusted with a small screwdriver. A small jumperset is used to tell the controller board what the colour of the LCD's backlight is, so the proper voltage can be supplied to the display. The jumper should be set to the correct colour of your display, I.E., it should be set to 'B' for this blue display. The jumper should already be set the correct setting for the LCD colour, but it is always a good idea to check anyways, since an incorrect setting could result in the backlight not functioning, or worse yet, a damaged display. Both the power and backlight switches are also connected to the controller board.

Back of the unit.

The controller board.

Power, backlight switches connected to controller PCB.

The power and backlight switches are simple toggle ones, and they are connected to the controller board on 2-pin leads, so they are easy to remove should you want to use a different means to control, say, the backlight, for instance. As you might be able to see in the below middle pic, the controller board, while being connected to the LCD via a parallel interface, is supported above the LCD module with some foam inserts. Overall, a fairly well-thought out design, physically, for this LCD.

Switches.

A slight bending in the drive bracket and PCB.

Connector for data and power.

<< Back to Reviews Page | Installation >>

Got News? Send 'em in!