With Wings As Eagles: Craig P. Steffen's Blog

Configuration the old-fashioned way

2010 December 27 00:48

I got an Arduino 20x4 LCD display for Christmas from my parents-in-law. I got an Arduino Mega last Christmas, which I didn't use a lot, but I also worked on one at work instead, so I got used to programming that.

My ultimate plan for this is the use the computer as a data-collecting, diagnostic, and perhaps control system for my vintage Beetle. The display will definitely help with that. I'll be able to print out diagnostic information that I can read from inside the car. An arduino, although awesome in concept in what it can do, but its interactivity while deployed is underwhelming. You can hook up LEDs to it that it can blink, but that's usually it.

I opened it yesterday, but all I had time to do then was to solder on the header pins. Today, I got the display wired up and displayed stuff on it. It's cool!

Here's my setup sitting in my lap. From left to right, my laptop running the arduino programming Java tool, which powers and controls the Arduino Mega via USB. Then the Arduino itself, and then the display plugged into a breadboard. The set of wires that connect the Arduino to the display are a little cumbersome. This setup, of course, is just for messing around. In the car, I'll have to replace this wire setup with some sort of ribbon cable.

(sorry about the indifferent focus.)

Here's a clearer shot of the wiring:

And here's a Christmas message to all of you.

Happy Holidays!