
Irregular Shed writes - "One Epson DMD-206 display - the ones normally used on tills in supermarkets - hacked to be connected to a PC via its serial port, and hooked up to an IBM Thinkpad running Xubuntu Linux (Ubuntu with Xfce - because this is an old laptop). Why? Because I can =) " - Link.
Display fun
Recent Entries
- 3D-printable buckydome brackets
- Print-your-own 35mm pinhole camera
- Paralyzed Graffiti Artist Draws With His Eyes @NPR
- In the Makers Market: Posc pocket audio oscillator kit
- Flame: A cool Processing-based art program
- Arduino meet up (photos)
- Electronic business card demonstrates transistor amplification
- Gentlemakers, start your robots!
- New in the Maker Shed: Arduino 7-Segment Shield
- MakerBotted Gothic cathedral does not require legion of serfs
Comments
Oldest comments listed first.
Leave a comment
Subscribe to MAKE Magazine!
Subscribe today, save 42% and get web access to MAKE free. MAKE Digital Edition is available only to subscribers.
$34.95 / 1 year
(4 Quarterly Issues)



































As I updated on the Flickr page:
This display is one that was used on checkouts in the late 90s but has been superceded - it cost me £5. It uses a single lead for data and power, so I spliced together a new lead from the old one, an old null modem lead and some wire I had lying around the house. It's currently powered by an Olivetti laptop PSU from about 1997 (more junk lying around the house) but, seeing as it has such a wide input voltage range (11-48V) it will soon be hanging off a Molex connector.
What people forget is that most tills these days, bar the cheapest entry-level stuff, are PC based - so familiar PC protocols are used. This display takes serial data, currently 38400bps, 8-N-1, no flow control. With some advice from my LUG, I can pipe output straight into it.
Eventually, this is going to be the display on my Linux-powered alarm clock =)
Reply to this comment