Our excellent SmartLCD and Keypads are now on sale!
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The SmartLCD Keypad Kit is an optional add-on for the Hobby Components SmartLCD (HCMODU0122). When constructed this add-on board connects to the SmartLCD’s keypad header using a single 4 way cable (supplied). Once connected it adds the additional features of keypad control (up, down, left, right, select, and back) and audible output to your end application.
Access to button states and speaker output is then available via the SmartLCD’s I2C or UART interfaces using its built-in commands (See the SmartLCDs manual for more information)
Features:
Product code: HCKITS0058
Connects to the SmartLCD to add keypad input and speaker output to your application – no additional pins required
Control of keypad and speaker is done through existing SmartLCD serial commands.
Adds UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, SELECT, and BACK keypad control.
Easy to solder through-hole components.
Designed to allow panel mounting.
Dimensions:
The 1602 SmartLCD module is a serially controlled 2 line by 16 character alphanumeric LCD display. Unlike most serial LCD modules on the market the 1602 SmartLCD includes a microcontroller which gives the module a rich set of features. It also requires no software or libraries to initialise the display, output text to the screen or control the features of the module, which reduces development time and frees up much needed resources in your microcontroller or development board.
To interface to the module there is a choice of serial I2C, allowing more than one screen to be controlled from the same bus, or via a serial UART interface. When controlled via the serial UART there are two further operating modes (AT command mode and passive mode). When in AT command mode all the features of the module can be controlled from simple text based commands. These include controlling backlight and contrast levels and also printing text to the display. In passive mode any printable ASCII characters sent to the module via the UART are automatically printed to the screen. When in passive mode the module will also respond to a number of extended ASCII codes.
Features:
16 character by 2 line LCD display module.
Very clear white text with blue backlight.
No software or drivers required to setup or control the module.
Software backlight control with 11 brightness levels.
Software contrast control.
External keypad with buzzer support (optional extra, see item HCKITS0058).
Single 5V operation.
I2C Mode
Control multiple displays from one I2C bus.
Software control of all module features via simple I2C commands.
I2C address configurable via software from 0x08 to 0x77 (default 0x27).
Built-in 10K pull-up resistors for clock SCL and data SDA lines.
Access to external keypad and buzzer.
Serial AT command mode
Software control of all module features via simple AT text commands.
Software configurable baud with 8 different speeds (9600 BAUD default).
Access to external keypad and buzzer.
Serial passive mode
Compatible with 5V serial UART devices (9600 baud default) – no microcontroller required.
Automatically displays any printable ASCII text.
Responds to a number of additional extended ASCII control codes.
Specification:
Model number:Â HCMODU0122
Supply voltage: 5V
Display type: 16 character x 2 line alphanumeric LCD
Display technology: STN negative blue / transmissive polariser
Supply current: 27.5mA (backlight on) / 6.5mA (backlight off)
Interfaces: I2C, serial UART and external keypad
Module dimensions: 80mm x 36mm x 17.5mm
Bezel dimensions: 71mm x 24mm
Optional Features – LCD Keypad kit (See item HCKITS0058)
The SmartLCD’s features can be further expanded with the addition of the SmartLCD keypad (see item SKU: HCKITS0058). This add-on board connects to the SmartLCD’s keypad header using a single 4 way cable. Once connected it adds the additional features of keypad control (up, down, left, right, select, and back) and audible output to your end application. Access to button states and speaker output is then available via the Smart LCD’s I2C or UART interfaces using its built-in commands (see the software section of the SmartLCD manual for more information).
Optional Features – Wireless access
A bonus feature of the SmartLCD, due to it not requiring initialisation by a microcontroller, is it’s ability to operate wirelessly using a suitable serial wireless pass-through module. Here in the diagram below you can see a remote control application of the SmartLCD and keypad with the addition of HC-05 Bluetooth slave (see item SKU: HCARDU0004) and Bluetooth master (see items SKU: HCARDU0064) modules.
Examples, downloads and lots more information is available on our support forum here.
Hobby Components SmartLCD and keyboard isn’t just smart it’s absolutely brilliant! Whoever at HC came up with this idea and made it happen deserves a medal! As with all great ideas you think why didn’t someone think of this before? Sticking a microcontroller onto a LCD and using I2C to connect it your Arduino. It gives you a text screen, a keypad and a speaker it costs you just an I2C address and absolutely no I/O pins on YOUR arduino.
Thanks, that’s very high praise indeed and much appreciated – glad to hear your happy with the product.
Great product, I work with PIC’s and always running out of pins to connect diagnostic displays, one pin and we are cooking on gas!