Graphic LCD Module for 8051 Micros

In this article, we describe how a display using the popular Toshiba T6963 controller can be driven by an 8051 (or compatible) microcontroller. Read on to find out how to use the full display for a graphic image and how to convert an image on the PC into the pixels needed by the display.For the familiar alphanumeric displays used in many Elektor Electronics projects, Hitachi has set the industry standard with its HD44780 controller. Nearly all manufacturers use this controller in their LCD modules, with the result that in practice it does not matter which display you attach to your circuit, although the connector may vary from one brand to the next.The situation with monochrome graphic modules is similar, although here we unfortunately find that there is much less standardisation on a single controller. One controller that is certainly used quite often is the Toshiba T6963, so we decided to see how a display fitted with this controller could be driven using an 8051 or compatible microcontroller. Our starting point was the compact 80C597 board described the January and February 2000 issues, along with its associated EEPROM (976510-1), but in principle any other microcontroller system could be used just as well.

Resistor:
P1 = 1kOhm preset H
Capacitors:
C1-C4,C7 = 10µ F 16V
C5,C6,C9 = 100nF
C8 = 470µ F 16V
Semiconductors:
D1 = BAT85
IC1 = 74LS30
IC2,IC3 = ICL7660
IC4 = 7805
Miscellaneous:
K1 = 35-way SIL connector
K2 = 20-way boxheader
PCB order code 000134-1 (see Readers Services pages)
Disk, project software, order code 000134-11 or free download