Easy 7 Segment Digital Display Hardware

[Dhubbell]

I need to display multiple (6) 7-segment digital displays on separate display hardware.  I will be displaying these digital values on the Monitor and on the 7 segment digital displays at the same time.

Here's an example of a 7 segment digital display I'm talking about:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11441

This hardware has four 7 segment displays and I think it would work.

Now my question, is there any other options for in Labview for controlling an external digital display?

I was thinking I would use the Labview Arduino Toolkit to address these external displays.  Since I've never used the Arduino, I wanted to see if there is an Easier way in Labview to control a 7 Segment Digital display.

Thanks,

Doug

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

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@Dhubbell wrote:

I need to display multiple (6) 7-segment digital displays on separate display hardware.  I will be displaying these digital values on the Monitor and on the 7 segment digital displays at the same time.

Here's an example of a 7 segment digital display I'm talking about:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11441

This hardware has four 7 segment displays and I think it would work.

Now my question, is there any other options for in Labview for controlling an external digital display?

I was thinking I would use the Labview Arduino Toolkit to address these external displays.  Since I've never used the Arduino, I wanted to see if there is an Easier way in Labview to control a 7 Segment Digital display.

Thanks,

Doug

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Any reason why you need to use LabVIEW?

It actually is pretty easy to control the four digits using just the Arduino Uno. I did it this weekend.

http://www.hobbytronics.co.uk/arduino-4digit-7segment  has example code

I wrote my own code.

[RavensFan]

Here is a link that actually works.

http://www.hobbytronics.co.uk/arduino-4digit-7segment

(There were two hidden characters at the end of the link in the previous message that kept it from working.)

[MichaelBalzer]

Given this display is 'smart' (it has its own onboard microcontroller), one option is to combine the linked display with an FTDI cable (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9718). Then all you need to do is send serial commands from the LabVIEW PC to the display. Only downside is you need six of the cables (and six spare USB ports, or a powered hub).

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

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@MichaelBalzer wrote:

Given this display is 'smart' (it has its own onboard microcontroller), one option is to combine the linked display with an FTDI cable (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9718). Then all you need to do is send serial commands from the LabVIEW PC to the display. Only downside is you need six of the cables (and six spare USB ports, or a powered hub).

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You right.

Sending serial commands is the way to go for this display and would very simple to do with LabVIEW.

I have the "dumb" 4 digit 7-segment display at 1/10 of the cost.  🙂

[Dhubbell]

The forum isn't posting my text, let me try again:

________________________________________
MichaelBalzer wrote:
Given this display is 'smart' (it has its own onboard microcontroller), one option is to combine the linked display with an FTDI cable (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9718). Then all you need to do is send serial commands from the LabVIEW PC to the display. Only downside is you need six of the cables (and six spare USB ports, or a powered hub).
________________________________________
HI Michael, I'm all for easy! After looking around I found another display with TEXT:
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1911
Do you think this will work with an FTDI Cable too?

I've never used the FTDI Labview pallet, but, I think I need to download and install the "FTDI Driver for Serial Communication Protocols (SPI,i2C)" from the VI Packet Manager. Is that correct? Also, do you have any sample code or can you point me to FTDI code that could help me understand it more?

@NYC, my application is based in LV and these digital displays are only a small subset, I'm glad I asked because I never knew about FTDI cables. Sure, I may have a few extra cables, but, it's worth it my application. I will get a powered USB hub and I think this will work.

If anyone has any example code they would like to share, please post. I plan on posting my results too. Thanks for everyone's suggestions. It's always good to get a different perspective. You're ideas are much better and simpler than mine.

[Hooovahh]

The displays you last linked to is I2C communication.  A simple serial communication will not work with them.  But the good news is any Arduino would work pretty easily.  And lucky for you the LIFA (and probably LINX) toolkits support I2C communication to an arduino so the libraries are already written.  I remember there even being a palette for 7 segment displays on LIFA but I never used it and I'm unsure what hardware it was intended to work with.  Lots of options.

[nyc_(is_out_of_here)]

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@Hooovahh wrote:

The displays you last linked to is I2C communication.  A simple serial communication will not work with them. 

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The display has TTL level serial communication capability according to the datasheet

9600 baud

https://github.com/sparkfun/Serial7SegmentDisplay/wiki/Interface%20Specifications  

[Hooovahh]

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@nyc_(is_out_of_here) wrote:

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@Hooovahh wrote:

The displays you last linked to is I2C communication.  A simple serial communication will not work with them. 

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The display has TTL level serial communication capability according to the datasheet

9600 baud

https://github.com/sparkfun/Serial7SegmentDisplay/wiki/Interface%20Specifications  

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Which one are you talking about?  The one last linked to was on Adafruit:

http://www.adafruit.com/products/1911

http://www.adafruit.com/datasheets/CID2379.pdf

The datasheet doesn't mention any TTL or serial...or how to talk to the thing at all.