Recommend me a VFD

[Starbuck3733T]

I need a graphical VFD, and here is alist of things I would like it to do/be able to do and their relative importance. so basically, I guess its more like a VFD hardware/software combo.

Interface: USB, Serial, or Parallel
Pre-wired: don't care
Size: 128x64 or 126x64 (was looking at the noritake x64 series)
Software needs to be able to:
Display temperatures
Display temperatures w\ custom graphics
Display system info
have plugin ability (nice, but not a true requirement)
control brightness (it would be nice)
do song info w\ graphics


My previous looking led me to the x64 series review here on bit-tech, but the LCDC support on them seemed 'iffy'. I'm looking to spend about US$130 on the display, tops. LCD displays need not apply, as I'm going for a macro-black-esque effect.

[Greeny]

The LCDC support is, as you say 'iffy, for the Noritake basically you have to put in a lot of the commands yourself instead of the software doing it for you. I've got one, but have yet to get round to custom coding some screens for it, I am running the Bit-Tech demo screens on it and they're very nice indeed.

If you decide to go for one Noritake have very good sales people who will sort you out no problem, the unit I recieved even came pre-wired for attatching to the comp. No duty to pay on it either as you pay tax when you order it (unlike when I bought a Matrix Orbital direct).

[Pug]

I haven't moved on to graphical VFDs yet but with my AquaBay CF 634, I can get everything you listed (bar the graphics) from The Crystal Control software.

I'd pick a USB given the choice - easier to keep wiring internal. I use a pass thru on my serial (mebbe one day I'll solder a lead direct to the mobo serial port to keep things tidy) but it would be nicer to come off an internal header.

[Starbuck3733T]

Looks like, from bit-tech thread, I'll be going with some sorta noritake 800A series display and using LCDStudio (http://www.lcdstudio.com/). This gets my pick because the plugins already have a COM enabled SDK. First thing I'll write is probably a task manager plugin - just displays the running proccesses and sorts them by CPU usage. Simple enough. Which means, I believe, I can write plugins in VB.NET :cool: I really REALLY really REALLY don't want to write in VB6 or VC++. .NET keeps my arse outta trouble.

Unfortunately I just came up w\ the deal of a lifetime for $125 for another 512MB of mushkin BH5 (2x256) that does 2-2-2-6 rated. Considering it retails for $162 + shipping, I wasn't gonna pass it up. with winbond out of the ram business, its going to become VERY hard to find memories that can preform like BH5 :(

Blah blah blah.... so with that $125 spent, it'll be a while before the display comes into the picture. At least I'll have my touch-pad boards next week to keep me busy!

[Greeny]

Corsair (http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/currents/CurrentsJUNE04.html) and OCZ (http://www.ocztechnology.com/aboutocz/press/2004/99) just came out with new chips capable of 2-2-2-5/8-1T @ 400MHz that can scale to higher frequency at slacker timings (250MHz at 2.5-3-3-7), their based on Samsung 4nS apparently. Not sure how they perform at high voltage haven't seen a lot of information about them yet. Some say they're going to be the new BH-5, I'm severly considering some for my DFI.