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WTB - Noritake GU256X64-315 Custom VFD for Agilent 81101A
Posted by
switch998
on 20 May, 2018 02:47
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Hi Everyone! I need to buy a VFD after my 81101A suffered an impact to the screen. I'm having a really hard time finding this model, since it appears to be custom. It's used in the following Agilent products. Hopefully someone here has a spares unit kicking around.
81101A
81104A
8110A
81110A
81130A
8114A
8169A
E5574A
The part # is GU256x64-315, the VFD itself is DM256x64L. There is a newer screen, but since keysight only posts low res images on their site I can't make out the numbers. It looks like GU256x64-901D, a good way to tell is the replacement has a Xilinx Spartan FPGA onboard in lieu of the standard Itron chips.
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#1 Reply
Posted by
nfmax
on 21 May, 2018 10:57
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Me too! I have an 8110A with a very dim, but still functional display. I wonder if it would be feasible to reverse-engineer the drive protocol & use a modern LCD of some sort?
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#2 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 21 May, 2018 12:11
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We used heaps of -GU256x64-332, GU256x64-372, GU256x64-355, GU256x64-900, GU256x64-3900 on a LXE 900MHz radio terminal -The MDT1280.
I would buy dead units from USA for ~$100-200 and rip the VFDs out of them. I do recall the GU256x64-315, but I'd have to get to my shipping
container to see if there's anything left. You can check out LXE1280, 1290, 2280, 2285 to find out if any models used that exact part.
I have the pdfs for the models I quoted above, but would have to do a search through archives for the -315.
They were used a lot in radio terminals, hopefully, that may help. If you get stuck, I can do the big search :-)
Actually, at one point, I did make an interface so that I could run all the new LCDs, but again, long time ago. The code wasn't that hard to reverse.
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#3 Reply
Posted by
nfmax
on 21 May, 2018 18:39
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Any idea what the model number differences are about? Simple stuff like mounting holes/connectors or a completely different interface? I had no luck hunting down a replacement and currently make do with what I have.
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#4 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 22 May, 2018 00:23
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#5 Reply
Posted by
switch998
on 22 May, 2018 03:58
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We used heaps of -GU256x64-332, GU256x64-372, GU256x64-355, GU256x64-900, GU256x64-3900 on a LXE 900MHz radio terminal -The MDT1280.
I would buy dead units from USA for ~$100-200 and rip the VFDs out of them. I do recall the GU256x64-315, but I'd have to get to my shipping
container to see if there's anything left. You can check out LXE1280, 1290, 2280, 2285 to find out if any models used that exact part.
I have the pdfs for the models I quoted above, but would have to do a search through archives for the -315.
They were used a lot in radio terminals, hopefully, that may help. If you get stuck, I can do the big search :-)
Actually, at one point, I did make an interface so that I could run all the new LCDs, but again, long time ago. The code wasn't that hard to reverse.
Thanks for the info, keep me posted if you find a -315. I'll take a look at some of those radios, hopefully I can hack something together if there isn't a direct replacement. There must be some other product that is using the same display though.
I just received a -352 the other day, which should work, however the VFD is twice as large as the original.... it looked to scale in the photos, but of course I got lazy and didn't check it. It's so frustrating that they built in a custom module
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Hey any luck on this? Anyone happen to have decoded the data lines and hooked up an lcd, or have data sheets for the 315 or the main chip on there? I can’t find a datasheet anywhere for the ma621468. Is that a micro or a dedicated VFD driver?
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#7 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 21 Sep, 2019 09:39
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Totally forgot all about this .. old age :-)
I'm currently on the World solar challenge run, back in a couple weeks. This post will act as a bookmark, so I don't forget again :-)
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#8 Reply
Posted by
nfmax
on 10 Jan, 2020 17:20
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Totally forgot all about this .. old age :-)
I'm currently on the World solar challenge run, back in a couple weeks. This post will act as a bookmark, so I don't forget again :-)
I hope the solar challenge went well - and have you had any luck finding the displays?
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Any news on the datasheet or possible replacement for this display?
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#10 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 11 Jan, 2020 12:24
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ooooops sorry ... totally forgot about this :-) Promise to look for the data tomorrow - near midnight here now
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#11 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 12 Jan, 2020 09:53
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Thanks, Solar challenge is always fun - HEAPS of incidents this year :-)
OK searched pretty much everything that is easy to get to, with no more than I posted before. I've had massive giveaways / e-wastes over the last years, possibly in one of the boxes of stuff.
Sorry - but in a coincidental event last week, I received an "extension" order for the original project (after 2-3 yrs idle). I should be visiting my storage containers on site in the next few weeks. There is a small possibility that there may be a few / several of the original MDTs in it. At one stage I had 2+ containers full of e-waste (obsolete radio / terminal / DGPS / RFId etc etc) They do occasionally take away skip fulls, but it is a very poorly organized. A glimmer :-)
I've marked it down this time, so I won't forget :-)
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#12 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 21 Jan, 2020 09:01
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Hi guys, a bit late back, but have some results -
Searched 2 of our yard storage containers, but no luck. Found heaps of their replacement terminals - a Thor / Honeywell VM3, but that has a full size LCD.
I will be back there again in the next week or two, and have got permission to search the containers way down the back of the yard.
I was informed that a few skips of e-waste have been emptied, so could be slim. I've also asked the other states to check their old piles (item is a LXE MDT1280).
Sorry I don't have better news. 20-30 yrs back, we had 100s of the suckers.
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#13 Reply
Posted by
nfmax
on 21 Jan, 2020 09:52
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Many thanks for following this up for us! Even if you dont have any displays, is there any chance of documentation on their interface, to help design a replacement? Maybe the source code of your terminals would have something?
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#14 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 21 Jan, 2020 10:24
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That I can do. It'll take a few days to dig out the old backups, but I do keep ALL files / programs from year dot.
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#15 Reply
Posted by
nfmax
on 28 May, 2020 11:08
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That I can do. It'll take a few days to dig out the old backups, but I do keep ALL files / programs from year dot.
A gentle reminder about documentation for the display interface - any joy?
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#16 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 28 May, 2020 13:57
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oooops very sorry - poor memory these days - had a quick look and totally forgot that I have had these ones posted on my website for years :-) Try this link and let me know if it works of for you - changed my ISP and had problems with stuff working properly. I have more but hopefully that will keep me in the good books a bit longer :-)
http://www.digsys.com.au/ftp/?PS: This is the main one I have / had ?? somewhere in stock - had? all the ones listed on my URL at one stage
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#17 Reply
Posted by
nfmax
on 28 May, 2020 14:25
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Thanks! Looking at those files, they all have a display area which is larger than the -315. What I am really looking for is any information on the software commands etc., used to drive them, to help reverse engineering the HP display interface. When I have a few days spare!
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#18 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 28 May, 2020 14:34
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What I am really looking for is any information on the software commands etc., used to drive them, to help reverse engineering the HP display interface. When I have a few days spare!
OK That's going to take a lot longer to find - had a search on all my current drives, but no luck. I did do my own I/F many years ago, but finding it will be tricky :-)
I've had to try to find other stuff this year, and gave up .. soo many old stored HDDs :-) .. This time I've put a post-it note on my bench :-) zzz time here now .. will update later
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@nfmax From what I see in the documents provided by @digsys they contain all information on how the display has to be controlled. For a display replacement, in my understanding it would require to implement a "software translator/emulator" from the Noritake interface to a more standard display. May I ask what information are you missing?
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#20 Reply
Posted by
digsys
on 29 May, 2020 09:29
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... they contain all information on how the display has to be controlled. For a display replacement, in my understanding it would require to implement a "software translator/emulator" from the Noritake interface to a more standard display ....
Ahaaaa that brings back memories :-) like mr.tesla suggests, that's exactly what I did ... made up a small 1"squ emulation / translation pcb, with libraries for a few display types. Also, verified / trimmed waveforms using a DSO. I definitely don't have those any more though - threw them out in one of my big "clean-ups". But, it wasn't that hard to do.
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#21 Reply
Posted by
nfmax
on 29 May, 2020 09:41
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@nfmax From what I see in the documents provided by @digsys they contain all information on how the display has to be controlled. For a display replacement, in my understanding it would require to implement a "software translator/emulator" from the Noritake interface to a more standard display. May I ask what information are you missing?
How did I miss that?! Many thanks for showing me