Serial Cable Length Question...?
Matrix Orbital Support
Contact Matrix Orbital Technical Support Representatives at (403) 229-2737
or support@matrix-orbital.com
FAQs About Using Matrix Orbital Display Modules
Many of your examples for coding C. Are any examples of VB code available?
Is there a set of C functions or a C++ class?
Why does my module not work when I try to power it through the DB-9 connector?
Why is Pin 9 of the DB-9 connector not connected to the +5 volt supply by default?
Why does my "wide voltage" module get so hot?
What is the maximum voltage supply for a "wide voltage" module?
What is the difference between the "V" and "VPT" options for wide voltage?
Do you have a driver for "Operating System xyz"?
How do I modify a floppy drive cable to work with my module?
I don't have access to a Windows Operating System, how do I download fonts into my graphic display?
If I define a custom character on the screen and then change that definition will it change any existing characters currently displayed?
How many fonts or bitmaps can I have on the GLK12232, GLC24064 or GLK24064-25?
How long can the serial cable be?
Do I need a filter for my VFD?
Will a VFD filter fit the PC Bay insert?
What is EL backlight and how is it different from LED backlight?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q:
Many of your examples for coding are done in C. Does Matrix Orbital have any examples of VB code?
Is there a set of C functions or a C++ class?
A:
More often than not, this question might be better phrased: "How do I talk to my serial port?" When you consider the simplicity in using Matrix Orbital displays, it is often more complicated to try to integrate someone else's code rather than writing a couple lines yourself.
The method for getting at the serial port will be "different" for every situation. It depends on your operating system, compiler, and libraries. Sometimes the compiler will have "built in" functions for accessing the serial ports, but more often, you will need a third party library. Luckily, these are easy to get - and free! Marshallsoft Computing Inc. makes libraries for Borland C++, Borland C++ Builder, Visual C++, Visual Basic, Delphi as well as libraries for DOS compilers. They are fast, effective and come with examples. Registration is inexpensive and well worth every cent. Find them at: http://www.marshallsoft.com
If you happen to use Borland C++ Builder and the Marshallsoft library, we would be happy to share our code. Have a look at the downloads page.
Q:
Why does my module not work when I try to power it through the DB-9 connector?
Why is Pin 9 of the DB-9 connector not connected to the +5 volt supply by default?
A:
We have seen a problem with at least one motherboard. We don't know who makes it, but with a wide voltage module powered from the disk drive cable, the PC will refuse to power up. The problem appears to be related to supplying back +5 volts to pin 9 of the DB-9 connector. Pin 9 is an input on the PC side used in "olden days" for "ring detect" on modems. The +5 volt level is not what the PC is expecting, but it *should* not cause problems, and generally does not.
The problem occurs with "wide voltage" modules that generate +5 volts from the supplied +12 volts. This generated +5 volts is connected to pin 9 of the DB-9 connector when the solder jumper is shorted. We suspect that the PC's +12 volt supply is coming up before the +5 volt supply and so we are sending +5 volts into the PC motherboard before the mother board has a +5 volt supply of it's own. This, we believe, is causing the latch-up.
This is why we provide a solder jumper on the PCB for pin 9 of the DB-9 so that it will be disconnected unless the user specifically decides to power their unit via the DB-9 connector.
Q:
Why does my "wide voltage" module get so hot?
What is the maximum voltage supply for a "wide voltage" module?
A:
The electronics on Matrix Orbital modules run on +5 volts no matter what voltage option you choose. "Wide voltage" modules simply take a higher voltage and convert it to +5 volts for use by these electronics.
The "V" option specifies a "linear" regulator that essentially wastes all the excess power in the form of heat. This means that the higher the input voltage, the more heat will be generated. Also, the more power the module needs, the more heat will be generated. Theoretically, the maximum voltage that can be applied to the module is over 30 volts, but this is limited to the amount of heat that can be dissipated. While the regulators can operate at surprisingly high heat levels (over 150 degrees C), it is better in most cases to keep this to a minimum.
There are two ways to reduce this heat. The best way is to simply reduce the input voltage. The regulator can operate on as little as +7 volts or so. +9 volts is ideal, and +12 volts is perfectly acceptable. The second way is to reduce the amount of power being used by the module. You can do this by shutting off the backlight when it is not needed. In this mode, the module uses about one tenth of the power and produces one tenth of the heat.
Q:
What is the difference between the "V" and "VPT" options for wide voltage?
A:
The "V" option is a linear regulator and the "VPT" option is a switching regulator. A switching regulator is far more efficient at converting a high voltage to a lower one. This means that it is largely unaffected by input voltage levels and power usage by the module. It generates minimal heat and wastes very little power. This type of regulator is offered as an option on some models and is the standard "wide voltage" option on other models. The maximum input voltage for a "VPT" module is also higher than a "V" module at +30 volts instead of +15 volts.
Q:
Do you have a driver for "Operating System xyz"?
A:
Matrix Orbital modules are really very simple devices to use. They can generally be considered so simple that a "driver" would be more complicated than simply talking to the display module directly. More often than not, this question should be stated as "Can you tell me how to talk to my serial port?"
The answer to this is "Probably not." We do all our PC related work here using Borland C++ Builder version 3 and a Marshallsoft serial port library. If you happen to use Borland under Windows 9x or NT, we are happy to share source code.
The Marshallsoft library is available in versions for DOS and Windows 9x/NT including variations for Borland C++, Visual C++, and Visual BASIC. These libraries are very easy to use and better than Aspirin
Contact Matrix Orbital Technical Support Representatives at (403) 229-2737
or support@matrix-orbital.com
FAQs About Using Matrix Orbital Display Modules
Many of your examples for coding C. Are any examples of VB code available?
Is there a set of C functions or a C++ class?
Why does my module not work when I try to power it through the DB-9 connector?
Why is Pin 9 of the DB-9 connector not connected to the +5 volt supply by default?
Why does my "wide voltage" module get so hot?
What is the maximum voltage supply for a "wide voltage" module?
What is the difference between the "V" and "VPT" options for wide voltage?
Do you have a driver for "Operating System xyz"?
How do I modify a floppy drive cable to work with my module?
I don't have access to a Windows Operating System, how do I download fonts into my graphic display?
If I define a custom character on the screen and then change that definition will it change any existing characters currently displayed?
How many fonts or bitmaps can I have on the GLK12232, GLC24064 or GLK24064-25?
How long can the serial cable be?
Do I need a filter for my VFD?
Will a VFD filter fit the PC Bay insert?
What is EL backlight and how is it different from LED backlight?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q:
Many of your examples for coding are done in C. Does Matrix Orbital have any examples of VB code?
Is there a set of C functions or a C++ class?
A:
More often than not, this question might be better phrased: "How do I talk to my serial port?" When you consider the simplicity in using Matrix Orbital displays, it is often more complicated to try to integrate someone else's code rather than writing a couple lines yourself.
The method for getting at the serial port will be "different" for every situation. It depends on your operating system, compiler, and libraries. Sometimes the compiler will have "built in" functions for accessing the serial ports, but more often, you will need a third party library. Luckily, these are easy to get - and free! Marshallsoft Computing Inc. makes libraries for Borland C++, Borland C++ Builder, Visual C++, Visual Basic, Delphi as well as libraries for DOS compilers. They are fast, effective and come with examples. Registration is inexpensive and well worth every cent. Find them at: http://www.marshallsoft.com
If you happen to use Borland C++ Builder and the Marshallsoft library, we would be happy to share our code. Have a look at the downloads page.
Q:
Why does my module not work when I try to power it through the DB-9 connector?
Why is Pin 9 of the DB-9 connector not connected to the +5 volt supply by default?
A:
We have seen a problem with at least one motherboard. We don't know who makes it, but with a wide voltage module powered from the disk drive cable, the PC will refuse to power up. The problem appears to be related to supplying back +5 volts to pin 9 of the DB-9 connector. Pin 9 is an input on the PC side used in "olden days" for "ring detect" on modems. The +5 volt level is not what the PC is expecting, but it *should* not cause problems, and generally does not.
The problem occurs with "wide voltage" modules that generate +5 volts from the supplied +12 volts. This generated +5 volts is connected to pin 9 of the DB-9 connector when the solder jumper is shorted. We suspect that the PC's +12 volt supply is coming up before the +5 volt supply and so we are sending +5 volts into the PC motherboard before the mother board has a +5 volt supply of it's own. This, we believe, is causing the latch-up.
This is why we provide a solder jumper on the PCB for pin 9 of the DB-9 so that it will be disconnected unless the user specifically decides to power their unit via the DB-9 connector.
Q:
Why does my "wide voltage" module get so hot?
What is the maximum voltage supply for a "wide voltage" module?
A:
The electronics on Matrix Orbital modules run on +5 volts no matter what voltage option you choose. "Wide voltage" modules simply take a higher voltage and convert it to +5 volts for use by these electronics.
The "V" option specifies a "linear" regulator that essentially wastes all the excess power in the form of heat. This means that the higher the input voltage, the more heat will be generated. Also, the more power the module needs, the more heat will be generated. Theoretically, the maximum voltage that can be applied to the module is over 30 volts, but this is limited to the amount of heat that can be dissipated. While the regulators can operate at surprisingly high heat levels (over 150 degrees C), it is better in most cases to keep this to a minimum.
There are two ways to reduce this heat. The best way is to simply reduce the input voltage. The regulator can operate on as little as +7 volts or so. +9 volts is ideal, and +12 volts is perfectly acceptable. The second way is to reduce the amount of power being used by the module. You can do this by shutting off the backlight when it is not needed. In this mode, the module uses about one tenth of the power and produces one tenth of the heat.
Q:
What is the difference between the "V" and "VPT" options for wide voltage?
A:
The "V" option is a linear regulator and the "VPT" option is a switching regulator. A switching regulator is far more efficient at converting a high voltage to a lower one. This means that it is largely unaffected by input voltage levels and power usage by the module. It generates minimal heat and wastes very little power. This type of regulator is offered as an option on some models and is the standard "wide voltage" option on other models. The maximum input voltage for a "VPT" module is also higher than a "V" module at +30 volts instead of +15 volts.
Q:
Do you have a driver for "Operating System xyz"?
A:
Matrix Orbital modules are really very simple devices to use. They can generally be considered so simple that a "driver" would be more complicated than simply talking to the display module directly. More often than not, this question should be stated as "Can you tell me how to talk to my serial port?"
The answer to this is "Probably not." We do all our PC related work here using Borland C++ Builder version 3 and a Marshallsoft serial port library. If you happen to use Borland under Windows 9x or NT, we are happy to share source code.
The Marshallsoft library is available in versions for DOS and Windows 9x/NT including variations for Borland C++, Visual C++, and Visual BASIC. These libraries are very easy to use and better than Aspirin
Henry J.
President
Matrix Orbital
President
Matrix Orbital