How to drive a Vacuum Fluorescent display with a Raspberry Pi: Raspberry Pi VFD Clock

Episode 7
#raspberrypi
#display
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The BA63 display is the kind of display you are familiar with a supermarket checkouts and can be had quite cheaply off of eBay.
In this video, I hack a BA63 Vacuum Fluorescent display to be driven directly by a Raspberry Pi Zero W using a bit of Python. I show how to connect these up and go through show you the process of pulling my python code off github and explain how the scripts work.
I have produced a number of sample Python scripts to drive these displays that do things such as:
Display Text
Clock that displays time, date and Unix time.
Scroll text (various types)
Larson scanner
Clock that displays time, date, and Unix time.
The possibilities are endless.
All the code:
github.com/leswright1977/RPi-...
BA63 Manual
www.dieboldnixdorf.com/-/medi...
TEMIC TSC80C31-16CB
www.alldatasheet.com/datashee...

[@mastervule1844]

Been planing to do something similar. Gonna attempt to create PC info board which lists GPU and CPU temperature using similar display. Thx for nice guide!

[@davidosterberg]

Nice video, given that the bit parity is configurable in the Python code (as you showed). Was it actually necessary to set the jumper on the board?

[@LesLaboratory]

Yes. If you try setting it to odd, the program will throw an error and crash. The Raspberry Pi onboard serial cannot be configured with odd parity.

[@saltyaustralian8661]

Interesting video is it not possible to use screen capture for the code parts?

[@LesLaboratory]

Yes, looking back on the video, that would probably have been a better plan! Code is well commented on GitHub, but I will happily take your comment on board and do a better job next time!

[@Alchemist39]

Would a Raspberry Pi Pico board work for this? To run the display with the provided code? Sorry, I am completely new to this =) Thanks for any extra info!

[@LesLaboratory]

Not with this code. I have not had a real chance to play with the Pico, but it does seem like a very capable microcontroller. If you can make it talk serial, it should be possible to write code for it.

[@marsalbasony8419]

Hello, is there a definition or explanation for setting up this client screen, Display BA63/USB, on Windows? Please provide a link to the file. Thank you.

[@HIDLad001]

Could I use this code with windows 7 and a standard RS-232 connection on the back of my computer? Because Raspberry Pi computers aren't exactly easy to get a hold of right now.

[@LesLaboratory]

Probably, the code is minimal. you would have to redefine the serial port though.

[@HIDLad001]

@@LesLaboratory Other than that there wouldn't be anything else?

[@LesLaboratory]

@@HIDLad001 not that I can think of, but tbh, I ain't a Windows guy.

[@HIDLad001]

@@LesLaboratory I would use a raspberry pi, but they are really expensive right now. Oh, and would I need to short out that jumper, or just leave it the way it is?

[@Devil_inside-]

Is it for sale?

[@LesLaboratory]

No, but all the parts are available inexpensively. Pi zeroes are around 5 bucks and old POS displays can be had on eBay for about the same if you are patient. All the code is on my github (see the link in the description)

[@edgarbonet1]

Nice video, thanks! Note that you only need four characters for the spinner: spinner = '|/-\'

[@LesLaboratory]

Thanks! Yes, you are right, but I need to display | and - twice per "revolution". :-)

[@edgarbonet1]

@@LesLaboratory Indeed, '|/-\' is only half a revolution, but that doesn't matter: there is no need to store more than that in the spinner variable. Note that if you really want to store a full revolution, then you should set spinner to '|/-\|/-\'. Your code is missing the last character, hence the tiny glitch in the animation.

[@LesLaboratory]

@@edgarbonet1Sure, if RAM was tight, you would absolutely only store the required characters. Re: The Spinner var, so it is, well spotted!