Character AND Graphical LCD at the same time?

[ilmenator]

Hi all,

I wonder if it's possible to connect a graphical LCD and (a number of) character LCD(s) at the same time to a single PIC running MIOS? My guess would be no from what I understand, but can someone confirm this?

Then a solution must be using two core modules connected via MIDIbox link?

Thanks, ilmenator

[TK.]

Hi Ilmenator,

no, this isn't possible, so only a MIDIbox-Link will help.

Btw.: I'm not sure if you've regognized that your suggested rotated display driver is up&running ;-)

http://www.ucapps.de/mbhp/mbhp_glcd7_photo.jpg

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[ilmenator]

Hi Thorsten,

of course I did, and in fact I was so happy that I immediately started designing a universal controller having that display and 6-7 rotary encoders on each side of the display.

My starting point for that design is an editor for the Korg Wavestation, though this is not the easiest to implement thing, because editing can only be done via sysex messages. Anyway, it has a fairly typical sound structure for that era of synths (one sound or "Performance" might consist of up to eight "Patches" which themselves can hold up to four oscillators or "Waveforms").

Now, I only want the sound data itself displayed in the graphical display, but the menus/structure on another (character) display (e.g. a 2x40) with 4 buttons above and 4 below the display. In this example (2x40 display, 8 buttons around the display), each menu entry could consist of up to 9-10 characters. (One could also interpret this as 8 buttons with changing names/description.) Pressing the associated button would immediately display the corresponding parameters in the graphical display.

So this is phase one of that project, I will be doing the boards next week (a friend is going to help), and then I will dive into MIOS world. And I will have to find a T6963c display as well, preferably on ebay or any other cheap source.

So, which would be the recommended schematic when using two cores? I think the GLCD would have to be connected to the second core, the character LCD to the first. All encoders and buttons as well as status LEDs and LED rings should go to the first core. Right?

Btw, I did not finish the jitter killer for my Peavey StudioMix (application for 2 MIDI Filters/Converters), handling 10 bit values on an 8bit processor was a bit too much to start learning assembler... ;-) Maybe if I find the time later...

All the best, ilmenator

[ilmenator]

Okay,

here's an update to the controller's surface.

First display is a 2x40 character display which will allow to select from the first menu. It is surrounded by 8 buttons, each with LED.

The second display is a 2x40 character display as well, which will allow to select from the submenu. Same here: 8 buttons each with a LED.

The third display is a graphical display mounted vertically. It is surrounded by 5 rotary encoders on each side, plus 5 buttons with LEDs to the outer sides. Here you will be able to change the parameters (synth, ...) themselves. Parameter names will be displayed in "normal" size, the current parameter values will be displayd in big numbers, each two or three lines (= 16-24 dots) high. Is this possible?

I'm sure I will be doing some modifications to that concept, this is just a first idea. Any input is welcome.

Regards, ilmenator