Some RS232 converters are biased to accept TTL, and some USB-serial adapters can have inverted data. It's a bodge, but can simplify a board made for a specific purpose like these.
On Tue, Jan 13, 2026 at 12:47 PM David Pye <[email protected]> wrote: > Just got one of those exact displays, and having a play with it. > > A few things I can provide info-wise: > > 12V DC input to power it up and then it expects commands/data over RS232 > to tell it what to display. There is an RJ45 to 9-pin D connector adaptor > provided, but you need to feed 12V into that (or elsewhere on the PCB) so > you can't just plug it into a USB serial dongle. > > I'm sketching up a PCB (mostly for my own amusement) to drive it as > follows: > > USB-C PD module (£1 off amazon or aliexpress) to negotiate 12V from a > suitable PD-compliant USB-C PSU > RS232 transceiver IC to speak to the display > DC-DC buck converter to source a 5V supply for the Pi Pico from the 12V PD > input > Raspberry Pi Pico W, which will allow you to connect to it as a USB serial > device (via usb mini) and send commands > The wireless functionality will also allow you to send data at it via > either MQTT or Netcat (or something else I think of...!) > > Might also have some pin headers spare to allow connection of > PIR/microwave presence sensor, or GPS module. > > I think that should allow it to be a fairly broadly multi-functional > display or clock. When I get round to it, I'll publish all of the above > on github, so if anyone wants to make any themselves, they can. > > Alternatively, any other ideas anyone has for features, I'd always welcome > a good idea :-) > > (Alternatively, for the billy-basic rough and ready solution, you could: > Supply display with 12V, speak upstream of the RS232 transceiver IC on the > PCB via 3v3 UART, and it'd work...!) > > David > > > On Tue, 13 Jan 2026 at 12:35, Tony Adams <[email protected]> wrote: > >> For anyone in the UK these appear similar, though serial rather than USB >> so maybe a generation earlier. >> >> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/127038159566 >> >> No connection to the seller etc., just thought they might be of interest >> to someone. >> >> On Tue, Jan 13, 2026 at 11:52 AM Tom Katt <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Forgot to mention - these are brand new old stock with Digikey packaging >>> and require soldering pin headers on to the board, so they are not "plug & >>> play" like the POS displays... >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "neonixie-l" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion, visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/97519123-4199-4dd5-9c21-6fdfdfff427en%40googlegroups.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/97519123-4199-4dd5-9c21-6fdfdfff427en%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "neonixie-l" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAF6QoKzZ5P%3DmPK65dBmVjW4i4uB2UNBCkb-e3bkVu1V9mC4aKg%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAF6QoKzZ5P%3DmPK65dBmVjW4i4uB2UNBCkb-e3bkVu1V9mC4aKg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "neonixie-l" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAOQ6x0FaunK%2BAzqakd%3D7VY9i%3Dfa6yeEZnsRWrw1SOjWR%2BCxcBg%40mail.gmail.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAOQ6x0FaunK%2BAzqakd%3D7VY9i%3Dfa6yeEZnsRWrw1SOjWR%2BCxcBg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CALiMYrtvEUjuhb%3DiRxEXoCgBF4t6_rCUwCxNrqTSZymy6DTe3w%40mail.gmail.com.
