I pulled the display itself off the PCB and it's a very interesting device. It's a Futaba 202-MD-20GINK and has onboard logic to emulate a standard Hitachi 20x2 LCD. Runs from a single 5V supply , other than the filaments, and could probably be driven directly by one of those IIC to LCDdisplay modules.
On Thu, Jan 15, 2026 at 9:23 PM Tony Adams <[email protected]> wrote: > I've not had time to play just yet but I am inpressed by the size of the > display - I hadn't expected them to be so large. They should make a > impressive clock, if I can work out how to make them look good. A quick > power test shows it'll work down to 6V 250mA with reasonable brightness. > > On Wed, Jan 14, 2026 at 11:18 PM Adrian Godwin <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Warning - ff-topic - talking about the POS7300 / FT-100108. Probably >> wants its own thread. >> >> I got mine too. Impressed by delivery time and packaging. >> It only pulls about 6W so could just about be sourced without PD, >> >> I've got as far as duplicating the vendor's video and trying demo mode >> but there seem to be other less obvious options including nonvolatile >> programming. What else have you figured out ? >> >> Any thoughts about CN1 ? JP1 ? >> >> >> 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/CALiMYrvU4iqXYizJzx%2B4VFcEuLy%2BsRFSdmPUPcFrCOjoSxaF6Q%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CALiMYrvU4iqXYizJzx%2B4VFcEuLy%2BsRFSdmPUPcFrCOjoSxaF6Q%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. 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