Reprapdiscount LCD panel for Prusa

[John Biehler]

I decided to bid on an LCD panel from ReprapDiscount (on his ebay store) after seeing some of the RAMPS kits from the Tantillus.

Just have to say, wow...such an awesome kit, perfect soldering, retail-like packaging and 2 day Fedex shipping which is insane for ~$55Cdn delivered:

I actually forgot that it included the sd card reader and bonus 4gb card...I currently have the SDRAMPS board that uses a microSD card which has been a pain to deal with since I have to use an adapter to use it in my laptop.

Can't wait to swap out my somewhat janky panelmax at home and plug this one in. I'm going to repurpose the lcd and parts in my panelmax for other stuff and this kit just looks so professional.

[Mogal]

I got the same board.

Its an awesome dea!!

 

Now I just need my machine built so I can use it!!

[Colin]

Yeah its a nice looking kit.  I ended up paying 45 shipped.  You just need to watch the open auctions and get lucky.  Great place to buy electronics from.

Colin

[Scott]

Just tried to get one that was sitting at $10 for a long time and in the last 30 seconds sold for $46. Maybe I could get one for a little less?

I don't have a ramps board yet and I don't know the best kit to pair with this LCD.

-s

[John Biehler]

After having it for awhile now, I still really like it but it's not as 'elegant' as the PanelMAX (and it's mounting options) is IMO...it's a big board and the cases/covers available on Thingiverse (at least) make it a huge control panel. It comes with two sets of ribbon connectors. 1 set is very short and the other is very long (100mm). The 100mm ones don't appear to work properly with the SD card (as noted on the ebay auction) due to their length...the card is recognized but you can't see or choose anything from the directory...so basically you're stuck using the shorter cables which really limit your options as far as mounting.

I ended up recycling some M8 rod clips from something else and mounting mine on top of the Prusa:

I actually quite like it up on top like this...it's not in the way of anything and is easily accessible for controlling and swapping in SD cards.

[Scott]

eBay is eBay but is there any well priced kits ramps kits? Maybe with an LCD and sd reader?

-s

[John Biehler]

The best deal right now is from reprapdiscount.com (via ebay) as you've already seen....he sells complete kits with everything for bidding and buy it now...still the best deal/quality out there...plus you get it in 2 days via Fedex for $12.

[Sublime]

I have a sample of a new one that has the SD card reader, encoder, buzzer and reset button on one board and a cables that goes to the LCD so you can mount it anywhere you want.

[Mogal]

Hi guys, I can't seem to get the LCD to work?

I get it to light up, but no display or controls...

 

I've gone through this wiki, but I'm not understanding it?

http://reprap.org/wiki/RepRapDiscount_Smart_Controller

 

I have it flashed to Marlin RC2 (stock everything except 115200 baud)

(BONUS QUESTION: I can't get my hardware to 250000 baud?)

 

I have nothing connected to the RAMPS 1.4 but the screen.

(no motors/sensors ect...)

[John Biehler]

You need to change the pins.h file to the pins listed on his wiki page:

Settings for RAMPS1.4

in "Configuration.h" search for "ULTIPANEL" and activate the define (remove the leading "//")

1. define ULTIPANEL

and

1. define NEWPANEL //enable this if you have a click-encoder panel

Also change the value on "define MOTHERBOARD" to 33

in "pins.h" go to section for RAMPS configuration (search for "MOTHERBOARD == 33")

//STOP / KILL button

1. define KILL_PIN 41 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]

//lcd pins

1. define LCD_PINS_RS 16 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]
2. define LCD_PINS_ENABLE 17 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]
3. define LCD_PINS_D4 23 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]
4. define LCD_PINS_D5 25 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]
5. define LCD_PINS_D6 27 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]
6. define LCD_PINS_D7 29 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]

//encoder pins

1. define BTN_EN1 31 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]
2. define BTN_EN2 33 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]
3. define BTN_ENC 35 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]

//beeper

1. define BEEPER 37 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER] / 37 = enabled; -1 = dissabled / (if you don't like the beep sound ;-)

//SD card detect pin

1. define SDCARDDETECT 49 //[RAMPS14-SMART-ADAPTER]

[Mogal]

Hi John, thanks, I guess I was just up too late last night :o)

I missed something? I think defining the NEWPANEL (step one!!)

But I can not seem to locate the //STOP / KILL button to define it?

Do I have to enter this one myself?

How can I test my beeper? ;o)

Oh, and at first turning everything on, it comes up with "Mendel Ready" <-- can I change this?

Thanks

Chris

[John Biehler]

You just paste the kill button code into Marlin near the LCD code.

There is probably a Mcode you can use to test the beeper but I have no idea what it is.

As for changing the text, it's all in there...you just have to find it in the Marlin code. I'm not being secretive, it's just buried in there somewhere.

[John Biehler]

This post on the reprap forum might help for customizing the text.

[kburr]

I just got my set of RRD electronics yesterday and I found this info helpful. There is one problem I am having while testing, is that I can't go far down into the menu, just the first 2 items. Anyone have any suggestions or wisdom?

[Mogal]

Yea, I'm still having issues too. 

On power up, I can scroll through the menu, but as soon as I enter a sub, that's it, I can not scroll anymore. I can return to the main though.

The only way to reset it, is to unplug and reboot the RAMPS.

I also can not get my QU BD silicon heater pad to read the temp correctly... still learning :o)

[Mogal]

Hey John, did you get the LCD to operate correctly?

I get the initial display and menu, but once I get into the menus and 'click'

the controls wont follow scrolling/clicks....

Like kburr, only selector will only select the first and second option in the menu...

[John Biehler]

Mine worked perfect out of the box...not sure what to tell you.

[Sublime]

Probably a bug in the version of Marlin Mogal has. Can you provide yours John?

[Mogal]

K, I'll admit, I have no idea what I'm doing(with Arduino), but I'm not too bad at figuring some things out...

I'm still building my first machine, and while waiting for parts, am playing with the firmware and design of the machine.

What I've got done so far is, I've gotten ErikZalm/Marlin RC2 V1.0.0 as I believe this is 'the one' to use?

From there, I am using arduino 0023 to edit/upload the firmware, making the changes listed here. (under the 'old' version)

The version of Marlin I have does not have: #define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_SMART_CONTROLLER - anywhere that I can find.

The display is working, but I'm not getting all the options(as seen in this video) PanelMax Demo (Should there be all these options?)

When I click into the menu, I can scroll through the first list of options, same as the video. Once into the second depth of the menu,

I can not scroll through the items, and the only thing I can do, is click back out to the initial boot up screen(The initial display at power up)

I'll keep trying... more then likely, something I've overlooked.

Thanks!

[Sublime]

It looks like you are following the instructions for the new V1 and you have the old RC2. In the V1 instructions it says you need to change some line to #define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_SMART_CONTROLLER not that it has it. But if you have RC2 you will need to follow the other instructions.

[Mogal]

Sorry, no, I am following the 'old' version.

I'll attach the two files.

Could you take a look?

and thanks a bunch!

 

[Sublime]

In pins.h under board 33 you have not changed the beeper to pin 37 (or -1 to disable) (line 315). This means it is still defined as 33 which is a conflict with one of the encoder buttons.

Also you have not defined the SD card detect either. It should be defined as pin 49 (line 333).

[Mogal]

YEAH!

THANK YOU SUBLIME!

It's all working now :)

Dunno how I missed that... Doh!

I left the SDreader disabled, as I wont be able to use it the way I have the board installed.

Thanks!

[Sublime]

No problem. Have you come out to any meetings? Have we meet?

[Mogal]

I'm out on the island. I don't think we have met.

I was able to meet up with Dan and John at the Maker Faire here back in July.

(That was when I got the bug to start making my own printer!)

I would like to make it out to a meeting sometime... When the timing is right...