Using The Epson E1010 Display

1. ecma1010.pdf (829,295 bytes)

2. s1d1200tm.pdf (3,150,357 bytes), available here

3. sed1230d.pdf (291,511 bytes)

DOCUMENTATION

These are the 3 files I have to work from. File number 1 is about the LCD and has been the most useful. As you can see, file 2 is large. It covers the entire SED12xx series of display chips, but the SED1230 section is very thorough. File number 3 is mostly an overview of the SED1230, but without any command set information and detail of #2.

FRONT

Here's the front of the display. I don't know which end is the "top" (that is to say, if characters were being displayed, they would be oriented properly). Take note that there is a protective plastic film over the display that should be removed when the display is put into service. You can see the connector at the bottom, but the contact surface is on the bottom side of the display and not visible in this photo.

BACK

You might ask "Where's the chip?". I think it's that rectangular bit in the field of black at the bottom of the photo. The SED1230 datasheet shows the chip in a rectangular package, so that must be it.

Anyway, you can see the contact surface of the connector in this photo. The contact numbers "1" and "18" are marked on it. At least there's no confusion about which pad is which!

CONNECTOR DETAIL

This one is a little blurry, but you get the idea. The contact pads are on 1mm centers. (Those are centimeters on the ruler.)

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Here's my first attempt at soldering wires to the connector. Some of the wires could be a little straighter, but there are no solder bridges. I used 30ga. pre-tinned wire-wrap wire. The connector pads are pre-tinned too. So in theory, it should be possible to solder wires to the pads without adding any solder. However, I found it necessary to add a little solder to each pad before tacking the wire to it. The plastic substrate which carries the pads distorts a little from the heat, but did not tear or burn through.

Notice also in this photo that I drilled out the mounting flanges and grinded off the mounting bosses (they're like little "nubs") to give me a way to fasten it to a piece of perfboard. I used a 3/32in. bit and found that a 2-56 screw can pass through the flange holes.

MOUNTING THE DISPLAY FOR PROTOTYPING

I have the display fastened to a piece of perfboard. The wires are soldered to a 1x18, 0.1-in.-spacing header. The header is located on the bottom side of the perfboard.

IT WORKS!

Here's the setup I used to test the display. Just a couple of DIP switches and a 4093 to debounce the chip select (CS) pulses. The write line (WR) is grounded.

Guess we know the proper orientation now. Next time, I'll get it right. (Turn your monitor upside down for the secret message.)