Samsung 16LF01 series VFD Library for Arduino

Written by Daniele Napolitano, distributed under GPL.

Samsung_16LF01_VFD is an Arduino library designed to drive characters 14/16-segments vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) with synchronous serial protocol (like SPI, but with different timing). The library, initially written to support the Samsung 16LF01UA3 display module, it's compatible with all displays using the Rockwell 10937, OKI MSC1937-01 and Micrel MIC10937 controllers.

The API used tries to be compatible with the LiquidCrystal library.

Compatible displays

The library Samsung_16LF01_VFD is fully tested with the following displays:

• Samsung 16LF01UA3: 16-segments, 1x16 characters, uses OKI MSC1937-01

Its known the existence of these Samsung VFD displays with the same Sync Serial protocol (see here):

• 16LF01UA4: 16-segments, 1x16 character, uses OKI MSC1937-0
• 9MS09SS1: 14-segments, 1x9 characters, uses ML9209-xx / Nuvoton W78E052DPG (see see #3)
• VFM161LSA1: 1x16 characters, uses OKI MSC1937-01) (tested, img, see #2)

Perhaps other display from Samsung or other manufacturers share the same protocol, let me know :)

Usage

You need to include library header at the beginning of the sketch.

#include <Samsung_16LF01_VFD.h>

The library class inherits the Print class of Arduino, so that you can display texts (not all chars supported) on VFD with standard Arduino functions like this:

vfd.print("Hello, World!";)
vfd.print(foo, DEC);
vfd.print(bar, HEX);
vfd.print(1.23)         // gives "1.23" 
vfd.print(1.23456, 2);  // gives "1.23" 
vfd.println("hello");   // prints "hello" and return to position 0

Besides, it provides unified APIs for initializing and controlling the VFD, as well as some convenient operations.

void begin(uint8_t digits_count, uint8_t brightness); /* initializing */
void clear(); /* clear screen */
void home(); /* set cursor at first digit */
void setCursor(uint8_t pos); /* set current cursor (from 0) */
void setBrightness(uint8_t amount); /* set current display brightness (values allowed from 0 to 31) */

Example

/********************
  Pin config:
  
  SCLK = pin 7
  RST  = pin 6
  DATA = pin 5
*********************/

#include <Samsung_16LF01_VFD.h>

Samsung_16LF01_VFD vfd(7, 5, 6);

void setup() {
  // Initialize the display with 16 characters and medium brightness (values allowed from 0 to 31)
  vfd.begin(16, 15);
  vfd.print("Hello World!");
  delay(3000);
}

void loop() {
  // Prints the seconds elapsed since the initialization of the device
  vfd.print(millis() / 1000);
  vfd.println(" s");
  delay(1000);
}