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From: dennisg@felix.UUCP (Dennis Griesser)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Liquid Crystals
Message-ID: <4255@fritz.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-Apr-87 17:12:32 EST
Article-I.D.: fritz.4255
Posted: Tue Apr 21 17:12:32 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 24-Apr-87 05:13:12 EST
References: <337@sdics.ucsd.EDU> <4192@fritz.felix.UUCP> <1998@hoptoad.uucp>
Reply-To: dennisg@fritz.UUCP (Dennis Griesser)
Organization: FileNet Corp., Costa Mesa, CA
Lines: 35

In article <1998@hoptoad.uucp> gnu@hoptoad.uucp (John Gilmore) writes:
>I'm interested in homebrewing a portable terminal including a liquid
>crystal display, suitable for 80x24 characters or whatever I can get.
                               -----
For something this size, forget trying to make your own driver.

>All I need is quantity 1 -- if it ever works and becomes a product,
>I'll be sure to let you all know.

The are only two ways to get something this fancy for cheap:
   o visit swap meets, check liquidators
   o take apart a cheap laptop

The quantity-one price, new, retail, of such a display and driver might well
be more than the cost of a cheap laptop.

>I could always buy a laptop and disassemble it but that seems a waste
>(of money and a laptop).

Maybe not.  You said you want to build a "portable terminal".  That means
that you can salvage:
   o display
   o keyboard
   o case
   o batteries & power supply
   o (maybe the CPU and memory, too)

Look for a really cheap unit.  Would the display on a Radio Shack Model 100
make you happy?  You can get those computers for a couple hundred bucks.  Comes
with a terminal emulator in ROM, serial port, and internal MODEM...

Many months ago, perhaps as long as a year, I saw pieces of the Convergent
Workslate at a local electronics swap meet.  Not a bad looking item.  They
wanted about $20 for enough pieces to put one together.  Perhaps you can
find one in the back of ComputeameAg> 3 Hosi