16 x 2 lcd question

[Russ15]

I am currently building this project www.megadrum.info and the project calls for a hd44780 16 x 2 lcd. I found this on ebay and want to know if it will work http://www.ebay.com/itm/XY1602A-16x...274?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item588dfd1fe2.
I don't see anywhere listing hd44780 in the description? Is that a big deal? Thanks!

 

[(*steve*)]

Neither do I.

It may be a big deal (it won't work) or it may not matter (it is compatible).

Unfortunately a quick google did not reveal any datasheets, so I can't tell which it is.

Have you tried emailing the seller?

 

[Russ15]

Ya I did he never got back to me that's why I posted here. Just not sure what the difference is with a hd44780 display vs one that doesn't have it? Ya I also didn't find any data sheets unfortunately.

 

[JoeyAVR]

IME the 16x2 displays typically only vary in their timing requirements and voltage (a few are 3v3, most are 5V0. The pin outs appear to be generic. I have used recovered no-name units from printers etc with success.

 

[Externet]

The project should had said Hitachi "HD44780 based LCD" instead of the way expressed.
It is the most commonly used chip driving the 16x2 displays, it is built in the board at the back of the display and takes a industry standard instructions set program.
Other manufacturers followed the Hitachi standard and are compatible. Newer 16x2 displays can have that driver chip in epoxy, with no markings.

I have a couple of dozen of those displays and used in the past successfully. The suffix 00 is for english character set, 02 for european character set, and if I remember well, 01 for japanese.

Searching for HD44780 will show you that is a chip, not the display itself, and its data sheet is extensive.