OT: Cell Phone Video Screen Design

[kevj]

This is off topic of PBP, but many of you have much experience in overall design. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction regarding terminology for further searching.

I'm dabbling in a project that would require the use of a video screen much like those on a color cell phone display. Something in the 1" x 2" size. I know absolutely zero about this technology. It is my understanding / guess I would need some sort of screen module, and that there would be a display driver IC of some sort that actually created the video for the display.

As far as actually creating the raw graphics / interface / etc, I don't know if I would flash that stuff onto the display driver, or some other IC would provide it. I would probably still be using a Microchip product (maybe one of the 32 bit devices? I have no idea) as the overall controller regarding logic.

The application would require throwing values on the screen, providing menu interface, maybe some simple animated graphics, etc. The logic would all run from the Microchip PIC, and I assume it would somehow call the functions from some other IC that would actually put the pixels on the screen.

It can't possibly be that hard to interface with this stuff because it's done all the time, I'm just looking for some sort of overall design primer to explain the big picture before investigating possible components for actual use.

Thanks!!!

[ScaleRobotics]

Here is a very small screen, and some example code for many processors, including PIC's.

A search on their site for displays will give you a couple more expensive options. This one is CHEAP at $14.95.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/pro...roducts_id=569 LCD only

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/pro...oducts_id=8600 breakoutboard with lcd $34.95

[Normnet]

Other compiler but see NOKIA 6100 GLCD Code, BMP Converter for slide shows, no video on this GLCD.

Or see PIC iPod wav player for a more elaborate application.

Norm