no text on LCD

[Dj tempo]

i have a 4x20 line lcd display with a program to say hello world.

when the program is run it just shows up as a small block in the top left corner

when the capacitors each side of the crystal are removed (2 x 33nf) it shows up as 2 lines of blocks

can some one tell me why it is doing this and not displaying my text?

[skimask]

i have a 4x20 line lcd display with a program to say hello world.
when the program is run it just shows up as a small block in the top left corner
when the capacitors each side of the crystal are removed (2 x 33nf) it shows up as 2 lines of blocks
can some one tell me why it is doing this and not displaying my text?

Code? 1-2 second pause after startup to let the LCD startup? Contrast voltage is obviously set ok.

[Dj tempo]

code in attatchment:

[skimask]

code in attatchment:

That doesn't look much like PicBasic to me...why not download the PicBasic demo from melabs and see how much easier it is to use that?

[Martin Peters]

Dj:

I could be barking up the wrong tree here, and confess to having little knowledge of the 4 x 20 LCD. But from looking at your two attached photos a possible cure might be that you need to connect LCD pin #5 to ground?

Good luck.

[Dj tempo]

yup, pin 5 is deffo connected to ground, its on the back of the lcd,
one question i must ask is: should the crystal be making a square wave?
(im running a 4 MHZ with 2x33pf caps) the signal measured between the 2 crystal legs pin 15-16 is more like a saw tooth waveform but with about 5 ms of flat at 0v, im assuming the problem is within my code.

im just getting frustrated now.

[Dj tempo]

That doesn't look much like PicBasic to me...why not download the PicBasic demo from melabs and see how much easier it is to use that?

cheers bud, couldyou point me in the right direction for this software, poss a download link.

[Melanie]

If you post a SCHEMATIC of how you've got your hardware connected, along with the PIC you're using, I'm sure someone on this forum could throw a few lines of code together to write to your LCD and perhaps also flash a confidence LED to prove your hardware is working and post you a HEX with which you could program your PIC. That at least would prove if it's your hardware or software that's causing you grief. Then you could buy PICBasic and become a fully paid-up member... gives you status... people give up their seat for you on the bus... women will want you to kiss their babies (or claim you're the father)... you can run for president... etc etc...