4bit hex decoder w/LCD

[skimask]

It worked briefly, but begins to lag. Almost instantly, I notice a considerable delay in the response time between a hex value in and the coresponding ASCII display.

Maybe your serial LCD is getting bogged down, not enough time between individual characters.
Try some character pacing. It's in the PBP manual.

[rangerdoc]

That did the trick Joe. Thanks.
Here's the final product:

'initialize device
@ device pic16f737, INTRC_OSC_NOCLKOUT, MCLR_OFF, WDT_OFF
OSCCON = $60			'internal 4mHz oscillator

'Initialize ports
TRISA = 0	' RA0 to RA3 inputs for DIP switch, RA4 - RA7 for pushbuttons
PORTA = 0
TRISC = $FF 

'initialize variables
Tx var PORTB.1
Index var byte
X var word
switches var byte  

'Initialize LCD
	Pause 1000			'pause 1/2 sec to let LCD initialize
	serout Tx,10, [22]		'turn display on, no cursor
	serout Tx,10, [17]		'turn backlight on
	serout Tx,10, [12]		'Clear screen
	pause 5
	serout Tx,10, ["Panel Selected:"]
	pause 1000

loop:
    	Index = PORTc & $0F	 	' Read DIP switch AND mask lsb
  	LOOKUP2 Index,[1,3,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16],X
	serout Tx,10, [154,"  ",154]	' clear previous entry
    	serout Tx, 10, [#X]
	pause 50

LEDS:
	switches = (PORTC>>4) & $0F	'take msb & save as "switches"
	if switches > 0 then
	porta = switches		'enter value "switches" to portA
	endif

Goto loop:

END