Matrix Orbital Corp

Hello , The Speedomoter Died on my 06 Sportster. I hated it anyway , but it was a fully electronic unit (no cables)

I guttted the stock houseing while I surfed the net for something to replace the stock speedo.

I have some questions though.

First here are the 2 units im looking at
LCD0821-GW
or
MOP-AL082B-BBTW
This is based on there size , smaller the beatter as a shift gauge is going in there too

I would Like to display :
Greeting when i Turn on the key
then Odometer for 5 seconds
Speed after odometer event
Unit flash untill key turns off every 110 miles (so i know i need to refuel)
Always Backlit

Questions

Does these displays need some sort of computer to operate or do they take in data and display it on there own?

Do i program these through my home computer?

Is what I need possible to do with these units?

Hi Stoneage Harley,

Sounds like you've got quite the project with your Sportster there, and are looking for a display.

The first thing to keep in mind when using our displays, is that they are just that, displays. They'll display whatever ascii formatted data is sent to them very easily, however, you'll need some sort of controller to grab the information from the bike and transfer it to the screen.

I see you've picked out two 8x2 character screens, one with serial communication, and one with parallel. I always recommend going for the serial unit, in this case the LCD0821, as we've done a lot of the programming work required to run a screen for you. It's also got a GPO output on the back, which you could wire an LED to if you're looking for a simple shift indication.

As for your requirements, most of them look like they'll be dependent on the controller used. We do offer a start screen that can be saved so it comes on when the unit is powered, and it is possible to flash either the back light, or the entire display for that refueling indicator. You've also got eight custom characters you can create and save if you want to display a gas pump, or any other symbol.

Unfortunately, I can't be much help on the controller front, but I believe Parallax sells some of our products in their controller packages. There are many kinds out there, we use an ATMEL brand in our units, so look for the one that best suits your needs.

If you have any more questions regarding that project, just post them up and we'll do our best to point you in the right direction.

~Troy