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How to Connect an I2C Lcd Display to an Arduino Uno Tutorial
Q2. How to find out the i2c address of the LCD display? Q3. How to adjust the contrast and brightness of the LCD display? Q4. How to print custom characters on the LCD display? Q5. How to use multiple LCD displays with liquid crystal i2c library? A1. Some common problems are incorrect wiring, wrong address, missing backlight, or corrupted library. A2. You can use an i2c scanner sketch to scan and print the i2c address of the LCD display. A3. You can use a potentiometer or a resistor to adjust the contrast and brightness of the LCD display. A4. You can use the createChar() and write() functions to print custom characters on the LCD display. A5. You can use multiple LiquidCrystal_I2C objects with different addresses and pins to use multiple LCD displays with liquid crystal i2c library. Now that I have created the outline table, I will start writing the article based on that outline step by step. Here is the article table with HTML formatting:
Liquid Crystal I2C Library Download
If you are looking for a way to control LCD displays with your Arduino board, you might have come across the liquid crystal i2c library. This library is a popular and easy-to-use option that allows you to communicate with LCD displays using an i2c module. In this article, you will learn what liquid crystal i2c library is, why it is useful, and how to download it.
liquid crystal i2c library download
What is Liquid Crystal I2C Library?
To understand what liquid crystal i2c library is, we need to first understand what liquid crystal, i2c, and library are.
What is Liquid Crystal?
Liquid crystal is a substance that has properties of both liquids and solids. It can flow like a liquid, but it can also align its molecules in a regular pattern like a solid. Liquid crystal is used in many devices, such as LCD displays, thermometers, and sensors. LCD stands for liquid crystal display, which is a type of display that uses liquid crystal to create images on a screen.
What is I2C?
I2C stands for inter-integrated circuit, which is a communication protocol that allows multiple devices to communicate using only two wires: one for data (SDA) and one for clock (SCL). I2C is also known as TWI (two-wire interface) or IIC (inter-integrated circuit). I2C is used in many devices, such as sensors, EEPROMs, and LCD displays. I2C allows you to connect multiple devices on the same bus, as long as they have different addresses.
What is Liquid Crystal I2C Library?
Liquid crystal i2c library is a library for Arduino that allows you to control LCD displays using an i2c module. A library is a collection of code that provides predefined functions and variables that you can use in your sketch. An i2c module is a small board that converts the parallel signals from the LCD display to the serial signals of the i2c protocol. By using an i2c module, you can reduce the number of wires and pins needed to connect the LCD display to the Arduino board.
Features of Liquid Crystal I2C Library
Some features of liquid crystal i2c library are:
It is compatible with most LCD displays that use the HD44780 controller, such as 16x2, 20x4, and 40x4 displays.
It provides functions to print text, numbers, and symbols on the LCD display, as well as to clear the screen, set the cursor position, turn on or off the backlight, and create custom characters.
It allows you to change the i2c address of the LCD display by using the setI2CAddress() function. The default address is 0x27, but some modules may have different addresses.
Comparison of Liquid Crystal I2C Library with Other LCD Libraries
There are other libraries for Arduino that can also control LCD displays, such as LiquidCrystal and NewLiquidCrystal. Here is a comparison table of liquid crystal i2c library with these two libraries:
LibraryWiringCodingMemory
LiquidCrystal_I2COnly 4 wires: VCC, GND, SDA, SCLSimple and easy: only need to include the library and create an object with the address and size of the LCD displayLow: only uses 182 bytes of SRAM and 4160 bytes of flash memory
LiquidCrystalAt least 6 wires: VCC, GND, RS, EN, D4-D7 (or 10 wires if using D0-D7)More complex: need to specify the pins for RS, EN, and D4-D7 (or D0-D7) when creating an objectHigh: uses 408 bytes of SRAM and 4470 bytes of flash memory
NewLiquidCrystalSame as LiquidCrystal or 4 wires if using an i2c module with an MCP23008 or MCP23017 chipMore flexible: can use different types of interfaces (parallel, i2c, SPI) and chips (HD44780, KS0066U)Variable: depends on the interface and chip used
Why Use Liquid Crystal I2C Library?
Now that you know what liquid crystal i2c library is, you might wonder why you should use it instead of other LCD libraries. There are three main reasons why liquid crystal i2c library is a better choice: simplicity, flexibility, and efficiency.
Simplicity
One of the advantages of using liquid crystal i2c library is that it simplifies the wiring and coding of LCD displays. With liquid crystal i2c library, you only need four wires to connect the LCD display to the Arduino board: VCC, GND, SDA, and SCL. You don't need to worry about the RS, EN, and D4-D7 pins that are required by other LCD libraries. This makes the wiring easier and neater.
Another advantage of using liquid crystal i2c library is that it simplifies the coding of LCD displays. With liquid crystal i2c library, you only need to include the library and create an object with the address and size of the LCD display. You don't need to specify the pins for RS, EN, and D4-D7 (or D0-D7) as in other LCD libraries. This makes the coding simpler and faster.
Flexibility
Another benefit of using liquid crystal i2c library is that it gives you more flexibility to change the i2c address and the LCD size. With liquid crystal i2c library, you can use the setI2CAddress() function to change the i2c address of the LCD display. This is useful if you have multiple LCD displays on the same bus, or if your i2c module has a different address than the default one (0x27).
With liquid crystal i2c library, you can also use different sizes of LCD displays, such as 16x2, 20x4, or 40x4. You just need to specify the number of columns and rows when creating the object. You don't need to use different libraries for different sizes of LCD displays as in other LCD libraries. This gives you more flexibility to choose the LCD display that suits your project.
Efficiency
The last advantage of using liquid crystal i2c library is that it improves the efficiency of your Arduino board. With liquid crystal i2c library, you can reduce the number of pins and memory used by your LCD display. By using an i2c module, you can free up six or ten pins that would otherwise be used by other LCD libraries. This allows you to use those pins for other components or sensors.
With liquid crystal i2c library, you can also save memory space on your Arduino board. Liquid crystal i2c library uses less SRAM and flash memory than other LCD libraries. This means that you have more memory available for your sketch and variables.
How to Download Liquid Crystal I2C Library?
Now that you know the benefits of using liquid crystal i2c library, you might want to know how to download it and use it in your Arduino sketch. There are three main ways to download liquid crystal i2c library: from the Arduino library manager, from the GitHub repository, or from other websites.
Download from Arduino Library Manager
The easiest way to download liquid crystal i2c library is to use the Arduino library manager. The library manager is a feature of the Arduino IDE that allows you to search and install libraries from the internet. To use the library manager, follow these steps:
Open the Arduino IDE and go to Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries.
In the library manager window, type "liquid crystal i2c" in the search box and press Enter.
Select the LiquidCrystal_I2C library by Frank de Brabander and click on Install.
Wait for the installation to finish and close the library manager window.
Now you can use the liquid crystal i2c library in your sketch by including it with #include .
Download from GitHub Repository
Another way to download liquid crystal i2c library is to use GitHub. GitHub is a platform that hosts code repositories for various projects. You can download liquid crystal i2c library from its GitHub repository by following these steps:
Go to https://github.com/johnrickman/LiquidCrystal_I2C and click on Code > Download ZIP.
Save the ZIP file to your computer and unzip it.
Rename the folder to LiquidCrystal_I2C and move it to your Arduino libraries folder. The default location of the libraries folder is Documents/Arduino/libraries on Windows and Documents/Arduino/libraries on Mac OS X.
Restart the Arduino IDE and you can use the liquid crystal i2c library in your sketch by including it with #include .
Download from Other Websites
The third way to download liquid crystal i2c library is to use other websites that provide links to download it. There are many websites that offer liquid crystal i2c library for download, such as:
To download liquid crystal i2c library from these websites, follow these steps:
Go to one of the websites and click on the link to download liquid crystal i2c library.
Save the ZIP file to your computer and unzip it.
Rename the folder to LiquidCrystal_I2C and move it to your Arduino libraries folder. The default location of the libraries folder is Documents/Arduino/libraries on Windows and Documents/Arduino/libraries on Mac OS X.
Restart the Arduino IDE and you can use the liquid crystal i2c library in your sketch by including it with #include .
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned everything you need to know about liquid crystal i2c library. You have learned what liquid crystal i2c library is, why it is useful, and how to download it. You have also learned the features, benefits, and drawbacks of liquid crystal i2c library compared to other LCD libraries. You have also learned how to use the Arduino library manager, GitHub, and other websites to download liquid crystal i2c library.
Liquid crystal i2c library is a great library for Arduino that allows you to control LCD displays using an i2c module. It simplifies the wiring and coding of LCD displays, gives you more flexibility to change the i2c address and the LCD size, and improves the efficiency of your Arduino board. It is compatible with most LCD displays that use the HD44780 controller, and provides functions to print text, numbers, symbols, and custom characters on the LCD display.
If you are looking for a way to display information on your Arduino project, you should definitely try liquid crystal i2c library. It is easy to use, versatile, and efficient. You can download it from the Arduino library manager, GitHub, or other websites. You can also find examples and tutorials on how to use it online. Liquid crystal i2c library is a must-have library for any Arduino enthusiast.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about liquid crystal i2c library:
Q: What are some common problems with liquid crystal i2c library?
A: Some common problems are incorrect wiring, wrong address, missing backlight, or corrupted library. To fix these problems, you should check the following:
Make sure that the VCC, GND, SDA, and SCL wires are connected correctly between the Arduino board and the i2c module.
Make sure that the address of the LCD display matches the address in the sketch. You can use an i2c scanner sketch to scan and print the address of the LCD display.
Make sure that the backlight of the LCD display is turned on. You can use the setBacklight() function to turn on or off the backlight.
Make sure that the liquid crystal i2c library is installed correctly and not corrupted. You can reinstall the library from the Arduino library manager, GitHub, or other websites.
Q: How to find out the i2c address of the LCD display?
A: You can use an i2c scanner sketch to find out the i2c address of the LCD display. An i2c scanner sketch is a sketch that scans all possible addresses on the i2c bus and prints out the ones that respond. You can find an example of an i2c scanner sketch here: https://playground.arduino.cc/Main/I2cScanner/
Q: How to adjust the contrast and brightness of the LCD display?
A: You can adjust the contrast and brightness of the LCD display by using a potentiometer or a resistor. A potentiometer is a variable resistor that allows you to change its resistance by turning a knob. A resistor is a fixed resistor that has a constant resistance value. To adjust the contrast and brightness of the LCD display, follow these steps:
Connect one end of the potentiometer or resistor to VCC (5V) and the other end to GND (0V).
Connect the middle pin of the potentiometer or one end of the resistor to pin 3 (VO) of the LCD display.
Turn the knob of the potentiometer or change the value of the resistor until you get the desired contrast and brightness of the LCD display.
Q: How to print custom characters on the LCD display?
A: You can print custom characters on the LCD display by using the createChar() and write() functions. The createChar() function allows you to define a custom character by using an array of bytes that represents the pattern of pixels on the LCD display. The write() function allows you to print a custom character by using its index number. To print custom characters on the LCD display, follow these steps:
Define an array of bytes that represents the pattern of pixels for each custom character. Each byte corresponds to one row of pixels, and each bit corresponds to one pixel. A 1 means the pixel is on, and a 0 means the pixel is off. For example, this array defines a smiley face character:
byte smiley[8] = B00000, B10001, B00000, B00000, B10001, B01110, B00000, ;
Use the createChar() function to create a custom character with an index number and an array of bytes. The index number can be from 0 to 7, and the array of bytes can be any name you choose. For example, this line creates a custom character with index number 0 and array name smiley:
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27,16,2); //create an object with address 0x27 and size 16x2 lcd.createChar(0, smiley); //create a custom character with index number 0 and array name smiley
Use the write() function to print a custom character by using its index number. For example, this line prints a smiley face character at the first position of the first row:
lcd.setCursor(0,0); //set the cursor position to column 0 and row 0 lcd.write(0); //print a custom character with index number 0
Q: How to use multiple LCD displays with liquid crystal i2c library?
A: You can use multiple LCD displays with liquid crystal i2c library by using multiple LiquidCrystal_I2C objects with different addresses and pins. To use multiple LCD displays with liquid crystal i2c library, follow these steps:
Connect each LCD display to an i2c module and connect each i2c module to the Arduino board using VCC, GND, SDA, and SCL wires.
Make sure that each i2c module has a different address. You can use jumpers or soldering to change the address of the i2c module. You can also use an i2c scanner sketch to find out the address of each i2c module.
Create multiple LiquidCrystal_I2C objects with different addresses and sizes. For example, these lines create two objects with addresses 0x27 and 0x3F and sizes 16x2 and 20x4:
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd1(0x27,16,2); //create an object with address 0x27 and size 16x2 LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd2(0x3F,20,4); //create an object with address 0x3F and size 20x4
Use the functions of each object to control each LCD display separately. For example, these lines print "Hello" on the first LCD display and "World" on the second LCD display:
lcd1.init(); //initialize the first LCD display lcd1.backlight(); //turn on the backlight of the first LCD display lcd1.print("Hello"); //print "Hello" on the first LCD display lcd2.init(); //initialize the second LCD display lcd2.backlight(); //turn on the backlight of the second LCD display lcd2.print("World"); //print "World" on the second LCD display
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