LCD 16×2 Pin Configuration and Its Working

Nowadays, we always use the devices which are made up of LCDs such as CD players, DVD players, digital watches, computers, etc. These are commonly used in the screen industries to replace the utilization of CRTs. Cathode Ray Tubes use huge power when compared with LCDs, and CRTs heavier as well as bigger. These devices are thinner as well power consumption is extremely less. The LCD 16×2 working principle is, it blocks the light rather than dissipate. This article discusses an overview of LCD 16X2, pin configuration and its working.

What is the LCD 16×2?

The term LCD stands for liquid crystal display. It is one kind of electronic display module used in an extensive range of applications like various circuits & devices like mobile phones, calculators, computers, TV sets, etc. These displays are mainly preferred for multi-segment light-emitting diodes and seven segments. The main benefits of using this module are inexpensive; simply programmable, animations, and there are no limitations for displaying custom characters, special and even animations, etc.

LCD 16×2 Pin Diagram

The 16×2 LCD pinout is shown below.

• Pin1 (Ground/Source Pin): This is a GND pin of display, used to connect the GND terminal of the microcontroller unit or power source.
• Pin2 (VCC/Source Pin): This is the voltage supply pin of the display, used to connect the supply pin of the power source.
• Pin3 (V0/VEE/Control Pin): This pin regulates the difference of the display, used to connect a changeable POT that can supply 0 to 5V.
• Pin4 (Register Select/Control Pin): This pin toggles among command or data register, used to connect a microcontroller unit pin and obtains either 0 or 1(0 = data mode, and 1 = command mode).
• Pin5 (Read/Write/Control Pin): This pin toggles the display among the read or writes operation, and it is connected to a microcontroller unit pin to get either 0 or 1 (0 = Write Operation, and 1 = Read Operation).
• Pin 6 (Enable/Control Pin): This pin should be held high to execute Read/Write process, and it is connected to the microcontroller unit & constantly held high.
• Pins 7-14 (Data Pins): These pins are used to send data to the display. These pins are connected in two-wire modes like 4-wire mode and 8-wire mode. In 4-wire mode, only four pins are connected to the microcontroller unit like 0 to 3, whereas in 8-wire mode, 8-pins are connected to microcontroller unit like 0 to 7.
• Pin15 (+ve pin of the LED): This pin is connected to +5V
• Pin 16 (-ve pin of the LED): This pin is connected to GND.

Features of LCD16x2

The features of this LCD mainly include the following.

• The operating voltage of this LCD is 4.7V-5.3V
• It includes two rows where each row can produce 16-characters.
• The utilization of current is 1mA with no backlight
• Every character can be built with a 5×8 pixel box
• The alphanumeric LCDs alphabets & numbers
• Is display can work on two modes like 4-bit & 8-bit
• These are obtainable in Blue & Green Backlight
• It displays a few custom generated characters

Registers of LCD

A 16×2 LCD has two registers like data register and command register. The RS (register select) is mainly used to change from one register to another. When the register set is ‘0’, then it is known as command register. Similarly, when the register set is ‘1’, then it is known as data register.

Command Register

The main function of the command register is to store the instructions of command which are given to the display. So that predefined tasks can be performed such as clearing the display, initializing, set the cursor place, and display control. Here commands processing can occur within the register.

Data Register

The main function of the data register is to store the information which is to be exhibited on the LCD screen. Here, the ASCII value of the character is the information which is to be exhibited on the screen of LCD. Whenever we send the information to LCD, it transmits to the data register, and then the process will be starting there. When register set =1, then the data register will be selected.

16×2 LCD Commands

The commands of LCD 16X2 include the following.

• For Hex Code-01, the LCD command will be the clear LCD screen
• For Hex Code-02, the LCD command will be returning home
• For Hex Code-04, the LCD command will be decrement cursor
• For Hex Code-06, the LCD command will be Increment cursor
• For Hex Code-05, the LCD command will be Shift display right
• For Hex Code-07, the LCD command will be Shift display left
• For Hex Code-08, the LCD command will be Display off, cursor off
• For Hex Code-0A, the LCD command will be cursor on and display off
• For Hex Code-0C, the LCD command will be cursor off, display on
• For Hex Code-0E, the LCD command will be cursor blinking, Display on
• For Hex Code-0F, the LCD command will be cursor blinking, Display on
• For Hex Code-10, the LCD command will be Shift cursor position to left
• For Hex Code-14, the LCD command will be Shift cursor position to the right
• For Hex Code-18, the LCD command will be Shift the entire display to the left
• For Hex Code-1C, the LCD command will be Shift the entire display to the right
• For Hex Code-80, the LCD command will be Force cursor to the beginning ( 1st line)
• For Hex Code-C0, the LCD command will be Force cursor to the beginning ( 2nd line)
• For Hex Code-38, the LCD command will be 2 lines and 5×7 matrix

LCD 16×2 Arduino

Please refer to this link to know more about-How to Interface Liquid Crystal Display using An Arduino.

Thus, this is all about LCD 16×2 datasheet, which includes what is a 16X2 LCD, pin configuration, working principle, and its applications. The main advantages of this LCD device include power consumption is less and low cost. The main disadvantages of this LCD device include it occupies a large area, slow devices and also lifespan of these devices will be reduced due to direct current. So these LCDs use AC supply with less than 500Hz frequency. Here is a question for you, what are the applications of LCD?