1 inch OLED Display

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ruffrecords

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Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
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Location
Norfolk - UK
I have seen many articles on using little one inch square 128 x 64 pixel OLED displays with Arduino and other single board computers. I occurs to me these could be handy little status indicators for a channel strip of a mixer - SOLO, MUTE, OVERLOAD, GAIN REDUCTTION and so on. However I cannot seem to find a 'reputable' manufacturer of these nor a decent data sheet. Anyone used these/know of a good supplier?

Cheers

Ian
 
I was recalling the design of an early 1990's Sound Workshop/Otari Concept console, which was an early "digitally controlled analog" desk.  Not exactly an Euphonix, but many module functions were under computer control (FETs for routing, controls for LEDs, etc)

NO digital "racket" was introduced into the modules.  They used a multipin "Euro" connector with one static pin per function.  No CPU/whatever inside each module.

Bri



 
AdaFruit has many such things, with documentation. Availability is as good as you can expect in a rapidly chaging market.

_I_ think 64 pixels will be limiting, and will look crude in a few years.

Some of these have buffers so the data-crap would only be a burst in updating. However in a modular mixer, this likely means a CPU in every module, with the contamination that implies.
 
As far as I know they don't have a very long lifetime and do age fast.

I know about discussions with a german large value mixer manufacture who pays the exchange after some years (warranty or no warranty). Another german mixing manufacture implemented an extra switch in the mixer to shut down all OLEDs while still passing audio (broadcast mixer, 24 hours on, but without human beings there at night).

I was a little afraid when I counted 256 OLEDs in our first Avid S6 (and I have seen S6 OLEDs going inconsistent dark after some time in other places).
 
I can attest to their short shelf life. I wanted to make them display volume level for a rack mount mixer and had to stop as for every one I bought another would die.
It's a workshop/lab/desk that I built them on so I never bonked or hit them but still...
They died.
It eventually wasn't worth the expense for me but no doubt they die easy.
YMMV
 
What about using E-paper (or E-Ink) modules? Will probably work well for semi-static indication like routing and status, and would require no continuous clocking/computering

But probably not for dynamic stuff like metering..

Jakob E.
 
Many thanks for all the replies. The only half decent data sheet I found gave an MTBF of 20,000 hours which I thought was rather short. Seems this is borne out in practice. Now E-paper modules do look interesting for static stuff. I guess the only issue is they need ambient light to work which may be an issue in the low light levels typically found in studios.

Cheers

Ian
 
Have you looked at these?
https://www.buydisplay.com/default/oled-display

I've used some of the TFT and 16x2 displays
 
RS does some OLED ones as well https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/displays-optoelectronics/displays-industrial-monitors/oled-displays/?applied-dimensions=4294540547

Not quite as cheap as BuyDisplay.com unfortunately. I'm just about to do a little  timecode project with the  I2C adafruit version
 
ruffrecords said:
Many thanks for all the replies. The only half decent data sheet I found gave an MTBF of 20,000 hours which I thought was rather short. Seems this is borne out in practice. Now E-paper modules do look interesting for static stuff. I guess the only issue is they need ambient light to work which may be an issue in the low light levels typically found in studios.

Cheers

Ian
I have seen reports that OLED displays (in big TVs) degrade over time... I guess modern product cycles are short enough that they don't care.

JR
 
Martin Griffith said:
RS does some OLED ones as well https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/displays-optoelectronics/displays-industrial-monitors/oled-displays/?applied-dimensions=4294540547

Not quite as cheap as BuyDisplay.com unfortunately. I'm just about to do a little  timecode project with the  I2C adafruit version

Thanks for that. After much searching I found Farnell also does some.

Cheers

Ian
 
I've written a lot of code for I2C OLED displays, and you can really reduce the edge rate of the I2C signal and drive the display at full speed.  It really minimizes the EMI problems especially if you take the time to series terminate the data and clock lines.
 
Matador said:
I've written a lot of code for I2C OLED displays, and you can really reduce the edge rate of the I2C signal and drive the display at full speed.  It really minimizes the EMI problems especially if you take the time to series terminate the data and clock lines.

Excellent. Good practical advice.

Cheers

ian
 
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