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Ask Slashdot: Hobbyist-Ready LCD Touch Panel For Embedded Projects?

Posted by timothy on from the you-could-take-my-stack-of-dead-laptops dept.

michael_cain writes "I've been asked (by family, friends) to consider several small embedded controller projects. A good starting point for all of them would be a backlit LCD graphics module with touch screen pre-mounted in a plastic enclosure with enough room behind the display for a custom circuit board. 320-by-240 pixels, 3.5 to 4.5 inch diagonal measure, monochrome is sufficient (but color is always cool), easily driven by an AVR or PIC type microcontroller. And priced at a reasonable point for a hobbyist! Anyone seen anything like this?"

1 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. A Good Start by gavron · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I know... you want help finding the touch screen. I'd love to help. Let me jump to the beginning.

    > I've been asked (by family, friends) to consider several small embedded controller projects. A good starting point for all of them...

    No, that's YOUR bias showing through. A good starting point would be to
    a. List the problem you're trying to solve or the process you're trying to improve
    b. Identify the right technology to do that. It MAY be that it's embedded controllers and it MAY be that they require a touch-screen, but seeing as we've been in the industrial age for hundreds of years and the electronic age for decades, and touch-screens for dozens, that MAY NOT be the magical answer to everything.
    c. Choose the right combination of b to solve a.

    Good luck with that. I think your (family, friends) have asked the wrong guy. You're biased toward embedded controllers and touch screens.
    I don't know how you'll make sure my lawn waters regularly (hint: mechanical timer), my lights turn on at dusk and off at dawn (hint: opto-electric switch),
    and how my car turns its headlights on magically when the sun goes down (cluebyfour: it's not embedded nor touchscreen).

    When all you have in your head is a hammer, the world looks like a nail.

    You're the wrong tool.

    E