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Address

Unit 1 - 6115 4 St SE
Calgary AB  T2H 2H9
Canada

PHIDGETS Inc.

Unit 1 - 6115 4 St SE
Calgary AB  T2H 2H9
Canada
+1 403 282-7335

PhidgetTextLCD 20X2 : White : Integrated PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8

ID: 1203_2B NRND

This product supports our Phidget21 libraries. Use as a drop-in replacement for legacy systems.

$70.00

Quantity Available: 101

Qty Price
5 $66.50
10 $63.00
25 $56.00
50 $49.00
100 $45.50
250 $42.00
500 $38.50
1000 $35.00
50+...

For new systems and projects, we recommend using the following VINT products instead of this one. If you need more digital inputs, digital outputs, or voltage inputs, you can add other VINT I/O modules to your system.

Note: The 1203_2B is identical to the 1203_2, except that you have the option of whether you want to include the USB cable.

The 1203 integrates a 20X2 White PhidgetTextLCD screen, and a PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8.

The PhidgetTextLCD allows you to display messages on a 2-line by 20-character LCD screen and connects directly to your computer via USB.

The analog inputs are used to measure continuous voltage outputs generated by various sensors such as temperature, humidity, position, or pressure. Phidgets offers a wide variety of sensors that can be plugged directly into the board using the cable included with the sensor.

The Digital Inputs have a Digital Input Hardware Filter to eliminate false triggering from electrical noise. They can be used to convey the state of devices such as push buttons, limit switches, relays, and logic levels.

The Digital Outputs can be used to drive LEDs, solid state relays, transistors; in fact, anything that will accept a CMOS signal.

Features

  • 2x20 Character text LCD screen for displaying messages
  • Screen backlight with adjustable brightness and contrast
  • 8 Analog Inputs to measure the 0-5V signal produced by one of our many analog sensors
  • 8 Digital Inputs to read the state of a switch or button
  • 8 Digital Outputs to drive an LED, relay or transistor

Comes Packaged with

Hardware
  • Hardware mounting kit:
  • 4x M3 Bolts (2cm Length)
  • 4x Plastic spacers (5mm Length)
  • 4x M3 Nuts

Guides

Enclosures

You can protect your board from dust and debris by purchasing an enclosure. An enclosure will also prevent unintentional shorts caused by objects touching the pins on the bottom of the board or any terminal screws.

Product Physical Properties
Part Number Price Material
3818_2
Acrylic Enclosure for the 1203
$10.00 Clear Acrylic

USB Cables

Use a USB cable to connect this Phidget to your computer. We have a number of different lengths available, although the maximum length of a USB cable is 5 meters due to limitations in the timing protocol. For longer distances, we recommend that you use a Single Board Computer to control the Phidget remotely.

Product Physical Properties
Part Number Price Connector A Connector B Cable Length
3017_1
Mini-USB Cable 28cm 24AWG
$3.00 USB Type A USB Mini-B 280 mm
3018_0
Mini-USB Cable 180cm 24AWG
$4.00 USB Type A USB Mini-B 1.8 m
3020_0
Mini-USB Cable 450cm 20AWG
$12.00 USB Type A USB Mini-B 4.5 m
3036_0
Mini-USB Cable 60cm 24AWG
$3.50 USB Type A USB Mini-B 600 mm
3037_0
Mini-USB Cable 120cm 24AWG
$4.00 USB Type A USB Mini-B 1.2 m
CBL4011_0
Mini-USB Cable 28cm Right Angle
$3.50 USB Type A USB Mini-B (90 degree) 280 mm
CBL4012_0
Mini-USB Cable 83cm Right Angle
$4.50 USB Type A USB Mini-B (90 degree) 830 mm
CBL4020_0
USB-C to Mini USB Cable 60cm
$5.00 USB Type C USB Mini-B 600 mm
CBL4021_0
USB-C to Mini USB Cable 180cm
$6.00 USB Type C USB Mini-B 1.8 m

Phidget Cables

To connect analog sensors you'll need Phidget cables. You can solder multiple cables together in order to make even longer Phidget cables, but you should be aware of the effects of having long wires in your system.

Product Physical Properties
Part Number Price Cable Length
3002_0
Phidget Cable 60cm
$2.00 600 mm
3003_0
Phidget Cable 10cm
$1.50 100 mm
3004_0
Phidget Cable 350cm
$3.00 3.5 m
3038_0
Phidget Cable 120cm
$2.25 1.2 m
3039_0
Phidget Cable 180cm
$2.75 1.8 m
CBL4104_0
Phidget Cable 30cm
$1.75 300 mm
CBL4105_0
Phidget Cable 90cm
$2.00 900 mm
CBL4106_0
Phidget Cable 150cm
$2.50 1.5 m
KIT4030_0
Phidget Cable Kit
$10.00 80 mm


Getting Started

Welcome to the 1203 user guide! In order to get started, make sure you have the following hardware on hand:

  • 1203 Phidget TextLCD
  • USB cable and computer
  • something to use with the 1203 (e.g. sensors, LEDs, switches, etc.)


Next, you will need to connect the pieces:

1203 2 Connecting The Hardware.jpg
  1. Connect any sensors to the voltage inputs on the 1023.
  2. Connect a switch or a piece of wire connecting ground to one of the digital input terminals.
  3. Connect an LED to one of the Digital Outputs by inserting the long LED wire into the digital output 0 and the shorter wire into Ground.
  4. Connect the 1203 TextLCD to the computer using a USB cable.


Now that you have everything together, let's start using the 1203!

Using the 1203

Phidget Control Panel

In order to demonstrate the functionality of the 1203, the Phidget Control Panel running on a Windows machine will be used.


The Phidget Control Panel is available for use on both macOS and Windows machines.

Windows

To open the Phidget Control Panel on Windows, find the Ph.jpg icon in the taskbar. If it is not there, open up the start menu and search for Phidget Control Panel

Windows PhidgetTaskbar.PNG

macOS

To open the Phidget Control Panel on macOS, open Finder and navigate to the Phidget Control Panel in the Applications list. Double click on the Ph.jpg icon to bring up the Phidget Control Panel.


For more information, take a look at the getting started guide for your operating system:


Linux users can follow the getting started with Linux guide and continue reading here for more information about the 1203.

First Look

After plugging the 1203 into your computer and opening the Phidget Control Panel, you will see something like this:

1203 Panel.jpg


The Phidget Control Panel will list all connected Phidgets and associated objects, as well as the following information:

  • Serial number: allows you to differentiate between similar Phidgets.
  • Channel: allows you to differentiate between similar objects on a Phidget.
  • Version number: corresponds to the firmware version your Phidget is running. If your Phidget is listed in red, your firmware is out of date. Update the firmware by double-clicking the entry.


The Phidget Control Panel can also be used to test your device. Double-clicking on an object will open an example.

Text LCD

Double-click on the LCD object, labelled Phidget TextLCD 20X2, in order to run the example:

1203 TextLCD Example.jpg


General information about the selected object will be displayed at the top of the window. You can also experiment with the following functionality:

  • Write in the Display text text boxes, your input will be mirrored on the LCD screen.
  • Drag the Contrast and Brightness sliders to a level where you can clearly see the text on the screen.
  • Toggle the Cursor and Cursor Blink checkbox to view the current cursor position on the LCD screen.
  • Toggle Custom Characters to show an example of the 1203 using bitmaps.
  • Use the Clear button to clear the screen.


Voltage Input

Double-click on a Voltage Input object in order to run the example:

1203 VoltageInputSensor Example.jpg


General information about the selected object will be displayed at the top of the window. You can also experiment with the following functionality:

  • Modify the change trigger and/or data interval value by dragging the sliders. For more information on these settings, see the data interval/change trigger page.
  • If you have an analog sensor connected that you bought from us, you can select it from the Sensor Type drop-down menu. The example will then convert the voltage into a more meaningful value based on your sensor, with units included, and display it beside the Sensor Value label. Converting voltage to a Sensor Value is not specific to this example, it is handled by the Phidget libraries, with functions you have access to when you begin developing!


For more information about Voltage Inputs, check out the Voltage Input Primer.

Voltage Ratio Input

Double-click on a Voltage Ratio Input object in order to run the example:

1203 VoltageRatioSensor Example.jpg


General information about the selected object will be displayed at the top of the window. You can also experiment with the following functionality:

  • The voltage ratio is reported in Volts per Volt. For example, if the Phidget is providing 5V and the sensor is sending back 2.5V, the ratio will be 0.5V/V.
  • Modify the change trigger and/or data interval value by dragging the sliders. For more information on these settings, see the data interval/change trigger page.
  • If you have an analog sensor connected that you bought from us, you can select it from the Sensor Type drop-down menu. The example will then convert the voltage into a more meaningful value based on your sensor, with units included, and display it beside the Sensor Value label. Converting voltage to a Sensor Value is not specific to this example, it is handled by the Phidget libraries, with functions you have access to when you begin developing!


For more information about Voltage Ratio Inputs, check out the Voltage Ratio Input Primer.

Digital Input

Double-click on a Digital Input object in order to run the example:

1203 DigitalInput Example.jpg

General information about the selected object will be displayed at the top of the window. You can also experiment with the following functionality:

  • This is an active-low device, therefore, it will be true when connected to ground, and false when connected to a high voltage.

For more information about Digital Inputs, take a look at the Digital Input Primer

Digital Output

Double-click on a Digital Output object in order to run the example:

1203 DigitalOutput Example.jpg


General information about the selected object will be displayed at the top of the window. You can also experiment with the following functionality:

  • Toggle the state of the digital output by pressing the button.

Finding The Addressing Information

Before you can access the device in your own code, and from our examples, you'll need to take note of the addressing parameters for your Phidget. These will indicate how the Phidget is physically connected to your application. For simplicity, these parameters can be found by clicking the button at the top of the Control Panel example for that Phidget.

The locate Phidget button is found in the device information box

In the Addressing Information window, the section above the line displays information you will need to connect to your Phidget from any application. In particular, note the Channel Class field as this will be the API you will need to use with your Phidget, and the type of example you should use to get started with it. The section below the line provides information about the network the Phidget is connected on if it is attached remotely. Keep track of these parameters moving forward, as you will need them once you start running our examples or your own code.

All the information you need to address your Phidget

Using Your Own Program

You are now ready to start writing your own code for the device. The best way to do that is to start from our Code Samples.

Select your programming language of choice from the drop-down list to get an example for your device. You can use the options provided to further customize the example to best suit your needs.

Code Sample Choose Language.png


Once you have your example, you will need to follow the instructions on the page for your programming language to get it running. To find these instructions, select your programming language from the Programming Languages page.

Technical Details

If you want to know more about the input/output capabilities of the 1203, check the Digital Input Guide, InterfaceKit Digital Outputs page, and the Analog Input Guide. For more information about the LCD screen, see the LCD Guide.

What to do Next

  • Programming Languages - Find your preferred programming language here and learn how to write your own code with Phidgets!
  • Phidget Programming Basics - Once you have set up Phidgets to work with your programming environment, we recommend you read our page on to learn the fundamentals of programming with Phidgets.


Software Objects

Channel NameAPIChannel
PhidgetTextLCD 20X2
Text LCD LCD 0
PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8
Voltage Input VoltageInput 0 - 7
Voltage Ratio Input VoltageRatioInput 0 - 7
Digital Input DigitalInput 0 - 7
Digital Output DigitalOutput 0 - 7

API


Back Forward
Print this API

Code Samples



Example Options


Downloads

				Make your selections to display sample code.
					

Code Samples

Language:

APIDetailLanguageOS
LCD Visual Studio GUI C# Windows Download
LCD JavaScript Browser Download
LCD Text LCD Example Objective-C macOS Download
LCD Text LCD Example Swift macOS Download
LCD Text LCD Example Swift iOS Download
LCD Visual Basic .NET Windows Download
LCD Max/MSP Multiple Download
VoltageInput Visual Studio GUI C# Windows Download
VoltageInput Multi-Channel Example JavaScript Browser Download
VoltageInput JavaScript Browser Download
VoltageInput Objective-C macOS Download
VoltageInput Swift macOS Download
VoltageInput Swift iOS Download
VoltageInput Visual Basic .NET Windows Download
VoltageInput Max/MSP Multiple Download
VoltageRatioInput Visual Studio GUI C# Windows Download
VoltageRatioInput Load Cell Calibrator C# Windows Download
VoltageRatioInput JavaScript Browser Download
VoltageRatioInput Objective-C macOS Download
VoltageRatioInput Swift macOS Download
VoltageRatioInput Swift iOS Download
VoltageRatioInput Visual Basic .NET Windows Download
VoltageRatioInput Max/MSP Multiple Download
DigitalInput Visual Studio GUI C# Windows Download
DigitalInput JavaScript Browser Download
DigitalInput Multi-Channel Example JavaScript Browser Download
DigitalInput Objective-C macOS Download
DigitalInput Swift macOS Download
DigitalInput Swift iOS Download
DigitalInput Visual Basic .NET Windows Download
DigitalInput Max/MSP Multiple Download
DigitalOutput Visual Studio GUI C# Windows Download
DigitalOutput JavaScript Browser Download
DigitalOutput Multi-Channel Example JavaScript Browser Download
DigitalOutput Objective-C macOS Download
DigitalOutput Swift macOS Download
DigitalOutput Swift iOS Download
DigitalOutput Visual Basic .NET Windows Download
DigitalOutput Max/MSP Multiple Download

Product Specifications

Board Properties
USB Voltage Min 4.6 V DC
Controlled By USB (Mini-USB)
USB Voltage Max 5.5 V DC
Current Consumption Min 13 mA
Current Consumption Max 500 mA
Available External Current 487 mA
Recommended Wire Size 16 - 26 AWG
USB Speed Full Speed
Operating Temperature Min 0 °C
Operating Temperature Max 70 °C
LCD Screen
Dots per Character 5 x 8
Character Width 3 mm
Number of Rows 2
Characters per Row 20
Voltage Inputs
Number of Voltage Inputs 8
Voltage Input Resolution (bits) 10 bit
Input Impedance 900 kΩ
Input Voltage Min (DC) 0 V DC
Input Voltage Max (DC) 5 V DC
5V Reference Error Max 0.5 %
Voltage Input Update Rate Min 1 samples/s
Voltage Input Update Rate Max (4 Channels) 1000 samples/s
Voltage Input Update Rate Max (8 Channels) 500 samples/s
Voltage Input Update Rate Max (WebService) 62.5 samples/s
Digital Inputs
Number of Digital Inputs 8
Pull-up Resistance 15 kΩ
Low Voltage Max (True) 900 mV DC
High Voltage Min (False) 4.2 V DC
Low Voltage Trigger Length Min 4 ms
High Voltage Trigger Length Min 15 ms
Digital Input Voltage Max ± 15 V DC
Digital Input Update Rate 125 samples/s
Digital Outputs
Number of Digital Outputs 8
Series Resistance 300 Ω
Digital Output Current Max 16 mA
Digital Output Voltage Min 0 V DC
Digital Output Voltage Max 5 V DC
Customs Information
Canadian HS Export Code 8471.80.00
American HTS Import Code 8471.80.40.00
Country of Origin CN (China)

Documents

Product History

Date Board Revision Device Version Packaging Revision Comment
July 2005 0120 Product Release
February 2010 2200Added RC filtering to digital inputs, Configurable speed per analog input. Replaced USB connector with Mini-USB connector.
April 2010 2201fixed data clear on ratiometric switch, fixed overflow report for inputs 2-7
September 2010 2202fixed bug in output set
May 2011 2203getLabelString fixed for labels longer than 7 characters
February 2013 2204USB stack changes; was unstable with lots of set reports
January 20182204BRemoved USB cable from packaging

The following boards also have analog inputs, digital inputs, and digital outputs:

Product Voltage Inputs Digital Outputs Digital Inputs
Part Number Price Number of Voltage Inputs Number of Digital Outputs Number of Digital Inputs
1010_0
PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8 Mini-Format
$80.00 8 8 8
1011_0
PhidgetInterfaceKit 2/2/2
$50.00 2 2 2
1018_2B
PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8
$80.00 8 8 8
1018_3B
PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8
$80.00 8 8 8
1019_1B
PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8 w/6 Port Hub
$110.00 8 8 8
1203_2B
PhidgetTextLCD 20X2 : White : Integrated PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8
$70.00 8 8 8

Have a look at our options for LCD displays:

Product LCD Screen
Part Number Price Number of Rows Characters per Row Character Width
3650_0
LCD Screen 2x20 (5.5mm Characters)
$18.00 2 20 3.2 mm
3652_0
LCD Screen 2x20 (12.7mm Characters)
$25.00 2 20 5.9 mm
3653_0
LCD Screen 2x40 (5.5mm Characters)
$25.00 2 40 3.2 mm
3654_0
LCD Screen 4x20 (4.75mm Characters)
$20.00 4 20 3 mm
3655_0
LCD Screen 4x40 (4.89mm Characters)
$35.00 4 40 2.8 mm

Or, these LCD controllers:

Product Board Properties
Part Number Price Controlled By
1203_2B
PhidgetTextLCD 20X2 : White : Integrated PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8
$70.00 USB (Mini-USB)
1204_0B
PhidgetTextLCD Adapter
$30.00 USB (Mini-USB)
LCD1100_0
Graphic LCD Phidget
$30.00 VINT