From: rwells118@cox.net   
      
       I have four IBM POS VFD Customer Displays aka "Pole Displays" This is   
   the one attached to various IBM electronic cash registers that shows the   
   customer the price of each item as it is rung up and then the grand total.   
   It has two lines of twenty characters in flourescent blue or green. These   
   particular displays are IBM part number 61P5766. They are beautiful   
   displays, highly readable and from what I understand are very reliable. I   
   would like to be to use them in some PIC projects but there is a problem. I   
   can't find information on how to make them work. They have a four pin jack   
   in the bottom. They have a Futaba VFD module inside and that part number is   
   M202MD08A. Futaba will not give out any information as they say the design   
   is IBM property. This is what I've been able to figure out so far:   
      
       The suppply voltage is 12VDC on the two outer pins. Applying power   
   results in a display of "U001" after about three seconds. This I read in an   
   IBM document, indicates the initialization/self test was successful and the   
   display is waiting for communications.   
      
       There is a A176B RS-485 transceiver on the display circuit board and   
   that is the equivalent of the TI SN75176. So I figure it must be using   
   RS-485 electrical communication protocol (differential pair). Thus I figure   
   the two inner most pins on the connector must be the so-called AB pair that   
   the signals are sent on. I have tried hooking up a LTC485 transceiver chip   
   to the output of my PIC 18F452 serial port and sent a variety of codes via   
   pins 2 and 3 on the display connector. I tried to display text on it,   
   initialize it and clear the display all to no avail. I am using a comm setup   
   of 9600 baud, eight bits, no parity and 1 stop bit on the PIC. I've also   
   tried 2400 and 19200 baud, even parity, no luck. I am using the PIC hserout   
   command. This is driving me absolutely bonkers. I don't know if I need   
   enable the receiver or not but I did and there was no success. What I am   
   wondering is if IBM has special codes in its POSS drivers that unlock this   
   device for communications.  I guess if someone had the source to the   
   "customer display" section of the POSS drivers I could figure it out, but I   
   can't even find any information about where such programmers hang out on the   
   net. I would be most appreciative for anyone that might help. These displays   
   would be great for all sorts of projects and are readable even in bright   
   light. With the RS-485 protocol they should be ideal for remote displays   
   using a twisted pair wiring at hundreds if not thousands of feet! They have   
   been available from time to time on eBay for $20 US plus shipping, brand new   
   in the original IBM box! I WILL SEND ONE OF THESE UNITS TO THE PERSON THAT   
   CAN PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THATS GETS IT UP AND RUNNING AS LONG AS THEY ARE   
   IN THE CONTINENTAL US! Please help me!   
      
   Sincerely ,   
   Bob   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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