Recommended "miniDisplay" for MP and MCE remote? (1 Viewer)

[galgo]

Greetings
I'm looking for a small & simple (=cheap...) LCD/VFD display for my HTPC in order to avoid turning the TV ON.
Mainly to control music,check eMail and uTorrent status ...
I saw many kits here and in eBay - but I'm not sure which has good compatibility to MP mini-display plug In or other software.
I already have the MS MCE remote control kit (with receiver and IR blasters) so all I need is a small display kit.
Preferably something compact since I don't have an available 5.25" bay (HTPC in Enermax LAGUNA case)...
I might build an "external" enclosure if I'll have to....

Any specific recommendations?


How about this kit from SURE electronics:
1602 LCD Display Board with USB (Edition I) LCD Smartie

or this from ABACOM:
USB-LCD-Textdis​play 4x20 Zeichen, HD44780, I2C, blau

Other recommended sources?
(I'd prefer NOT to go for a commercial items i.e. iMon etc. since I enjoy building myself and they are just too expensive...)

 

[Jean-Christophe]

Hi galgo,

I have the exact same request, expectations and budget

I will follow this thread with care

 

[galgo]

GR8 - so now there are TWO of us
(hopefully it'll get more attention than one newbie asking silly questions...)

I did some looking around and found that LCD-Smartie has the required plug-ins (and hopefully can work with MP).
However, it seems to me that most of the cheap DIY LCD/VFD mods are made with PARALLEL port? S)
While connecting to USB require an additional controller to work... - is this right?
Can somebody point me (us) to the right direction?

Have fun,
Gal

 

[Jean-Christophe]

Hi Gal,

Sorry for the delay, I didn't receive the notification (or I didn't see it).

Using an USB->Parallel adapter should resolve the problem, but it add a component in the list.
There must be, somewhere, something the does what we are looking for