VFD display examples using Python

Here I am using NanoPi NEO2, But any SBC with Armbian and SPI Interface should work

Hardware

Display model: Noritake-Itron CU20045-UW5J Datasheet, Footprint (Eagle) and 3D model are available on my other repo - Noritake VFD Display

Since the display is using 3 wire SPI and the Pi is using 4 an extra step is needed, Please follow the wiring tutorial from smbaker which I have also based my program on.

The VFD library is a mishmash between smbaker library and the library used by bob thisoldgeek in his RPi-boombox.

For the PiHole monitor i'm using an altered code from bradgillap in his super simple code in I2C LCD Display.

Please note that since the NanoPi does not have an RTC it needs to access the internet to update it's internal time.

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Apps

• PiHole monitor
• Simple clock with system stats

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Installation

Configure your Pi SPI interface (Instructions may vary depends on manufacturer and OS), and reboot.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y python3 python-dev python-pip
pip3 install spidev psutil urllib

git clone https://github.com/yuvalabou/spi-vfd-clock
cd spi-vfd-clock

Running the app

python3 clock.py

Run the script in the background please note the process id so you could kill it later when needed.

python3 clock.py &

Run your script at boot

Add this line to your /etc/rc.local file

python3 /path/to/spi-vfd-clock/clock.py &

For running the PiHole app, Just change the app name

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