Arduino sketch to manipulate Noritake Graphic DMA parallel interface.

gistfile1.c

const int pin_led = 13;

const int pin_wr = 8;
const int pin_rdy = 9;

void write_byte(const uint8_t c) {
  while( (PINB & 2) == 0 );
  PORTB &= 0xfe;  // /WR=0
  PORTD = c;
  PORTB |= 0x01;  // /WR=1
  __asm("nop");
  __asm("nop");
  __asm("nop");
  //__asm("nop");
  //__asm("nop");
  //__asm("nop");
}

void setup() {
  pinMode(pin_led, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(pin_led, LOW);
  
  pinMode(0, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(1, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(2, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(3, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(4, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(5, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(6, OUTPUT); 
  pinMode(7, OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode(pin_wr, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(pin_wr, HIGH);

  pinMode(pin_rdy, INPUT);

  write_byte(0x0C);
}

void loop() {
  static uint8_t d = 0;
  //while( digitalRead(pin_rdy) == LOW );
  
  while(true) {
    pinMode(pin_led, HIGH);
    /*
    write_byte(0x1f);
    write_byte(0x28);
    write_byte(0x66);
    write_byte(0x11);
    write_byte(0x80);  // xL
    write_byte(0x01);  // xH
    write_byte(0x04);  // yL
    write_byte(0x00);  // yH
    write_byte(0x01);  // g
    */
    
    write_byte(0x02);
    write_byte(0x44);
    write_byte(0x00);
    write_byte(0x57);
    write_byte(0x01);
    
    for(uint_fast16_t x1=0; x1<384; x1+=192) {
      write_byte(0x02);  // STX
      write_byte(0x44);
      write_byte(0x00);  // DAD
      write_byte(0x46);
      write_byte(0x00);  // aL
      write_byte((x1 * 4) >> 8);  // aH
      write_byte(0x00);  // sL
      write_byte(0x03);  // sH
      for(uint_fast16_t x=x1; x<x1+192; x++) {
        for(int_fast16_t y=0; y<4; y++) {
          write_byte((x + d) & 0xff);
        }
      }
    }
    
    //delay(500);
    
    pinMode(pin_led, LOW);
    
    //delay(500);
    
    d += 1;
  }
}

I don't suppose you have any updated code for these VFDs? I have a GU256x64E-3900B which is not displaying anything in graphic DMA mode using the parallel connector. No matter what bytes I send it. I've checked the software datasheet too. Normal (character) mode is working OK. Please and thank you.

@the88g I'm sorry, I don't. I haven't touched this project in many years, and it worked fine at the time.

My only thought is you have a performance issue. I was using some form of original Arduino, based on the slow-as-molasses Atmel AVR8 microcontroller. Whatever you're using is probably far faster. This code has no handshaking or throttling, so if it's sending too fast for the panel to accept, the panel will just do random things -- or, quite possibly nothing.