I am looking for a simple way to drive a 2-digit 7-segment LED display from a PC. I have thought about parallel as interfacing would be pretty elementary, but I'm using Windows XP and I understand there are issues with controlling an LPT port from Windows XP without special routines. What I would like is a way to "TYPE" a number to a port and have it blank the display and then display the number I sent to it.
Which would be the easiest in XP: serial, USB or parallel? I can figure out everything from the BCD to 7-segment decoder, logic circuits to make it work the way I want, and the 7-segment display. I just don't know how to interface them with a USB or serial port. The printer port wouldn't be hard but there's the software limitation again.
Anyone have any thoughts as to how I can do this?
Which would be the easiest in XP: serial, USB or parallel? I can figure out everything from the BCD to 7-segment decoder, logic circuits to make it work the way I want, and the 7-segment display. I just don't know how to interface them with a USB or serial port. The printer port wouldn't be hard but there's the software limitation again.
Anyone have any thoughts as to how I can do this?