I recently received my Nerdkit and yesterday wired the sample circuit. I get no visible response on the LCD panel, and have checked voltages and included below, along with a picture of the wired kit. Notice that I chose to use colored wires to the LCD coded as: red +5V, green ground, blue contrast, yellow data signals. I also moved the voltage regulator, resistor and associated wires down one pin to avoid using the end row (personal preference).

Following confirmed with multimeter:

Battery 9.6 V Regulator out 4.67 V Both rails 4.67 V pin 1, 7, 20 & 21 MCU 4.67 V Resistor 0.97 k

From LCD pin 3 to ground (drop across resistor):

370 mV

From MCU to LCD pin:

pin 4 4.67 V pin 6 fluctuating around 10 mV (9 mV to 11 mV) pin 11 fluctuating slightly 4.2 V to 4.6 V pin 12 fluctuating 40 mV to 60 mV pin 13 fluctuating 40 mV to 60 mV pin 14 fluctuating 4.2 V to 4.6 V

I assume fluctuation not precise due to meter limitations, possible indicating MCU signals.

Please let me know if you see anything terribly wrong 'cause I'm stymied ...

Thanks, Ed

I don't know if it's the angle of the photot or not, but it appears your crystal is off by 1 row. Again, that may just be the photo. Also maybe the angle, but it looks as though the 4 LCD data wires may be shifted 1 position. (how many empty spots do you have at the end of the connector? There should be 2)

Other than those possibilities, I don't see anything that stands out.

Rick

What happened to your breadboard on the left side? It looks like it was severed (chopped off) roughly.

It's missing rows 1 and 2.

Your wiring looks good but I'd take it apart and redo it.

It's hard to tell exactly what the two green (GND) wires are doing but I asume they are run to ground.

You might want to move the two ground wires up to row 8 and 9 the same thing with your red power wire in case the breadboard got damaged on the end.

Ralph

Ralph, no there's nothing wrong with the breadboard, you're seeing the edge of the box I have this sitting in. Green wires are grounded.

Rick, there's supposed to be 2 open pins on the end of the LCD? Wow, I guess I can't missed that in the project photo. I double checked and that's it, THANKS!

No problem, glad you are up and running. BTW, Page 29 of the manual has a chart and photo showing the exact pins from the breadboard to the LCD connector.

Rick

Yeah, that's where I double checked. The picture on page 30 is the one that 'fooled me'. Thanks again.

Yeah, I saw that one too. From their angle I could see it looking shifted.