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---
description: "Vacuum fluorescent display with an ESP"
created: 2025-08-21
---
[TOC]
## Resources
- [WD202 User manual](https://www.touchdynamic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/wd202.pdf)
- [WD202A User manual (contains RJ45 pinout)](https://manualzz.com/doc/html/11817581/digipos-wd-202a-customer-display-user-s-manual)
- [Link to code git repo](https://git.node5.net/firmware/vfd/)
Got an old VFD from a Point Of Sale device. The kind found in price tally displays in supermarkets.
It uses RS232 to communicate,
so you need a TTL to RS232 converter for the display to recognise the signal from a micro controller.
Which convents the ESPs from 3.3v logic -> -15 to 15 volt.
## --> Attribution: oliver@labitat.dk made the hardware awesome <--
---
## Circuit diagram
[Link to circuit diagram - cirkitdesigner.com](https://app.cirkitdesigner.com/project/05cf3635-211d-451e-8c80-614e9fb4ede3)
---
## Code
[Link to code git repo](https://git.node5.net/firmware/vfd/)
```cpp
#include <FastLED.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <ezTime.h>
Timezone CopenhagenTime;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.write(0x0C); // Clear display
Serial.print("VFD display\n");
Serial.print("Starting\n");
WiFi.setHostname(HOSTNAME);
WiFi.begin(WIFI_SSID, WIFI_PASSWORD);
Serial.write(0x0C); // Clear display
Serial.printf("Hostname: %s\n", HOSTNAME);
Serial.printf("Connecting to: %s\n", WIFI_SSID);
while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED)
{
delay(1000);
Serial.print('.');
}
Serial.write(0x0C); // Clear display
Serial.println("Connected, IP address: ");
Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
delay(1000);
waitForSync();
CopenhagenTime.setLocation("Europe/Copenhagen");
Serial.write(0x0C); // Clear display
}
void loop() {
// Get Unix epoch timestamp
char buffer [3];
sprintf(buffer,"%03d",ms());
String milliEpoch = String(now()) + buffer;
Serial.println(milliEpoch);
delay(50);
// https://github.com/ropg/ezTime#getting-date-and-time
// 16;36;15 Sat 16 Aug 33
String time_formatted = CopenhagenTime.dateTime("H:i:s D d M");
Serial.println(time_formatted);
events(); // Needed to update time continuously
}
```
---
## Alternative input method
It's been suggested to me that one could possibly forgo the TTL to RS232 converter chip,
since the VFD probably contains an RS232 to TTL convenrter anyways, worth exploring for another iteration.
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