MODTHEBOX.COM - Canada's Premier Case Modding Source - Reviews

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In order to get the Crystalfontz 632 16x2 USB LCD Kit functioning requires a two step process for the LCD drivers and application software. The 632 USB drivers can be downloaded directly from the Crystalfontz website and can be used in conjunction with the Hardware Detection Wizard for installation. Consumers will note that two driver references will be noted in Device Manager. Underneath the ports section is a reference for the Crystalfontz USB driver and an assigned COM port. The assigned port can be changed from its default settings by right mouse clicking on the driver and selecting properties. The second entry is located underneath the Universal Serial Bus Controller section which is associated with the LCD USB hardware controller.

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There are several third party application programs which support the Crystalfontz 632 16x2 USB LCD Kit and are referenced on a link page on the Crystalfontz website. The company supplies their own custom LCD application software in a free downloadable package called Crystal Control. The software is not as robust as LCDC but it does support the ability to configure any Crystalfontz LCD as well as build transition screens which interface with 3rd party programs such as Motherboard Monitor, SETI@Home and Winamp. At the time of this review, the official version for Crystal Control was version 1.07. After completing the installation of Crystal Control, one of the first tasks is to correctly configure the LCD module settings.

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An Overall Settings screen allows consumers to set the screen transition duration by adjusting a slider from left to right to increase the amount of seconds each screen is displayed. Additional options include support for monitoring a personal e-mail account as well as your favourite game server. The Screen Configuration Menu allows you to program and define what types of data and information are displayed on the LCD. Each screen can be enabled using drop down menu items located on the left hand side of the menu screen. The duration of the display can be set to any length of time you wish. I found that depending on the type of screen being displayed that 0 to 30 seconds was fine. Once the custom screen has been created, a nice bounce or scrolling effect can be applied to make each screen more interactive. Consumers should remember that third party programs such as Motherboard Monitor, SETI@Home and Winamp must be installed prior to defining transition screens in Crystal Control.