Joe,

Your point for production boards is well taken and would certainly be the execution plan if that was the case.

In my immediate use case the issue is leveraging very low cost 16x2 and similar character mode LCD modules for prototype and test fixture setups that connect to existing eval boards and other pre-made interface boards that come with the 2x8 ribbon cable headers. Today's situation demands low cost leveraging as much as possible.

Direct soldered connections of ribbon cable to the LCD modules is painful from both the initial build exercise and then upon at the time when the LCD modules need replacement. Replacement seems to be necessary because I'm finding that the cheap 2.50$ type LCDs are having backlights fail.

Michael Karas