Pole display

A pole display is the small two-line screen on a stalk facing the customer. It is not the second-monitor customer display. You can use both: the monitor for a full ticket, the pole for a quick total.

The VFD only shows ASCII, so Arabic names become a short English fallback or ITEM, while amounts always appear.

What it shows

• Idle. The two welcome lines you type in Settings.
• Sale. Latest line (quantity × name and line amount) on the top row, TOTAL on the bottom.
• Thank you. After payment, your thank-you line. If there is change, the second row shows CHANGE.

Turn it on

1. Plug the pole in. Windows should give it a COM port (Device Manager). USB-serial poles count.
2. Open Settings → Customer display and the Pole display card.
3. Turn on Enable pole display, pick the COM port, and leave baud at 9600 unless the scale/pole manual says otherwise.
4. Command set: start with CD5220 / Partner. Use Epson DM-D for Epson-branded poles, or Plain text if the unit just prints characters.
5. Choose 20 or 16 characters per line to match the hardware.
6. Use Send test lines. You should see TEST and TOTAL 1.00.

The till writes to the pole whenever the ticket changes, using the same sale / idle / thanks moments as the customer monitor.

If nothing appears

• Confirm the COM port is not already used by the live scale on the same number.
• Try the other command set. A wrong protocol looks like garbage or a blank screen.
• 9600 8N1 is the usual factory default. Match the pole menu if you changed it.
• The pole must be powered. Many need the till or a wall brick as well as the USB/COM cable.