The rpisystat script will report the following system parameters to your LCD:

• Internal IP
• External IP
• CPU temperature
• GPU temperature
• CPU usage
• Memory usage
• Free disk space
• Incoming and outgoing network traffic

You need:

1. Breadboard with T-Cobbler (or connect the wires directly)
2. 16×2 LCD board
3. Adjustable resistor (potentiometer) for adjusting LCD contrast

1. Wiring (source: https://learn.adafruit.com/drive-a-16×2-lcd-directly-with-a-raspberry-pi/wiring):

Pin #1 of the LCD goes to ground (black wire)
Pin #2 of the LCD goes to +5V (red wire)
Pin #3 (Vo) connects to the middle of the potentiometer (orange wire)
Pin #4 (RS) connects to the Cobbler #25 (yellow wire)
Pin #5 (RW) goes to ground (black wire)
Pin #6 (EN) connects to Cobbler #24 (green wire)
Skip LCD Pins #7, #8, #9 and #10
Pin #11 (D4) connects to cobbler #23 (blue wire)
Pin #12 (D5) connects to Cobbler #17 (violet wire)
Pin #13 (D6) connects to Cobber #21 (gray wire)
Pin #14 (D7) connects to Cobber #22 (white wire)
Pin #15 (LED +) goes to +5V (red wire)
Pin #16 (LED -) goes to ground (black wire)

This schematics is for RaspberryPi 1 version, but you can connect to the same pins on RaspberryPi 2 (picture bellow).

2. Software

Download required packages:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python-dev python-setuptools python-pip git
sudo easy_install -U distribute
sudo pip install rpi.gpio

Download my scripts:

sudo git clone git://github.com/s55ma/16-2-LCD-rpisystat.git
cd 16-2-LCD-rpisystat
sudo ./rpisystat.py

Make sure you edit rpisystat.py to match your GPIO pins (default is for the wiring above). Also edit rx.sh and tx.sh to match your network adapter.

Check the display in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YkLTBd5-bw

Scripts: https://github.com/s55ma/16-2-LCD-rpisystat

References: https://learn.adafruit.com/drive-a-16×2-lcd-directly-with-a-raspberry-pi/wiring