diff --git a/VFD.cc b/VFD.cc
index 0d0ab29..06d990c 100644
--- a/VFD.cc
+++ b/VFD.cc
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ bool VFD::connect(const std::string & parport)
     }
     else
     {
+        usleep(INIT_DELAY);
+        sendNibble(0, 0x2);         /* set 4-bit mode */
+        sendByte(1, 0);             /* set brightness */
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -97,3 +100,55 @@ void VFD::sendByte(unsigned char rs, unsigned char dat)
     sendNibble(rs, (dat >> 4) & 0xF);
     sendNibble(rs, dat & 0xF);
 }
+
+void VFD::displayClear()
+{
+    sendByte(0, 0x1);
+    usleep(INIT_DELAY);
+}
+
+void VFD::cursorHome()
+{
+    sendByte(0, 0x2);
+}
+
+void VFD::entryModeSet(unsigned char address_direction, /* LEFT|RIGHT */
+                  unsigned char display_shift)          /* ON|OFF */
+{
+    sendByte(0,   0x4
+                | ((address_direction & 0x1) << 1)
+                | (display_shift & 0x1) );
+}
+
+void VFD::setDisplay(unsigned char display,         /* ON|OFF */
+                unsigned char cursor,               /* ON|OFF */
+                unsigned char cursor_blink)         /* ON|OFF */
+{
+    sendByte(0,   0x8
+                | ((display & 0x1) << 2)
+                | ((cursor & 0x1) << 1)
+                | (cursor_blink & 0x1) );
+}
+
+void VFD::shift(unsigned char shift_display,        /* ON|OFF */
+           unsigned char direction)                 /* LEFT|RIGHT */
+{
+    sendByte(0,   0x10
+                | ((shift_display & 0x1) << 3)
+                | ((direction & 0x1) << 2) );
+}
+
+void VFD::setCGAddress(unsigned char address)
+{
+    sendByte(0, 0x40 | (address & 0x3F));
+}
+
+void VFD::setAddress(unsigned char address)
+{
+    sendByte(0, 0x80 | (address & 0x7F));
+}
+
+void VFD::writeData(unsigned char data)
+{
+    sendByte(1, data);
+}
diff --git a/VFD.h b/VFD.h
index 8d15bf4..2851f5c 100644
--- a/VFD.h
+++ b/VFD.h
@@ -32,10 +32,30 @@
 class VFD
 {
     public:
+        static const unsigned char SHIFT_CURSOR = 0;
+        static const unsigned char SHIFT_DISPLAY = 1;
+        static const unsigned char LEFT = 0;
+        static const unsigned char RIGHT = 1;
+        static const unsigned char OFF = 0;
+        static const unsigned char ON = 1;
+
         VFD();
         bool connect(const std::string & parport = "/dev/parport0");
         void disconnect();
 
+        void displayClear();
+        void cursorHome();
+        void entryModeSet(unsigned char address_direction,  /* LEFT|RIGHT */
+                          unsigned char display_shift);     /* ON|OFF */
+        void setDisplay(unsigned char display,              /* ON|OFF */
+                        unsigned char cursor,               /* ON|OFF */
+                        unsigned char cursor_blink);        /* ON|OFF */
+        void shift(unsigned char shift_display,             /* ON|OFF */
+                   unsigned char direction);                /* LEFT|RIGHT */
+        void setCGAddress(unsigned char address);
+        void setAddress(unsigned char address);
+        void writeData(unsigned char data);
+
     protected:
         static const unsigned char RW_WRITE = 0;
         static const unsigned char RW_READ = 1;
@@ -47,6 +67,7 @@ class VFD
         static const unsigned char PP_OFFSET_RW = 1;
         static const unsigned char PP_OFFSET_E = 2;
         static const unsigned char PP_OFFSET_DATA = 3;
+        static const int INIT_DELAY = 2400;
 
         void sendByte(unsigned char rs, unsigned char dat);
         void sendNibble(unsigned char rs, unsigned char dat);