View Full Version : [PATCH] LCD/VFD support via LCDproc for XBMC Linux port
garthomite
2008-01-13, 01:23
Since I’m a huge xbmc fan I thought I would do something to help out.
This is my first crack at a patch (http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1870102&group_id=87054&atid=581840) so bare with me.
I implemented a simple LCDproc, it's pretty basic right now so the contrast/brightness don't do anything yet but it will display up to 4 lines. The existing lcd.xml works fine once it's renamed to lower case. Also the LCDd port is hardcoded to the default for now but I thought this would be a good place to start.
Let me know what you think.
gzusrawx
2008-01-31, 19:48
Hey did this ever get approved and added into the svn?
Hey did this ever get approved and added into the svn?
Ditto! This sounds like the start of a good way to get LCD support - an LCDproc client:nod:
none of the current devs got lcd's. so its hard to approve
patch is avail for anybody with lcds though, you'll find it at our patch tracker sf.net/projects/xbmc
gzusrawx
2008-02-02, 07:15
I tried compiling with this patch applied and I'm getting some errors:
/XBMC/xbmc/utils/LCDFactory.cpp:39: undefined reference to `XLCDproc::XLCDproc()'
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
make[1]: *** [XboxMediaCenter] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/cibele/Desktop/XBMC'
make: *** [all] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/home/cibele/Desktop/XBMC'
make[1]: *** [XboxMediaCenter] Error 1
make: *** [all] Error 2
gzusrawx
2008-02-02, 07:15
Any idea what's wrong?
monkeyman
2008-02-02, 10:14
try a make clean
gzusrawx
2008-02-03, 07:02
When should I do the make clean, because I do that when I build it anyways, and I just tried it again with a make clean and doesn't seem to make a difference.
garthomite
2008-02-03, 21:01
This patch was based on revision 11313, since then i think there was a conflict in the makefile.
I'll update it and post it later tonight.
gzusrawx
2008-02-04, 03:42
Ok thanks
garthomite
2008-02-04, 04:44
Patch has been updated. It just resolves the conflict in the makefile.
Make sure you have a clean working copy and do not already have XLCDproc.h and XLCDproc.cpp in xbmc/linux/.
Also in the userdata folder the config is case sensitive, you will have to rename LCD.xml -> lcd.xml.
gzusrawx
2008-02-05, 17:13
Cool worked fine for me.
FearlessSpiff
2008-02-18, 17:04
Great! For me too! So nice to have the VFD. Thanks a lot!
Gamester17
2008-02-18, 17:13
Too bad no one on Team-XBMC got a LCD or VFD in their HTPC chassi.
...but please keep the feedback coming as to which displays work :grin:
I just committed this patch. I'm not sure that we treat different sizes of LCD in the code or not. Can people verify that this is indeed true?
Too bad no one on Team-XBMC got a LCD or VFD in their HTPC chassi.
...but please keep the feedback coming as to which displays work :grin:
Would this (http://cgi.ebay.com/SAMSUNG-16T202DA1E-16X2-VACUUM-FLORESCENT-DISPLAY-VFD_W0QQitemZ160179735472QQihZ006QQcategoryZ26206Q QtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1713.m153.l1262) be helpful? Is there a US based Dev that would be willing to work with it? Maybe this (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999085) would be better?
The first one is in my case but the one being sold there may not have the USB interface mine came with. If there's on in particular out there that looks good for support, USB preferably IMO, and a dev who wants to take it on I might be willing to buy one. I'm not often in this section of the forum so PM me if there's interest.
FearlessSpiff
2008-02-19, 15:42
I just committed this patch. I'm not sure that we treat different sizes of LCD in the code or not. Can people verify that this is indeed true?
Mine is a 2x40 USB display found in the Antec Fusion case. and i think the treatment is right. In fact it looks great. :-D Only few things i would maybe change...
The handling is maybe done in LCDproc, where the driver for the VFD is specified and so it's size is known. Just an idea...
garthomite
2008-02-19, 20:22
Yes as long as LCDproc supports the LCD then it should work. LCDproc will also handle the different sizes so if xbmc sends 4 lines to LCDproc and you only have a 2 line display it will know to only display the first 2 lines.
Unfortunately the LCDproc driver I have for my USB LCD (2 line) does not support contrast/brightness yet so I couldn't add in support for either setting. I'll see if I can pick another one up from eBay and get that implemented.
Nick8888
2008-02-20, 06:57
I've got a silverstone lc16m case (imon 2 line vfd) gave this a whirl last night with current svn. Is it supposed to display anything other than the time? Mythtv displays menus and video info such as channel and recording status but xbmc only displays the current time.
I'm not asking for support or reporting a bug. I was just wondering if anything other than the time should be being displayed?
cheers for the patch!
Nick8888
2008-02-20, 07:10
ok i think i just answered my own question by looking at a couple of files in the svn. It is now my understanding there is a system setting in xbmc to turn on support.
FearlessSpiff
2008-02-27, 09:48
Is it just me, or is the VFD/LCD not working anymore with the latest build?!? It just displays a blinking "cursor" and no information...
FearlessSpiff
2008-02-27, 14:20
Oh my, forgot to rename lcd.xml! Sorry, forget my last post...
Hi,
After (finally) getting my iMon VFD working, I wanted to do more customizations (via lcd.xml).
While looking at my syslog i've noticed a couple of errors repeating themselves:
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: Invalid command from client on socket 5: ^N .^H
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: error: huh? Invalid command "^H"
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: Invalid command from client on socket 5: ^H
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: error: huh? Invalid command ".^H"
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: Invalid command from client on socket 5: .^H
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: error: huh? Could not parse command
I've figured that ^N should be for a new line maybe ?
But should'nt that be \n on linux (or maybe it's just an LCDProc issue)?
Can anyone point me to the location in the source so I could change it from ^N to \n to see if it behaves differently.
garthomite
2008-06-17, 06:48
Sure thing:
xbmc/linux/XLCDproc.cpp
The errors could very well be in the code as it's just a basic implementation of a LCDProc client.
ne0phyte
2009-03-13, 20:23
Hi,
After (finally) getting my iMon VFD working, I wanted to do more customizations (via lcd.xml).
While looking at my syslog i've noticed a couple of errors repeating themselves:
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: Invalid command from client on socket 5: ^N .^H
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: error: huh? Invalid command "^H"
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: Invalid command from client on socket 5: ^H
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: error: huh? Invalid command ".^H"
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: Invalid command from client on socket 5: .^H
Jun 14 21:32:22 mediapc LCDd: error: huh? Could not parse command
I've figured that ^N should be for a new line maybe ?
But should'nt that be \n on linux (or maybe it's just an LCDProc issue)?
Can anyone point me to the location in the source so I could change it from ^N to \n to see if it behaves differently.
Did you ever get this fixed? I just installed XBMC for the first time on ubuntu, configured lcdproc and I get following messages:
Invalid command from client on socket 5: .
error: huh? Could not parse command
error: huh? Could not parse command
My VFD changes from displaying "XBMC running..." to the default LCDPROC message and then back to XBMC
I installed the latest SVN version
If anyone is interested in getting a hold of some LCDs that doesn't have them built into their case, take a look here:
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/categories.php?c=148
I used to use those back when I was making embedded systems projects. Pretty handy and cheap LCDs. They even have multiple colors (in monochrome, so white text on black background, or red text on black background, etc). They even have color OLED screens and such (to see them you have to change the category on the left side).
So yeah, this might be a good place to pick up a cheap display and have some fun.
I was thinking of mounting one of these into my case and sticking a cheap processor on the back so that it would display the time when the PC was off (like a "real" DVD player) but would bypass that functionality when the machine was on and it was receiving data from XBMC or whatever.
Anyways, good job, keep it up.