LinuxMCE Forums

General => Developers => Topic started by: drikc on February 25, 2009, 12:24:51 am

Title: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: drikc on February 25, 2009, 12:24:51 am
Hi everybody,

I'm from France and using LMCE 710 for a couple of month now i find it so great i think i have to contribute!!
I'll go straight to the point, I've made en lcdproc client(http://lcdproc.org/ (http://lcdproc.org/)) C++ device template for vfd/lcd display.

here are the sources (chose one of the folowing links to download):
http://www.2shared.com/file/4950722/e93fd0a7/lmce-lcdprocclient-01-betatar.html (http://www.2shared.com/file/4950722/e93fd0a7/lmce-lcdprocclient-01-betatar.html)
http://uploadfile.org/download.php?id=4eusRDoZ1NI0PsK3bGn8 (http://uploadfile.org/download.php?id=4eusRDoZ1NI0PsK3bGn8)

I compiled an i386 version, you can use the folowing instructions to test it:

install the lcdproc server on your MediaDirector:
Code: [Select]
sudo apt-get install lcdproc.
confiigure the lcdproc server with the  /etc/LCDd.conf file.
restart the lcdproc server :
Code: [Select]
sudo /etc/init.d/LCDd restart

download this tar : lmce-lcdprocclient-0.1-beta-i386-bin.tar.gz
http://www.2shared.com/file/4950766/8a3ed1ba/lmce-lcdprocclient-01-beta-i386-bintar.html (http://www.2shared.com/file/4950766/8a3ed1ba/lmce-lcdprocclient-01-beta-i386-bintar.html)
http://uploadfile.org/download.php?id=hPkWjZHjQtiWENUprY3x (http://uploadfile.org/download.php?id=hPkWjZHjQtiWENUprY3x)

run
Code: [Select]
sudo tar -xvf  lmce-lcdprocclient-0.1-beta-i386-bin.tar.gz

Create the LCDprocClient DeviceTemplate (thanks to POSDE for the DeviceTemplate2php.php script) with this command:
Code: [Select]
php lcdprocclient-devicetemplate.

Copy the binary file:
Code: [Select]
sudo cp LCDprocClient /usr/pluto/bin/
sudo chmod 755 /usr/pluto/bin/LCDprocClient
Create the  LCDprocClient  Device.
Go to the Web Admin.
Select "Show Device tree"
Select your Media Director
Click Create child device => click Pick Device Template
=> Select LCDprocClient.
=> Reload the router. And voila!!

(note: I had to regenerate my onscreen Orbiter before my display recieve all time code infos while playing music)


I'm waiting for some feedback and hope those sources will be included in SVN.


P.S: I'm working on a C++ Wiimote Device...

Regards,
Drikc.
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: tschak909 on February 25, 2009, 12:41:22 am
Thank you so much. :)

You may want to stop by into #linuxmce-devel on IRC (Freenode), so we can talk about folding this into the next release.

There is quite a bit more work that needs to be done to make the whole thing more plug and play.

I do ask however, why did you make a LCDproc client, instead of writing a direct driver to your LCD display and make a subclass of the LCD stufff? What LCD/VFD display do you use?

The reason I ask is because with this, no matter what, manual intervention will always be needed to set up an LCD display, unless you make a host of device templates and associated configurations for each type of LCD display.

-Thom

Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: tschak909 on February 25, 2009, 01:00:16 am
Also about the Wiimote driver, you may have better luck modifying Bluetooth Dongle, VIPShared, and the Orbiter plugin to handle the Wiimote. The reasons are:

* Bluetooth Dongle and Orbiter plugin assume EVERYTHING in the bluetooth world is a phone. This needs to be extended.
* VIPShared is so aggressive about scanning that you'll need to attach the scanning for bluetooth devices (probably using libcwiid) immediately after the end of the phone scanning loop and before it begins again, otherwise you'll have an inquiry error.
* Right now, Bluetooth Dongle sends messages to Orbiter Plugin whenever new devices are detected, This causes a whole rash of plug and play subsystem messages eventually leading to the "Phone Detected" messages you see on screen. These need to be stopped, and you need to send Device Detected messages yourself.

Those are the things i've come across while investigating what it would take to add Wiimote support.

Of course, then there are the logistics of dealing with mapping things appropriately when a given accessory is connected, if automatic, then it's automatic...

If manual, a new screen needs to be added to configure the controller.

-Thom
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: drikc on February 25, 2009, 02:00:01 am
Quote
I do ask however, why did you make a LCDproc client, instead of writing a direct driver to your LCD display and make a subclass of the LCD stufff?
It's a start, I think it can be usefull while waiting for real specific LCDs drivers but i agree with u, it's not really plug and play.
+ I only have one LCD display and it's integrated on my case in my "production" environment, so i can't really test using it.

Quote
What LCD/VFD display do you use?
I'm using a Soundgraph iMON IR/VFD, I'll try to make a specific driver but I can't guarantee


thanks for the advices about the Wiimote, but actually I did go in another direction...
I'm using wiiuse library (http://www.wiiuse.net/ (http://www.wiiuse.net/)) so I can connect any Wiimote in the range pressing 1+2 button.
I've created a IR-Remote-type device template and each Wiimote key pressed will send command just like remotes do("left", "right" etc...).
I can configure the key mapping using the device data.
The accelerometer could send mouse-move command to the orbiter(not implemented yet).
It works great for the moment and I do not have inquiry error.
I'll post the sources soon.

rds,
Drikc
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: tschak909 on February 25, 2009, 02:04:32 am
With the approach you have here, you will not be able to adequately use the wiimote for my games media type. Nor use the IR or accelerometers for the mouse pointer.

-Thom

Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: tschak909 on February 25, 2009, 02:10:32 am
Also, please listen to me, I know this stack a lot better than you do...

With your approach, you will cause a conflict with the Bluetooth_Dongle. You do not have a mobile orbiter (cell phone) attached to the system, so you are not seeing these issues.

I will not check in this code until you have dealt with the issues I have mentioned above.

-Thom
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: hari on February 25, 2009, 11:52:28 am
don't be scared, tschak is known for his *bold* sentences and *sighs* :-p

Thanks for your contribution,
Hari
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: totallymaxed on February 25, 2009, 12:26:20 pm
Quote from: hari on February 25, 2009, 11:52:28 am
don't be scared, tschak is known for his *bold* sentences and *sighs* :-p

Thanks for your contribution,
Hari

...and Thom had been up through a 24hr cycle and I think he was feeling a bit 'grumpy' ;-)

So as Hari said... thanks for getting involved.

All the best

Andrew
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: tschak909 on February 25, 2009, 05:19:04 pm
I am sorry, I did not mean to frighten or discourage...

I just wanted to point out a few very important details.

-Thom
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: drikc on February 25, 2009, 09:40:54 pm
hello hello,

Back from work..
Don't worry tschak i'm listenning to you and I do understand. 
But I'll explain a little why I took this approach for my Wiimote Device,

First I saw the wiki workaround to use the Wiimote(http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Wiimote (http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Wiimote)).
I don't know if people using the wminput script with a mobile orbiter have a conflict with the Bluetooth_Dongle, but if so there no doubt i'll get it too.
If they don't, I don't know why i'll get this issue because the device I've made does the same thing (expects that it sends DCE command message on key pressed instead of X events); but I may be wrong..
I used the wiki workaround for a while, but I could'nt control my STB or my DVD player with the  Wiimote so I made a remote-like DeviceTemplate and now I can control everything.


tschak, your approach is better but I'm not sure I can do it, i'll try to understand the Bluetooh_Dongle processes and see if I can do something, but i've not much time for that after work.... :-[
If someone wants to see my code and try to 'port it' the way tschak describes just PM me; I think it might help to understand the wiiuse library.


Rds,
Drikc

Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: cfernandes on February 28, 2009, 09:59:22 pm
Helo ,  you can explain how to configure a lcdproc

my lcd ht4478  is not on a dcerouter  is instaled on de remote media director

thank´s a lot 
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: drikc on March 01, 2009, 01:53:34 pm
Hello,

Just ssh your Media Director and follow the instructions of my first post except for the deviceTemplate creation step (php lcdprocclient-devicetemplate) that must be done once on the core.
To configure your lcd see http://lcdproc.sourceforge.net/docs/stable-0-5-x-user.html (http://lcdproc.sourceforge.net/docs/stable-0-5-x-user.html) and modify the /etc/LCDd.conf file on your MD.
Make sure the 'ServerScreen' option is set to 'no' if you don't want to see the server screen displayed between LMCE messages.
You will have to do the all thing each time you rebuild your MD.
Remember it's not officially released and I have compiled and tested the device with a clean 0710 LMCE 32bit install, use at your own risk...


rds,
Drikc
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: nite_man on March 03, 2009, 10:19:08 pm
Thanks a lot, Drikc, for that useful application. It works fine with iMON VFD display ;)
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: gumis on July 01, 2009, 09:50:04 pm
files don't exist any more...
Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: murcel on July 02, 2009, 12:22:13 pm
here are some mirros, by searching google

http://www.assembla.com/spaces/linuxmce/documents/aNKTfkvYar3PMKeJe5afGb

Title: Re: VFD/LCD diplay - lcdproc client device
Post by: nite_man on July 02, 2009, 01:28:49 pm
Also you can find them here: