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LCD screen, lcdProc
Posted: 19 Mar 2007, 06:31
by emil
Hi group!
I'm considering a Bubba to replace/complement my large power consuming and extremely noisy linux server.
What I'd like to do is connect a LCD display via USB to show relevant information such as when the next bus is leaving, torrent download status, new mails etc.
Products like:
http://www.matrixorbital.com/
http://www.crystalfontz.com/
seem to work well with LCDProc,
http://lcdproc.omnipotent.net/
Has anyone tried connecting an LCD via the USB port. If not can a developer of Bubba confirm that this would be possible? I realize that some programming would be needed but that suits me fine!
regards
/Emil
Posted: 19 Mar 2007, 07:24
by bjorn
Hi Emil,
me and zmannen has been using LK204-24-USB from Matrix Orbital and it works fine both with lcdproc and lcd4linux.
You do need to compile a kernel module for the display though.
/Bjorn
Posted: 19 Mar 2007, 08:26
by tor
Hi,
As i have said before. I had started a short howto on this since we think this would be a cool feature
We have however not got any further on that.
Anyhow we where looking in at using picoLCD as found fx here:
http://www.mini-box.com/picoLCD
http://www.mini-box.com/picoLCD-20x2-OEM?category=490
https://www.bulix.org/projects/lcd4linux/wiki/picoLCD
Which might be interesting as well. The only thing about this is that its untested. If i understand correctly bjorn had tested their solution.
/Tor
Posted: 19 Mar 2007, 15:04
by John W
bjorn wrote:You do need to compile a kernel module for the display though.
/Bjorn
How do you do that when the kernel is stored in flash?
Posted: 19 Mar 2007, 16:02
by emil
John W, the picoLCD has a program that only needs the USB drivers to be loaded (and I presume they are on the Bubba).
I've always been able to load compiled kernel modules without recompiling the kernel so this shouldn't be a problem with the Bubba (Bjorn, do you agree?).
The picoLCD seems to be the best product for me, easily mounted and has connectors for USB directly on the board. BUT, it's bloody expensive ordering it to Sweden... It seems that most of us here on the board are from Sweden, where have you bought your LCDs? I know there are a some on ELFA but not any with USB connectivity. Tips!
/Emil
LCD
Posted: 22 Mar 2007, 06:12
by zmannen
Yes Elfa in Sweden do carry Matrix Orbital LK204-24-USB. Provided you compile a driver for USB-serial it works. I'm writing about that in our series covering embedded technology in the magazine "Elektronik i Norden"
Elfa part number 75-529-53
http://www.elfa.se/pdf/75/07552953.pdf
Display addon will be covered in a month or so when the
article series reaches addon gadgets....
janne
Posted: 12 Apr 2007, 10:53
by endecotp
Hi All,
I thought you might like to have a look at this page, where I have documented my own effort to connect an LCD display to my linksys NSLU2:
http://chezphil.org/slugterm/
It describes my hardware (I have implemented it at a rather lower level than the other options that you have discussed) as well as software (I have implemented a terminal so you can log in; mostly I use it to run "df", "lpq" and similar).
Cheers,
Phil.
Posted: 19 Apr 2007, 12:40
by Kermit
Hehe fun I have for a long time spending less time reading "elektronik i norden" due it was going more and more for a wannabe engineer magazine like Ny Teknik. You proved me wrong with your articles about the bubba
which are really good and nice to read.
Sorry for being a bit of topic ....
Posted: 19 Apr 2007, 14:48
by johannes
Thanks, but just for clarification, we (Excito) doesn't have anything to do with those articles, it's their own idea. And we are very interested in their backup solution, will be interesting to read the following parts!
Posted: 11 Oct 2007, 05:57
by GaryL
Did you ever get the quick HowTo finished? I'd be quite interested in this mod.
Posted: 15 Oct 2007, 06:45
by tor
Unfortunately not. Time is our shortest suply for now
But another gadget that would be cool to connect is these cool oled-displays:
http://www.4dsystems.com.au/prod.php?id=11
5V, a serial connection and you are up and running.
/Tor
Posted: 15 Oct 2007, 11:53
by GaryL
no worries
ooh those look pretty cool.
although the likes of the LK204-24-USB from Matrix Orbital would probably suit me fine for displaying basic system stats.
has anyone got an english transalation of the guide in the 'Elektronik i Norden' magazine?
Posted: 16 Oct 2007, 05:51
by GaryL
Just a quick question.
Providing you done the serial hack to you bubba using a TLL to RS232 converter etc etc, would it be easier to install a serial LCD display rather than a USB display, i.e. no need for usb driver?