Re: MtxOrb older models not supported (anymore ! ?)

On 05.03.2012 13:21, Liselore Vermeulen wrote:
> L.S.,
>
> <replace by polite greeting to all />
>
> <replace with polite and humble excuse for posting multiple posts on one day 
>  instead of bundeling them into one, explaining the intention to "compartimentalise" the
>  different subjects. />
>
> I'm using LCDproc at my workplace for some time (a customised version of 0.4-pre9)
> where the Matrix Orbital 2041 display is the only visualisation available.
>
> We have a large number of these devices.  They are MtxOrb 2041 Rev. 1.3 devices, 
> and work splendidly with aforementioned lcdproc version.
>
> Now recently we had to order new system hardware, and we discovered the 
> (old) LCDproc program not to function "properly" with the new hardware.
> Our supplier provided us with 2041 devices, Rev. 2.0;
> We discover with these new devices:
> - flickering on the display
> - some erroneous (random?) characters
> - the heartbeat icon is no heart but some random character.
>
>
> That's the reason I had to come back to the source, and downloaded
> and compiled the new version... Which functions flawlessly with
> the new hardware version,  HOWEVER,... this (current) server now "misbehaves" 
> towards the old  hardware (call it the legacy devices (PCB 1.3)).
>
> - extra characters are displayed,... thus screwing up the display
>
> Evaluation:
> - these screwing characters primarily seem to come from trying to disable the GPO's 
>   at initialisation phase.
>   the PCB 2.0 version (for {LCD,VFD}2041, but also LCD0821 and presumable even more) requires 
>   a GPO-number with the CMD+'V' and CMD+'W' instructions, however the older devices (Rev. 1.3) 
>   only have 1 GPO, and the instruction does NOT require (and apparently does not read) 
>   the "number" of the register.  The older versions interprete the GPO-address as character to display...
>
> - the older version also doesn't implement the adjustable brightness code (CMD + 'B'), 
>   interpreting the CMD + 'B' + value  also as a character to (write on the) display.
>
>
>
>
> My Question:
> I'm currently working to get ONE single driver, to discover the legacy devices, 
> and function correctly with them.
> This is what *WE* need, since we're using the same software for both "older" models,
> with the legacy driver, and more recent models, with the version 2 board.
>
> We would like to contribute to the project... 
>
> Does the project accept/want this "legacy-supported" version ???
> or has older hardware support consciously/intentionaly been removed from the code ?
>
> Friendly serial greetings
>
> L.V.

Hi,

Matrix Orbital displays are the reason why LCDproc exists. Therefore I
guess we will support even older devices. There has been a lot of work
at the end of the 0.4-series on the MtxOrb driver and I do not guarantee
that everything went into 0.5.

However, looking at the code and comments of relevant sections (output()
and backlight()) it looke like it is supposed to support older devices
already.

Two settings in LCDd.conf are important when using older devices:

Type = lcd
hasAdjustableBacklight = no

'type = lcd' effects the use of GPIO and makes output not using the
additional option byte.
'hasAdjustableBackligh = no' (which is ON by default, even if not set)
enables the use of 'B' and 'F' for switching the backlight on/off
instead of using '\99' for adjusting the backlight.

Please try again with these settings.

Regards,
Markus