[mythtv-users] VFD Display

[Brian Foddy]

On Monday 26 March 2007 10:04 pm, Mark Bell wrote:
> > > Not sure I agree, I too found this error, and using the standalone
> >
> > driver from
> >
> > > http://venky.ws/projects/imon/#standalone
> > > dated March 2005, it seems to have almost no chance of building as
> >
> > looking
> >
> > > through its code its heavily based on devfs.  Do you have a newer
> >
> > version
> >
> > > somewhere?  The lirc_imon driver with lirc is much newer, that's why
>
> I
>
> > > suggested it.
> >
> > Sorry for not posting full information - I just check my old imon_vfd
> > build directory, and had commented out the old devfs stuff - only I
> > had forgotten this useful snippet. The diff to the original is:
> >
> >
> > [root at homer imon]# diff -u imon_vfd.c.orig imon_vfd.c
> > --- imon_vfd.c.orig     2006-05-21 17:15:49.000000000 +0100
> > +++ imon_vfd.c  2006-05-21 17:16:57.000000000 +0100
> > @@ -119,7 +119,6 @@
> >  /* VFD file operations */
> >  static struct file_operations vfd_fops = {
> >
> > -       .owner          = THIS_MODULE,
> >         .open           = &vfd_open,
> >         .write          = &vfd_write,
> >         .release        = &vfd_close
> > @@ -144,7 +143,6 @@
> >
> >  /* USB Device data */
> >  static struct usb_driver imon_driver = {
> > -       .owner          = THIS_MODULE,
> >         .name           = MOD_NAME,
> >         .probe          = imon_probe,
> >         .disconnect     = imon_disconnect,
> > @@ -159,7 +157,6 @@
> >  static struct usb_class_driver imon_class = {
> >         .name           = DEVFS_NAME,
> >         .fops           = &vfd_fops,
> > -       .mode           = DEVFS_MODE,
> >         .minor_base     = VFD_MINOR_BASE,
> >  };
> >  #endif
> >
> >
> > This built and I'm still using it on Fedora Core 4, kernel 2.6.14. Not
> > tried building it on any newer kernels, however.
> >
> > Nick
> > --
> > MythTV Official wiki:
> > http://mythtv.org/wiki/
> > MythTV users list archive:
> > http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users
> >
> > "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." - Benjamin
> > Franklin
> > _______________________________________________
> > mythtv-users mailing list
> > mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> > http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>
> [Mark Bell]
>
>
> I am extremely puzzled to the point of giving up.
>
> Brian,
> I just installed LCDproc-0.5.1 the whole installation went find.
> Double checked all conf files for correct diver names and locations.
> VFD responds to echo commands and the Client Server app.
>
> Mythtv will not display and a reboot tells me.
> *Starting Service LCDd: imon: Error opening /dev/lcd0 (no such file or
> *directory}
> *Imon: Did you load the iMon VFD kernel Module?
> *Driver [imon] init failed, return code <0
> *Could not load driver imon
> *There is no output driver
>
> Nick,
> You told me a few posts back that I needed to install the stanalon VFD
> module. I have made the changes to the imon_vfd.c and it would not
> compile
> I even applied a patch the just makes those edits for you.
> Still nothing
>
>
> This all happening on MythDora 3.2 with 2.6.18-1.2257.fc5.smp.i686
> Lirc .0.8.1 LCDproc-0.5.1
>
> Anymore idea's before I throw my self off the roof.
>
> I really appreciate your help and patience with me
>
> Mark
>
> _______________________________________________

Mark,
I'll try and remember all the steps I've completed, mindful that
my machine is a AMD X2, so I was buiding a 64 bit version...  And
I won't say my technique is very easy, I had some problems myself.
I'm using Mandriva 2007 x86-64.  upgraded kernel 2.6.20.3

Starting from lirc 0.8.1 tarball,
unpack it, skip the ./setup as it dies on Mandriva because "dialog" coredumps.
Make sure /usr/src/linux points to your correct / running kernel source.
so ./configure --with-driver=lirc_imon
cd drivers/
make
lirc_dev/lirc_dev.ko and
lirc_imon/lirc_imon.ko should be created.  I didn't use the rest of the
lirc package, at least so far cuz I'll stay with the default Mandriva build 
for now.
mkdir /lib/modules/<kernel name>/kernel/local
cp lirc_dev.ko lirc_imon.ko to above dir.
depmod -a
modprobe lirc_imon
You should have /dev/lcd0 now if everything worked.

Now for LCDd, generally follow those directions, although on my
machine the make install didn't set things up correctly for lib64, so
I had to do some futzing around to make it run correctly.  If you need
help with that, reply back.  Otherwise, LCDd should start and then
mythlcdserver (or lcdproc) can talk to your display.

Now I certainly wouldn't call this easy, not sure why I had so
many problems myself, but this did work for me.

Good luck.
Brian