[sanssome]

Can someone point me to where in the source tree the VFD LCDproc code exists? I know this is working on Linux and I'm interesting in building a patch to support my Hiper's Futaba VFD and possibly build something rather generic that relies on PD code already out there to interface to other VFDs as well.

[WiSo]

I really have no experience with the LCD code but you might wanna have a look at LCD.cpp and LCDfactory.cpp in XBMC\xbmc\utils.

[zyxel13]

Hi sanssome,

following the links to 2 files containg functional code and demo for the Futaba Display.

http://www.grsnet.net/Scaleo_VFD_source.zip
http://www.grsnet.net/VFDControl.zip

Here more Infos for the Display and the Buttons:
http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/Futaba

It would be great if xbmc windows would be able to drive a vfd display and
use the control buttons (play,stop, ffw, fbw, etc) located on the front of many cases.

Cheers,
Konstantin

[DragonFly]

Whoa! It would be great if you can develop a plugin for this VFD. I currently own a SCALEO E with the same VFD display.

Have a chat with Mrz (see http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=32797) who has written a plugin for the iMon VFD

[andye26]

Hi
Does your display work with LCD smartie?
If so I can give you a modified version of xbmc which will allow you to get film title and duration, music title and duration ,picture filename and resolution.

Works well but has issues with videos with no video info but best I can manage with my very limited knowledge.

Andy

[Nindae]

Hi,
I'm also an owner of a SCALEO E and have ivestigated the possabilities to output text on the front display.
I found an interface written i c# by a german guy ( can't remeber his name ).
To create a quick test application I used the multicast messages which xbmc sends out. Messages are sent when play back are started, stoped and track is changed.
My test app is listening for the multicast messages and outputs the Artist - Track title on the display.
So basicaly this is a stand alone application which consumes output from XBMC.
I don't have any time to follow up this first test shot, but if you are interested in my exaple let me know.

[DragonFly]

I'm really interested in your app and progress, Nindae!

It would be nice to have the VFD display something diffrent than just "SCALEO E"

A (fully) working VFD can be very usefull to browse your music collection and play something without powering on your (large power consuming) TV. This works in Mediaportal and it would be great if this could eventualy work on XBMC.

[zyxel13]

Hi
Does your display work with LCD smartie?
If so I can give you a modified version of xbmc which will allow you to get film title and duration, music title and duration ,picture filename and resolution.

Works well but has issues with videos with no video info but best I can manage with my very limited knowledge.

Andy

Hi Andy,
sorry for the Delayed anwer.
Never tryed LCD Smartie, but i just downloaded it and will try it.
What did y changed in the XBMC code to make it working ?

Cheers,
Konstantin

[zyxel13]

Hi,
I'm also an owner of a SCALEO E and have ivestigated the possabilities to output text on the front display.
I found an interface written i c# by a german guy ( can't remeber his name ).
To create a quick test application I used the multicast messages which xbmc sends out. Messages are sent when play back are started, stoped and track is changed.
My test app is listening for the multicast messages and outputs the Artist - Track title on the display.
So basicaly this is a stand alone application which consumes output from XBMC.
I don't have any time to follow up this first test shot, but if you are interested in my exaple let me know.

Hello Nindae,

yes I would like to try you application if Possible.

Thanky
Konstantin

[andye26]

Konstantin
All I did was create a new http command called getlcd (modified version of getcurrentlyplaying) which outputs a small web page with information more suitable for a lcd.
The plugin for lcdsmartie just reads the text from some lines on this web page.

Andy

[DragonFly]

Sanssome, have a look at this German thread: http://www.mce-community.de/forum/index....ntry206499

This is development for the VFD on MCE

[Gamester17]

Using "LCDHype" software could possible be another method(?), see:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=43925

and:
http://lcdhype.condense.de
http://lcdhype.condense.de/index.php?s=&showforum=58
http://www.casemodding.de.vu/

LCDHype LCD Driver SDK C++ Version 1.4
http://lcdhype.condense.de/index.php?showtopic=1049

LCDHype Plugin SDK C++ Version 1.3
http://lcdhype.condense.de/index.php?showtopic=1051

Not sure if it is fully open source though?

[DragonFly]

As far as I know the formentioned dm-140gink is not yet supported by programs like LCDhype, LCDsmartie etc

[Swifty]

Maybe we are looking at this the wrong way round for LCD/VFD under windows..
Instead of getting 3rd party applications and then hoping they have support for X,Y,Z display - Couldn't we create a fake MSAS and feed it XBMC info?

That way any LCD/VFD that supports windows media center (I'm guessing most peoples displays in their HTPC's case) would work with its native windows driver..

MSAS - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa468224.aspx

[Swifty]

Update: Found someone who created a similar thing for SageTV - The source is freely available to download from here; http://dragonglobal.biz/download/files/S...isplay.zip

It basically does what I'd mentioned before and creates a fake MSAS then pulls its info from Sage, the LCD/VFD drivers that are compatible with Windows MCE look to the MSAS automatically for their data so no excplicit support of each display is required.

I've emailed the author asking if its ok to modify his code for XBMC, but after looking at the source it seems a little over my head.. If anyone else wants to take a stab at it they may have more sucess than me.
In the mean time I'll continue tinkering with it and see what I can come up with.